Santa Barbara Independent 4/9/26

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Santa Barbara

APR. 9-16, 2026 VOL. 40 NO. 2055

A Very Early Spring

Home & Garden

Finding Renewal in Every Corner

by Tiana Molony and Leslie Dinaberg

Plus Thousands Attend First Soltopia

Redux Redo, Nerf Herder Style

by Christina McDermott

by Josef Woodard

Mom and Toddler S.B. Gets a New Back Home After Italian Festival Immigration Detention

by Meaghan

by Ryan P. Cruz

Clark Tiernan

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APRIL 9, 2026

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Bestselling Author and Climate Journalist George Polk Award-winning Journalist and Author

Masha Gessen

Bill McKibben

Politics of the Past, Politics of the Future

Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization

Tue, Apr 14 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

Tue, Apr 21 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

International Rescue Committee President

David Miliband

National Book Award-winning Poet and Social Justice Advocate

New World Disorder: A Humanitarian Perspective in Conversation with Ben Rhodes

Martín Espada

Wed, Apr 22 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

An Evening with

Wed, Apr 29 (new date) / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall FREE (registration recommended)

(805) 893-3535 www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu INDEPENDENT.COM APRIL 9, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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THE INDEPENDENT

APRIL 9, 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

Forty Years of Covers at the Faulkner Gallery

Volume 40 #2055, Apr. 9-16, 2026

COVER STORY

25

ELAINE SANDERS

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 Isabella Venegas News Reporters Ryan P. Cruz, Callie Fausey, Ella Heydenfeldt, Elaine Sanders Senior Arts Writer Josef Woodard Mickey Flacks Fund Fellow Christina McDermott Assistant Editor Tiana Molony Copy Chief Tessa Reeg Copy Editor 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, Shannon Kelley, Austin Lampson, Melinda Palacio, Cheri Rae, Hugh Ranson, Amy Ramos, Starshine Roshell Contributors Ingrid Bostrom, 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, Kevin Tran, 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 Alice Dehghanzadeh, Madeline Slogoff, Emily Vesper 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

A Very Early Spring Home & Garden Finding Renewal in Every Corner

by Tiana Molony and Leslie Dinaberg

NEWS..................................................... 7 OPINIONS..........................................17 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

OBITUARIES................................... 20 In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Marianne Partridge and Nick Welsh at the Santa Barbara Library exhibition

THE WEEK....................................... 43 ARTS LIFE ........................................ 47 LIVING .................................................52 FOOD & DRINK.............................57

Last Thursday night marked the opening of Covering 40 Years, an exhibition featuring 150 Santa Barbara Independent covers spanning the four decades of newspapers that hit Santa Barbara’s newsstands every week. “We are so thankful to be able to share stories, your stories,” said Independent Publisher Brandi Rivera addressing the crowd just shy of 100 people at the Santa Barbara Public Library’s Faulkner Gallery.

Restaurant Guy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

ASTROLOGY ....................................61 CLASSIFIEDS..................................62 ON THE COVER: Pentimento. Photos by Amy Barnard.

Design by Xavier Pereyra.

The room was a buzz of Independent writers, photographers, art directors, and editors, both past and present, as well as friends of the Indy and members of the public who enjoyed a walk down memory lane, both of the paper and of Santa Barbara history. Head to independent.com/covershow to read about the opening night reception and learn more about the Covering 40 Years show on display at the Faulkner Gallery now until the end of May.

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APR. 2-9, 2026

NEWS of the WEEK

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

ISLA VISTA

NEWS BRIEFS

Thousands Attend First Soltopia Festival

Thousands of people flocked to the heart of Isla Vista on Saturday for Soltopia, a new sanctioned event to replace Deltopia.

transported directly to the hospital that year.

Last year, the Sheriff ’s Office reported that they issued 485 citations and made 84 arrests. This year, law enforcement issued 42 citations and made six arrests — a more than 90 percent drop.

Outside of the festival area, Isla Vista’s streets were empty and silent. S.B. and Ven-

tura county sheriff ’s deputies patrolled the community, with officers and their vehicles lining Del Playa Drive. A few clusters of Isla Vistans relaxed in their yards or in their doorways, but no major parties blared out—Christina McDermott side the loop.

Read the full story at independent.com/soltopia.

SPORTS

UCLA’s NCAA-Winning Coach Has Close Ties to UCSB In 2011, UCLA hired Close, then a Florida State assistant, to take over the women’s basketball program. It took her 15 years to lead the Bruins to their very first NCAA championship. She might have learned some of that persistence from Wooden; it was not until his 16th season at UCLA that his men won their first title in 1964.

Close’s top assistant throughout her tenure has been Tony Newnan. He was a UCSB student recruited by French to play on a male scout team against the women. Newnan became manager of the Gaucho women’s team and then assistant coach, known for his creative offensive ideas. He was the top assistant to Westmont College’s Kirsten Moore before Close brought him to UCLA. Tasha Brown, another one-time Gaucho assistant, later joined the Bruins staff as a defensive coach.

Close, mirroring the sentiments of both French and Wooden, has often said that building character is as important to her as winning games. As she put it this year, “The talent is our floor, but our character will determine our ceiling.”

That she has succeeded with the Bruins was evident to many. “They showed so much class,” French observed. “Talk about being proud of women’s basketball—not only how

they played, but how they comport themselves, what they learned about being great women—partially by playing basketball.”

Sunday’s victory was simply a superb performance by UCLA’s solid seniors, including Camarillo’s Gabriela Jaquez, Lauren Betts, and Kiki Rice. Close’s women picked the best time to live up to one of John Wooden’s maxims: “Make each day your masterpiece.”

—John Zant

Cori Close playing at UCSB

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

Erika Ruiz Santillán (pictured), a 3rd-grade teacher at Adelante Charter School, was named the 2026 Teacher of the Year by the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE). The statewide award recognizes Ruiz Santillán for her work as a bilingual educator, her leadership, and her positive impact on students. “It was such a full-circle moment for me because I started as an English learner myself. I am like my students. I’m a mirror for them,” said Ruiz Santillán, who grew up just three blocks from Adelante on Santa Barbara’s Eastside. Ruiz Santillán has been teaching since 2009, beginning at the former César Chávez Charter School, which reopened as Adelante Charter School in 2010.

TRANSPORTATION The long-awaited commuter train to Santa Barbara got the green light from Southern California’s regional train authority to begin service 5/4. Passing through Ventura County between 6 and 7 a.m., the Pacific Surfliner should arrive in Santa Barbara by 7:56 a.m. and Goleta by 8:11 a.m., giving northbound commuters an alternative to being stuck in highway traffic. Subsidized fares will be automatically applied to tickets for riders between Ventura County, Santa Barbara, and Goleta: $50 for 10 tickets; $150 for a monthly pass. For the commute home, existing trains leave S.B. at 4:40 and 6:50 p.m. Ventura’s Coastal Express bus will honor train tickets, adding more flexibility to southbound times.

COURTS & CRIME

CO U R T E S Y

T

he joyful reaction to UCLA’s winning the NCAA women’s basketball championship on Easter Sunday reverberated from Phoenix to Westwood to Santa Barbara.

Bruins head coach Cori Close spent her formative years in college basketball as UCSB’s point guard from 1989 to 1993, and she started climbing up the coaching ladder as a Gaucho assistant during a nine-year run (1995-2004) that endeared women’s basketball to the community.

Mark French, UCSB’s head coach during that span, took delight in seeing Close’s Bruins dismantle South Carolina, a betting favorite going into the championship game, by a 79-51 score.

“The first half was the best I’ve seen them play,” French said. “It was a clinic of great basketball, male or female, pick a gender.”

The legendary John Wooden, whose UCLA men’s teams won 10 NCAA titles, once picked a gender when he said: “I love the purity of women’s basketball and how fundamentally sound the players are.”

Wooden befriended Close when she was a UCLA graduate student, and for 15 years until his death in 2010, she was a frequent visitor to his home, tapping into his holistic and wholesome view of life.

CO U R T E S Y

C A L L I E FAU S E Y

T

he sun and about 11,000 people turned out for the first-ever Soltopia Festival in Isla Vista on Saturday. Throngs of people meandered through the festival grounds, which spanned the Embarcadero Loop area. They gathered around stages to cheer on live bands, danced to deejay sets, shopped for thrifted clothes, got face paint and temporary tattoos, and waited in stretching lines for food.

The Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) organized the event on the heels of the 72-hour noise ban that effectively canceled Deltopia, the massive unsanctioned block party on Del Playa Drive.

Myah Mashhadialireza, IVCSD’s programs and engagement director, said Soltopia was a success overall. Along with good attendance, she said, Isla Vista had a significant drop in medical calls compared to 2025. Mashhadialireza said that on April 4 this year, there were seven emergency services calls — four in wider Isla Vista, and three in the Soltopia area — and four visits to the medical tent set up for the weekend; medical services transported two of those patients to the hospital. In 2025, the Sheriff ’s Office reported 135 EMS medical calls over Deltopia weekend; 57 people were treated in the emergency medical tent and 25 were

EDUCATION

An upcoming court hearing will determine whether prosecutors can use evidence from a search warrant in the case against Ashlee Buzzard, the Vandenberg Village woman accused of murdering her 9-year-old daughter, Melodee. On 4/1, Buzzard made a brief appearance in Lompoc’s criminal court, where Judge Stephen Dunkle said that Judge Denise Hippach would hear the defense’s motion to quash and traverse a search warrant on 5/ 6.

Judge Dunkle also set a hearing for a second motion from the defense—one that would require the prosecution to send its discovery of forensic and ballistic evidence.

The court has not yet set a date for Buzzard’s preliminary hearing.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Goleta man for attempted murder and stalking. In a 4/7 press release, the sheriff’s office alleged that Jorge Luis JijonLagara, 39, had been surveilling his ex-girlfriend and had stabbed her new partner on 3/25. After failing to locate Jijon-Lagara the night of the stabbing, the sheriff’s office said, detectives continued an investigation and served a search and arrest warrant on 4/2. Jijon-Lagara was taken into custody without incident and is being held at Santa Barbara County Main Jail without bail. The sheriff’s office said that the stabbing victim is expected to recover.

CONT’D ON PAGE 14

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APR. 2-9, 2026

HOUSING

Rent Cap Takes Shape I N G R I D B O S T R O M F I L E P H OTO

Council Makes Policy Recommendations for Permanent Rent Stabilization Program in Marathon Meeting

Santa Barbara City Council

A

Relaxation Made Beautiful

by Ryan P. Cruz f ter a n o t h e r marathon hearing — with hours of passionate public comment, council deliberation, and more than a dozen separate votes — the Santa Barbara City Council gave specific policy direction outlining the basic elements of its upcoming rent stabilization ordinance.

These policy directives will be used to draft the permanent citywide rent cap program, with the goal of having a draft of the ordinance ready for the City Council to consider by this summer in order to meet the timeline of adoption and implementation in early 2027.

Tuesday’s council hearing was just the latest in a long line of public meetings regarding rent stabilization, which is supported by a four-vote majority on the council despite pushback from property owners who consider any form of rent stabilization as an overreach of government power on the rental market. Property owners have also filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s temporary rent freeze, implemented to keep prices stable during the planning process for the permanent program.

Representatives from the city’s newly hired consultant RSG, Inc. joined staff from the city administrator’s office to help facilitate the discussion and to get council input on more than a dozen points, from the proposed level of the cap to the exemptions allowed and whether the city would implement a rental registry to keep track of necessary data to run the program.

The consultant team and city staff had spent the past several weeks running focus groups and meeting with community members, renters, housing advocates, property owners, real estate professionals, and property management groups to get input on the top priorities for a Santa Barbara–based rent stabilization pro-

gram. They also looked at a selection of California cities to compare how other jurisdictions have tailored their respective programs.

According to research provided by RSG Senior Associate Sara Court and Vice President Tara Broughton, there are more than 23,000 rental units within the City of Santa Barbara, half of which are multifamily properties with five or more units. The consultants could not estimate exactly how many units would be covered by a potential rent stabilization program, though the number could fall anywhere between 12,000 to 17,000 units, depending on the number of exemptions allowed.

Some of the policy recommendations came from the stakeholder meetings, including a suggestion made by property owner groups asking that the City Council consider placing the item on the ballot for a citywide vote. Councilmembers shot down the proposal, preferring to continue through the regular planning process and sharing concerns about the timeline of a ballot measure. Only Mayor Randy Rowse voiced support for a ballot measure.

Opinions varied widely during public comment, with tenants and housing advocates urging the City Council against further delays, while property owners and real estate groups demanded the city reconsider moving forward with the permanent rent cap.

Brian Johnson, CEO of the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors, said that the policy decided by council could “shape Santa Barbara’s housing market” for the next few decades. “A decision this significant shouldn’t rest on a divided council vote, it should reflect the democratic legitimacy that comes from the will of the full community,” he said.

Renters and housing advocates asked council to protect the renters of the city, which make up about 60 percent of the total population.

CONT’D ON PAGE 12

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THE INDEPENDENT

APRIL 9, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

ENERGY

NEWS of the WEEK CONT’D

Not in My Backyard

BLM Hits Setback in Lawsuit to Open Central Coast to New Drilling

A

TA R A P I X L E Y

by Callie Fausey mid efforts to expand oil and gas drilling in backyards across the Central Coast, the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has hit a snag.

The agency recently asked a federal court to pause enforcement of a California law that prohibits new drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, hospitals, and other “Health Protection Zones.”

On March 31, the court denied that request, allowing the protec- An oil rig in a Long Beach backyard, showing how close these rigs tions to remain in place while the are to some communities in California. Right now, the BLM is proposing to drill more in Central and Southern California. case proceeds.

The ruling comes as the BLM proposes to open up 850,000 untapped acres public opposition. More than 175,000 public across the region to new oil and gas develop- comments were submitted criticizing the ment. That plan, however, butts heads with BLM’s proposal, which would open up areas Senate Bill 1137, a state law forbidding new near neighborhoods, sensitive habitats, and drilling near communities that may be at waterways to new drilling. heightened risk from pollution.

Among those proposed 850,000 acres are Research shows that multiple public a 40-acre parcel located within 2,000 feet of health risks are linked to living near oil and Cate School in Carpinteria, a 42-acre public gas operations, including adverse birth out- park in Lompoc, and land bordering Lake comes, respiratory illness, and higher rates Cachuma.

In response, 50 Central Coast organiof cancer.

Unhappy with this legislative obsta- zations submitted a joint letter urging the cle — claiming it “unreasonably burdens agency to revise the proposal and address domestic energy development,” under- “neglected concerns related to public health, mining affordability and American energy water resources, wildlife habitat, and land independence—the BLM sued the State of use conflicts.” California Attorney General Rob Bonta also submitted his formal objecCalifornia in January to get around it.

The federal agency says that SB 1137 tions, warning of worsening pollution in would “knock out” about one-third of all already burdened communities. federally authorized oil and gas leases in CalMore than three million Californians live ifornia. It argues that federal law—namely, within 3,200 feet of an active well. Those the Mineral Leasing Act and the Federal neighborhoods are predominantly lowLand and Policy Management Act —pre- income and nearly 70 percent non-white. empts SB 1137.

Critics say the BLM’s proposal relies on Shortly after filing the complaint, the an outdated environmental analysis that BLM asked the court to halt enforcement does not consider the plethora of potential of the state’s health buffer zones. A federal impacts to sensitive areas and communities.

“This plan puts some of the Central court denied it, characterizing SB 1137 as a “reasonable environmental regulation” with Coast’s most treasured public lands, beaches, an “obvious and important purpose” of pro- communities, and drinking water sources at risk, yet it ignores new evidence and directly tecting people from adverse health effects.

The BLM has “not demonstrated that it conflicts with new state law,” said Benjamin is likely to succeed in showing SB 1137 con- Pitterle, director of advocacy at Forestflicts with federal law,” according to court Watch, in a statement. “The BLM should documents. go back to the drawing board. The public Environmental groups—including the deserves better.”

Center for Biological Diversity and Los With the close of the comment period, Padres ForestWatch, which are seeking to the BLM will review public input before intervene in the case—are taking this latest making a final decision in July.

There are many different conversations decision as a win.

“This initial ruling keeps vital protections around oil permeating through Santa in place for our neighborhoods and the pre- Barbara County right now, including the cious parks and open spaces that surround ongoing saga of Sable Offshore Corp. and them,” said Jeff Kuyper, ForestWatch execu- proposals to open up areas off the coast to offshore drilling. This is a different proposal tive director.

“The Trump administration’s desperate by the BLM to open up lands onshore. The quest to drill next to homes, schools, and County Planning Commission is also curopen spaces knows no bounds, but today, rently considering an ordinance to prohibit justice prevailed,” he said. new oil and gas drilling in the county. A Efforts to expand drilling on the Cen- hearing on that matter was set for April 8, tral Coast have been met with widespread after print deadline. n

La Primavera!

A FIESTA TRADITION. . .

Please join El Presidente 2026 Colin Hayward, and the entire Fiesta family, for an unforgettable evening kicking off the Fiesta season.

As we welcome spring, there’s no better time to celebrate than at Old Spanish Days La Primavera on May 2 at the historic El Paseo Restaurant. The evening will feature authentic cuisine, mariachi music, and live flamenco dancing.

The traditional highlight will be the first performances of our newly-crowned Spirit and Junior Spirit of Fiesta.

This year’s official Fiesta poster, created by renowned local artist Pedro De La Cruz, will headline a collection of exceptional fundraising auction items.

This special event supports all of the free public events during Fiesta 2026—making it a night of celebration with a meaningful purpose.

Tickets are $150 for General Admission, $800 for Booth for 4 People and $1,750 for VIP Table for 8 People. All are available via TicketSauce at the link below and include a special opportunity to support our youth dance programs and other beloved Fiesta traditions.

Viva la Fiesta!

MAY 2, 2026 at 5:30 PM Scan for tickets!

TICKETS $150 • sbfiesta.org

Join Us for Cocktails, Dinner, Auctions and Dancing at the Historic El Paseo!

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APR. 2-9, 2026

HOUSING

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0226-SBAR

Author Talk & Signing Monte Schulz: Undercity We’re hosting Monte Schulz for a book talk and signing of his latest novel Undercity!

An uncannily prescient novel, eerily relevant to our contemporary political moment, Undercity unfolds across 16 interconnected vignettes, as author Monte Schulz charts the lives of two dozen characters desperately trying to survive and retain their humanity in a civil order that has tumbled into totalitarianism.

A local Santa Barbara resident, Schulz received his M.A. in American Studies from UCSB and published his first novel, Down by the River, in 1990. His father is the late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz.

Tue, Apr 14, 6:00 PM 3321 State St Scan the QR code to see more event info on our website.

10

THE INDEPENDENT

APRIL 9, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

S

anta Barbara County now offers free, preapproved plans for accessory dwelling units (better known as ADUs).

The plans, which include options for studios and onebedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units, are expected to speed up the approval process and reduce permitting costs. Plans come in four design styles: farmhouse, “Farmhouse” style option from the ADU plan, designed by RRM Design Mediterranean, midcentury, Group and contemporary.

Joseph Dargel, the Deputy Director of to obtain a coastal development permit. The Planning and Development at Santa Bar- site plans are for county areas only, and areas bara County, said that the plans will allow with specific features—those in areas with people to bypass hiring an architect to map flood hazards or with steep slopes, for examout an ADU unit from scratch, though peo- ple—may not be able to make use of them.

Both California’s Department of Housing ple would still need to submit a site-specific plan that shows where the proposed housing and Community Development and Santa would go on a property. With the new plans, Barbara County have stressed ADUs as a it is hoped, the Planning Department can way to address housing shortages. focus on site-specific details, which could “ADUs are a key part of our strategy to make the permitting process more efficient. increase housing options for residents at It may also make the permitting process all income levels,” Lisa Plowman, direccheaper since it offers a fixed permitting fee: tor of Santa Barbara County Planning and $4,200. Dargel said that a recently approved Development, said as part of an April 2 press 800-square-foot ADU had permitting fees release.

From 2018 to 2024, Santa Barbara County totaling approximately $7,200, so the fixed fees would have saved the applicant about recorded 918 building permits for ADUs. $3,000.

By comparison, the county recorded 809 Building and zoning regulations would permits for detached single-family homes still apply to each project, and folks looking and one permit for a single-family attached —Christina McDermott to build in the coastal zone would still need unit.

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COUNTY

Co-Response Teams Facing Cuts

S

ince 2018, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff ’s Office and the Santa Barbara Police Department (SBPD) have partnered with Behavioral Wellness to create six co-response teams of crisis-interventiontrained law enforcement officers and licensed mental-health practitioners. The program has proved to successfully de-escalate situations involving individuals facing mental-health crises, easing strain on both law enforcement officers and community members, and resulting in fewer arrests. But due to a lack of funding, staffing may need to be cut for the program, leaving just one team responding to all of North County’s needs.

Sheriff Bill Brown, Director of Behavioral Wellness Toni Navarro, and Dr. Cherylynn Lee of the Sheriff’s Behavioral Sciences Unit gave a presentation to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday expressing the successes of the program and the potential losses if funding is not secured.

Currently, there are four co-response teams—two in South County and two in North County—managed by the Sheriff ’s Office and two teams based in Santa Barbara City managed by SBPD. Each team is composed of an officer trained in crisis intervention and a Behavioral Wellness licensed mental health practitioner who respond to calls as a team on 10-hour shifts.

In 2025, the County Public Safety Dispatch Center received 56,590 calls to 9-11. Of those calls, co-response teams were dispatched to 2,070 of them.

Only 2.6 percent of calls responded to by co-response resulted in arrests. According to Sheriff Bill Brown, “Without the team, it would be much higher.” The majority of these situations were resolved by individuals voluntarily going to the hospital or being connected with other resources for them to receive care.

Funding for SBPD teams is secure through the next couple of years, but the sheriff ’s team funding is less stable. With the passage of Proposition 1, much of the county’s funds for behavioral health treatment programs have been reallocated to housing programs. Two of the four sheriff ’s teams are set through fiscal year 2026-2027.

One faces a funding vote on April 22 by the County Community Corrections Partnership. The last team has no funding options currently.

If funding is not secured, it has been determined that only one co-response team will service the over 2,000-squaremile North County area, leaving two sheriff ’s teams for South County and two city teams servicing the City of Santa Barbara.

—Elaine Sanders

ENERGY

NEWS of the WEEK CONT’D

Federal Approvals Would Allow Nuclear Power Plant to Continue Operations Through 2045

T

JOSH ERNSTROM

Diablo’s Life Extended

by Callie Fausey he Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant just received federal approval to keep the lights on for another two decades.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued utility company PG&E, the plant’s operator, a 20-year operating license on Thursday. Its license now stretches until 2045.

Diablo Canyon Power Plant However, PG&E only recently received state approval to keep the plant open until 2030. It will also have expense of California residents.

“We knew the NRC would give the goto get permission from the state legislature if it wants to extend operations for another ahead to PG&E, even without test results on 15 years on top of that. The state has only embrittlement at Unit 1, and without resoluauthorized Diablo’s Unit 1 nuclear reactor tion of the seismic concerns beneath Diato stay open until 2029 and Unit 2 until 2030. blo,” said Linda Seeley, a Mothers for Peace That detail didn’t stop the celebration representative. “The NRC is a hand-servant at a license-renewal-signing ceremony on to the industry.”

Thursday.

She noted the potential cost to taxpayers “I am so excited my heart is just going to keep Diablo running—just shy of $700 to pop out of my chest,” PG&E senior vice million—which will continue even as the president and chief nuclear officer Paula state faces a $18 billion deficit. Despite what Gerfen said during the Thursday confer- PG&E and the state claim about a lack of ence. “Today the NRC’s approval confirms clean energy resources, Seeley claims that what we already know…we are safe, and we the plant is unnecessary and that the state are environmentally sound.” already has enough power to keep the lights She called the plant’s safety standards on. “world-class” and praised staff for their dediShe and other anti-nuclear advocates and cation amid uncertainty around the plant’s environmentalists say the plant is not worth future. the risk: “This is a time bomb waiting to go Officials reiterated that the plant is safe off,” she said. “Its not structurally sound,” to operate and is a major source of the based on possible embrittlement — when state’s clean, carbon-free energy. It powers radiation causes surrounding materials to the homes of about four million California be more likely to break—and the fact the residents and generates about 20 percent of plant sits on and near several earthquake the state’s clean energy. It is the last nuclear fault lines (although PG&E maintains that the plant is built to withstand these hazards, power plant in California.

“This license renewal comes at a critical at least through 2030).

Add on top of those risks the environtime, as global conflicts and trade disputes create uncertainty in energy markets,” said mental concerns—the barrels of radioactive Congressmember Salud Carbajal at Thurs- toxic waste created every day at the plant, day’s conference. “I’m proud that our state and its harms to the coastal environment is taking decisive steps to secure our power through its seawater cooling system that heats marine waters and kills organisms, grid.”

Carbajal has been a vocal proponent of according to environmental groups—and the Morro Bay Offshore Wind Energy Proj- the NRC’s decision seems to defy logic, Seeect, which was meant to replace and exceed ley said. Although a laundry list of millionDiablo’s energy output. But thanks to the dollar mitigation efforts are promised by Trump administration’s crusade against PG&E in exchange for the plant’s continwind, that project currently hangs in limbo. ued operation, which was approved by the Originally, PG&E intended to decom- Coastal Commission in December, they mission the plant’s two nuclear reactors by don’t add up to a net benefit, opponents 2025, as outlined in a 2016 agreement. But argue. It’s not a “green” operation in the the state granted the plant an extension in slightest, Seeley contended.

2022 to allow it to keep operating until 2030, Still, PG&E was able to acquire all state due to concerns that California was not pro- approvals to keep the plant running until at ducing enough clean energy to replace the least 2030. But to operate the plant past 2030, plant. Diablo is a “steady power source,” PG&E needs permission from the state Legaccording to officials, which is fit to help islature and a new wastewater discharge permeet the state’s growing electricity demand mit from the Central Coast Regional Water amid increasing risks of power outages.

Quality Board.

But there is mounting public anxiety “We think it was a very unwise decision; behind the plant’s continued operation. we will be working with the California state Advocacy groups, such as Mothers for legislature to prevent a 20-year extension of Peace, say PG&E is blowing smoke, at the the operating license,” Seeley said. n

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RENT CAP “We’re arguing right now about whether we’re going to represent the majority of disadvantaged people or a super-minority of already advantaged people,” said Santa Barbara resident Bryndan Callaway. “Why is this even a point of discussion? What the tenants have asked for is a fair and reasonable compromise with landlords, and the landlords are pushing back on that.”

Councilmember Kristen Sneddon said she was eager to work out the details for a permanent rent cap, which has been in the works in some form for more than eight years.

“Every time we bring it up, it creates turmoil, it creates stress, and that’s from all groups impacted,” Sneddon said. “It’s time to move forward. I think it’s time for us to settle on policy.”

Council took more than a dozen separate votes on each section of the policy, with almost every item moving forward in a 4-3 vote, with Councilmembers Eric Friedman and Mike Jordan and Mayor Randy Rowse abstaining from most votes.

Midway through the long series of votes, Councilmember Jordan voiced his frustration with the process, saying that he found “no better way” but to abstain from votes based on a disagreement with the

ELAINE SANDERS

his Good Friday saw the return of Doctors Without Walls’ Annual Foot Washing Event, which had been canceled since 2020 due to the pandemic. Partnering with Veterans Affairs and WillBridge, dozens of volunteers from community organizations and local churches gathered at the Veterans’ Memorial Building on Cabrillo Boulevard to wash the feet of those facing instability in Santa Barbara. Visitors also received a hot meal, access to medical and social services, free showers, and hygienic materials from Showers of Blessing, and a free pair of new socks and shoes.

In Christian traditions, washing the feet of others is a hallmark of Holy Week and is a practice of humility.

Typically done on Holy Thursday, the tradition derives from Jesus washing Doctors Without Walls volunteer Eemaan Wahidullah the feet of his 12 apostles before the last washing the feet of Florenzio Alcazar supper and his crucifixion. Pope Leo washed the feet of 12 priests in this year’s Santa Barbara. “Everybody is welcome to ritual, breaking from Pope Francis’s choice come in and eat and get shoes.”

Pattie Fletcher, a volunteer from Word to wash the feet of people who were incarof Life Santa Barbara, said that she believes cerated or not of the Chrustian faith.

“Doctors Without Walls believes not only that everyone deserves to be pampered as in clinical, but also non-clinical support,” she gave Helen a manicure. Helen, born and said Executive Director Maggie Sanchez. raised in Santa Barbara, makes use of New The organization focuses on “providing for Beginnings’ Safe Parking Program. She said that the volunteers at Friday’s event made the whole person.”

The event was aimed at making commu- people feel like “we’re going to be okay.” nity members who are unsheltered or facing “You never know: It could be your unstable conditions feel seen while receiving mother, brother, sister, wife,” said Fletcher. intentional care and connection.

She runs a women’s group out of her home “It’s not just for homeless,” said Louie and invited Helen to join. “We just want to Perez, a case manager from WillBridge of give everybody hope.”

—Elaine Sanders

CONT’D FROM P.8 base cap level of 60 percent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Council voted 4-3 (with three abstentions) to move forward with a cap set at 60 percent of CPI or 3 percent, whichever is lower.

Council voted 4-3 against allowing landlords to bank unused rent increases for future years and in favor of a robust petition process allowing landlords to petition for a fair return but limiting petitions on nonessential improvements.

Similar 4-3 votes decided on how petition and appeals would be handled, increasing transparency, exploring funding methods, and instituting a rental registry.

Councilmembers debated on which exemptions to allow, specifically on whether Housing Authority and Section 8 units would be exempted in the city’s ordinance. The council originally considered allowing no exemptions beyond state law, but on the suggestion of Councilmember Eric Friedman, the motion was amended to bring back discussion on the Housing Authority exemption. The vote passed 6-1 with Councilmember Wendy Santamaria abstaining.

City staff will now work to draft an ordinance to be presented to council this summer. n

EDUCATION

NEWS of the WEEK CONT’D

Octobots Head to State

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O C TO B OT S R O B OT I C S

Goleta’s Student-Led Robotics Teams Advances to Championship

by Ella Heydenfeldt n a cavernous room in Goleta, a loose constellation of high school students hovered around a three-foot-tall, half-built robot — wires exposed, laptops propped beside it. Others lingered nearby, talking, laughing, eating spaghetti out of takeout containers.

Mentors circled, offering guidance but not taking over. It felt like a workshop-meets-hangar-meetsclubhouse.

Now, that same group — the Octobots robotics team — is headed to the state stage.

The Octobots Robotics Team 9084, a Santa Barbara–area, stu- Octobot Robotics Team at the FIRST Robotics District dent-led team, will compete in the Qualifying Event FIRST Robotics California Southern State Championship, April 9-12 design robots capable of collecting game at the Anaheim Convention Center, after pieces, navigating obstacles, and scoring into advancing through two district competi- elevated targets — all within a fast-paced, tions and earning the “Quality Award” for competitive arena. their robot’s “robustness in concept and For students, the experience is as much fabrication.” about collaboration as it is about engineer“Only the top 60 out of 151 Southern ing. “It’s a great place where you can make California teams make it this far,” said team mistakes and learn to work with people,” parent and boardmember Diana Pereira. Vulliez said.

“These kids put in thousands of hours and For the mentors, they describe their role they earned every point.” less as instructors and more as guides. “We For the roughly 30 to 40 students on the try to be the tug boats on the side of the team, the path to Anaheim has meant hours Queen Mary,” Ramsey said. “We try to steer of self-taught coding, iterative design, and them the right way.” trial and failure.

For many, the impact stretches well “I joined when I was a freshman,” said beyond high school. Ramsey’s son signed Uma Vulliez, a junior at Dos Pueblos High up for the robotics team many moons ago.

School. “I really like the community that we Ramsey, who is a “computer guy” by trade, build. It’s very welcoming; people are very was equally passionate. “We got addicted,” kind. It always feels like the place where Ramsey said. “It turned my son into an aerothere’s multiple opportunities where we can space engineer.”

Alumni frequently return, drawn back by build lots of things and get lots of hands-on that same energy. experience.”

Founded in 2023, the team operates “It’s so much fun,” said Lane Fuller, a as an independent nonprofit — separate former team member who now mentors. from a school, though largely composed of “There’s not really any sports for this kind Dos Pueblos students—and relies almost of stuff…. To go into the arena with all these entirely on community support. The group high schools, it’s very exciting.” is currently fundraising to sustain and For students who may not gravitate expand the program, including a $200,000 toward traditional athletics, he added, campaign to purchase new equipment and robotics offers something comparable.

“They get to experience being a part of a cover competition costs.

“This team operates entirely on the gen- team,” Fuller said. erosity of our community,” Pereira said. “We Mentor Mike Cameron, who has worked receive no regular funding from the school with robotics students for more than a or any outside source…. Every dollar we decade, said the program offers a rare spend … has to be raised from scratch, every opportunity: “To make something from an single year.” Those wishing to donate can do idea all the way through is something really rare for high school students,” he said. “Even so at teamoctobots.org.

Mentors say the fundraising model mir- college students.”

As the Octobots prepare for Anaheim, rors the real world more closely than a trathe rhythm inside their workspace remains ditional classroom.

This FRC team operates like a small unchanged: show up, build, test, laugh, and startup company,” said lead mentor Michael have fun.

Ramsey. “You get a product idea and then “They came in as students and they’re you have to fundraise, come up with proto- leaving as engineers, leaders, and teamtypes, design, build, and program. You put mates,” Pereira said. “These are the moments they’ll carry with them for the rest of their the product to its test in the competition.”

This year’s challenge requires teams to lives.” n

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TRANSPORTATION

‘BCycle for All’ Gets $1.8M

T

by Nick Welsh he private company BCycle, which launched the fleet of 267 white electric bikes with their signature brown wicker baskets now zipping all over town, just secured a $1.8 million clean-mobility grant from the State of California. Translated into actual numbers, BCycle will be tasked with increasing the enrollment of low-income bike passes, known as “BCycle for All,” by 1,600 percent — or 250 additional passes each a year for the four years of funding.

The grant — secured by BCycle in conjunction with the City of Santa Barbara and the private investment firm Amet Partners — will also fund 60 new bikes, 96 new docks, and 21 additional stations, plus the cost of a new van and bilingual outreach.

The bikes will be distributed throughout lower-income neighborhoods with recharging stations within two blocks’ walking distance for possible users.

The price break for the cost of the lowincome BCycle bike-share pass is already significant. A regular all-year BCycle pass is $244.68. By contrast, a low-income “BCycle for All” pass is $27.12.

With a price differential like that, why have only 62 people signed up?

“We are, admittedly, not great at outreach,” said Jo-Anne Burgess, operations manager for BCycle. The grant, according to Burgess, will involve working with the nonprofit MOVE, which advocates for safer bike options for commuters and pedestrians and has a much deeper understanding of the terrain. For decades, MOVE has operated Bici Centro, a bike repair shop on Haley Street, with budget friendly prices.

With the war in Iran showing little sign of abating, the rising price of oil threatens to hit the wallets of commuters, while the Metropolitan Transit District has announced bus service cuts. In this broader context, BCycle’s little white

BRIEFS WILDFIRE A fire burned approximately 23 acres near a Vandenberg space launch complex on April 3. The facility is about 14 miles from Lompoc. A public information officer from Vandenberg Space Force Base said that the base’s fire department responded to the fire around 1 p.m.

Three hours later, Vandenberg said firefighters had contained the flames. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

COUNTY The road to a finished feature film may start with the script, but it’s also potholed with location scouting, permits to close streets or simply set up, and the daily requirements for food and drink, accommodations, and unexpected equipment or crewmember needs.

For the host city or county, that can all amount to a lot of income, a stream Santa Barbara County supervisors considered tapping into on 4/7 through

bikes — which can hit top speeds of 17 miles an hour if riders also pedal — might seem a more invitingly cost-friendly option for city commuters. According to the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, which tracks such things, the median distance for city commuters is 3.3 miles. Burgess also noted that, with the exception of Gelson’s, BCycle already posts stations by every grocery store.

About 18 months ago, BCycle, a company founded and owned by Trek Bicycle company CEO John Burke, who lives in Santa Barbara part-time with his wife, was sold to Bicycle Transit System (BTS).

Trade publications describe BTS as a woman-owned and managed company with a strong commitment to addressing income equity issues.

Burke and Trek launched the BCycle ride share program in Santa Barbara right as the COVID-19 pandemic was coming into its full fury. Among bike activists and City Hall insiders, Burke was seen as a generous benefactor, providing full concierge services for his hometown e-bike operation. In 2021, the company rolled out 130 bikes operating out of 272 docks and reported 30,000 trips totaling 133,000 miles, thus offsetting 125,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Today, the company reports 267 bikes being rented out from 558 docks and 83 stations, totaling roughly 200,000 trips a year. While the number of trips is down slightly from the previous year, the number of miles traveled has gone up slightly. In 2025, it was up to 2.5 million.

Based on recent rider surveys, 50 percent of BCycle trips replace a trip that would otherwise have been made with a car. At any given time, there are about 1,200 active users enrolled in the system. In the spring time, that translates to about 500 to 800 trips a day. In the summer, it’s 800 to 1,000. Of those, 80 percent are Santa Barbara residents, 20 percent visitors. n

CONT’D FROM P.7 the creation of a new film commissioner position.

Following an informational presentation, the board voted unanimously to direct staff to return ahead of budget hearings with options for establishing the position.

CITY The Santa Barbara City Council officially started the process of renaming both Cesar Chavez Day and Calle Cesar Chavez on 4/7, requesting that city staff start the necessary steps to replace the holiday and work with community members to select a new name for the street. Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez was among multiple elected officials to call for the change following recent reporting that revealed Chavez was accused of sexually abusing more than a dozen women and teenage girls. Gutierrez said he wanted the street renaming to be done “as quickly as possible” and suggested reverting the street back to the original “Salsipuedes Street” as an easy fix. n

IMMIGRATION

NEWS of the WEEK CONT’D

Central Coast Mother and 2-Year-Old Back Home After Immigration Detention ‘Intense and Miraculous’ Journey for Toddler and Mother Detained for Nearly Two Weeks in Texas

A

CO U R T E S Y P H OTO S

by Ryan P. Cruz detention, Goodman and LEAP staff began to Central Coast mother and her have a little more hope. But there were still many 2-year-old child are back home after details they had to work out, Goodman said, a harrowing experience in a federal including finding a new place for the family to live after their landlord — who assumed the famimmigration detention center in Texas, where the young boy reportedly fell ily had been deported — rented out their unit and ill and ate little food for two weeks before got rid of their personal belongings.

Through a community effort and thanks to an extraordinary turn of events — and the help of a family friend, Goodman was able a community effort between a Goleta nonprofit, a civil rights attorney, and a Texas to line up a new room and cover the first month’s congressmember — resulted in their release rent with remaining donations to the emergency on April 2. fund.

The asylum-seeking mother, whose name Before the family arrived, Costilla went out to is not being published out of fear of further grab some new clothes, food, and provisions for immigration enforcement, and her 2-year-old K and his mother. They set up a doctor’s appointson, who is being identified only by his first ment on Thursday so K could be checked out initial, K, shared their experience with the immediately when they got back home. GoodIndependent through staff members at LEAP, man says she remembers nervously tracking flights to make sure there were no last-minute a local nonprofit that provides childcare and family support for low-income and immisnags. grant families.

“We celebrated when we learned that mom K and his mother arrived back in Santa Barbara after nearly two weeks in an immigration detention center Lori Lander Goodman, CEO of LEAP, and K were at the airport,” Goodman said. “We in Dilley, Texas. said it has been an “intense, remarkable, and cheered when the first plane took off.”

But the video clip also revealed some hopeful news, that miraculous week” helping the mother and When K and his mother arrived in Santa Barson return home and begin to rebuild their lives. Both K and the story of K and his mother had grabbed the attention of bara, Goodman and her team were the first to greet them. It his mother are still processing the trauma of being arrested San Antonio Congressmember Joaquin Castro, who vowed was a moment to celebrate, but also revealed the emotional, physical, and psychological damage that both K and his and taken halfway across the country, while trying to secure to advocate for the release of both mother and child.

By the next day, the family had gotten in touch with mother endured during their nearly two-week journey into the release of K’s father, who remains detained in a separate attorney Elora Mukherjee with the ACLU’s Racial Justice and back out of the American immigration detention system. facility in San Diego.

They learned that 2-year-old K was unable to eat solid food Goodman said the family, which used LEAP’s family ser- Program, who promptly filed an appeal that was tentatively vices and children’s center, was legally seeking asylum and accepted early that morning. As the family and the attorney for the entirety of their stay. His mother described comforting complying with all requirements to become citizens through tried to arrange the release in Texas, Goodman and the staff him as he cried, unable to sleep due to the bright lights, loud the approved pathways. On March 19, the family arrived at at LEAP more than 1,400 miles away were scrambling to line noises, and fear of the guards on late-night patrols.

“He suffered immensely in detention at Dilley,” Goodman a regular immigration check-in, where the entire family was up an approved sponsor for both K and his mother.

Within an hour, Goodman says, immigration called to said. “For nearly two weeks, he vomited every time his mom suddenly taken into custody.

LEAP Community Engagement Specialist Laura Costilla confirm the family’s sponsor. Goodman used the community tried to feed him solid food. He survived by drinking water first heard about the arrest when she got a desperate call from donations to get plane tickets from San Antonio to Santa and apple juice.” the family letting her know what had happened. Costilla Barbara for both K and his mother and served as a liaison to Goodman said the boy “desperately misses his father” and said she felt extreme sadness about the situation, though she schedule a window of travel on Thursday, April 9. the trauma of being dragged from cars to detention facilities says she felt grateful that the family trusted LEAP enough to The day before the family was released from immigration has manifested in a fear of strangers and traveling. reach out. The family originally got her contact information “Both K and Mom are severely traumatized,” Goodman through another client, who helped spread the word that said. “He screamed hysterically getting into the car when LEAP was an organization immigrant families could rely on Laura picked them up from the airport. He is now terrified of cars and car seats because of the way he was violently shoved for support and safety. into a car by ICE agents.”

“That’s what connection does,” Costilla wrote in an email On Monday, K returned to school for the first time since describing her experience. “Sometimes, it’s not about having he was arrested and detained along with his family back on the answers or the power to fix everything. Sometimes, it’s March 19. He was happy to be reunited with his teachers just about being there, meeting people where they are, and and classmates, and has enjoyed his favorite foods since he holding space for them. And, in this case, that was enough has been home. to build trust strong enough to travel thousands of miles.”

LEAP staffers are continuing to support the family to help LEAP staffers weren’t sure what they could do to help the family, but Costilla’s words inspired Goodman to send out an them get back on their feet. Goodman shared a community email blast sharing the story with their shared network, invitfundraiser where community members can donate to help ing community members to donate to an emergency fund to with legal expenses and to purchase basic necessities such as evaporated milk, oil, eggs, clothing, and furniture. help K and his mother.

Goodman said that the entire experience shows the That same night, Goodman got a call from another staff power of community can help heal the wounds of trauma. member, who told Goodman that they recognized K’s face “Trusted relationships, equitable environments, and a on a local Spanish-language news broadcast about a detensense of belonging — along with therapy — can counteract tion center in Dilley, Texas. The short news clip said that the 2-year-old hadn’t eaten solid food for 12 days, and that his some of the harmful effects of what happened to this family,” mother was struggling to get him proper medical care in she said. “This week is an example of what we can do because the facility. we are a community.”

“Understandably, she was terribly upset and brokenK was reunited with his teacher Maria Barrera at LEAP’s Children’s Center hearted to see a child she worked so hard to enroll in our To support LEAP, or find out more about the organization’s services in Goleta. children’s center suffering,” Goodman said. and resources, visit leapcentralcoast.org/donate.

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War Will Cost Us Dearly

A

mericans are already feeling the impact of Trump’s trillion-dollar war with the increase in gasoline costs within the first two weeks of the war. Food prices will rise dramatically, American businesses and farmers will be hurt, and costs of all products will rise. Federal infrastructure improvements in the U.S. will be cut and eliminated.

Healthcare, Medicare, Medicaid, and free vaccines will be cut, and people will die. Education money for our children will be cut and money for university research and student aid will be cut. Federal spending on all American programs will need to be cut dramatically.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be laid off, and the people will have less money to spend on food, clothes, recreation, restaurants, entertainment, and small businesses. More jobs will be cut, and more people will be laid off. People will lose their homes, and our country could be in a depression shortly.

The bottom 90 percent will end up paying for the trillion-dollar war while Trump’s buddies get richer, building and replacing the weapons already used.

Trump’s latest slogan should be “Make America Poor Again.”

—Jim Coombs, S.B.

Not So Stupid

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recent writer to the Independent asserted anyone opposing “voter ID,” in the form of the so-called “SAVE” Act, “is either stupid, partisan, or just wants to cheat.”

The writer may wish to update their understanding of the anti-voter consequences of that proposed — and unnecessary — suite of legislation, which moves far beyond any concept of “ID” and is designed to make voting harder, particularly for women who took their husband’s last name, people of color, those who must relocate after disasters, military members, and those with economic limitations.

The writer may also wish to revise their assumptions about those who oppose it. The most nonpartisan of organizations at work for the health of our democracy for more than 100 years, League of Women Voters of the U.S., strongly opposes the SAVE Act and related legislation. The League is joined by a coalition of organizations in support of democracy—Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights—including the Brennan Center for Justice, Greenpeace U.S.A., and the NAACP.

See lwv.org/save-act or the Conference website for the facts. —Gail Fairburn, Member, Justice and Equity Team, Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara

Where Is the Outrage!

H

aving been to the Israeli-occupied territory on the West Bank myself, I read Ava’s account of torture by Israeli settlers in the March 26 edition with sadness and anger, but without surprise. These incidents are all too common. I have witnessed them on a smaller scale myself.

On the same day that the Independent published the article, The Guardian newspaper published a report saying that since 2020, although 1,100 civilians have been killed in the West Bank by both settlers and soldiers, not one person has been prosecuted.

Where is the outrage? How can we support, and even condone, military aid to Israel without accountability, in light of facts like these? Silence is consent! If your response to this is “Well, it’s complicated,” that is also consent. —Mary Folsom, S.B.

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Fogust

W

e were talking the other day about Santa Barbara weather. Every knows about June Gloom and May Gray. We came up with No Sky July and Fogust.

—Rick Brown, Goleta

For the Record ¶ In last week’s story about the plan for the future of the waterfront, we incorrectly said East Beach experienced about five feet of erosion over the past 20 years; the correct figure is five feet of erosion per year over the last 20 years. ¶ In our March 26 sports story about new additions to SBCC’s Athletics Hall of Fame, we note that Jack Sanford was SBCC tennis coach for “exactly 29 years (from 1966-1994),” not more than 30 years, as we had written. Sanford also let us know of several other Halls of Fame he has been inducted into, but that SBCC’s “means a great deal to me if not more so than all the other awards I have received.”

The Independent welcomes letters of less than 250 words that include a daytime phone number for verification. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Send to: Letters, S.B. Independent, 1715 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101; or fax: 965-5518; or email: letters@independent.com. Unabridged versions and more letters appear at independent.com/opinions.

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In Memoriam

Magdalena Ramos Alvarado 1930–2026

COURTESY

A Life of Love and Dedication to Family

Magdalena Ramos Alvarado (top row, second from right) was one of the 10 children of Feliciano and Vicenta Alvarado.

N

BY M A R K A LVA R A D O ena passed away at home early in the

morning of March 24. Born Magdalena Ramos Alvarado on August 15, 1930 in Santa Ynez, Nena was the household name given by her parents, Feliciano and Vicenta Alvarado.

Magdalena lived to be 95 years old. She was third in line of the Alvarado family, which spans seven generations in Santa Barbara County. Her grandfather Andres Alvarado is buried at the Calvary Cemetery in Santa Barbara, and her grandmother Isabel Alvarado is buried inside the grounds of the Santa Inés Mission. She had six sisters and three brothers.

Nena leaves behind a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members—many of whom she helped raise, including me.

Born into a traditional American family that worked on different farms and ranches throughout the County of Santa Barbara, Nena inherited strong family values and a firm spiritual foundation. She never married, yet she allowed her Catholic faith to guide her throughout life. Being the daughter of devoted parents means that she was showered with a love that remains strong today. She responded by committing the first 65 years of her life to her parents.

Along with her sister Petra, they both dedicated their lives to their home with their parents, ensuring that Chano, as Feliciano was nicknamed, and Vicenta lived with the best support and care any loving parents could ask for. The life dedication she gave to her parents is an astonishing example of a child honoring their parents, a closeness that is rarely seen today.

She attended Guadalupe Union Public School and finished her formal education through the 10th grade at Santa Maria High School. Magdalena always worked to support her parents up until their passing.

She worked in the fields picking produce or in the packing sheds of the Santa Maria Valley. She later became a housekeeper for various agencies, notably 15 years at Marian Extended Care. She understood her role in life, which was more than bringing home a check every two weeks.

Magdalena was a very disciplined person. She had

Otis Otis, a beloved seven-year-old Leonberger dog passed away on March 15th.

He was a local celebrity; a frequent visitor to the Douglas Preserve, Cold Springs Tavern and generally around town. Otis was often seen riding in his dad’s (Dave Tait) motorcycle sidecar, goggles on and tongue wagging in the wind. Tour guides on the Santa Barbara Land Shark buses would point him out to the “Oohs” and “Ahhs” of tourists leaning out of their seats to see this special dog.

He was known and loved by many, especially kids, who enjoyed hugging this gentle giant. Otis will be dearly missed by his canine and human friends.

18

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a diligent character and was always quick to speak her mind. She lived with pride and dignity knowing that she was helping her mom and dad keep the family home healthy and clean. There was an innate routine that she inherited growing up watching her elders greet each day. They would start with a prayer as the morning sun slowly peeked through her bedroom window. Most days she would come home tired and stained by the day’s work. Yet, she would change clothes quickly and would start scrubbing her work clothes by hand with a washboard. The next thing you knew, her clothes would be hanging from the clothes line in the backyard.

Once retired, Magdalena lived a quiet life in the family home along with her sisters Petra and Perfecta and her brother Andres. The family home in Guadalupe will never be the same with her passing.

She had moved into the home with her parents in 1961 after it was purchased brand-new by her brother Andres after serving in the Air Force. Prior to that, the family started out living in a train car when her dad worked for Pacific Railroad in the 1920s. Moving into a modern home 40 years later was a very proud moment for the Alvarado family.

She took pride decorating the home with family pictures showcasing the Alvarado family history in Santa Barbara. The living room looked like a photo gallery, with a large portrait of her parents above the fireplace. She embodied so much of what it means to be an Alvarado. She leaves a void that will always echo with the love she carried for her family.

Magdalena was not a person who thought too much of the outside world. Perhaps her biggest thrill was eating strawberry shortcake with homemade whipped cream. She would watch the news and wonder why the world was “so crazy.” The tranquility of living in a small farm town like Guadalupe sheltered Magdalena’s imagination. However, she created a beautiful life for herself by always being there for her family. Whether through hard work or through her private prayers, Magdalena was a fire keeper for the family. She kept watch and always made sure the foundation underneath her family would never n be broken.

Opinions

VOICES

CONT’D

Supervisors: Improve Justice and Save Millions

Smart Decisions Now Will Save County Services and Serve the People

BY LAURENCE SEVERANCE, MAUREEN

EARLS, GAIL OSHERENKO, ROBERT ORNSTEIN, EMILIANO CAMPOBELLO, PAM FLYNT TAMBO, LAURA PINA, ANA ARCE, MOLLY MASCAL n mid-April, Santa Barbara County Supervi-

•

Defender represents about 80 percent of all those held in our jails. Hiring a few more defense attorneys and investigators to enable manageable caseloads will reduce “just cause” delays, provide more timely justice, and reduce the large numbers of those who sit in jail with their cases undecided.

I

sors will revisit a costly and consequential decision: whether to move forward with a jail expansion by building 384 beds (1.5 option) or choose a more fiscally responsible 1.0 option (256 beds). The difference — up to $147 million in construction, financing, and operating costs — money the county can use to offset serious cuts to community services.

Santa Barbara County faces a $23 million budget deficit next year and $66 million over the next five years. Across-the-board cuts may seem fair, but in our criminal justice system, they will actually increase costs and deepen existing problems.

Today, several costly dysfunctions drive unnecessary jail use. Smart, targeted investments will improve justice while saving money.

Court Delays Keep People in Jail Longer than Necessary: A 2025 Defense Workloads and Staffing

study documents significant caseload and staffing disparities between the Public Defender and District Attorney, creating a serious choke point for criminal justice. Public Defender understaffing leaves attorneys with overwhelming caseloads.

This leads to delays in investigating contested facts and preparing defenses. Judges routinely grant continuances “for good cause.”

The result is that 70 percent of those in our jails wait for their cases to move forward at a cost of $394 per person per day. The Sheriff ’s current budget just for jail operations is $107,780,000.

Delays waste court resources, strain families, and undermine confidence in the justice system.

People Approved for Treatment Are Still Sitting in Jail: Roughly 35 jail residents are court-approved

for mental health or substance use treatment, yet remain incarcerated because appropriate treatment beds are unavailable. This is a continuous problem: We spend heavily on jail capacity while underinvesting in treatment options that address root causes of justice involvement.

Effective Alternatives to Jail Are Underused:

Community supervision (probation) is shown to be as effective as incarceration in reducing reoffending, and it costs far less. Yet, low-risk individuals who might be eligible for release remain unnecessarily jailed.

These are not abstract policy concerns — they are practical problems with practical solutions.

County Supervisors can make strategic FY202627 budget decisions to improve justice and reduce costs.

Strengthen public defense and expand early representation: Our County Public

The county should approve realignment funding to expand the READY (Re-entry, Early Access, and Diversion for You) program. It gives public defenders early access to clients, resulting in 28 percent fewer days in jail and cases more efficiently resolved. For that program, an investment of $110,000 saved about $250,000 in reduced days in jail.

The county General Fund Budget needs to support additional public defender staff to reduce post arraignment court delays, improve justice, and lower the jail population at comparatively minimal cost.

•

Make better use of Probation Department risk assessments: Encourage judges to rely

on Probation Department’s credible risk assessments. Accommodate low-risk individuals to be safely supervised in the community. Maintain public safety and reduce unnecessary jail costs.

•

Expand treatment alternatives to incarceration: Support additional community-based

mental health and substance use treatment to accommodate those in jail who are courtapproved for such care.

•

Don’t overfund jail expansion: Supervisors

will soon decide between building 384 new beds (1.5 housing units) or 256 beds (1.0 unit) for the Northern Branch Jail. Investing in the strategies above can safely reduce jail demand, avoid building excess capacity, and save up to $147 million in long-term construction and operating costs.

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Our county supervisors can strategically reduce incarceration, improve fairness, and protect taxpayers — all at the same time. At its core, this is about how stewardship, faith traditions and responsible caring governance call us to use resources wisely and treat every person with dignity.

The authors represent Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice and League of Women Voters Criminal Justice Workgroup.

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obituaries Joyce Ellen Rudy (Reed) 01/31/1929-01/31/2026

Joyce Ellen Rudy (Reed), born January 31, 1929, passed away on her birthday January 31, 2026, 97 years later. She was with her loving family when she passed.

Joyce was born in Columbus, Ohio to Amy and Robert Reed, along with an older brother Jim, and younger sister Alice(Goodburn).

She graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in Social Work. She and James Arthur Rudy were married in Columbus Ohio, June 20, 1953 and had 3 children, Tim, Cinda(Rick) and Becky(Rob). They had 6 grandchildren, Peter, Brian, Kevin, Laura(Danny), Alison, and Eric, and 2 great grandchildren, Micah and Ezra.

After moving from Ohio, Joyce and Jim(1930-2010) lived in Newport Beach and later Santa Barbara for 45 years before moving to San Diego in 2021. Joyce loved playing bridge with friends, sewing, taking care of her many plants, eating chocolate and reading with her book club. She also loved time with her family.

A memorial service was held in San Diego on February 15, 2026 We toasted Joyce Ellen with wine and See's candy.

Eric Melbardis 1953-2026

On Friday, January 30, 2026, Eric P. Melbardis passed away suddenly at his home in Santa Barbara, California, leaving behind his beloved wife Andrée Lorrain.

Eric was born in England in 1953, of parents who immigrated from Latvia and moved the family to Vancouver, British Columbia five years later. He attended the University of Saint Michael’s College in Toronto and soon thereafter moved to Montréal where he began working in the computer industry.

While in Montréal, Eric met Andrée, the love of his life, who was pursuing her bachelor’s degree at McGill University. It 20

THE INDEPENDENT

To submit obituaries for publication, please call (805) 965-5205 or email obits@independent.com was also there that he met his lifelong friends and career collaborators, Sam and Otto, which culminated in the founding with Sam of the very successful technology company Netkit Solutions, LLC on March 15, 2000, operating in the Thousand Oaks area.

Eric was known for his brilliance, humility, kindness, and quick wit. From an early age his exceptional intellect was clear; he skipped first grade and was a straight-A student throughout his life. When asked—more than once—whether he belonged to Mensa International, he would simply look on with a straight face and never answer, preferring understatement to accolades.

Eric quietly and generously supported his community. One of his great passions was woodworking. At one point he donated all his woodworking equipment and materials to a local high school shop teacher in Thousand Oaks, California. He later purchased a property in Goleta to continue his craft. There he welcomed local community members to create their own pieces, freely sharing his time and expertise. He also invited artisans from across California to use the shop he proudly considered his pride and joy.

Eric and Andrée shared a love of travel and the arts, attending opera, music, and theater performances throughout Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Seattle.

They regularly supported these organizations through generous donations and quietly helped two nephews through their college years.

Family was central to Eric’s life. He opened his home warmly to Andrée’s family who benefited greatly from his hobby of discovering fine wines from around the world and his cooking skills worthy of a Michelin star. He formed a special bond with his father-in-law Pierre, often over long afternoons of barbecuing and smoking meats. He leaned on and adored his mother-inlaw Stella, whom he loved like a mother. Stella sewed curtains for his Santa Barbara home and his woodworking shop, and the two were famously “two peas in a pod.” Each night, Stella would tell him that if she didn’t see him in the morning, she’d see him in heaven; “I’ll be at the gate waiting for you,” she’d say and that she’d tell Saint Peter, “He’s a good guy—let him in!” Eric laughed every time. Now we imagine him holding the gate open for her.

A colossal limb has fallen from the family tree, but Eric’s spirit remains. Remember the best times, the laughter, the music, and the full life he lived while he was strong. There is never a good time to say goodbye, and we did not want it to be now.

Left to honor his legacy with his wife Andée, are his motherin-law Stella Lorrain of South Glens Falls, NY; brother-in-law Pierre Lorrain (Teri) of Sedg-

APRIL 9, 2026

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wick, ME; sisters-in-law Danielle Mazza (Joe) of Queensbury, NY, Renée Lorrain of Saint Paul, MN, and France Lorrain; nephews Pierrot Lorrain (Lisa) of Groton, MA, and Adam Mazza of Saint Paul, MN; nieces Simone Lorrain (Justin) of Salem, MA, and Claudia Mazza (Sean Boardman) of Maplewood, MN; grandnephews Grayson Roberson of Maplewood, MN, and Emmett Lorrain of Salem, MA; and grandniece Penelope Lorrain of Groton, MA. He is also lovingly remembered by his “adopted brother and sister,” Sam and Monique, and by the many friends who were family in every way that mattered, including Manuel, Manuel Jr, Carlos, Reina, Alphonso, Daniel, Arturo, and Cynthia. Thank you for the care, loyalty and friendship you all showed Eric over the years. He valued you greatly, spoke of you with real affection, and considered you family. We are so thankful for the way you supported him and for the love you gave him.

Always remembered, never forgotten: Rest in Peace, Eric. We will see you on the other side.

A chapel service will be held on Saturday, May 16, at 11:00 a.m. at the Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapel, 450 Ward Drive, Santa Barbara. Donations in lieu of flowers are welcomed to the following charities.

The Nature Conservancy www. conserve.nature.org Fr. Virgil Cordano Center 4020 Suite 2 Calle Real Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Theodore Payne Foundation for Wilde Flowers & Native Plants 10459 Tuxford Street Sun Valley, CA 91352

David Stanley Dwelley 07/25/1939-03/19/2026

David Stanley Dwelley, 86, died peacefully on March 19, 2026, at Serenity House in Santa Barbara, California.

Dave was born to Augustus and Ruth Dwelley on July 25, 1939, in Somerville, Massachusetts. He grew up in Arlington, MA, graduating from Arlington High School in 1957. Dave then attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he rowed crew, graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1962. He enrolled directly into the Harvard Business School MBA program, an unusual combination of degrees at the time, class of 1964 and remained a proud MIT and HBS alumnus throughout his life.

In July of 1964, he married

Ann Powel McLean, and they started their family in Newton, Massachusetts.

Dave worked his whole career at Raytheon, moving several times and serving in many capacities.

He began his career at Raytheon Sudbury in 1964 and rose through management ranks in Massachusetts, then moved to Goleta, CA in 1978, where he was Program Manager at Raytheon ESD Goleta until 1985. He then moved to Wichita KS, where he was a Vice President at Beech Aircraft from 1985-1987. He returned to Massachusetts as president of Raytheon Ventures, then moved to London to be President of Raytheon Europe from 1989-1991. He again returned to Massachusetts, finally retiring as Vice President for Strategic Development at Raytheon headquarters in Lexington MA in 1999.

Dave and Ann returned to Santa Barbara CA in retirement, where he enjoyed tinkering with old cars, tending his ever-expanding fruit orchard, and traveling the world with Ann, focusing on archeological sites. In his retirement, he was also a committed member of the First United Methodist Church Santa Barbara.

Through that church, he participated in and led several teams to rebuild churches lost to arson in the American South and help people rebuild homes lost in Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

Dave was a man with a strong sense of right, an incisive mind, and many interests.

He served on the Board of Santa Barbara Family Service Agency, and the Mission Committee at First United Methodist Church.

Dave was the treasurer of Santa Barbara Sea Shells, where he and his family spent many happy Sunday afternoons at the Harbor racing sailboats, and Dave joined in to sail in the parents’ races.

An avid hiker, birder, and tent camper, he led his family on epic summer camping trips every summer of the 1980’s through the Western National Parks, hiking up peaks from the Grand Canyon to Glacier National Park.

When he moved to Wichita to run Raytheon’s Beech Aircraft, he learned to fly small aircraft, earning his pilot’s license.

In retirement, Dave became a creative gardener and orchardman. He grew citrus trees of all types, apple, fig, and pomegranate trees, as well as keeping his extended family in vegetables.

Dave had a lifelong passion for old Fords. He bought his first antique car at 16 years old, a 1934 Ford 3-window Coupe named Rosie, and began a lifetime of acquiring and fixing up old Fords.

He never cared much about their paint job or upholstery, but many weekends during his working life and most days during his retirement, he could be found with his head joyfully under the hood of a 1930s or 40s Ford. His grandchildren all enjoyed the treat of

riding in the rumble seat of one of Granddad’s old cars.

To his family he was Dave, Dad, Granddad, and Uncle Dave.

Those who knew Dave know how much he loved his family: his wife and children and grandchildren, and his big sister, nieces, and nephews. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ann McLean Dwelley, his sister Marjorie Dwelley Reid, his children, David M. Dwelley (Liana Landru), Steven Dwelley (Michele Nichols), Linda Dwelley Derezinski (Stephen Derezinski), and Laura Dwelley Samant (Jaideep Smant), and his grandchildren, Thomas, Hannah, Arran, Ethan, Claudia, Ruth, Evelyn, Sophia, and Naomi.

Services will be held in the near future at First United Methodist Church Santa Barbara.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Santa Barbara Audubon Society or the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

Carlotta Reyes (Soto) 01/25/1937-03/15/2026

Carlotta Reyes (Soto) passed away suddenly on March 15, 2026, at the age of 89. She was a devoted loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, sister in-law and aunt. Born in Santa Barbara, CA on January 25, 1937, she was the youngest of 7 kids with her twin Ramona.

She attended Santa Barbara local schools and graduated from Santa Barbara High. During her senior year she met the love of her life, Vincent Reyes (preceded in death). They were married in 1956 and had 6 kids. Her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were the joy of her life.

They eventually moved the family to Atascadero where they lived for 47 years then moved to Paso Robles with the youngest daughter Elizabeth and her family. Carlotta loved to listen to her Mariachi music and go to the Casino. She will be deeply missed.

She is survived by her 6 children, Vincent Jr. (Lisa), Richard (Jenny), Julie (Johnny), Michael (Reyann), Cynthia (Richard), Elizabeth (Jesse), 18 Grandkids, 24 great grandchildren, her twin sister Ramona Harris her sister in-law Mary Ramirez and her brother in-law Daniel Reyes and many many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 11am, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 820 Creston Rd., Paso Robles, CA. Graveside service immediately following.

obituaries David L. Ortiz 1954-2026

David L. Ortiz, loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, devoted educator, and loyal friend to many, passed away on March 31, 2026, after a lengthy illness.

He is preceded in death by his parents Jess and Ofelia Ortiz; mother-in-law Jane Rian; sister-in-law Lynne Rian Noroian and her husband Steven Noroian; and his beloved dog, Curtis.

David is survived by his wife of 48 years, Leslie; son Michael Ortiz and daughter-in-law Megan, and their children Sofia and Lola; son Daniel Ortiz and daughter-in-law Erika; sister Barbra Ortiz; sister Susan Ortiz Wickler, her husband Robert Wickler, and their son Andrew Wickler; sister-in-law Laura Rian McCarroll, her husband Lynn McCarroll, and their children Rian Salvatierra (Chris) and Kevin McCarroll (Michelle); nieces Debbie Noroian Mitchell and Jennifer Noroian Chapman (Damian); numerous great nieces and great nephews; and in-laws Jeremy Fogel and Kathleen Wilcox.

A native Santa Barbaran, David attended local schools, including McKinley Elementary School, La Cumbre Junior High School and Santa Barbara High School, where he was a proud member of the SBHS Dons Varsity Basketball team before graduating in 1972. After attending Santa Barbara City College and San Diego State University, where he completed his bachelor’s degree and teaching credential, David returned to Santa Barbara to marry his fellow SBHS classmate and best friend, Leslie Rian. David also completed a master's degree and two administrative credentials at UC Santa Barbara.

David began his career as a seventh- and eighth-grade teacher at La Colina Junior High, followed by a transformative ten-year teaching assignment at Los Robles High School, the educational program serving juveniles at Los Prietos Boys Camp. In 1990, he returned to La Colina as assistant principal and was later promoted to become the school’s third principal. His loyalty to the school, its students, and its staff was unparalleled.

In the history of La Colina Junior High School, there have been only four principals—an extraordinary distinction.

At a time when professional advancement often leads educators from one position to

another, David remained steadfast in his commitment to La Colina, serving as principal for 22 years before retiring in 2019.

A leader who regarded his faculty and staff as an extended family, David’s devotion to his role as Principal was rooted in a deep love for his school and his students. Embracing his responsibilities far beyond the confines of the school campus, he was a constant, cheering presence at athletic contests, theater productions, and community events—always championing "his kids" with an unparalleled sense of pride.

This commitment to his students remained unwavering long after their years at La Colina; David followed their accomplishments through high school and college with immense pride, often maintaining special relationships that endured until his passing.

Throughout a long and distinguished career, he touched the lives and helped shape the futures of thousands of students within the Santa Barbara community.

David loved his trips to visit family, including to Washington, DC to see his granddaughters, who fondly called him “Poppie” and who he called his “Mijitas.” Despite living on opposite coasts, “Poppie” was a frequent and beloved presence at his granddaughters’ sporting events, performances, and school activities, and was wellknown to all of their friends.

David was a lifelong sports enthusiast who developed his love of athletics at an early age, participating in a wide range of sports as a youth. During his college years, he worked with young people through the Santa Barbara Recreation Department, further reflecting his commitment to youth and community. Over time, he developed a special passion for golf, while remaining a devoted fan of his beloved Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers. His enduring love of sports was matched by his continued support of youth athletics throughout his life.

The Ortiz Family would like to thank Dr. Mukul Gupta, Dr. Bindu Kamal, Dr. Stanley McLain, Dr. Farida Bounoua, Dr. Sujata Dahal, and the staff at the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for their incredible compassion and expertise over the years.

A Celebration of Life will take place on April 17, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Old Mission Santa Barbara.

Donations in David’s memory can be made to the Santa Barbara High School Alumni Association, Class of 1972 Scholarship Fund, P.O Box 6121, Santa Barbara, CA 93160; online at www.sbdonsalumni. com/ or to The Downtown Club (Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara), 632 E. Canon Perdido Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, Attn: Mark Alvarado, Executive Director; online at www. boysandgirlssb.org.

Continued on page 22

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obituaries Joseph Connell

07/07/1932-03/19/2026

Joseph Connell, 93, passed away March 19th. Joe was born on July 7, 1932, in New York City where he attended local schools.

After service in the USMC, Joe received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of the City of New York. He later earned a Master of Science Degree at UCSB. Joe and his family relocated to Santa Barbara in 1962 where he served as a civil engineer for both the city and county of Santa Barbara. In 1981, Joe began a 33-year teaching career at SBCC and retired in 2014.

Joe is survived by his daughter Susan Connell Rettig, her husband David de Jesus, daughter in law and her husband Carolyn and Jim Ebeling, stepdaughter Darcy Johnston, grandchildren Christina Sweeney, Joseph (Zippy) Connell, Troy Rettig, Craig Rettig, Graceann Santos, and 4 great granddaughters. Joe is preceded in death by his former wife Charlotte Connell, son, Joseph Connell, wife Maureen Johnston, and grandson, Brett Rettig A mass will be held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church on 4/21 at 10am. A reception will follow at the home of Susan Rettig following mass.

To submit obituaries for publication, please call (805) 965-5205 or email obits@independent.com California, as the agency’s Mission Assurance Representative on the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense missile system. He retired after six years with the MDA in 2010.

Sam met his future spouse, Kathleen (Katie) Brenna, shortly after their high school graduations, and they were married in 1978. In addition to Kathleen, Sam is survived by: his brother, John Robert Meeks (Christina) of Williamsburg, Virginia; and his sister, Sarah Elizabeth Meeks of Cocoa Beach, Florida. He is also survived by seven nephews and nieces. Sam was dedicated to family. He was also a car, motorcycle, boat, and aviation enthusiast, and he could fix anything that had moving parts. No challenge was deemed too complicated.

A memorial service for family and friends was held Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Celebration Church in Cocoa Beach, FL. His ashes will be interred with a graveside service at Lompoc Cemetery, at 11 AM on Friday, April 17, 2026. Condolences to the family may be sent in care of Kathleen Brenna at P.O. Box 321299, Cocoa Beach, FL 32932.

Those wishing to make a contribution in Sam’s memory are asked to consider the MD Anderson Cancer Center (https:// gifts.mdanderson.org/Default. aspx?tsid=37435) or a charity of your choice.

Kalia Jeanette Rork 11/17/1963– 03/16/2026

Howard S. (Sam) Meeks 12/02/1954-01/08/2026

Howard Samuel Meeks III (Sam) passed peacefully on January 8, 2026, in Orlando, Florida. He was born in 1954, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Howard Samuel Meeks II and Anne Vail Meeks. He graduated from William Penn High School in New Castle, Delaware, in 1972.

Shortly after earning an Associate’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Brevard Community College in Melbourne, Florida in 1977, he entered a co-op program with NASA at the Kennedy Space Center while completing a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Florida Technological University, now the University of Central Florida, in 1981. He subsequently worked for NASA for 25 years starting with launch pad structures on the first Space Shuttle launch and ending with mission assurance roles for various expendable vehicles. Sam then worked for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) at Vandenberg Airforce Base in 22

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Kalia Jeanette Rork, a devoted sister and beloved friend, passed away on March 16, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of determination, spirit, inspiration, and deep dedication to the planet and the beings that inhabit it.

Kalia was born November 17, 1963 in Southern California and grew up in Santa Clarita. From an early age, she found her passion in the water. She became a standout swimmer at Hart High School, where she was known not only for her speed and strength, but for her discipline and heart.

Her presence was felt in every meet, every practice, and in the banners that captured her competitive spirit —“Go Stork, Beat Sterkle!”— a reference to competing against Jill Sterkle, a SoCal swimmer who went on to win multiple medals at the Olympics.

Kalia held the school record for women’s 50-meter freestyle for 10 years, and was “this close” to pursuing Olympic medals herself.

Instead, her drive and dedica-

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tion earned Kalia a scholarship to the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she continued to pursue excellence both in athletics and academics, earning her teaching credential in the mid 1980s. Santa Barbara became her community of choice, which she embraced wholeheartedly for the rest of her life with all of her passion and bountiful energy.

In 2001, after working as a lifeguard, swim instructor, and in graphic arts and finance for local nonprofits, Kalia began to make her mark as a local real estate powerhouse. Her smarts gave her the ability to understand the nuances of complex transactions, and her word-of-mouth network grew to astounding proportions.

She would move mountains for her clients, and sold over 350 homes — mostly to friends, many of whom did not think they could ever own a home.

During her 25-year real estate career, Kalia regularly volunteered at the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors, serving on the Board of Directors, as well as the Government Relations, Statistical Review, and Education committees. For a decade or more, she wrote comprehensive market updates that were published in the NewsPress and later the Santa Barbara Independent, sharing her vast understanding of the real estate market with Santa Barbara readers.

Aside from her work life, Kalia found deep meaning in putting her heart out there for numerous causes, with the aim to make life more healthy, sustainable, joyous, and heart-centered for all. Her environmental work was wide ranging, and she created enduring ties at organizations such as Channelkeeper and the Environmental Defense Center.

Kalia took great pride in being a HeartMath practitioner and Therapeutic Touch practitioner and teaching at the environmental "Choices for the Future" Symposium at John Denver’s Windstar ranch near Aspen.

Among her many pursuits and achievements, she was most proud of 1-mile ocean swims, participating in Santa Barbara’s Wednesday Nite Moves (swimming and running events), saving the trees on Fellowship Road, and helping to create Santa Barbara’s sewer lateral program to help keep our ocean clean. She thrived on remodeling homes in her words, "creating beauty out of chaos"— and loved to entertain friends with colorful and lively dinner gatherings.

Closest to her heart, however, were her relationships with family and friends, and the love she experienced with her adopted pup Joey and working to advance dog adoption and positive dog training. She volunteered with Humane World for Animals, and never stopped learning and working for the betterment of our furry family members.

Kalia will be remembered for her kindness, resilience, and the way she lifted those around her.

She was a source of encouragement and a loyal friend. She had sass, made mischief, adored concerts (Elton John, yay!), and had a ton of fun, dazzling with exuberance and the excitement of the moment.

She is deeply missed by her family, colleagues, and friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her legacy will live on in the lives she touched and the inspiration she leaves behind.

Kalia is survived by her sister Sherry Elliott and brother-in law Bill Elliott, nephews Chad Elliott, Adam Elliott, and Michael Rork, and sister Lisa Lazzara of Tampa, FL. She was predeceased by her parents, Roy and Jean Rork.

In lieu of flowers, Kalia requested that donations in her memory be made to Shadow’s Fund, whose mission is giving hope and second chances to the most vulnerable shelter dogs. shadowsfund.org is a 501c3 nonprofit.

Mary Alice Shea Heron 1939-2026

Mary was a Santa Barbara girl through and through. She was born to Anne and John Shea on January 17, 1939, and spent her entire life in the town that she loved. She passed way peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family, on April 4, 2026. Mary embodied the spirit of Santa Barbara – she loved the beach, the mountains, the energy, and everything about living in our beautiful community, where she raised her family and formed lifelong friendships. She graduated from Catholic High (now Bishop Diego) in 1956 and went on to City College to earn an AA degree.

In 1966, she met the love of her life, Edward Heron, and their story began with a first date at San Ysidro Ranch. They married on August 26, 1967, and remained inseparable ever after. Their home in Mission Canyon became the heart of the family and is a gathering place that continues to draw

everyone home.

Mary’s defining gift was her tender care for others; she was a "second mother" to many, a haven for animals of all kinds, a true friend, and a steady compass for her children and their friends.

With an always-open door and a seat at her table, she made everyone feel they belonged, offering a rare blend of listening, counsel, and laughter that continues to ripple through the lives she touched.

She cared deeply and tenderly for her extended family throughout their lives, especially in their later years, showing up in the ways that mattered when people needed her most.

Mary was a woman who gave so much to her community. For decades, she devoted her time and heart to the Assistance League, the Santa Barbara Mission, the Braille Institute, Catholic Charities, Marymount School, Friends of Pediatrics at Cottage Hospital, and anywhere else she felt she could make a difference. She was a devout Catholic and longtime parishioner at the Old Mission, and her faith was woven quietly into everything she did.

Mary's greatest joy was being a mom to Kelly, John, and Molly, and "Mana" to her eight grandchildren: Adam and Sam, Peter and Fletcher, and Will, Charlie, Anna, and Emily. In Hawaiian culture, “Mana” means spiritual energy and healing power, an invisible life force felt rather than seen, strengthened through love, goodness, and care for others.

It's the kind of presence you can't quite explain, but you absolutely know when it's in the room. If ever a person radiated that kind of warmth, grace, and quiet strength, it was Mary. She was Mana in every sense of the word.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 59 years, Edward; her children and their spouses, Kelly and Arick Fuller, John and Lindsey Heron, and Molly and Brian Fittipaldi; her eight grandchildren; and many cherished nieces and nephews, each of whom held a special place in her heart.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 10:00 am at the Old Mission Santa Barbara.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary’s memory to the Old Mission Santa Barbara Monarch Waystation (2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105) or Community Friends of Santa Barbara (aka Assistance League).

obituaries Marcia Mueller

04/15/1936-03/26/2026

To submit obituaries for publication, please call (805) 965-5205 or email obits@independent.com ciation, California Central Coast Chapter, or your favorite charity.

Dr. Charles Henry Wood III 01/11/1936-03/23/2026

In Loving Memory of Marcia Mueller, a lady of style and beauty, inside and out, was born April 15, 1936, to Cassius and Lorine Culberson in Los Angeles, California.

Marcia passed away on March 26, 2026, at Cottage Hospital, surrounded by her loving family and just a few weeks shy of her 90th birthday.

A resident of Santa Barbara since 1960, Marcia lived a life full of passion and devotion to her family, friends, and pets. She modeled for the La Belle modeling agency and later co-managed it with her good friend, Betty Mazzetti Hatch. She started several businesses, including Santa Barbara Wholesale Beverage and residential care homes for the elderly. She was also a dedicated volunteer at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital.

Marcia was a lover of animals and was active with Southern California Lab Rescue. She had a special love for Labradors and owned many over the years, most of them rescues. An avid athlete, she loved the outdoors and participated in Avon walks, 5K runs, water skiing and long walks with her son, Steve, and her dogs. She traveled extensively, including cherished weekends at the lake house with family and friends and winters spent in Hawaii.

Marcia was preceded in death by her parents and her son, Donald Jr. She is survived by her beloved husband of 73 years, Don; daughter Cheryl Vendrame (Doug); and son Steve Mueller (Nancy). She leaves behind four grandchildren: Jordon Vendrame (Kimi), Jared Vendrame (Christina), Elizabeth Mueller Ceballas, and Nicholas Mueller; and four great-grandchildren: Simon Vendrame, Chelsea Kunde, Fisher Rhoades, and Samantha Ceballas.

She is also survived by her two sisters, Susie Allen and Carol Dalton (Jim), several nieces and nephews, and her beloved dog, Moose.

Marcia will be remembered for her kindness, sincerity, warmth, and joy—the gifts she shared with all who knew and loved her.

A celebration of Marcia’s life will be held on June 6, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. San Antonio Village Club House 39 North San Marcos Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Asso-

Dr. Charles Henry Wood Ill passed away peacefully in the early hours of Monday, March 23. His last days were spent surrounded by his loving family at SB Cottage Hospital. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Joanne, his three children, Chuck IV (Carol), Diana Cook and Noelle Frontz (Lee) and his two stepchildren, Jana and Jimmy Christie. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Laura, Olivia, Gunnar and Grayson and three sisters, Lyn, Sue and Margie.

Chuck was born on January 11, 1936 in Athens, OH. After graduating from Valley Stream High School in New York, he completed his BA of Education at Ohio University, his MA in Performance and Conducting at Columbia and his Ph.D. in Music Education at UCLA. Chuck also studied at Julliard School of Music.

While an undergrad, Chuck was in ROTC and later served his country as a Captain at Fort Dix, New Jersey during the Cuban Missile crisis. While serving, he was proud to conduct the 120 voice "Soldier's Chorus" and thereafter readily announced himself as an army veteran.

Professionally, Chuck was a phenomena. He was a renowned conductor, educator, performer, published composer and mentor for thousands of students throughout his 60 year career. He served as principal trumpet with the Bakersfield Symphony for 14 years and was the former Director of Bands at Bakersfield College for 24 years. He also was former Conductor of the Desert Community Orchestra and served as Visiting Associate Professor at UCSB in the early 70's Before he retired in 2010, Dr. Wood was the Director of Bands and Jazz Studies at Santa Barbara City College. Throughout his career, Chuck conducted jazz bands, concert bands, chamber wind bands, honor bands and marching bands. Known as Dr. Jazz, Chuck's passion was jazz education and, most notably, was the director and founder of the Monday Madness and Lunch Break Big Bands at SBCC. He served as adjudicator and clinician for major jazz festivals in

the western states. Bands under his direction were frequent winners at the Reno Jazz Festival and have shared the stage with Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Ed Schaughnessy, Michael Becker, Maria Schneider and many more.

In 1989, Chuck started and conducted the annual "Christmas Brass" concert featuring musicians from the Central and South Coast. To this day, shoppers on State Street are still entertained by the over 100 musicians playing carols by "Christmas Brass." In addition, Dr. Wood conducted the Municipal band for 7 summer seasons.

Chuck loved to fish, travel, exercise, sing, gamble (only slots) and watch any sports on TV. He particularly enjoyed cruising and his happiest moments were spent at his inlaws' cabins in the mountains of Wyoming. An impressive tenor, he showcased his voice as a member of the Our Lady of Sorrows and, most recently, the San Roque Church choirs.

Chuck was a sweet and gentle man who avoided conflict and heated discussions. He spoke freely and enthusiastically with everyone he met and always with kindness, patience and no judgment. He was very intelligent, could speed read and memorized all of the instrumental scores of his pieces in concert.

He was a fashionable gentleman and was as comfortable in a suit and tie as in jeans. In his younger years, he was an excellent dancer and even knew the Lindy Hop! As a former body builder and a regular fixture at the YMCA, Chuck prided himself in staying fit. Very few people knew that "Dr. Jazz" went to college on a track scholarship with his focus on pole vaulting!

Chuck lived a rewarding life full of love and fun. He was an inspiration to all who knew him as either a friend, colleague, student or loved one. He will be greatly missed.

A rosary will be held for Chuck at 7pm on Wednesday, April 15th at San Roque Church.

His funeral will be at 10:30am on Thursday, April 16th at San Roque Church.

Inurnment will follow the funeral at Calvary Catholic Cemetery on Hope Avenue.

Donations in memory of Chuck may be sent to the Music Department of SBCC at Account #B4270 to: Santa Barbara City College Foundation 731 Cliff Drive Santa Barbara, CA. 93109

Rene Richard Ramos 05/09/1973-02/21/2026

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved son and brother, Rene Richard Ramos, on February 21, 2026, in Santa Barbara, California, after a tragic off-roading accident.

Rene was the youngest of 3 children born to Josephine A. and Raymond J. Ramos Sr. on May 9, 1973, in Santa Barbara, California, at Goleta Valley Community Hospital.

Rene graduated from Hollister Elementary School, La Colina Junior High School, and San Marcos High School (1991), where he played and lettered in both Football and Track & Field (Discus & Shot Put). After exploring several career paths, he found his calling in the Radiologic Technology (RT) Program at Santa Barbara City College.

He graduated from the program in 2009 and started working that same year at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, the same hospital where he was born, until his untimely passing.

For more than 16 years, Rene provided exceptional care for his patients, expertise and experience for his coworkers, and served as a Preceptor for the SBCC RT Program, teaching, mentoring, and training the next generation of Radiologic Technologists. He was a Lead Radiologic Technologist and held a CT-3 advanced certification.

Rene was a strong, kind, and caring giant of a human being, which served him well in life and his profession. Those who knew him best remember his incredible sense of humor, his strong spirit, and his willingness to help.

If you ever needed any help, he was always there to support you.

Though he did not have children of his own, he was deeply loved by his niece and nephews — each of whom held a special place in his heart. His extended family of close friends, the BooYaa Boyz – Bentley, Chilo, Jason, Nava, Lou & Tony, formed in high school while playing football together on the offensive and defensive lines. It led to a lifelong friendship filled with constant humor, support, and love. No matter the distance or time apart, they always remained close.

Rene had a deep love for music and driving – two passions that defined much of his life. Music

filled his space and life, in many ways, told his story. Both his father and older brother were musicians and DJs, filling their home with music from the very beginning. He would spend hours making mixed tapes, CDs, and playlists to share with friends while cruising. His collection was vast and eclectic, reflecting whatever he felt at the time as he drove. Driving was his freedom and passion since the day he got his learner’s permit. Countless hours and miles spent cruising around with friends, listening to music, laughing, talking, and simply living all behind the wheel as he drove through life until the very end. He enjoyed the outdoors, including mountain biking, camping, fishing, hiking in Zion, and, more recently, off-roading. He loved nature for its solitude and peace. He also enjoyed working out with free weights, visiting casinos and playing penny slots, target shooting, and exploring all things electronic.

Rene’s life reminds us that compassion is strength, that love shows in our actions, and that being present for others when they need help is a legacy all its own. He brought Light into this world and will be deeply missed.

Rest in Peace.

He was preceded in death by his father, Raymond J. Ramos, Sr., and nephew, Baby Daniel.

He is lovingly survived by his mother, Josephine A. Ramos; his sister, Katherine (Cecil) DeMille; his brother, Raymond (Betty) L. Ramos, Jr.; his brother from another mother, Jason (Kim) Siegert; his nephews Raymond L. Ramos, Jr. and William R. DeMille; his niece, Celina C. Ramos; and a large and devoted extended family, including the Boo-Yaa Boyz.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital for sharing his work life with them and for how much he meant to them. A memorial service will be held at Saint Raphael Catholic Church on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 10:00 am, followed by a Celebration of Life.

Instead of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the SBCC Foundation, Rene Ramos RT Program Scholarship Fund.

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APRIL 9, 2026

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INGRID BOSTROM

AMY BARNARD

A Very Early Spring Home & Garden

INGRID BOSTROM

Finding Renewal in Every Corner of Home and Garden, from Blossoms and Bees to Rebuilt Spaces and Inventive Design

by Tiana Molony and leslie dinaberg

So go the opening lines of William Wordsworth’s “Lines Written in Early Spring.” This year, they feel especially apt. Spring arrived early. Lupines and California poppies are already in bloom. There’s no denying that this time of year is a season of renewal, but that renewal carries a quiet reminder: Things end, yes, but they also begin again.

This spring edition of Home & Garden is about noticing that — about the small, almost imperceptible moments where renewal reveals itself. A home built from shipping containers. A greenhouse brimming with new life. A house rebuilt after fire. A honeybee at work. Each story returns, in its own way, to a simple truth: Renewal is there, if you pay attention.

—Tiana Molony

TIANA MOLONY

I

heard a thousand blended notes, While in a grove I sate reclined, In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

H & G continued >

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APRIL 9, 2026

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H &G

A Case for the Bees As Backyard Beekeeping Grows, Melissa Cronshaw Is Making Sure It’s Done Right

by Tiana Molony Photos by ingrid bostrom

Beekeeper Melissa Cronshaw holding bees with her bare hands

B

efore meeting Melissa Cronshaw, I always ran away from

bees — jumping up, screeching in horror, even if one only buzzed by my ear or, God forbid, landed on me.

I have been stung a few times in my life, and though I never had any serious reaction, I recall every one with appalling clarity: once on the finger one summer day by the pool, once on my bum while tanning outside in a floral-print bikini, and once on my toe — I had stepped on it, and yet I blamed the bee.

But Melissa doesn’t blame the bees. Quite the opposite; she talks about them with a kind of veneration, as if, in the hierarchy of life, bees come first and she second.

Hooked on the Bees

Author Tiana Molony crouching next to the bees

Melissa — whose name literally translates to “honeybee” in Greek — was destined for a life of beekeeping, whether she knew it or not. Her dad, Paul Cronshaw, is one of Santa Barbara’s most famous beekeepers and cofounded the Santa Barbara Beekeepers Association in 2011. A graduate of Santa Barbara High School, he was first introduced to bees by science teacher Louis Torres, who kept an observation hive in his classroom.

He became obsessed. “I would listen to the bees,” Paul joked, “but I wouldn’t listen to him.” Soon after, he convinced his parents to purchase a beehive from a Sears catalog, which, apparently, used to be a thing. “That day, the postman just threw the box at me. Says, ‘Get these out of my truck, because they’re buzzing.’ ” “My dad got hooked on the bees,” Melissa said, as if they were a kind of drug.

Almost every day, her dad would pick her up from school and take her straight to the hives he needed to check.

She started focusing her school science projects on bees. “Mostly because it was easy, and my dad would do half the work for me,” she joked. But then something shifted. She started to grow fond of them.

Melissa began volunteering with him, bringing observation hives into classrooms and teaching kids. At the time, she was working as a kindergarten teacher, but she couldn’t keep away from the bees.

Eventually, she heeded the call.

continued >

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H &G Paul Cronshaw, cofounder of the Santa Barbara Beekeepers Association

tioned to create a “chimney effect,” encouraging bees to fly upward rather than toward people.

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as too many bees.

“There are only so many flowers and so many resources,” Melissa said, noting that two hives are ideal for most backyards. “Two beehives [are] beautiful.”

When someone approaches her about starting a hive, Cronshaw usually asks why. If the answer is “because I want honey,” she said, “that’s not a great answer—that’s being more focused on, ‘how can we exploit them’… but really, you know that’s not their main focus.”

Pollination is a better answer. The best one? A desire to connect with nature. “Bees,” she said, “are just a great way to dive back in.”

A New Home

Backyard Bees She officially founded Melissa’s Bees in 2023, offering services across Santa Barbara: educational classes, removals and relocations, presentations, and mentoring. “I feel like my tentacles are in a little bit of everything, across the board,” she joked.

Between the moment Paul discovered bees in his classroom at Santa Barbara High School and Melissa founding Melissa’s Bees, interest in bees across Santa Barbara has surged, with more people than ever drawn to backyard beekeeping, supported by a growing network of beekeepers and community organizations.

As more people introduce bees into their backyards, Melissa’s focus has shifted to ensuring people know what they’re doing before bringing hives into their spaces. She works with around 35 apiaries from Hollister Ranch to Carpinteria, checking on the bees and offering guidance along the way.

“I think it’s really magical, people having this accessibility now; being able to put bees in their backyard,” she said.

But education is key.

“It’s more important to do the research first before jumping in,” she explained, noting that “everyone can buy and sell bees,” and there are few regulations—I remember the Sears catalog.

On a recent Thursday morning, Independent photographer Ingrid Bostrom and I met Melissa and Paul in a backyard in Carpinteria, where they were introducing a new hive after a previous one was attacked by a bear. We could clearly see how one of the frames has a slash through it in the shape of a bear claw. “My biggest reason for bee loss has been the bears,” Melissa said. She isn’t mad at the apex predators—it’s just “nature’s doing nature.” The old apiary was being cleaned by wax moths, making the abandoned hive ready for a new colony to move in.

This particular backyard in Carpinteria is a beekeeper’s paradise. There are native flowers and fruit trees, yes, but also thoughtful placement. The particular hive sits far from high-traffic areas and away from neighbors, and is posi-

After explaining the process, we headed back to the car, where Ingrid and I got suited up and asked Paul to take a picture of us in our white ensembles. Paul, however, opted for sandals and no head covering. He’s been doing this much longer than I’ve been alive.

The bees have been in the car for a while. Melissa said they have to pee.

Bees don’t take leaks in their hives, so they’re holding it in, likely hoping Melissa will stop somewhere soon.

When Paul lifted the hive from the trunk, he greeted the bees like a rowdy bachelorette party: “Hey, ladies!” He and Melissa positioned themselves at opposite ends of the hive and carried the bees to their new home beside the sunsetorange California poppies.

Melissa Cronshaw holding up a honeycomb from a dead hive

“I’m going to start breaking into their home,” Melissa announced as she lit the smoker, which led the bees to believe their house was on fire. When bees smell smoke, they assume danger and immediately begin gorging on honey in preparation to evacuate. The honey makes them calmer, acting as a kind of biological sedative.

The smoke also masks their alarm pheromones. If one bee signals “attack,” the others don’t receive it. But it’s a balancing act. Too much smoke, though, and they may abandon the hive entirely.

Gloveless, Melissa opened the box. The bees were all hanging from the frame, all stuck together. It’s called festooning. “They’re basically acting like their own measuring tape and scaffolding.” She scooped up a handful, letting them blanket her hand like a living glove. Paul followed suit, as casually as if he were serving ice cream.

Something about the way they gently held the bees in their bare hands without getting stung ignited something in me. At first, it was shock. Then it was curiosity. And, finally, respect.

Suddenly, bees weren’t so scary; they were exceptional.

I crouched beside the hive and listened to the buzzing, which sounded like a high-powered fan. I remembered Melissa calling the sound “therapeutic” and began to understand what she meant. Watching the bees work together to protect their hive, I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if all of us humans joined forces like that.

About the Bees Melissa explained that a honeybee colony functions as a superorganism—thousands of individual “cells” working together as one.

There is only one queen, but she isn’t in charge. Her role is to lay fertilized eggs. The real decisions are made collectively by the worker bees—all female.

If the queen weakens, the workers replace her. Every bee has a role. The system depends on it.

“Everyone is making decisions for the collective good; there’s no selfishness of bees.”

We could learn from that, I think.

About 20,000 bees live inside this box, called a Langstroth deep, which typically has 10 frames, with 1,000 bees on each side. The hive is kept at about 95 degrees.

The queen is somewhere in the middle. Melissa held the frame to the sunlight, pointing out the white dots in the honeycomb—the larvae, which will hatch into baby bees.

To protect the babies, the worker bees put honey around the top and the corners for extra insulation and protection—like a swaddle.

Somehow, we started talking about the animated film The Bee Movie, and how its main flaw, besides the fact that the bees speak English and wear shoes, is that there are male worker bees. In reality, nearly every bee in the hive is female.

The males, called drones, don’t even have stingers.

Melissa searched for one in the mass of female bees, which looked somewhat like Coachella from above, and handed it to me.

I held a drone gently between my fingers. Drones don’t work. They don’t produce honey or forage for nectar. Instead, they mooch on honey and leave the hive to mate with the “Virgin Queen.” If successful at mating, the drone dies.

After about 30 minutes with the bees, the buzzing grew louder. Paul zipped up his hood, and I saw my worst nightmare. A bee had slipped inside. He calmly reached into his bonnet and removed it.

But by now the bees are agitated.

“We’ve overstayed our welcome,” he said.

Plant the Seeds Back at the car, Melissa handed me a parting gift: a small bear-shaped container of honey and a packet of seeds. The label read: “The best way to save the bees is to plant the seeds!”

Inside: California poppies, lupines, baby blue eyes, and golden yarrow.

While reporting this story, I came across a New Yorker cartoon: three bees hover above flowers. One says, “I spent my entire life working, and look where we are now—on the brink of extinction.”

A few days later, I sat on my porch, trying to figure out how to end this piece. Then I remembered reading about the ancient practice of talking to bees—sharing life events and personal stories as a way to maintain harmony within the hive and with ourselves. On a whim, I decided to try it, letting my words spill out into the golden hum of their n world.

H & G continued >

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H &G

T

here’s a place I frequently visit in my sleep. It’s somewhere

in the English countryside, in the garden of a home like that of Mr. Darcy’s. Birds chirp. Bees buzz. The sun shines. It is all so perfect. Then I wake up and am snapped back into reality.

Sometimes, though, if I’m lucky, I come across places like this in real life — ones that feel almost too good to be true. The Well Gardens is such a place.

On a gloomy afternoon in Carpinteria, owner Shane Brown gave me a tour of his new retail space, which will have its soft opening on April 18.

The property is massive, spanning nearly 10 acres. Walking in, you’re immediately greeted by the outdoor garden space. Scattered throughout are Brown’s hallmark fountains and stone pots. It’s hard to miss the 12 goliath greenhouses, which cover a total of 89,000 square feet.

“I hate being confined,” he admits as we walk around the space.

It’s a short drive from his Summerland storefront, The Well, which he opened in 2020 and which now has a sister location in Montecito’s Upper Village. This new venture, he says, brings together The Well and his first store, Big Daddy Antiques, which opened in 1994 in Los Angeles.

At The Well Gardens, you’ll find a mix of garden, design, and antique pieces — art, fountains, rugs, chairs, stone pots, olive trees, and other plant and garden elements — all curated so you “never know what you’re going to find,” says Brown. And even if you don’t find anything, you’ll likely walk away with a sudden compulsion to rearrange your entire living space.

One of the items that caught my eye was a large stone foot that looked as if it had been plucked from the Met’s Greek and Roman art galleries. Brown tells me it came from the home of the late American interior designer John Saladino. Its price tag reads $48,000.

continued > Shane Brown standing in a greenhouse at The Well Gardens

Stone sculpture from the home of American interior designer John Saladino

Step Inside The Well Gardens

Owner Shane Brown Merges His Lifelong Love of Antiques with a Sprawling Greenhouse Wonderland

by Tiana Molony | Photos by ingrid bostrom INDEPENDENT.COM APRIL 9, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

31

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H &G That kind of provenance helps explain what comes next. This piece may be an outlier, but even so, Brown knows his prices aren’t exactly low. He says he’s already “pretty much at the top” and can’t push them much further, but justifies the price point by citing the caliber of his inventory: high-tier, carefully sourced, curated finds that range from rare antiques to one-of-a-kind statement pieces.

“People have to understand that there are different levels of stuff,” he says.

That doesn’t mean he’s not up for a spirited negotiation. The secret to getting a good price from him, he says — speaking about himself in the third person — “is to be nice, admire his work, and appreciate his work.”

He’s just returned from Round Top, a 58-year-old biannual antique show in Texas, where he’s been sourcing treasures for more than three decades. “What I enjoy is the hunt,” he says, smirking.

He moves fast, almost like a hummingbird, shifting from one thing to the next. Jotting down notes, I’ll look up, and he’s already somewhere else, adjusting a chair or brushing dust from a couch. “These pillows are really bad,” he notes, gesturing to a brown mohair couch.

“We need different pillows.”

I ask if he drinks coffee. I wonder where he gets all his energy, and ask if I can borrow some.

“No, I wouldn’t drink coffee,” he says. “I don’t like the taste; I love the smell.” Fair.

He does, however, go for a heaping cup of black tea in the mornings. For him, it’s a kind of ritual. “Time for me to talk to my wife — just hang out with my wife.”

On the topic of coffee, I ask about a possible coffee spot at The Well Gardens. He says it’s in the works. He also mentions the possibility of an ice cream stand — maybe gelato — though he’s not entirely sure. Wedding receptions and other events are definitely a go. There’s talk of a

Shane Brown admiring a pink cabinet he sourced, one of the many unique pieces available at The Well Gardens

vineyard and a possible restaurant. There’s also mention of an equestrian center.

The space unfurls before me as we walk into the back rooms, where he stores inventory available by appointment only to trade and designers. Each room seems to have a theme: the chair room, the couch room, the lamp room, and the rug room, which reminds Brown of a story from when he and his wife first started dating. “I can’t guarantee anything,” he told her. “It’s gonna be a magic carpet ride.”

Brown and his wife and co-owner, Kristine, live in Montecito. “I love traveling,” he says, “but this will always be my home base.” He loves the community and feels a sense of obligation to it. “The biggest thing that you could do for your community is create beauty … that will feed your soul.”

After the tour, we take a seat on a white couch in the corner. Brown hands me a pillow to prop behind me, dusts off a few leaves, and turns to face me, resting his left elbow on the cushion.

A fountain at The Well Gardens’ So, I say, take me back to the beginning. outdoor space “The seed was planted when I was 10 years old,” he says, as if reading from a script. I imagine he’s told this story many times before. Here’s the short version: His grandmother took him to Hearst Castle, where he was left awed by the beauty and grandeur. He tucked away the memory for later use, until his late twenties, looking for extra income, he began dabbling in

antiques, renting space in an antique mall in Hermosa Beach.

From there, he started selling at the Rose Bowl and the Santa Monica Flea market for about 25 years, quickly building a following among set decorators, the film world, and major fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren — supplying vintage trunks, leather goods, and accessories — as well as Nordstrom, Tommy Hilfiger, Rag & Bone, and designers in Japan.

As demand grew and customers kept asking where they could find him during the week, he eventually opened a store while continuing to do markets — often making more in a single day than in a month of retail. He expanded into sourcing trips across the United States and Europe, shipping containers from abroad, and developing custom pieces when he couldn’t find enough unique items.

Together, it evolved into the Big Daddy Antiques business he’s known for today.

By this point, the sun has begun to emerge, casting shadows from the glass ceiling onto the floor before us.

Scanning the massive space, I couldn’t help but think that Brown has created something closer to an empire than a furniture store.

It seems as if he’s read my mind.

“It’s just gonna keep evolving,” he says. “That’s the beauty.”

The Well Gardens, 3376 Foothill Rd., Carpinteria, thewellbybdantiques.com

Sit back and relax at The Well Gardens’ outdoor area

H & G continued > INDEPENDENT.COM APRIL 9, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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The Largest Consignment Shop...

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H &G TIANA MOLONY

House

The Container

A Hillside Home Built from Shipping Containers Blends Sustainability with Style

by Tiana Molony

Q

uick: What’s made of steel,

approximately eight feet wide, 8.5 feet tall, 20 feet long, travels across oceans, and can double as a pop-up shop, a bar, or even a home?

If you guessed a shipping container, you’re right.

They may seem like single-use vessels, but they’re remarkably versatile—a useful trait given that tens of millions exist worldwide, even if the exact number is hard to pin down. After about 25 years of work, most retire. Some are melted down for scrap, while others are given a second life.

In Santa Barbara, environmental lawyer Bret Stone and his wife, fashion designer Dani Stone, chose the latter, building their home from nine of them.

When asked why shipping containers, Bret puts it plainly: “We are consumers,” he says, “and there is a surplus of them.”

At first, he had considered building an office space from a container. “I just started getting an itch to do a project and had it in mind,” he recalls. “But I was looking for a canvas.”

Then he came across an apartment building in Europe made entirely from the vessels and had something of an epiphany: “What if we did a house?”

He found a plot of land in Santa Barbara with stunning views, though it was a “complicated property,” set on a slope that would make construction both more difficult and more expensive. It was also already in escrow.

But that deal fell through, and Bret and Dani moved quickly, purchasing the property with plans to build their forever home.

To realize their vision, they worked with Barber Warner Construction—formerly Barber Builders—based in Lompoc. Don Barber, the company’s founder, brought 45 years of experience to the project. Though he had never built a shipping-container home before, he trusted that his experience would carry

him through.

With each challenge, Barber found a solution. At one point, for instance, Stone wanted a single continuous piece of wood for the stairway railing. Barber told him that a piece long enough did not exist. So, Barber carved into the wood and joined two pieces in a way that mimicked a natural grain.

“Every little square inch of that project, we took to heart,” says Barber.

Despite its steel-and-concrete shell, the house feels warm. Barber incorporated wood elements into the ceilings and staircase, softening the space.

Stone also gives a shout-out to interior designer Sarah McFadden of McFadden Design Group for her work.

Rock ’n’ roll–themed artwork fills the otherwise spare walls. Bret credits the artwork to Dani, who he says loves rock ’n’ roll and runs a rockstar-inspired fashion brand called the Tribute Project, making one-of-a-kind jackets.

In all, the home is 2,400 square feet.

Downstairs is the kitchen and living space. Upstairs is made up of two shipping containers parallel to each other with a hallway in between. One side fits two bedrooms with two bathrooms, while the other is the primary bedroom, which fits a king-sized bed. Bret notes that it’s not a massive bedroom, but “Who needs a huge bedroom, anyway?

It’s just sleeping quarters.”

Beyond the main house, the couple used additional containers to build structures across the property, including a pool house with a Murphy bed and another container that acts as an office/ storage space.

Standing on the edge of the concrete pool in the backyard, Bret tells me how he hopes the project might inspire others to think differently about sustainable building.

“I was trying to make an impression,” he says. “And let people view this as, ‘Oh, I could do something like this too.’ ” n

H & G continued >

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SPRING

AT THE

SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART ON VIEW: As if in a Dream: History, Fantasy, Future at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art Are these the ruins of ancient Rome, or something imagined? In Giovanni Paolo Panini’s Saint Paul Preaching Among the Ruins, what appears to be a classical Roman scene is, in fact, an architectural fantasy. The artist brings together iconic landmarks like the Pantheon and Trajan’s Column into a single, impossible setting.

These grand structures become a dramatic stage for Saint Paul, whose words captivate a quiet, attentive audience. The ruins, suggesting the passage of time and the fragility of empires, seem to ask the viewer: what truly endures?

This work is now on view as part of As if in a Dream.

EXPLORE UPCOMING PROGRAMS AT SBMA: from a happy hour and artist talk with Sabrina Gschwandtner (Remixed) Remixed) to a screening of In Remixed LEARN MORE a Whisper (2019), an intimate documentary on uprootedness, motherhood, and friendship by Heidi Hassan and Patricia Pérez.

WHAT’S ON AT SBMA

Remixed: Entwined Histories & New Forms

RANDOM-ACCESS MEMORY: Internet Art

Magical Realism: Latin American Photographers in Dialogue

Through August 30, 2026

Through September 27, 2026

Through June 14, 2026

For more exhibitions and events, visit www.sbma.net.

1130 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA Tuesday–Sunday 11 am–5 pm • 1st Thursdays 11 am–8 pm

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TOP LEFT: HGiovanni Paolo Panini, Saint Paul Preaching Among the Ruins (detail),, ca. 1750. Oil on canvas. SBMA, Gift of William P. Nelson Estate BOTTOM LEFT TO RIGHT: Candice Lin, The alchemy of predator and prey (detail), 2023. Indigo, cochineal, turmeric and iron oxide on silk. Courtesy of the Artist and François Ghebaly, Los Angeles, New York. Photo: Paul Salveson. • Claire Hentschker, Ghost Coaster: The Star Jet Coaster, 2002–2012 (still), 2019. Found video from YouTube, reprocessed through photogrammetry, 6:16 minutes. Image courtesy of the artist. © Claire Hentschker. • Luis González Palma, Lotería #1 (Lottery #1) (detail), 1989-1991. Hand-painted gelatin silver prints with mixed media. SBMA, Museum purchase with funds provided by the Wallis Foundation

H &G

Capturing a Home’s Essence

I

t was love at first sight when photographer Amy Barnard set foot into the property known as Pentimento, a stunner situated on the rolling hills of the Santa Barbara Riviera overlooking the Mission, the city, and the Pacific Ocean down below, with the mountains of Las Padres National Forest up above.

The House

Many of the evenings at Pentimento begin and end here, at the Portal Bar. Top right: The coziest guest suite has the best views of the sunset, along with proximity to the pool and chaise lounges. Bottom right: The inspiration for the archways at the entrance comes from a home that once belonged to Marjorie Merriweather Post.

Photographer Amy Barnard’s Passion Project Comes to Life with PENTIMENTO: A Californian Palazzo

by Leslie Dinaberg

And that’s just the location. The home itself is equally dreamy.

“The very first feeling that I had was that it was a California version of The Secret Garden, because at that time, the house was completely covered in flowered vines. When you walk through those two big wooden doors, through the stone wall, you’re walking through a wall of flowers, and it just enveloped me. I was just like, ‘Wow.’ I hadn’t even gotten in the house yet. And I was just like, ‘Where are we, in a magical wonderland?’

It was pretty amazing,” recalls Barnard, an architectural and interior photographer who has had her work showcased in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Homes & Gardens, Vogue, Modern Luxury, and California Homes, among others.

continued >

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2026 WaterWise Garden Contest Applications are open!

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The WaterWise Garden Contest celebrates and recognizes beautiful, water-efficient residential front yards.

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For more information and to apply, go to:

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H &G She had met the owners—Michael Vilkin and Steven Wright—a few times before, casually, but the moment she stepped into their home she was eager to capture its specialness on film. Their tour of the house was filled with lively anecdotes and stories about its history, including that it was standing on the shoulders of their first dream house, a rustic Spanish colonial built between 2006 and 2008 that was destroyed less than a year later, along with 82 other homes, by the Jesusita wildfire.

Pentimento, an Italian word that refers to a painter changing their mind and painting over some of the other work, became an apt title for the rebuilt home, now reenvisioned as a Mediterranean palazzo. As Vilkin wrote in their new book, PENTIMENTO: A Californian Palazzo—which will get a launch party on April 11 at Art & Soul gallery, as part of the programming for Vilkin’s solo art show, PENTIMENTO: Layered Meanings Brought to Life, on view through May 3—“For us, the name Pentimento embodied everything we felt about our rebuilt, reimagined home—shadows of the past becoming corporeal with the passage of time.”

Bringing the book itself to life is also a story with many layers. When Barnard first saw the house in 2018, she pitched it to Santa Barbara SEASONS Magazine as a feature story. I was the editor at the time, and was equally charmed when I walked through those doors, and jumped at the opportunity to share it with our readers. It was set to be a cover story in early 2019, with the copy set and the pages ready for the printer, when we received word that the new out-of-town owners were shutting down the magazine—not even printing that final issue.

We were all shocked and heartbroken, but Barnard had a vision she couldn’t get out of her head.

The Art Book “We kind of cried for a few days, had a couple cocktails, and then I was just like, ‘You know what, you guys, there is so much here. There’s so much story, there is so much beauty.’ And I’m like, ‘What would you think about doing an actual, full coffee table book?’” said Barnard.

It took a while for Vilkin and Wright to come around to the idea, but they allowed Barnard to do a test shoot of the

Michael Vilkin painted the mural above the fireplace in this first floor living room area.

From each platform, a dolphin-headed fountain pours into the pool, bringing sound and movement to the water, and a meditative white noise to the air. The wood of the trellis survived the Jesusita fire; it’s so thick that the passing flames did little damage.

house on her iPhone and lay it out for them.

“I just had this really strong vision of what I wanted.

And as soon as they started seeing things kind of coming together, they’re like, ‘Oh my God. I’ve never seen that room look like that. And I’ve never seen it like that.’ And they’re like, ‘Amy, it’s like I’m looking at a different house.’

Then I’m like, ‘It’s your house.’ And then they started getting excited.”

But it wasn’t smooth sailing from there. As they were planning their first shoot, COVID had other plans. There were months and months of standing apart with masks on, and ultimately the team decided that because entertaining was such a large part of their lifestyle, they needed to include guests in the shots, which meant it had to be postponed a bit longer.

The one upside of the delays was that Barnard got to know her co-authors better over the years, and her knowledge of the house also grew. As Vilkin wrote in the book, “In essence, Pentimento is an album of memories. Much as with a person you’ve known for years, where you see simultaneously who they are now and who they’ve been over time, our house reflects the arc of our lives and the many homes we’ve built together. For us, time loses impor-

tance, as we try to keep the past as alive as the present.”

The dense details of the house, captured by Barnard over the course of several years, are well documented. Past the vine covered wall is an entry into a two-story foyer with a sweeping staircase and a wrought-iron railing that spotlights Vilkin’s talent for repurposing, which is showcased throughout the property.

Terra cotta pieces from a 17th-century French country church hang near the ceiling with a skylight that draws your eye upward. A portrait by Vilkin adorns a wall near the staircase; half the paintings in the house are his works.

When asked about her favorite views of the home, Barnard points out the spacious first-floor living space, a creative combination of pieces from different periods and various sources. This includes the drawing room, featuring a fireplace in the center, below a musician’s balcony on the east and a large fireplace and an almost 10-foot-tall mural painted above (by Vilkin) to the west. The north side of that main area has a tapestry dining room with stained-glass windows at the highest portion of the 18-foot wall and the south side features the portal bar with spiraling columns and a box bay of floor to ceiling windows overlooking the ocean and a lily pond. Adjacent to the bar is the game room, with French doors out to a terrace facing the ocean.

continued > The view to the ocean from the bar terrace

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“One of the finest piano players to emerge in decades.”

All About Jazz

“Hull is as good a songwriter as a mandolin player, and could give Bill Monroe a run for his money on the latter.” Isthmus

Seven-time International Bluegrass Music Association Mandolin Player of the Year

Sierra Hull

Celebrating Two Jazz Giants

Emmet Cohen Quintet

with special guest Mason Via

Sun, Apr 12 / 7 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

Thu, Apr 16 / 8 PM UCSB Campbell Hall

Miles and Coltrane at 100

One of Today’s Most Captivating Musicians in a Dual Role

Program

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 Yuja Wang & Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 Mahler Chamber Orchestra Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2

Thu, Apr 23 / 7 PM / Granada Theatre

(805) 893-3535 | www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu Granada event tickets can also be purchased at: (805) 899-2222 | www.GranadaSB.org 40

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H &G The owner’s suite has a monumental canopy bed and matching curtains, with a painted ceiling and herringbone-pattern wood floor that makes it feels like an old home in Britain. Steven Wright stenciled the ceiling with birds in many colors.

From the sitting room, the views look out to the ocean in one direction and to the mountains in the other.

Vilkin and Wright enjoy decorating with furniture and accessories culled from their travels, antique shops, estate sales, and flea markets sprinkled in with echoes from their previous homes. Every item has a story and Barnard’s goal with the book is to “flow just like you were there with them and they’re giving you a tour of the house.”

With so many incredibly detailed antiques and art pieces to choose from, how did she choose what to include? “I really knew that I wanted everything to be meaningful. And because the house had been lost in the fire and then rebuilt, that was actually one of the things I was very surprised about when I first visited, was that it looks like it has been there for 200 years,” said Barnard.

“It’s a really interesting mix of the ability to see such fine artwork and things that feel like you can sit right next to it on the couch and take it off the wall and hold it. … It’s so architecturally rich and so full of art and antiques and creations that they have done themselves that it’s hard to comprehend that they were able to do this and in the short time that they did. And so, I wanted to know what was really important to them in each room, based on things they were replacing that meant something to them that were lost and they’re bringing back in a new light,” said Barnard.

The Art Show Artist Michael Vilkin’s solo show PENTIMENTO: Layered Meanings Brought to Life at Art & Soul gallery uses the concept of “pentimento” (the reappearance of earlier layers in a painting as time reveals what was once hidden) as a metaphor for interpreting the human experience through his figurative paintings, as well as abstracted portraits and geometric works. Describing his work, Vilkin said, “I often see meaning and messages in my subjects from their pasts, or from their inner depths, or from their interior lives. I show this in my show via related genres of art.”

He continued, “My realistic figurative art captures what someone looks like, but also who they are inside, or were in their past, with all of these overlapping. … I then have abstracted portraits where someone’s thoughts float around in front of them, or obscure things in their lives, or blur how clearly they want to be seen. … I also have geometric abstracts in which I hide a word or phrase since we don’t always reveal to ourselves what we truly believe.”

On view through May 3, Vilkin’s exhibit has several cool

programs associated with it, including the book launch of PENTIMENTO: A California Palazzo, a gorgeous coffee table–style book collaboration of the remarkable home of Vilkin and his partner, Steven Wright, with acclaimed architectural photographer Amy Barnard, on Saturday, April 11, 5-7 p.m.

Also on the PENTIMENTO programming schedule is an artist conversation with Vilkin and special guests Peter Schlueer and Joel Chauran, on Friday, April 17, 5-7 p.m.; and a very special evening of food, drinks, and laughs with comedian Wendy Liebman on Saturday, April 18, at 8 p.m.

Art & Soul is located at 1323 State Street. See artandsoulsb.com/

A view of the downstairs looking toward the dining room. To the left, on either side of the mantle are Catholic processionals from Italy, once intended to illuminate a path for the souls of one’s ancestors.

Throughout the ground level are what appear to be large stone tiles, but the floor is actually the foundation slab which they cut, stained, grouted, and sealed to resemble stone.

The library drawing room; on the balcony stands a papier-mâché mannequin of Scaramouche from the Italian Commedia dell’Arte.

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SANTA BARBARA LITERARY FESTIVAL PRESENTS

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Apr. 9-12

INDEPENDENT CALENDAR

the

BY

TERRY ORTEGA

THURSDAY

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

FRIDAY

1/27:

CWC Docs: The Other Roe This 2026 documentary centers

on Margie Pitts Hames, a trailblazing civil rights attorney, and the story of Doe v. Bolton, a historic Supreme Court case that was decided on the same day as Roe v. Wade and was essential to the modern fight for bodily autonomy. The post-screening discussion will feature director Wendy Eley Jackson (Film and Media Studies, UCSB). 7pm. Pollock Theater, UCSB. Free. Call (805) 893-4637. carseywolf.ucsb.edu/events

4/9: Ralph Barbosa: The Red 40 Tour One of Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch for 2024, comic Ralph Barbosa will bring his laid-back and disarming brand of comedy to S.B. 7:30pm Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St. $45-$111. Call (805) 963-9589.

arlingtontheatresb.com

4/10-4/12: La Piazza: A Celebration of Italian Culture Join this music and food festival on Friday for an opening concert and on Saturday and Sunday for a marketplace with artisans and Italian-inspired goods, a cultural seminar, a pasta-making workshop, a daily concert, and partnering Italian restaurants offering special dishes (for purchase). Fri.: 3:30pm; Sat.-Sun.: noon. Email LaPiazzaSB@gmail.com. Free.

lapiazza.life

4/9: Chaucer’s Poetry Month Celebration This celebration will feature Stephanie Barbé Hammer, Rich Ferguson, Kathleen Florence, and Melinda Palacio, who will all read selections from their books. 6pm. Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. Free. Call (805) 682-6787. chaucersbooks.com/events

4/9: UCSB Grad Slam 2026 Final Round The UCSB campus and the community will come together by spotlighting the amazing research being done by the graduate students. Seven finalists will present their research in three-minute talks that are clear, captivating, and compelling to diverse audiences.

4:30pm. Campbell Hall, UCSB. Email gsrc@grad div.ucsb.edu. tinyurl.com/Grad-Slam2026

Shows on Tap

FARMERS MARKET SCHEDULE 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

OhGeesy

Lounge Thu.: 4/9-4/12, 4/15: Eos Joshwa, 9pm. $18.54.

FISHERMAN’S MARKET

Fri.: The Widdler: Midnight Mass Tour, 9pm. $8.66. Sat.: Former City Records: 1905, badtongUe, dj pirna, 9pm. $6.18. Sun.: OhGeesy and DJ Vision, 2pm. $61.80. Wed.: Bass Therapy with WubWednesday, 8pm. Free.

500 Anacapa St. Ages 21+. Call (805) 564-2410. eoslounge.com

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 4/9-4/12, 4/15: Ensemble Theatre Company Presents A Night with Janis Joplin Mary Bridget Davies, Tony Award nominee for her lead role in the Broadway production of this show, will reprise her critically acclaimed role as rock legend Janis Joplin in this music-driven and immersive experience that will include songs such as “Piece of My Heart,”“Me and Bobby McGee,” and more. The play previews on April 2-3 and runs through April 26. Thu., Wed.: 7:30pm; Fri.: 8pm; Sat.: 3pm; Sun.: 2pm.

The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St. $25$119. Call (805) 965-5400. etcsb.org

4/11-4/12: Cold Spring Tavern Sat.: Paradise Road. Sun.: Tom Ball

Wave with Orangepit!, 9pm. $12-$22.

Ages 18+. Fri.: Emo Kids, 8pm. $18$25. Ages 21+. Sat.: ME Sabor Presents: Salsa Night, 9pm. $20-$30. Ages 21+.

Sun.: An Evening with Garrison Starr & Abby Posner, 7:30pm. $18-$22. Mon.: An Evening with Antonio Artese West Coast Trio, 7pm. $18-$20. 1221 State St. Call (805) 962-7776.

and Kenny Sultan. 5995 Stagecoach Rd. 1:30-4:30pm. Free. Call (805) 967-0066.

4/10: Carr Winery Barrel Room Sessions: Out of the Blue, 7pm. 414 N. Salsipuedes St., Santa Barbara. Free.

Call (805) 965-7985. Ages 21+.

FRIDAY 4/10

4/9: Doublewide Kings Benefit Concert This benefit concert for the More Mesa Preservation Coalition will feature the S.B.-based Doublewide Kings to play their unique blend of original music and classic covers that brings new energy to roots-rock, Americana, country-blues, and the glory days of ’70s FM radio. 7:30pm.

Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. GA: $67-$82; VIP: $157. Call (805) 963-0761. lobero.org

4/9-4/13: SOhO Restaurant & Music Club Thu.: Trestles & Eternal

sohosb.com

COURTESY

COURTESY

THURSDAY 4/9

COURTESY

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

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

4/11-4/12: Hook’d Bar and Grill Sat.: Out of the Blue, 4pm. Sun.: Nate Latta, 1pm. 116 Lakeview Dr., Cachuma Lake. Free. Call (805) 350-8351.

hookdbarandgrill.com/music-onthe-water 4/11: M.Special Brewing Co. (Goleta) Painted Lady. 6860 Cortona Dr., Ste. C, Goleta. 7-9pm. Free. Call (805) 968-6500.

carrwinery.com/events

mspecialbrewco.com

4/10-4/11: M.Special Brewing Co. (S.B.) Fri.: mckenna elliot band.

Sat.: The Sweet Spot. 634 State St. 8-10pm. Free. Call (805) 308-0050. mspecialbrewco.com

4/12: Longoria Wines Live music, 3-5pm. 732 State St. Free. Email info@ longoriawine.com.

4/10-4/11: Maverick Saloon Fri.: Robert Heft. Sat.: Tex Pistols. 8:3011:30pm. 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez.

Call (805) 686-4785. Ages 21+.

mavericksaloon.com/ event-calendar

longoriawines.com/events

4/13: The Red Piano Church on Monday: Ray Jaurique Trio, 7:30pm. 519 State St. $5. Call (805) 358-1439.

theredpiano.com

4/14: S.B. Bowl An Evening with David Byrne. $81.50-$275.50. 1122 N. Milpas St. 7:30pm. Call (805) 962-7411.

sbbowl.com

4/9-4/12, 4/15: Rubicon Theatre Presents Somebody to Love This funny, heartfelt new jukebox musical follows four friends who meet freshman year of college and vow to change the world, and to be there for each other … always. The show features songs “Call Me,”“Some Kind of Wonderful,”“Feel Like Making Love,” and “Taking It to the Street,” as well as the title song. Thu.-Fri.: 7pm, Sat., Wed.: 2 and 7pm, Sun.: 2pm. Rubicon Theatre, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. $30-$155. Call (805) 667-2900. rubicontheatre.org/shows-events

coldspringtavern.com

Kids National Tour! This Emo party band will play your 4/10: Emo favorite emo anthems from the early 2000s from bands such

as Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, and more in a high-energy, nonstop performance. 8pm. SOhO Restaurant & Music Club, 1221 State St. $18-$25. Ages 21+.

Call (805) 962-7776. sohosb.com

Volunteer Opportunity

Fundraiser

Civil Discourse

Protest

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th

the

FRIDAY 4/10

presents

4/10: Unity Singers’ Spring Concert This spring concert of beautiful songs will feature guest artists Jacqueline Greenshields on cello and Kristine Pacheco on violin. 7pm. Unity Church of S.B., 227 E. Arrellaga St. Donations accepted. Call (805) 966-2239.

tinyurl.com/SB-Unity-Concert

4/10: UCSB Arts & Lectures Presents Danish String Quartet/Danish National Girls’ Choir The Danish String Quartet and the Danish National Girls’ Choir will perform Nordic folk songs and contemporary works along with the U.S. premiere

by David Lang and more. 7:30pm. The Granada Theatre, 1214 State St. UCSB Students: $20, GA: $50-$110. Call (805) 893-3535.

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events

4/10-4/12: Out of the Box Theatre Company Presents Assassins This Tony Award–winning musical from Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman takes an unnerving look at the lives of nine men and women who either killed or tried to kill one of the Presidents of the U.S., such as John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, and more. Mature themes, violence, strong language. Recommended for ages 13+. The musical shows through April 19. Fri.-Sat.: 7:30pm; Sun.: 2pm. Center Stage Theater, 751 Paseo Nuevo. Free-$40. Call (805) 963-0408 or email info@outoftheboxtheatre.org.

A Comedy by Paul Slade Smith Directed by Sara Rademacher

centerstagetheater.org

APRIL 17-MAY 2, 2026

SATURDAY 4/11

PREVIEWS APRIL 15 & 16

JURKOWITZ THEATRE | NO LATE SEATING www.theatregroupsbcc.com | 805.965.5935 Thank you to our corporate sponsors:

4/11-4/12: Tomatomania! The largest (and most fun) tomato plant sale, curated locally by The Starter Farm, will offer an expanded show and sale with a large selection of tomato seedlings, difficult-to-source eggplants, a line of pepper plants arranged according to heat levels, classes, and more. 10am-4pm.

The Bakery Farmstand, near the intersection of Santa Barbara and Olivet avenues, Los Olivos. Free. Call (877) 327-2656.

Live Captioning: Sunday matinee, Apr. 19, 2pm

tinyurl.com/tomatomania-2026

COURTESY

SATURDAY 4/11

Photography Book 4/11: Architectural Presentation and Launch Join home-

owners, builders, and authors Michael Vilkin and Steven Wright and photographer Amy Barnard for the launch of the book PENTIMENTO: A Californian Palazzo, a visual and narrative exploration of a remarkable home in Santa Barbara inspired by the romance and craftsmanship of a Venetian palazzo and how the home rose from the ashes of its predecessor after a devastating loss in 2009. 5-7pm.

Art & Soul, 1323 State St. Free. Email artandsoulSB@gmail.com.

tinyurl.com/Pentimento-BookLaunch

4/11: Fifth Annual Music in the Park: Spring Concert Series The first concert in the series will be Queer Fest in partnership with UCSB Trans & Queer Commission in celebration of Pride Week with live music from Ledge, Gurl Boner, Monkfish, and Brackish, activities, with free food and resources. Noon-4pm. Anisq’Oyo Park, 950 Embarcadero Del Mar, Isla Vista. Free.

Email oramirez@ivparks.org.

tinyurl.com/IV-Music-Park

4/11: Toasting the Bold- Inaugural Benefit Concert Enjoy performances from six singer-songwriters and food, wine, and beer at this inaugural benefit concert to support the That Others May Live Foundation, which funds programs for the families of the Air Force Rescue Heroes who rescued people offshore in the Los Padres wilderness during the Palisades Fire in 2025 and mudslides in our communities. 4:30pm. Solvang Festival Theater, 420 Second St., Solvang. Preferred: $100; VIP: $180. Email info@thatothersmaylive.org.

thatothersmaylive.org/toastingthebold

4/11: The S.B. Chamber Players Spring Concert This concert, conducted by Emmanuel Fratianni, will feature a dynamic program of Debussy, Tulio Cremisini (with the composer as soloist), and Beethoven. 7:30pm. Hahn Hall, Music Academy of the West, 1070 Fairway Rd. $20. Email info@sbchamberplayers.org.

sbchamberplayers.org

4/11-4/12: S.B. Master Chorale Presents Dare to Dream Children are encouraged to dress as their favorite Disney character to experience the wonder, nostalgia, and soaring power of Disney’s most beloved songs from The Little Mermaid, Tangled, Frozen, Encanto, and more under the direction of Dr. David Lozano Torres. Dole Whip dessert and cookies will be available for purchase. Sat.: 7:30pm; Sun.: 3pm. Trinity Lutheran Church, 909 N. La Cumbre Rd. Free-$30. Email sbmasterchorale@gmail.com.

sbmasterchorale.org

SUNDAY 4/12

Amanda Scott, MD Board certified in Internal Medicine & Lifestyle Medicine

Your Health, Empowered Supporting your health and wellness journey through evidence-based lifestyle medicine using these 6 pillars: • healthy nutrition • quality sleep • stress reduction

• exercise/movement • social connection • reducing risky substances

Scan to schedule

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APRIL 9, 2026

off canned food donations to support families served by the Unity Shoppe to break the Guinness World Record for the largest canned food pyramid and see a trapeze showcase by students. Enjoy tacos, sodas, and more throughout the event. 1-4pm. S.B. Trapeze Co., Plaza Vera Cruz, 110 E. Cota St. Free. Call (805) 350-9802.

tinyurl.com/Trapeze-Unity

4/11: S.B. Music Club Free Concert Saturday Hear pieces

your meet & greet!

805-464-3131 • sblifestylemedicine.com

44

Annual Spring Food 4/11: Fourth Drive and Trapeze Event Drop

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by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Serhiy Bortkevych, and Mykola Lysenko that will feature accomplished musicians on violin, viola, cello, and piano. 3pm. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 4575 Auhay Dr. Free. Email info@sbmusicclub.org.

sbmusicclub.org

4/12: SBAcoustic Presents Poi Rogers & The Elderberries Hailing from Santa Cruz, Poi Rogers will perform original and vintage American roots music, with Gerard Egan doubling on acoustic guitar and triple-neck steel and Carolyn Sills on standup bass, all blending their harmonies with Americana and folk ensemble The Elderberries, featuring Jordan Bush, to open the show. 7:30pm. Unitarian Society of S.B., 1585 Santa Barbara St. $25.

Email music@sbacoustic.com.

sbacoustic.com

4/12: Prime Time Band Spring Concert: Legendary Movie Music & More Dr. Paul Mori will conduct this vibrant group of more than 75 amateur musicians, ages 40-90+, who will perform epic movie themes from the ’60s and ’70s such as Lawrence of Arabia, Romeo and Juliet, and more with jazz, pop, and classics as well. 2-4pm. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. Free. Call (805) 963-0761.

lobero.org

COURTESY

Season!

apr.

COURTESY

9-15

Impres sions of the S ea & Shore

Spring Gardening Festival & Marketplace Learn about area eco-friendly busi4/12: nesses and nonprofit organizations offering practical ways to create more sustainable

landscapes such as the importance of native plants, followed by short films produced by the S.B. Botanic Garden and former S.B. Mayor Helene Schneider to moderate a panel with area environmental exports. 2:30pm. Marjorie Luke Theatre: 721 East Cota St. $12.51-$17.85. Email events@SBBotanicGarden .org. sbbotanicgarden.org/calendar

CRAIG SMITH

MONDAY 4/13

WEDNESDAY 4/15 4/15: Spirits in the Air: Potent Potable Poetry Join host George Yatchisin (S.B. Poet Laure-

LARRY VIGON FLOTSAM & JETSAM

DAVID ELLIS LOBOSPHERES

Exhibit on display at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

ate XI) and a group of invited poets who will read their work, and the work of others, about libations of all sorts. Poet-themed cocktails and other libations will be available for purchase. Poetic happy hour: 4:305:30pm; reading: 5:30-6:30pm. The Good Lion, 1212 State St. Free. Ages 21+.

April 9, 2026 through July 26,2026 Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

4/15: The Artist Advocacy Foundation Presents Paving the Way This multidi-

113 Harbor Way, Ste 190, Santa Barbara, CA, 93109

tinyurl.com/Potent-Potable2026

William Fletcher, PhD (left) and Craig Smith, PhD

Pub: Tackling 4/13: Science Irreversible Climate Change

Coauthors of Irreversible: What Can We Do? Craig Smith, PhD, and Bill Fletcher will discuss global warming and what you can do to help your children and grandchildren survive in a hotter world, why it’s so hard to stop, and how we know it’s truly irreversible. 6:30-8pm.

Dargan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, 18 E Ortega St. Free. Email kperry@sbnature2.org.

sbnature.org/calendar

| sbmm.org

mensional art and entertainment program will showcase homegrown musicians and actors, a dancer, and a painter, all to support AAF’s Jeff McKinnon Theatre Group Scholarship with food and drink for purchase.

7pm. Maverick Saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. $35. Call (805) 448-4208. tinyurl.com/Paving-Way

4/15: Choose a Volunteer Role You’ll Love Learn about the benefits of volunteering and how to determine if a particular opportunity is right for you, including at the Grace Fisher Foundation, Community Partners in Caring, and Peer Buddies.

Noon-1pm. Grace Fisher Clubhouse, La Cumbre Plaza, 120 S. Hope Ave., Unit F118. Free. Email joanne@ partnersincaring.org. tinyurl.com/Opportunities-

Volunteer

TUESDAY 4/14 4/14: UCSB Arts & Lectures Presents Masha Gessen: Politics of the Past, Politics of the Future Masha Gessen, award-winning journalist

Free Museum Day

and author of the National Book Award–winning The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia, will discuss how contemporary autocrats promise a return to an imaginary, safer past and that the antidote to the politics of the past is an inspiring politics of the future. 7:30pm, Campbell Hall, UCSB. UCSB Students: free, GA: $20. Call (805) 893-3535.

Sunday, April 12 10 AM-5 PM

Celebrate curiosity with hands-on math, science, and computer science.

Your Freedom to Read! “Banned 4/14: Celebrate Book in Common” Discussion of The Hate U

Give Join SBPL and UCSB History Associates for a discussion about The Hate U Give (2017) by Angie Thomas, which illuminated the Black Lives Matter movement; focuses on racism, police brutality, and the endless battle for justice; and is the target of numerous book bans.

Registration is required. 5:30-6:30pm. Faulkner Gallery, S.B. Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St. Free. Email info@sbplibrary.lib answers.com. tinyurl.com/BannedBooks-Discussion

COURTESY

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu

Join us for a no-cost day at MOXI featuring community partners, family resources, and hands-on activities celebrating early math, science, and computer science.

Admission is free; reservations recommended.

Sponsored by

Reserve your tickets

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Brubeck Members get discounts for hot events, while supporting jazz, blues, roots music, and enjoying great perks!

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Wynton Marsalis Septet

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Lizz Wright

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“A stunning pianist, a gifted composer” – DownBeat

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Gerald Clayton Trio

Branford Marsalis Quartet: “... a marvelous ability to express the entirety of the jazz tradition with a sort of explorative modernism.” – All About Jazz

LOBERO THEATRE ENDOWMENT FOR AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC 46

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Belonging Tour

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Julian Lage Quartet

feat. John Medeski, Jorge Roeder, Kenny Wollesen “… the technique, intellect and imagination that guitarists strive for over a lifetime.” – JazzTimes

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LOBERO.ORG 805.963.0761

EMAIL: ARTS@INDEPENDENT.COM

SINGING AND ACTING AND DANCING THEIR WAY Emily Libera, director at Dos Pueblos, selected Curtains because of its requirements for “strong acting, dynamic ensemble work, and demanding musical theater performance into one show.” With music by Kander and Ebb, Libera says Curtains, a musical murder mystery, is rooted in the classic Broadway tradition. “The music blends jazzy Broadway sounds, big ensemble numbers, and character-driven songs that feel both theatrical and playful…. It’s a really fun and rewarding experience for both performers and audiences.”

Curtains was also an appealing choice for the program, says Libera, because “the show is a love letter to the theater itself…. It’s funny, theatrical, and full of larger-than-life characters.” Bambi Bernet (played by sophomore Abby Simonsen), for example, is an ensemble actor trying to prove her merit — especially since the producer of this show within a show is her mother, Carmen Bernstein. Bernstein is played by senior Nicola Bailey, who calls her character the “brassy producer” of the Broadway-hopeful musical called Robbin’ Hood of the Old West. “Curtains takes place during 1959,” says Bailey. “During that time, it was hard to be respected as a woman in a position of power—that defines a lot of who she is and the decisions she makes.”

“Curtains,” says Simonsen, “is a tribute to musical production and show business, as well as a celebration of the people who make it possible.” The show features a production team of almost 40 students and runs May 7-16.

—Maggie Yates LAURIE BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHY

T

his year, the theater youth is turning out for the Santa Barbara high school musicals en masse, with three shows combined featuring more than 100 students in the casts and crews. Sweeney Todd (at San Marcos High School) is a dark, challenging musical with demanding vocals and heavy technical components.

Santa Barbara High School turns Shakespeare favorite A Midsummer Night’s Dream into Dos Pueblos High School’s production of Curtains a nostalgic, music- and movement-based exploration. Dos Pueblos High School presents Curtains, a parts for many of our great actors.” While rousing murder mystery against a showbiz Midsummer’s original text is not written as backdrop. a musical, SBHS has done a “deep edit” to At San Marcos, theater program direc- make room for musical moments. “Midtor Shannon Saleh chose Sondheim’s tale of summer naturally lends itself to music and murder and mayhem based on this year’s dance,” says Marchese. The whole event will crop of students, whom she describes as be an invitation to the audience to step out of “a strong cadre of singers” who can carry the ‘real world’ and spend time in this dream the show. world with us.”

Sweeney Todd is the story of the “demon There are more than 40 students parbarber of Fleet Street” on a tear through ticipating in the cast and crew of the proLondon to avenge his unlawful sentence to duction. Junior Dragon Aditya, who plays a penal colony and the subsequent death of Oberon, says, “Our theater is really explorhis wife and disappearance of his daughter. ing the animal-ness of the fairies, walking There are more than 35 students involved in and moving about very differently than how the show, including cast, crew, and student we move as humans.”

In addition, says Marchese, SBHS’s verorchestra (conducted by Michael Kiyoi). sion of Midsummer features a latticework of Filling out the production is Eleni Pangender reversal throughout the show. “I felt tages teaching vocal work, choreography

by Christina McCarthy, set and lighting put off by some of the power dynamics in the design by Jonathan Mitchell, and Hannah relationships,” says Marchese. “They felt like Chilton on costumes. The show runs April well-worn territory that did not need to be 30–May 9. retread. The gender reversals have brought Program head Gioia Marchese at Santa new energy into the show’s relationships Barbara High directs Shakespeare’s A and have been an exciting and empowering Midsummer Night’s Dream, saying, “It has exploration into gendered expectations on a great ensemble cast that provides juicy both sides.” See the show April 24–May 3.

For the first time in their 16-year history, Out of the Box Theatre Company is re-mounting a show from their production history. First produced by Out of the Box in 2011, Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins is the blood splatter of anarchy on the White House wall. The show follows the exploits of nine people who have tried (and some who succeeded!) to kill the U.S. President.

Out of the Box Artistic Director Samantha Eve, who is directing (again), notes that while certain elements are similar to the previous production, the show feels very fresh due to a new cast and 15 years of growth and experience since the first rendition. “When we did this back in 2011, we leaned heavily into the comical elements,” says Eve. “Those moments are still there … but we have a much deeper understanding and awareness of what’s happening underneath those

moments, and the uncomfortable questions at the musical’s core: Who gets remembered? Who gets heard?

What happens when the promise of the American Dream feels out of reach? Assassins feels uncomfortably contemporary because it isn’t really about history—it’s about how people respond when they feel unseen, unheard, or left behind by their government, which is very much a current problem.”

Assassins is a juggernaut of the Broadway form, made up of interconnected vignettes that feature a variety of musical styles and emotional moods playing against the disquiet and joviality of an American-style carnival. Eve notes that,“Sondheim’s writing led the way as musical theater shifted from simple spectacle and happy endings to stories that dig deeper into the human experience.”

COURTESY

OUT OF THE BOX THEATRE CO. TAKES ON ASSASSINS MUSICAL FOR THE TRUMP ERA

The cast of Out of the Box Theatre Company’s Assassins In this vein, the show does have content warnings for language, mental illness, gun violence, and racism, and it is recommended for ages 13+.

—MY See the show from April 10-19 at Center Stage Theater (751 Paseo Nuevo). See centerstagetheater.org.

L I F E PAGE 47

UNNECESSARY FARCE BRINGS SOME NECESSARY LAUGHTER TO SANTA BARBARA BEN CROP

A PREVIEW OF WHAT’S ONSTAGE AT SANTA BARBARA, SAN MARCOS, AND DOS PUEBLOS HIGH SCHOOLS

In recent seasons of Santa Barbara theater, Sara Rademacher has directed heady dramas such as 2025’s Indecent and 2026’s Animal Farm. “In the last few years, I’ve spent my professional life inside gorgeous, moving, poignant plays that directly reflect current events,” she says. “Then, I would go home and continue navigating those same events in my own life.”Rademacher describes the sense of relief she felt when embarking on directing SBCC’s upcoming comedy, Unnecessary Farce, a show she says has purpose in unencumbering the audience with the trauma of the outside world for a few hours. “It’s a delightfully cliché motel-room sting operation, led by a couple of adorably earnest cops trying their best to rid their small city of corruption,”she says. “Doors slam, pants fall, justice is pursued, and love is in the air.”

Rademacher commends the cast for their dedicated work in rehearsal, citing the tremendous precision, athleticism, and trust necessary for this style of comedy.

“Farce,”she says, “while seemingly lighthearted and often very ridiculous, is extremely technical…. If the timing isn’t perfectly calibrated, the result can be catastrophic.”

Not only do the performers need to manage tight timing and exactitude in staging, there’s also emotional intention and commitment to character behind the hijinks. “As we refine the mechanics of hitting every beat, we also have to motivate each action truthfully….

An actor has to have a real reason to sprint full-force at a door — and the audience has to believe in that intention — for it to be funny when it flies open just before impact,” says Rademacher, adding: “Comedy is serious business.”

—MY Unnecessary Farce, written by Paul Slade Smith, runs April 15-May 2 in the Jurkowitz Theatre at SBCC (721 Cliff Dr.), and features some of Santa Barbara’s best comic performers. See theatregroupsbcc.com.

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REDUX REDO, NERF HERDER STYLE FAMED SANTA BARBARA ‘GEEK ROCK’ PRANKSTER BAND NERF HERDER CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY

Isn’t this the first theater show you’ve done in a while in Santa Barbara?

Gripp: The last time we played at the Lobero, it was just a few songs. I think one time was for KJEE, one of those Christmas

INGRID BOSTROM

I

t could be a trivia question in the category of successful Santa Barbara rock band lore: Which band filched its name from an obscure reference in Star Wars, and which from Monty Python’s Flying Circus? Anyone in these parts with ears on ’90s rock knows the answer. Nerf Herder, the witty “geek rock” pranksters we know and love, exercised its serious Star Wars fixation by lifting its moniker from a random scene, whereas the more serious-toned Toad the Wet Sprocket lifted its name out of a Monty Python skit.

Go figure.

Both bands, signed to major labels in the 1990s, continue to perform around the world and stoke the flames of fandom. And both have considered the passing of time and legacies with new acoustic albums stocked with freshly baked versions of old hits and favorites. In Nerf Herder’s case, the fearsome and funny foursome—charter members singersongwriter Parry Gripp and drummer Steve Sherlock, longtime bassist Ben Pringle and the lead guitarist known as Linus of Hollywood—are delivering NERF HERDER (redux) on Fat Wreck Records, a mostly unplugged recasting of breakout debut album of 30 years hence, released on Arista Records. The new single “Golfshirt (redux)” is online on the band’s YouTube channel.

In a timely booking, the band is headed for a high-profile show at the Lobero Theatre on Saturday, April 18. It sold out quickly, luring in both locals and rabid fans from afar.

The new album rustles up old memories of niche hits such as the satirical gem “Van Halen” and the unforgettable “Sorry,” an actual love song itemizing sins—“Sorry I had sex with your sister…. Sorry I crashed through your window on acid.” Other tasty morsels include “Nose Ring Girl” and the hometown ode “Down on Haley.” The debut Arista album came out of an early buzz created by their locally made record produced—on Haley—by Joey Cape for his My Records label, leading to an invitation to create TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer theme song.

These cheeky rockers are more than one-dimensional, with diverse alter egos and day-job doppelgängers. Gripp, heir to a legendary orchid-growing lineage, has become something of a kids’ culture icon whose short and catchy YouTube tunes/animations — including the major hit “It’s Raining Tacos,” also covered by Norah Jones—have launched him into a thriving new career lined with Disney work and an Emmy. For insider Independent intel, Gripp covered the local rock scene under the pseudonym Andrew Broomhead, for the “Positively State Street” column in the early ’90s, before his rock-star life.

Pringle is a classical music scholar and singer, with Quire of Voices and more, with gainful employment in the banking industry. For his part, Sherlock works in the graphics department of the famed Peralta Skateboards, a connection he’s had for decades.

But rock and wink they must. NERF HERDER (redux) bumps up their discography to number eight, and various global gigging continues this year.

The Santa Barbara–based threesome, the core of this unit for nearly a quarter-century, convened last week to talk about the adventure in progress, over nonalcoholic beers at Mosaic.

Nerf Herder today

shows. We also played a benefit for the Rape Crisis Center that Kirsten Candy put on. I think Blazing Haley played that, and Toad. But that would’ve been like ’99 or something like that.

[To Pringle.] It was your idea. Ben’s like, “Hey, we should play the Lobero for our 30th anniversary of our record.” And I was like, “Oh man, that’s a terrible idea. No one’s gonna come.” I thought no one would come, but it’s sold out. Ben is a genius.

Now, we just have to convince our fans not to like, tear the seats off cushions and Frisbee them at us. It’s the kind of thing you would’ve seen at a metal show at the Arlington back in the day or something. [Laughs.] It should be good.

There’s beer and full alcohol and stuff like that. All the ingredients for a rock show.

Sherlock: For the VIP reception before the show, we’re having a museum in the back patio. We’re gonna be getting together old artifacts and clothes that we wore on the album cover, old set lists and random things.

Where did the concept for the new album come from?

Gripp: Steve absolutely masterminded the whole thing.

Sherlock: Over the years, our fans have been demanding that we repress that first record on vinyl. We still have a handful of copies left of the original pressing on my records from before we were on the major. We would sell ’em at shows, but people were paying more and more and more for them. I’m like, we’ve gotta figure out a way to repress this thing. But since it’s owned by Arista, getting the rights and finagling that, that deal just seems like a far reach.

So, we thought, some bands re-record their records, like, what’s her face? Taylor Swift. But that would be kinda weird. There’s a certain amount of magic from that record.

About six months ago, I thought, “Let’s try rerecording it acoustically just a little bit. We’re reimagining.” And, uh, it works out pretty well.

On redux, these songs sound a bit closer to being sentimental, songs like “Nose Ring Girl” and even “Sorry,” pretty wicked and satirical tunes now sounding like love songs.

Gripp: That’s nice to know. I’m glad they don’t sound

meaner or more satirical. My wife heard it, and I asked her, “Do I sound like I’m not connecting with the lyrics?”

She’s like, “No, you sound like you’re still trying to get laid.”

[Laughs.]

Sherlock: Amazing. That should be a slogan on the back of the T-shirt — “Still Trying to Get Laid.”

Gripp: I think it was sort of natural, poking fun at punk rock. I thought we were kind of satirizing that stuff, but then also people took it seriously, too.

Santa Barbara has produced some pretty great rock talent.

Gripp: I think we got signed because they’re like, “Oh, these guys are like the President of the United States of America and Weezer. We gotta sign a Weezer-like band.” And then by the time our record came out, people were like, “Oh, Weezer’s over, because their record Pinkerton came out, which didn’t do very well.” There was more executive say in what was going to make it and what wasn’t.

But you’re funnier than Weezer.

Sherlock: That’s another T-shirt. I always thought we’re more like Weird Al than like Weezer.

The band had actual hits, right?

Gripp: Our song “Van Halen” was on the Modern Rock charts. They tried to have “Sorry” be a hit, and they spent a lot of money on a video. They had Mark Hamill and Miguel Ferrer in it, which was awesome just to have them in there.

But they couldn’t make that song happen. It was maybe too dark. But the video was awesome. That was fun to make.

I remember the Velvet Jones show you did several years ago, where you came out and said, “Hello, Santa Barbara, the booty capital of the world!”

Gripp: That was great. I’m gonna bring that out for this one. Might have to change that “booty.” Something else.

Something more highbrow.

—Josef Woodard

See Nerf Herder alongside Summercamp and Ridel High on Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m. See lobero.org. For a more extensive interview, see Independent.com.

Read more on p. 51

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GET LIT FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS COURTESY PHOTOS

SANTA BARBARA LITERARY FESTIVAL DEBUTS MAY 2-3

Lorissa Rinehart (left) and Leslie Zemeckis

S

torytellers and story lovers will come together for a lively celebration of the written word when the Santa Barbara Literary Festival debuts on May 2-3 with a series of keynotes, panels, workshops, and pop-up events throughout downtown Santa Barbara.

This fabulously ambitious undertaking is a true labor of love for founders Lorissa Rinehart and Leslie Zemeckis, who are both Santa Barbara–based authors, TEDX speakers, and passionate advocates for the notion that literature is not just meant to be read, but experienced.

“We had been looking for something to do together,” said Rinehart.

“We spent last year going to a lot of literary festivals around the world,” said Zemekis, a documentary filmmaker and author of the nonfiction books Behind the Burly Q, Goddess of Love Incarnate: The Life of Stripteuse Lili St. Cyr, and Feuding Fan Dancers: Faith Bacon, Sally Rand, and the Golden Age of the Showgirl.

Rinehart was also on the literary circuit promoting her latest book Winning the Earthquake: How Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds to Become the First Woman in Congress. She is also the author of First to the Front, a 2023 book about pioneering war correspondent Dickey Chapelle.

“We talked about it a lot and thought that this was a no-brainer destination spot for a literary festival,” said Zemeckis. “We could bring in great quality and high-caliber authors to mix in with all the talent that’s already here in Santa Barbara.”

That’s exactly what happened. The first person that Zemeckis reached out to was Walter Mosley, the wildly popular crime fiction novelist whose first published mystery, Devil in a Blue Dress, was the basis for the 1995 movie starring Denzel Washington. He had recently been a guest on her podcast—The Plotpoint, which she cohosts with Sara DiVello—and when Zemeckis asked him to come to Santa Barbara to keynote the festival, he agreed.

“That really helped us secure some key people to anchor the festival,” said Zemeckis. Additional keynote speakers include Kim Michele Richardson (The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek), Chris Whitaker (All the Wicked Girls), and Steven Rowley (The Guncle).

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“It’s a lot bigger than what I first thought it would be, because this is really Leslie’s vision and Leslie’s contacts that got us here,” said Rinehart. “I’m amazed at the way that it’s come together and the scale of it.”

The community has jumped right in and supported the festival. “Kimpton Canary donated hotel rooms for our keynote speakers. They’ve also provided conference rooms and a cocktail party for the first night,” which will be for the authors, founding members [supporting donors], and VIPs, said Rinehart. The Santa Barbara Public Library is on board and donated the use of Library Plaza, and Chaucer’s is the book sponsor and will have all of the festival authors’ books for sale.

The list of speakers is impressive, with additional authors and participants including: Susan Orlean, Ann Liang, Ariel Sullivan, Katherine Stewart, Paula McLain, Danielle Trussoni, Shannon Watts, Tod Goldberg, Roda Ahmed, Romina Garber, Beatrice Dixon, Mike Bender, Daniel Humm, Stuart Gibbs, Morgan Matson, Pete Oswald, Justina Blakeney, Dawn Tripp, Faith Phillips, Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström, Jane Borden, Chelsey Goodan, Edward Humes, and more.

There’s a wide variety of panels with the goal of providing something for just about every interest. For example, in addition to fiction, nonfiction, children and teen authors, audiobooks, agents, and memoirists, there is the Culinary Storytellers group of cookbook authors, food historians, memoirists, and artisans; children’s book creators Max Lang and Suzanne Lang will do a read-along of their books Grumpy Monkey Mom for a Day and Archibald and the Furry Dinosaurs; while journalists Ann Louise Bardach, Jerry Roberts, Peter Richardson, Abe Peck, and Charles Perry will topline a discussion of the wild rise of Rolling Stone.

—Leslie Dinaberg The Santa Barbara Literary Festival takes place May 2-3 throughout downtown Santa Barbara. Several of the events (including children’s programming) are free, and the entire event is free for first responders. See santabarbaraliteraryfestival.org for additional details and to purchase tickets.

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CATCHING UP WITH SUMMERCAMP

Choose your term.

Enjoy the same great rate.

Cont’d from p.49

I

magine it’s the 1990s and Santa Barbara is in the midst of a rock ’n’ roll Renaissance.

Young bands sprout left and right, music venues are packed, and there’s an ecstatic camaraderie between all musicians and listeners — folkTony Sevener of Summercamp, 1997 ers and punkers alike.

Record labels pounce on the scene, and a few small-town Santa Barbara musicians are launched into stardom. One of them being alternative rock band Summercamp with Tim Cullen, Misha Feldmann, Sean McCue, and Tony Sevener.

As the daughter of lead vocalist and guitarist Sean McCue, I grew up hearing about performing for a crowd of 30,000 people, playing pool with Keanu Reeves on tour, and the strangeness of having fans on tour that would follow them for an autograph. Now history comes full circle: On April 18, Summercamp will reunite for their first show in more than 25 years at the Lobero Theatre, joining Nerf Herder (the headliners) and Ridel High.

Ahead of rehearsal for the show, I had the opportunity to speak with the band. “I’m super grateful that Nerf Herder asked us to play,” said lead vocalist and guitarist Tim Cullen. He continued that it’s both a reunion for the bands in the show, as they were all “buddies” in the ’90s, but it is also a reunion with all the friends who are coming to see it. “A class reunion of sorts,” drummer Tony Sevener said.

Despite the decades apart, nerves aren’t the issue. “It’s in your DNA. Those songs, they’re right there…. So, I’m really looking forward to this weekend [for the first rehearsal]. All the inside jokes and all the fun just hanging with your friends. That feeling gets injected into the music,” McCue said.

McCue, Cullen, and Feldmann met at Santa Barbara High. The three eventually formed their first band, Old Man. Sevener joined later, filling in on drums for mutual friend Eric Herzog in an Old Man show. After successfully learning the set in a day, he was invited to stay in the band permanently.

“It was a special time … everyone was good,” Cullen said. Cullen explained there was a culture of constant collaboration and support, with musicians regularly attending each other’s shows. “It was a ridiculous amount of talent for a town that small,” Sevener said.

As the local scene grew, so did Summercamp’s reach. The band toured North America a few times, performing alongside Snoop Dogg and Korn at Lollapalooza. Later, they toured in Japan, where they had a massive following.

Although Summercamp’s second album was never released due to issues with their record label, the band members never stopped making music. With an upcoming show at the Lobero and renewed attention from a viral video by comedian Ceci Hace—who recently discovered Summercamp’s “Drawer” after searching for it for 28 years—the band is finding a new audience and a major resurgence in monthly listeners on Spotify.

“We’re all still growing; we’re all still learning. We’re not dead yet. So, it doesn’t mean we have to just lie down and wait to die. There’s still plenty to chew on,” Sevener said.

—Anya Rose McCue See Summercamp alongside Nerf Herder and Ridel High on Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre (33 E. Canon Perdido St.) See lobero.org. For a more extensive interview, see independent.com/2026/04/06/catching-up-with-summercamp

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P. 52 Sports

World Cup Spectators’ Guide mation centers and help manage crowd flow.

In addition, Amtrak Pacific Surfliner offers five daily round trip trains traveling from Santa Barbara to San Diego. It is a fairly reliable option for Santa Barbara area fans to make the trek to Los Angeles and avoid additional traffic associated with such a large-scale international event.

RICH GORDON

L

ooking to catch some World Cup action this summer? Here’s the scoop on how to score an opportunity to see a piece of the action.

Tickets for the FIFA World Cup 2026 have entered their final sales phase, as global demand for seats at the tournament continues to surge. Organizers have confirmed that as of Wednesday, April 1, the last portion of tickets is being released to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. The tournament itself runs June 11 through July 19.

The World Cup Fan Zone

How Santa Barbarans Can Get In on the L.A. Action The “Last-Minute Sales Phase” marks the fourth and final stage of ticket distribution for the expanded 48-team competition, which will be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For fans on the Central Coast, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara are among the host venues that are in relatively close proximity. Sales will remain open through the conclusion of the tournament, giving fans ongoing opportunities to secure entry to matches.

Unlike earlier phases, this final stage allows supporters to directly purchase tickets in real time. Buyers can view match availability, select specific seats through an interactive map, and confirm purchases immediately. Fans who secured tickets in earlier rounds will also be able to access their assigned seating information starting April 1 via their official accounts.

Organizers have encouraged fans to check the official ticketing platform regularly, noting that inventory will be refreshed on a rolling basis. In some cases, same-day tickets may also be released.

Interest in the tournament has already reached unprecedented levels. During the random draw phase alone, more than 500 million ticket requests were submitted, resulting in more than one million tickets sold by late February. Attendance is on track to surpass the long-standing record of 3.5 million spectators set during the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which was the last time the tournament was held in the United States.

Los Angeles Travel Los Angeles transportation officials are ramping up efforts to accommodate the surge of expected visitors, with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority outlining a series of service expansions and infrastructure adjustments aimed at easing mobility across the region.

The agency announced plans to significantly increase 52

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by Victor Bryant

The World Cup Fan Festival will take over the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from June 11 to 15. The five-day event is expected to draw fans from around the globe, turning the landmark venue into a hub of football and cultural celebration.

Visitors will be able to watch live match broadcasts while also taking part in a wide range of activities, including live music performances, cultural showcases, and interactive fan experiences. Organizers say the festival will also highlight the city’s diversity through a curated selection of local and international cuisine.

The L.A. Memorial Coliseum underwent a $315 million renovation in 2019 by USC, which modernized the 1923 landmark while preserving its historic details.

In addition, Exposition Park, which surrounds the stadium, offers a diverse array of cultural and interactive experiences, including the California African American Museum, California Science Center, and L.A. Natural History Museum.

Cosm Los Angeles

transit capacity during the tournament, including the deployment of hundreds of additional buses. Officials say the system will be reinforced with approximately 330 new vehicles, along with borrowed buses to further supplement the fleet.

A key component of the strategy is improving access to SoFi Stadium, one of the primary venues for World Cup matches. Metro intends to operate dedicated shuttle services connecting major transit hubs, park-and-ride locations, and select hotels directly to the stadium, offering fans alternatives to driving in heavily congested areas.

Event-specific signage will be installed throughout stations and bus stops to guide visitors unfamiliar with the system. The agency is also coordinating the development of designated fan zones, which will serve as infor-

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For those without a match ticket, another option has emerged. Cosm’s venue in Los Angeles is a “Shared Reality” concept that blends the physical and virtual worlds to create a communal, hyperimmersive viewing experience. For World Cup spectators, it means feeling as if they’re inside the stadium atmosphere, chants, tension, and all.

The Inglewood venue accommodates up to 1,700 guests, offering multiple ways to experience the action. The Dome provides an intimate, seated viewing environment under the massive digital canopy, while The Hall and The Deck offer more social, free-flowing spaces for fans who prefer to mingle. With in-seat service for food and drinks, fans don’t have to miss a key moment. This means no more choosing between a concession line and a crucial goal.

That foundation has already been tested across a wide range of major sporting events. From matches in the Premier League and international tournaments such as Copa America to NFL, NBA, and UFC events, the format has proven adaptable to the world’s most dynamic competitions.

Tickets can be purchased at fifa.com.

COURTESY OF THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

Film

From Marketplace to Movie Screen

O

n Sunday, April 12, the Marjorie Luke Theatre will host the Spring Gardening Festival & Marketplace. The event brings together vendors, nonprofits, filmmakers, environmental experts, and more to promote sustainability and the cultivation of native plants.

“This event is the kickoff of The Luke’s 2026 Green Film Series, featuring thought-provoking films and engaging panel discussions all focused on today’s most important environmental issues,” said Kathy Kelley, development director for The Marjorie Luke Theatre.

The festival will open at 2:30 p.m. with a Community Marketplace, where local businesses and nonprofits will showcase methods, tools, and practices

by Emily Vesper for creating sustainable landscapes.

The Marketplace is followed by a film screening, which will take place at 4 p.m. The screening presents four related short films produced by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. The films form a series on native plant conservation that highlights the Botanic Garden’s ongoing transformation of Elings Park. Staff and volunteers, in collaboration with Channel Islands Restoration, are engaged in a multi-year project to remove invasive species from a plot within the park and reintroduce native plants, such as California oaks.

“Through our video series, we hope to ignite a sense of urgency and hope—showing that by embracing native plant conservation, we can help mitigate the impact of climate change and foster vibrant ecosystems for generations to come,” said Denise Knapp, Director of Conservation and Research at the Botanic Garden, upon the film series’s release last year.

The event will conclude with a panel featuring environmental experts, moderated by former Santa Barbara mayor Helene Schneider.

Details about the panel guests are forthcoming.

Santa Barbara County faces long-term challenges due to climate change and environmental degradation. Most residents are familiar with the impacts of drought, heat waves, and wildfires on their community, but many are unaware of what they can do to protect local ecosystems. The Spring Gardening Festival & Marketplace presents an opportunity to learn more about conservation and sustainability, with a focus on local issues and practical actions.

Native plant cultivation, a crucial component of developing healthy, natural landscapes, is specifically highlighted. Festival attendees will learn why native plant cultivation is important and how to practice it in their own lives, whether as home gardeners, professionals, or volunteers in a community-based project such as the Botanic Garden’s Elings Park Transformation.

Spring Gardening Festival Launches the Luke’s Green Film Series

Robert “Zeke” Del Campo Santa Barbara High School Dons Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2025

When Dons’ great baseball player, Bill Oakley Sr., was inducted into the Sanga Barbara High School Athletic Hall of Fame, he opened up his acceptance speech by saying, “Gee, I don’t know, Robert Del Campo should be getting this award.

Born in 1936 in Santa Barbara and raised on the Eastside, Robert Del Campo was a playground legend. Growing up at the Boys Club. Robert was mentored and coached by SBHS great Peter Zucco.

For the record, Robert ran the anchor leg for the Boys Club 440 relay team. They placed first in the 1950 Southern California Tack and Field Championship held in the LA Coliseum. He also took first in the 100 yard dash at the same track meet. Beating the likes of Compton, San Diego and Bakersfield.

“We beat everyone”, said teammate Benji Cheverez Robert was a natural born athlete. He was a two sport letterman in baseball and basketball for the Dons, graduating in 1955. Basketball was where he shined the most in an era where football was king.

He started on the Dons basketball team, coached by Bill Crow, as a junior and senior. The 1955 Dons basketball team did not belong to any league. They were an at-large freelance squad under Robert’s leadership as point guard. However, they beat both the 1955 CIF champ Morningside and CIF runnerup Burroughs that year during the regular season. They had a 15-7 record and missed an at-large bid into the CIF tournament by one game.

With no league to honor him and with no CIF appearance, Robert’s name was folded into the history of Dons athletics like so many others. Robert scored more points in his junior season than in his senior year. In two seasons Robert scored 421 points in 43 games. AI says, if he had played today, that’s over a 1000 points in just two seasons. Robert is best remembered for going on one of the greatest scoring streaks in the history of Dons basketball. He went on a shooting rampage where he averaged over 25 points in four straight games.

Teammate and Hall of Fame member, John Osborne, described Robert as “Amazing and before the three point line”. Simply because averaging 25 points in four straight games in 1955 is equivalent to averaging 50 points a game today. Name me a high school player today that has scored 200 points in four games, amazing indeed.

Robert went on to play for Santa Barbara Junior College and in the Armed Forces league. On the court, he adopted the nickname ‘Zeke”, which was given to him because that was the nickname given to LA Laker great Jerry West. Robert was that good and it’s like being compared to Kobe Bryant today.

The Ye Ol Gang values camaraderie and the tradition of Dons athletics and is proud to induct Dons legend Robert Del Campo into the Santa Barbara High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Santa Barbara Legend

Tickets can be purchased at luketheatre.com and Eventbrite.

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Sunday, April 19, 202 Tickets on sale NOW Lobero Theatre Box Office Please join us to celebrate 13 participants as they take to the stage to bust out a solo cover song backed by an all-star live band. This joyful celebration is the culmination of self-discovery where participants overcome fears and individual challenges, give and receive support, and stretch into an expanded version of their magnificent selves.

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Nature

Sea Center Welcomes Giant Seahorses

R

esearcher Ralph Appy and a team of students from Occidental College were casting finely knit nets from the shores of Coronado Island in San Diego. They were looking for rays and skates to harvest parasites for their research. But that spring afternoon, they found something rare.

New Residents Are Result of San Pedro Scientist Striking Gold Twice Story and photos by Elaine Sanders As the students were sorting through their catch, one of them noticed a seagull eyeing something in the sand. “She went over to see what fish had gotten out of the net, and there was a seahorse!” Appy said.

It was a Pacific seahorse, one of the world’s largest species of seahorse that can reach up to 14 inches in length.

And thankfully, despite being pecked at by a gull, she was still alive.

Appy struck gold twice that day; earlier on a boat trawl of similar waters, he had found another seahorse, this one a male.

Pacific seahorses, also known as giant seahorses, are found in coastal waters ranging from the southern end of Peru to Long Beach. These elusive creatures, California’s only native species, are hard to come by in the wild, making them an exciting find for aquarists.

The species prefers a warmer water temperature, and as new residents of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center, they are helping bring awareness to climate-induced changes taking place in the Santa Barbara Channel. With a monogamous breeding pair established at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, nine of their offspring are now on display here for the public to enjoy.

A new resident at the Sea Center

Seahorses doing their “elegant mating dance”

After finding the pair last spring, Appy fastened a rope to the bottom of a bucket to give the animals some comfort in their holding tank, something they could wrap their uniquely prehensile tails around on the trip. He then started cruising up the freeway in the Fastrack lane, trying to make it to the Cabrillo aquarium before staff closed up for the day.

“I was especially fast,” he said, with the precious cargo gently rumbling in the backseat. Appy got to a two-lane passing zone, and went to pass a slower vehicle in front of him, when he noticed a highway patrol officer with a radar gun pointed in his direction.

Appy started immediately rehearsing what he would say if the officer pulled him over: “I have babies here in the car that need to be delivered!” Thankfully, no speeding tickets were administered, and the pair of seahorses made it safely to their new home.

A “Red List” compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature marks the species as vulnerable, noting declining populations of adult animals in the wild. Overfished in Mexico, these animals are dried and shipped to Asia to be used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Consuming seahorses is believed to have a Viagra-like effect on men and help with ailments such as asthma and certain skin conditions, although no clinical studies have confirmed this.

Appy delivered the seahorses to Olivia Cleek, an aquarist in Cabrillo’s aquatic nursery where endangered and threatened species from up and down the coast are raised. The bony fish almost immediately paired up and commenced their elegant mating dance, pirouetting around one another and intertwining tails.

Together, they had their first batch of around 500 babies, and a few months later, they had more than 2,000 more. “It was insane,” Cleek said, describing it as a “baby explosion.”

Cleek and her team had to scoop out the tiny offspring, miniature replicas of their parents, and put them into Kreisel tanks—an aquarium with a circular flow that is typically used for jellyfish. They were fed microscopic live rotifers (a type of zooplankton) and brine shrimp until they reached about two months old, when they transitioned to frozen foods.

“We just had so many,” said Cleek. “So honestly, we were just like, ‘Anyone who wants them, please take them.’ ” Some of the brood ended up at Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, some at Birch Aquarium at Scripps, and nine made their way to the Sea Center on Stearns Wharf.

They are part of the exhibit Dive In: Our Changing Channel, which highlights Santa Barbara’s coastal flora and fauna, and how the waters are shifting due to climate change.

Max Rudelic, a senior aquarist at the Sea Center, is now their caretaker. He says guests are captivated by these animals. “I see kids really get inspired,” he said.

The Pacific seahorse is seen as a signal species, Rudelic explained. “This isn’t something you’d normally see here,” he said. “If you do, that’s concerning.” Witnessing these animals in the Santa Barbara Channel would mean something is pushing them north, whether it is a lack of food, increasing water temperatures, or habitat loss.

The Sea Center’s new seahorses are now starting to pair up and have babies of their own. When asked about the viability of sibling seahorses procreating, Cleek said it’s not ideal, “but for the most part, if you have one accidental batch of sibling babies, it’s not terrible.”

Rudelic is now working on building additional tanks to raise the babies. “If we can possibly donate them to other aquariums to educate people about the area, that would be ideal,” he said.

Learn more at sbnature.org.

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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 Board of Supervisors at, or prior to, the public hearing.

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5

Omakase

FOOD&DRINK

p.57

After the Star: Sushi by Scratch Defines Its Next Chapter

BY ELLA HEYDENFELDT

T

he incredible Ms. Leslie Dinaberg wrote the last

salt and poblano chili nearly collapsed under its own tenderness.

There is something psychologically compelling about omakase dining. For $165 per person, plus a $110 beverage pairing, you relinquish choice entirely. To that, I say: Lean into it. The evening moves on a timed rhythm; all you need to do is sit back.

General Manager Daniel Yoshimi orchestrates that flow from the lobby greeting onward. Bartender Lynn Duquette, warm and engaging, delivers each drink with easy conversation. Chef Tham — part of the Scratch group since its inception—establishes rapport through

FOOD & DRINK

Independent article on Sushi by Scratch back in 2023. While our experiences had overlap —my cup runneth over as well, and I too felt adjacent to royalty (it makes sense why Harry and Meghan reportedly frequent the place)—the menu has shifted in notable ways.

Some things remain constant. The evening begins in the Montecito Inn lobby with a welcome drink—whiskey, lemon, ginger, and sake—refreshing and citrusy, poured past the brim into the saucer to mark abundance.

You are then escorted into the intimate 10-seat counter space, where your name is written in chalk.

What has changed, however, is the sense of evolution.

In 2021, the restaurant—then operating as Sushi | Bar under the same ownership—became one of the first in Santa Barbara County to earn a Michelin star. It later lost that distinction after longtime chef Lennon Silvers Lee departed to open his own omakase concept, Silvers, which now holds a star of its own. Sushi by Scratch remains listed in the Michelin Guide today as a recommended restaurant.

While the fish is still sourced globally— much of it flown from Japan’s Toyosu Market—the kitchen is increasingly working toward local sourcing where possible. One chef visits the farmers’ market daily. Another roasts the coffee infused into one of the sauces. Yes, they combine coffee and sushi, and personally I find that to be among the highest culinary achievements known to man. There is a growing effort to ground a globally inspired omakase in Central Coast seasonality.

Then there is the visual spectrum of the fish itself.

Nigiri arrived in whites, creams, pale pinks, and dark ruby reds. Some pieces were nearly translucent; others were draped across the rice in a creamy, fatty, almost languid way. Texture shifts paired with toppings—tiny bursts of acidity, sweetness, or smoke layered like flavor sprinkles.

Pete Wells of The New York Times once described sushi meals as being like “plane flights—some ascend slowly and don’t hit cruising altitude until the appetizers are over; with others, the first piece of nigiri means your descent has already begun.”

At Sushi by Scratch, I would argue the plane ascends gradually, finds its cruising rhythm, and then, toward the end of the night, morphs into a helicopter and goes straight up.

The progression began with hamachi, a pale pink yellowtail brushed with corn pudding for a buttery sweetness. A fatty toro cut from Spain arrived glazed

with pineapple and wasabi, rich and slightly sweet. Hotate scallops from Hokkaido came topped with apple nigiri sauce and burnt soju. Hirame fluke from Korea was seared with pickled serrano and fermented honey — smoky heat balanced by sweetness. Shima-aji trevally from Japan appeared with coffee nikiri and brown-butter miso.

It all may sound like an avalanche of unique flavors, but what ultimately lands is balance—salt, sugar, and fat working together at a level I did not previously know existed.

Throughout the meal, Chef Julian Tham spoke openly about what they call “fish butchery,” a phrase that initially felt harsh.

Watching them work, the process seemed closer to fish artistry. Rice is molded softly in the palm of the hand. Sauces are brushed on like watercolor. Nigiri is served on slate rather than plates, while toppings rest in small dishes resembling an artist’s palette.

If Michelin stars are the industry’s highest accolade, perhaps there should be something closer to a Leonardo da Vinci award for this Firing up at Sushi by Scratch level of technical craft.

Preservation techniques sit at the center of the restaurant’s philosophy.

“There’s a big misconception that sushi needs to be fresh,” Chef Tham explained. “Here, we practice preservation—curing, brining, aging.”

That philosophy reveals itself bite by bite. Lean akami tuna tasted mineral and clean. Norwegian ocean trout arrived cured with lime zest and chimichurri. Kampachi from Hawai‘i was paired with mandarin and thyme oil, briefly torched.

Drink pairings followed a similar logic of contrast. A particularly polished Daiginjo sake landed almost like water at first sip before becoming more alcohol-adjacent.

Micro-cocktails leaned into acidity to cut through richer bites.

Toward the end of the meal, the register shifted.

Wagyu nigiri — torched tableside — introduced a decadent cut of cow to the top of a formed rice ball. Next, bone marrow from Texas veal, caramelized with brown sugar, tasted unexpectedly like breakfast: warm maple syrup and home. Freshwater eel layered with matcha

SCRATCH RESTAURANTS

Montecito Counter Now Leans Into Preservation Techniques and Global-to-Local Sourcing

dark sarcasm and a jubilant smile. Chef Manny Torres works alongside him, guiding diners through the steady procession of bites.

By the time dessert arrives—a pale-green matcha bonbon filled with makrut lime ice cream and white sesame shortbread—the evening has moved through its distinct phases.

The menu itself is about to enter a new phase, with broader seasonal changes already in motion—“Since the start of the year, we’ve changed six to eight bites,” Chef Tham said. “Now we’re looking at a spring shift—more local seafood, more local produce.”

Sushi by Scratch is no longer simply the place that brought omakase prestige to Santa Barbara. It is now a restaurant balancing global luxury, regional sourcing, and the pressure—and possibility—of redefining itself within Michelin’s orbit.

Sushi by Scratch, 1295 Coast Village Rd.; sushibyscratchrestaurants.com/ montecito

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mangia!

18

Gets Gets aa New New

Italian Festival

11:30 AM TO 3 PM

Rancho La Patera & Stow House in Goleta, CA

La Piazza: A Celebration of Italian Culture Is April 10-12

BRUNCH FOR A CAUSE

by Meaghan Clark Tiernan

$75 GA & $50 STUDENT TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

J

Backyard Brunch is a fundraiser to support The Mickey Flacks Journalism Fund.

Read articles supported by the Flacks Fund at independent.com/mickeyflacks

58

THE INDEPENDENT

APRIL 9, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

FOOD & DRINK

Scan the QR Code or go to sbindytickets.com

acopo Giacopuzzi struggled

to find his people when he first arrived in California from Italy in 2014. A fellow at the Music Academy of the West, he fell in love with the state itself during his first few years. But despite his years traveling the world as a concert pianist, he missed a piece of home—the meeting place.

“Since moving to California, I was missing that sense of genuine connection with people, just like it naturally happens in Italy,” says Giacopuzzi. “Since then, I’ve been wanting to bring something like that here. This is Risotto All' Ossobuco my first step toward that goal.”

His first inclination was to build something with his friends—and and vendors selling Italian products at luckily, he had about 160 Italians on Library Plaza. Saturday is also dedicated whom to call. A natural communica- to celebrating the cultural heritage, with tor, Giacopuzzi missed speaking his an Italian Culture Seminar presented natural tongue when arriving on our by the UCSB Italian Studies program. shores, so whenever he caught wind of There’s even a festival “Easter egg,” Giait in the wild, he sought out connection. copuzzi says, with a workshop on Magic: He started building relationships with The Gathering presented by two Italian other first-generation Italians around masters and community friends. town, his group eventually amassing in On Sunday, Giacopuzzi encourages the entire family to join the festivities, size to nearly 200 on WhatsApp. When Giacopuzzi wanted to create as the Library Plaza will be transformed a festival dedicated to his home coun- into a haven for little ones. Expect an try, his community rallied around him. interactive pasta-making workshop “The community of Italian people here from chef Chierego, who just launched are very dedicated and passionate,” says his own company, Pasta Santina; pizza Chef Sergio Chierego. “We try to pre- bookmark making hosted by the Santa serve our heritage. Being part of the Barbara Public Library; and a closing first edition of La Piazza is more than concert, Dolce Swing, featuring works an honor.”

by Claude Bolling.

During April 10-12, Santa Barbara The weekend activities aren’t limited Public Library’s Faulkner Gallery and in scope to the variety of artisans, venLibrary Plaza will be transformed into dors, crafters, and educators at the plaza La Piazza, a term that directly translates itself. Half a dozen restaurants throughinto “town square,” for the first Italian out Santa Barbara — favorites such as music, food, and culture festival. Kick- Ca’Dario, Aperitivo, Arnoldi’s, Barbieri ing off Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at Wines, and Olio e Limone—have partFaulkner Gallery, guests are invited to nered with the event to offer specials enjoy a live performance, Amore Ital- throughout the weekend. “It’s an Italiano: Rome, Cinema, and the Music of ian festival, so there’s no way I wasn’t the Heart, featuring Giacopuzzi and going to get involved,” says Via Maestro Alvise Pascucci on piano, Camille Miller 42 owner Georges Bitar. “All my good on violin, and Tommaso Benciolini on brothers and sisters from other Italian flute. Throughout the performance, spots [are] participating, so it was a no classic Italian films will be projected brainer.” from the walls of the gallery.

The weekend kicks off with an array La Piazza: A Celebration of Italian Culture takes of Italian food options, including bread place April 10-12, at the Santa Barbara Public Liand olive oil tasting, a fresh pasta stand, brary (40 E. Anapamu St.). See lapiazza.life.

COURTESY

APR.

Santa Barbara

La Gourmandise to Replace

Madam Lu

L

ast week, reader Brad H. first reported here that a bakery

YOU’RE INVITED COVERING 40 YEARS Now Open - May 29 During Library Hours

FOOD & DRINK

is coming 3524 State Street, the former home of Madam Lu, which closed last September after 27 years in business.

He now reports that La Gourmandise Handcrafted Pastries and Desserts is the new tenant. Co-owner Cecile Mattray Dumonceau tells me that work started last January, they are moving equipment in this week for wholesale operations, and retail offerings will be coming later when permitting is completed.

Leslie Dinaberg at the Santa Barbara Independent reported last year that La Gourmandise launched in fall 2024 and produces pastries and desserts for events, cafés, and private customers, with an emphasis on small-scale production and consistency. The business is led by pastry chef Yannick Dumonceau, who began working in his uncle’s shop in Lyon and later trained under Meilleur Ouvrier de France Chef Patrick Chevallot. His career has included time in France, Australia, and Bora Bora, along with a seven-year stint at the three-Michelin-star L’Ambroisie in Paris.

After moving to California, Dumonceau worked in San Francisco, including as executive pastry chef at Quince, before relocating to Santa Barbara in 2021 to join the Rosewood Miramar.

Dinaberg says that La Gourmandise now operates as a familyrun business with Dumonceau handling production and his wife, Cecile Mattray Dumonceau, managing operations. Their young son is often present in the kitchen as well. The company produces a range of items, including croissants, macarons, tarts, éclairs, and custom cakes, many of which are supplied to local coffee shops and hospitality clients. Early support from Handlebar Coffee Roasters, which provided kitchen access during off-hours, helped the business get started. Current clients include several local cafés, as well as airport and private aviation catering. Visit lagourmandisesb.com.

Explore 40 years of Santa Barbara history through select covers of the Santa Barbara Independent. These images capture iconic moments telling Santa Barbara’s story and how it has evolved over the last four decades. The exhibition will be on display in the Central Library’s Faulkner Gallery through the end of May. Santa Barbara Public Library, Faulkner Gallery 40 E. Anapamu St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101

RORI’S OPENS IN GOLETA: Rori’s Artisanal Creamery at 270 Storke

Road in Goleta (in the Target Center) opened for business, offering a free large scoop of ice cream to every visitor on opening day, April 3. Founder Rori Trovato remains closely involved in developing the shop’s flavors, creating recipes for its ice creams, cookies, cones, and candies. Visit rorisartisanalcreamery.com.

THE GRAND ON STATE OPENS: Reader Brendan first reported here

last October that a new piano-jazz restaurant and lounge called The Grand on State is coming to 1218 State Street (next to The Granada Theatre) in the former home of Namaste Indian Bistro, Bedda Mia, Mollie’s, Tupelo Junction Café, and Marcello Ristorante. The concept, brought to you by Jenna Berg and her musician husband, Brian Mann, centers on a grand piano as the focal point of the stage, with plans for live jazz performances, cocktails, and a full dining menu (eventually). Reader Jonathan L. tells me the venue has opened. Visit thegrandonstate.com.

ANCORA OSTERIA COMING TO MONTECITO: Reader Peter T. let me know that a new Italian restaurant named Ancora Osteria is coming to 1483 East Valley Road in Montecito, the former home of Via Vai Trattoria & Pizzeria, which closed in 2024. Sources tell me they hope to open this year. East Valley Four, Inc., is the business entity that owns the restaurant and is led by S.Y. Kitchen’s Chef Luca Crestanelli and their sous chef Francesco Crestanelli, as well as Norman Borgatello, a man who has helped to shape the character of Montecito’s upper village business community for decades. An Osteria is a traditional, casual Italian restaurant, originally acting as a tavern or inn providing wine and simple, locally sourced food, while Ancora is the Italian word for “still,” “yet,” or “again.”

Visit ancoraosteria.com.

John Dickson’s reporting can be found every day online at SantaBarbara.com.

Send tips to info@SantaBarbara.com.

California State Parks Presents

POETRY IN PARKS

at the Presidio Chapel Presidio de Santa Barbara SHP

QIGONG New Classes

Friday, April 17th 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

ALL-AGES FREE Event

Hosted by Santa Barbara Poet Laureate emerita, Melinda Palacio Featured Poets: George Yatchison, Santa Barbara Poet Laureate Emma Trellis, Santa Barbara Poet Laureate emerita Jen Cheng, West Hollywood Poet Laureate Lori Anaya Stephanie Barbé Hammer Youth Poet, Takunda Chikowero Musical Acts: The Gruntled and The Ladies Strumming Social Club

Beginning TAI CHI TaiChiToni.net

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59

The Santa Barbara Literary Festival May 2-3 Downtown Santa Barbara

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Walter Mosley

Kim Michele Richardson

Chris Whitaker

Steven Rowley

Bestselling Authors

Paula McLain

Dawn Tripp

Susan Orlean

Piper Huguley

Ivy Pochoda

Danielle Trussoni

Ace Atkins

Romance – Fantasy Authors

Ariel Sullivan

Mariel Hemingway

Romina Garber

Billy Zane

R.M. Gray

Ann Liang

Kiki Astor

Geneva Lee

Hollywood

Pierson Fode

Elaine GoldsmithThomas

Bob Gale

Matthew Weiner

Come see over a hundred authors and inspirational speakers for panels, workshops and lots of stories. Downtown Santa Barbara venues include: Lobero Theatre, Alhecama Theatre, Karpeles Museum, Library Plaza and more.

60

THE INDEPENDENT

santabarbaraliteraryfestival.org

APRIL 9, 2026

Christina Hammonds Reed

INDEPENDENT.COM

@SB_literary_festival

John Gatins

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY by Rob Breszny WEEK OF APRIL 9

ARIES

(Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Unexpected deliverance? Lucky rides?

Beginner’s grace? Dreamy, gleaming replacements? To the untrained eye, it may look like you are bending cosmic law in your favor. In truth, you’re simply redeeming the backlog of blessings you earned in the past—acts of quiet generosity and unselfish hardship that never got their proper reward. Serendipitous leaps? Divine detours?

Shortcuts to victory? Welcome the uncanny gifts, Aries, even if they’re not what you expected.

TAURUS

(Apr. 20-May 20): The current phase of your destiny could disturb you if you’re not super patient. Life seems to be teasing you with promises that then go into hiding.

You’ve been having to master the art of living on the edge between the BIG RED YES and the GREY MURKY NO. My advice: Imagine your predicament as an intriguing riddle, not a frustrating ambiguity. See if you can figure out how to grow wiser and stronger in response to the evasive mysteriousness. My prediction: You will grow wiser and stronger.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20): Why it’s always triple-great to be a Gemini, drawing on an abundance of mercurial wisdom: (1) You excel at the art of translation and are skilled at finding common ground between different realms. You can oscillate and flow between the lyrical and the pragmatic, the insightful and the comic, the detailed focus and the big picture. (2) You know that consistency is overrated. Your capacity to harbor multiple perspectives is a superpower.

(3) You get to be both the question and the answer, proving that wholeness includes all the fragments. All the aptitudes I just named should be your featured approaches in the coming weeks.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22): The saga of Troy is one of the most renowned tales from ancient Greece. Yet the fabled setting of Homer’s epic tale, the Iliad, was a settlement of just seven acres. Let that detail resound for you in the coming weeks. It’s an apt metaphor for what’s taking shape in your life. A seemingly modest situation could become the stage for a mythic turning point. An experience that starts small may grow into a story of immense and lasting significance.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22): Many people have a favorite number they regard as lucky. Some choose it because it showed up at a major turning point in their life. Others derive it from their birthday or from the numerology of their name.

Plenty are drawn to “master numbers” like 33, 77, or 99.

Personally, I give three numbers my special love: 555, the square root of -2, and 1.61803, also known as the golden ratio in Fibonacci-related patterns. I hope this nudges your imagination, Leo. Your fortunes are shifting now in the direction of an unusual kind of luck, so it’s a potent moment to select a new lucky number. I suggest that you also choose a new guiding animal, a fresh initiation name, and a charged symbol to serve as your personal emblem.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Do you know what ignorance is causing you to suffer? Is there a teacher or teaching that could provide an antidote? I suspect you are very close to attracting or stumbling upon the guidance you need to escape the fog: maybe a therapist who can help you undo a hurtful pattern, a mentor to inspire your quest to do work you long to do, or a spiritual friend who reminds you that you’re not merely your latest drama. Your task in the coming weeks is not to obsess on fixing everything at once, but to seek one or two sources of wisdom that illuminate your blind spots and educate your heart.

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m an honorary Libra, with three planets and my lunar north node in your sign. So, I speak with authority when I declare that fostering harmony, which is a Libran gift, is only superficially about smoothing away friction and asymmetry. More importantly, it’s about rear-

ranging reality so that beauty is a central feature. The goal is to accomplish practical wonders by stimulating grace and fluency. When I’m best expressing my Libra qualities, I don’t ask how I can please everyone, but rather, how I can serve maximum goodness and intelligence. Here’s another tip to being a potent Libra: Know that your enchanting charm is a lubricant for the truth, not mere decoration.

Here’s your homework: Beautify one system you use every day so it serves you with less friction and more pleasure.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You are potentially an expert in creative destruction. You have a knack for eliminating what’s unnecessary and even obstructive. What has outlived its usefulness? You’re prone to home in on energy drains and unleash transformative energy. And yes, this intensity of yours may unnerve people who prefer comfortable numbness—but not me. I love you to exult in your talent for locating beauty and truth that are too complicated for others. I applaud you when you descend into the darkness to retrieve dicey treasures. PS: You’re not shadowy or negative. You’re a specialist in the authentic love that refuses to enable delusion or sanction decay.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): My Sagittarian friend Artemisia bemoans “the scarcity of collective delight.” She wishes there were more public acclaim for stories about breakthrough joys, miraculous marvels, and surprising healings. Why are we so riveted by reports of misery, malaise, and muck, yet so loath to recognize and celebrate everything that’s working really well? She also mourns the odd habit among some educated folks to mistake cynicism for brilliance. If you don’t mind, Sagittarius, I’m assigning you to be an antidote in the coming weeks. Your task is to gather an overflowing harvest of lavish pleasure, fun epiphanies, and richly meaningful plot twists. Don’t hoard any of it. Spread it around to everyone you encounter.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Id” is a psychoanalytic term. It’s the part of the psyche where basic instincts, needs, and drives reside.

On the one hand, the id supplies a huge charge of psychic energy. On the other hand, it mostly operates outside conscious awareness. Consider the implications: The fierce, pulsing center of your life force is largely hidden from you. Most of the time, that veil is protective. Encountering the id directly can be overwhelming or unsettling. But in the coming weeks, you Capricorns are poised to cultivate a more interesting and righteous relationship with your highvoltage core. Do you dare? Treat your id as a brilliant but untamed creature. Extend a careful, curious invitation for it to show you more about itself.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In architecture, a “clerestory” is a high window that brings light into a space without compromising privacy. It illuminates without exposing. I suggest that you find metaphorical equivalents for clerestories, Aquarius.

Look for ways to let spaciousness and brightness into your world without disturbing your boundaries. Your assignment is to avoid swinging between total lockdown and overexposure. The best option: strategic vulnerability and selective transparency. Allow people to see selected parts of you without giving them access to everything. Be both open and discriminating.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-Mar. 20): In 1903, the Wright brothers flew a primitive model of the first airplane. How did they prepare the way for their spectacular milestone? Their workshop was a bicycle shop, not a high-tech, state-of-the-art lab.

By building and fixing bikes, they learned key insights about flying machines. The lesson for you, Pisces, is that mastery in one area may be transferable to breakthroughs in another. With this in mind, I invite you to evaluate how your current skills, including those you take for granted, might be repurposed. Methods you developed in one context could solve problems in another. You shouldn’t underestimate the value of what you already know.

Homework: Even if you don’t send it, write a letter to the person you admire most. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com 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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EMPLOYMENT 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 # 85189

PROFESSIONAL

FINANCIAL ASSISTANT

DEAN STUDENTS RESIDENTS Primary staff member supporting HDAE affiliated student council finances and payroll. Manages accounting for student council groups (SACC, GSAC, Tenants Union) using QuickBooks accounting software.

Enters disbursements, produces budget/ expense reports and maintains charts of accounts. Manages check writing and disbursement activities with account Trustees. Prepares disbursement for authorized signature and remits payment to vendors. Conducts training workshops for residents on SACC, GSAC and Tenants Union financial policies and procedures. Hires and processes stipend payments for student government positions utilizing UCPath while adhering to rates and guidelines established in each group’s bylaws. Assists council members with purchasing needs while adhering to University purchasing guidelines.

Supports department by serving as a back up to the HR and Financial Analysts, as well as Administrative Services Coordinators. Reqs: High School Diploma or equivalent experience; 1‑3 yrs General Office Administration; Financial analysis skills; Good Verbal and written communication skills and ability to multi‑task; Bachelor’s Degree; 1‑3 yrs Experience working in college/ university housing; 1‑3 yrs Experience with managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders. Notes: This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship; UCSB Campus Security Authority under Clery Act; Direct access to, or responsibility for, cash and cash equivalents or University property disbursements or receipts; Direct access to, and/or responsibility for, protected, personal, or other sensitive data; Satisfactory criminal history background check; UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment. Hiring/ Budgeted Hourly Range: $29.35 to $36.02/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 # 85224.

HYPERION ADMIN w/ Deckers Outdoor Corporation. 100% remote reporting to Goleta, CA. Travel 2x/yr to Goleta HQ. $148,699‑$155,000/yr. Salary range reflects min & max target for new hire salaries for role in Goleta, CA location.

Individual pay determined by location & add’l factors, including job related skills, exp & relevant ed or training.

To apply: www.deckers.com/careers (20320). EOE

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MANAGER, EXTRAMURAL FUNDS

BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES Provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the campus extramural funds financial management program within Business & Financial Services. The position is responsible for managing the central accounting and post‑award financial administration functions related to contracts and grants funded by federal agencies, state and local governments, private sponsors, foundations, and other external funding sources, as well as donor gifts. The Extramural Funds Accounting unit supports more than 1,600 active funds representing approximately one‑quarter of the University’s operating funds and serves as the campus authority for financial administration of sponsored research awards. The Manager leads a team responsible for award setup, sponsor billing and collections, financial compliance monitoring, financial reporting, and financial closeout activities while ensuring compliance with federal regulations, sponsor requirements, and University policy. This position also plays a key leadership role in enterprise financial initiatives, including the implementation and ongoing optimization of Oracle Financials Cloud, serving as a functional leader and subject matter expert for campus financial systems and sponsored project accounting processes. The Manager collaborates extensively with campus leadership, principal investigators, research administrators, the Office of Research, and other campus partners to ensure effective stewardship of extramural funds and the delivery of high‑quality financial services to the campus research enterprise. The Manager of Extramural Funds Accounting oversees a critical financial function that supports the University’s research mission and ensures the integrity of extramural fund financial administration.

The position exercises significant responsibility for establishing operational strategies, managing financial and human resources, ensuring regulatory compliance, and implementing financial systems and process improvements that impact campus‑wide financial operations.

Reqs: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience. 7‑9 years Progressively responsible accounting or financial management experience.

7‑9 years Demonstrated experience managing financial operations in complex organizations. Notes: Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employee sponsorship.

Occasional travel (approximately 10%) for system‑wide meetings, professional conferences, or training activities. Limited vacation availability during fiscal year‑end close periods.

Satisfactory criminal history background check. Salary or Hourly Range: The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $119,400 to $175,100/yr. Full Salary Range: $119,400 to $230,800/yr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for

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PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER UCSB POLICE DEPARTMENT

Monitors/operates all equipment and accesses all resources within the Dispatch Center. The majority of each shift is at the dispatch console monitoring radios and alarms, radio dispatching personnel, answering phones, computer input/retrieval using specialized software, including CLETS, alarm and 911/telephone software in addition to common Microsoft Windows‑based programs.

Reqs: High School Diploma or equivalent education and experience; 1‑3 yrs of law enforcement agency experience or equivalent education and experience; Read, write, speak and understand English fluently; Proficient typing data/entry, familiarity with computer operations, excellent communication and Customer Service skills, ability to deal well with stress and stressful situations; Strong multitasking abilities, and ability to type 35 wpm; Be at least 18 years of age at the time of appointment; Have the legal right to work in the United States on a permanent basis; Meet all other requirements for public safety dispatcher as established by the law and the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Notes: Ability to use vehicles, computer systems and other technologies and tools utilized by police agencies; Mandated reporting requirements of Child Abuse; Mandated reporting req of Dependent Adult Abuse; Satisfactory criminal history background check; Ability to work in a confined work environment until relieved; Successful completion of a pre‑employment psychological evaluation; Successful completion of a six month in‑house training program; Ability to work rotating shifts on days, nights, weekends and holidays; Successful completion of the POST Dispatcher test. Budgeted Pay Rate/Range: $36.85/hr.‑$47.04/hr. $10,000 sign‑on bonus for eligible full‑time Public Safety Dispatchers. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action 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 # 40952

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SR. BAKER

CAMPUS DINING Responsible for the daily Production of all bakery items that are delivered to various Retail units for customer sale.

Trains and supervises all bakery staff and must be knowledgeable in all areas of bakery production. Ensures that high standards of food quality, service, sanitation and safety are met according to Dining Services. Reqs: High School Diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience. Three yrs of progressively more responsible baking experience in a high‑volume cooking environment. Knowledge and experience with basic and advanced cooking/baking techniques.

Supervisory skills and leadership to coordinate, train, oversee and review the work of others in English. Ability to read and write English for the purpose of preparing food from recipe guidelines and producing reports.

Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations. Knowledge of food safety and sanitation regulations to ensure proper food handling. Or 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. Ability to stand for up to 8 hrs per day. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $25/hr ‑$26.27/hr. Posting Full Hourly Range: $25/hr ‑ $27.31/hr 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. Open until filled.

Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu Job # 84753

SUPERINTENDENT OF PLUMBING SERVICES

DESIGN FACILITIES & SAFETY SERVICES Under the general direction of the Associate Director of Building Maintenance, the Superintendent of the Plumbing Services for UCSB is responsible for management of plumbing work in 168 buildings (4.1 million square footage). Provides a broad range of technical expertise with supervision of Plumbers. Duties include, but are not limited to, plumbing estimating, small project management, establishing work priorities, adjusting work procedures and schedules daily, inspections, site inventory management, monitoring staff workloads and work tickets, purchasing supplies, and communications with partners/ clients. Reqs: High School Diploma; Bachelor’s Degree In relevant area or equivalent combination of training and experience; Solid knowledge and skills in the skilled trade supervised; Solid supervisory skills to include organization, scheduling, assigning work, and ensuring quality standards are met; Solid financial skills to accurately project costs of potential jobs and to consistently complete work within established budgetary and time constraints; Skills to

actively promote and maintain safety standards; Solid skills to effectively select and evaluate staff, and to appropriately handle disciplinary issues; Certification in a specialty skilled trade required; Preferred 4‑6 yrs Supervisory experience in skilled trades. 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; Satisfactory criminal history background check; Master key access to University‑owned residence and/or other facilities; Direct responsibility for the care, safety and security of humans or animals; or the safety and security of personal or University property; Responsibility for operating commercial vehicles, machinery or toxic systems that could cause accidental death, injury or health problems; UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range: $120,000 to $137,000/yr. Full Salary Range: $88,000 to 161,600/ 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. Open Until Filled. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 85191.

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338 Toro Cyn Rd., Carpente‑ ria. EVERYTHING GOES!!! CASH ONLY! Info: (805)‑ 680‑0588

DIRECTORY GARAGE & ESTATE

AMAZON.COM Services LLC seeks candidates for the following (multiple positions available) in Santa Barbara, CA. Apply at: https://www. amazon.jobs/en/, referencing job ID AMZ20452.4: Ontologist II (Job ID: AMZ20452.4).

Build and maintain scalable data pipelines using extract, transform, and load (ETL) software including Pentaho Data Integration, Amazon Business Data Technologies Cradle, and Amazon Knowledge Graph Data Lake to perfom data cleaning and manipulation on large‑scale datasets. Design and build solutions by leveraging off the shelf services like AWS Glue; programming languages including Javascript, SQL, SparkSQL, and Python; custom made tools including Graphiq Imports and Data Lake S3 Crawler; and LLMs (Large Language Models) like Cedric Personas and LLM Batch Inference.

STAY CONNECTED

The pay range for this position in Santa Barbara, CA is $82700 ‑ $144700 (yr); however, base pay offered may vary depending on job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience A sign‑on bonus and restricted stock units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. This information is provided by Santa Barbara, CA Equal Pay Act. Base pay information is based on market location. Applicants should apply via Amazon’s internal or external careers site.

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LEGALS ADMINISTER OF ESTATE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: KANDARP G. OZA No.: 26PR00136 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: KANDARP G. OZA A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: IVA K. OZA in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.

THE PETITION requests that (name): IVA K. OZA 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: 5/21/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: SB 5 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. Darrel E. Parker, Executive Officer 3/23/2026 by Nicolette Barnard, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Iva K. Oza; 210 Crownhill Court, Ventura, CA 93003; 561‑504‑3709 Published: Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: GERARDO MARTINEZ No.: 25PR00619 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: GERARDO MARTINEZ A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: JOSEFINA RODRIGUEZ MARTINEZ in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.

THE PETITION requests that (name): JOSEFINA RODRIGUEZ 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: 5/07/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: 5 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA,

located at 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Anacapa 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. Darrel E. Parker, Executive Officer 2/26/2026 by Nicolette Barnard, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Josefina Rodriguez Martinez; 30 Plumas Avenue, Goleta, CA 93117; 805‑280‑93117 Published: Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: GERTRUDE B. JOHNSON No.: 26PR00157 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: GERTRUDE B. JOHNSON A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.

THE PETITION requests that (name): THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY 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: 5/28/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: 5 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, located at 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Santa Barbara‑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. Darrel E. Parker, Executive Officer 3/30/2026 by Monica Buentostro, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Ian M. Fisher; PRICE POSTEL & PARMA LLP 200 E. Carrillo St. Ste 400, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; 805‑962‑0011

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Published: Apr 9, 16, 23 2026.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: PHILIP JOHN ERO FRANCHINI CASE NO. 26PR00156 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of PHILIP JOHN ERO FRANCHINI. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by JEFFREY ANDREWS in the Superior Court of California, County of SANTA BARBARA. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that JEFFREY ANDREWS 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: 05/28/26 at 9:00AM in Dept. SB 5 located at STREET ADDRESS: 1100 ANACAPA STREET; MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 21107, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93121‑1107 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.

Attorney for Petitioner MARTIN P. AVANESIAN, ESQ. ‑ SBN 348994 LAW OFFICE OF RODNEY GOULD 15233 VENTURA BLVD., STE. 1020 SHERMAN OAKS CA 91403

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Telephone (818) 981‑1760 BSC 228275 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/26 CNS‑4029366# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: DIANNE LYNN SMYTH No.: 26PR00058 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: DIANNE LYNN SMYTH A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: GREGORY W. CANNADAY in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.

THE PETITION requests that (name): GREGORY W. CANNADAY 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: 5/28/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: 5 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. Darrel E. Parker, Executive Officer 4/02/2026 by Monica Buentostro, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Charles M. Oxton; 1220 State Street, 2nd Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; 805‑963‑2011 Published: Apr 9, 16, 23 2026.

BULK SALE NOTICE IS hereby given that between Thursday, April 9th and Sunday, April 19th, 2026, at wwwStorageTreasures. com, the undersigned, State Street Storage (4001 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93110), will sell at public sale by competitive bidding the personal property heretofore stored with the undersigned by the following occupant(s): Unit #1316 – 10x10 – Angela Ramirez Books, garden tools, boxes, coolers, plastic bins, bags, luggage, and duffel bags.

Unit #2934 – 5x10 – Shizue Curiel Coffee table, headboard, chests of drawers, bags, boxes, and storage bins.

Unit #3949 – 5x10 – Caitlin Woods Folding table, end table, boxes, plastic crates, door, and paint.

Unit #3950 – 5x10 – Caitlin Woods Box of framed photos, plastic crates, files, coffee machine, beach trolley and vacuum.

We encourage the occupants to contact us immediately to resolve the balance and avoid the sale; redemption is available any time before the sale is completed by paying the full amount due.

Continued on p. 64

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12:54 pm 0.1

7:51 pm 3.7

Sunrise 6:30 Sunset 7:29

High

Sun 12

12:47 am 2.4

6:27 am 4.3

1:27 pm 0.0

Mon 13

1:30 am 1.8

7:19 am 4.5

1:56 pm 0.0

8:21 pm 4.4

Tue 14

2:10 am 1.1

8:07 am 4.6

2:24 pm 0.1

8:42 pm 4.9

Wed 15

2:51 am 0.5

8:54 am 4.6

2:52 pm 0.4

9:07 pm 5.4

Thu 16

3:33 am -0.2

9:41 am 4.5

3:21 pm 0.7

9:35 pm 5.8

17

23

1

8:03 pm 4.0

9

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INDEPENDENT.COM INDEPENDENT.COM APRIL APRIL 9, 9, 2026 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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LEGALS (CONT.) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SWEETHAWK FALCONRY LLC: 495 Reed Ct. Goleta, CA 93117; Sweethawk Falconry 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 Feb 28, 2026. Filed by: VICKI GARDNER/ MANAGING MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000578. Published: Mar 19, 26.

Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ISAAC ORNAMENTAL METAL: 709 E Mason St Santa Barbara,

CA 93103; Isaac Anguiano (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, 2020.

Filed by: ISAAC ANGUIANO/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E35. FBN Number: 2026‑0000584. Published: Mar 19, 26.

Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: MENARD USA: 3025 Venture Rd. Placerville, CA 95667; Farrell Design‑Build Companies, 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 N/A. Filed by: RICHARD HAMERS/CFO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 05, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000540. Published: Mar 19, 26.

Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FREESTONE PEACH: 5940 Encina Road, Unit 4, Goleta, CA 93117; Lily R Ferrari (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 4, 2026. Filed by: LILY FERRARI/OWNER(PREVIOUS OWNER ROBER A FRATRICK HAS PASSED AWAY I) with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 12, 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 E24. FBN Number: 2026‑0000625. Published: Mar 19, 26. Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CMD: 6112 Craigmont Drive CA 93117; Dennis Van Alphen (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 23, 2026.

Filed by: DENNIS VAN ALPHEN/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 09, 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 E24. FBN Number: 2026‑0000575. Published: Mar 19, 26. Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CYAN DESIGN LA: 5852 Marstone Lane Goleta, CA 93117; Cyan Design Studio, 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 Mar 16, 2026.

Filed by: CYA NELSON DREW/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E63. FBN Number: 2026‑0000646. Published: Mar 19, 26.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Hybrid Public Hearing – In Person and via Zoom April 20, 2026, at 5:30 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 Goleta Historical Preservation Commission (HPC) will conduct a public hearing to give the public an opportunity to be heard and offer comments on design-related issues for the Adaptive Reuse and Renovation to the Fairview Gardens Historic Farmhouse, as part of the Fairview Gardens Conditional Use Permit Project, as described below. The date, time, and location of the HPC 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: HEARING LOCATION:

April 20, 2026, at 5:30 P.M. Goleta City Hall, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA, 93117.

The HPC hearing will be held at the above address and via Zoom. Detailed instructions for remote participation will be included on the hearing agenda to be posted on the City’s website (www. cityofgoleta.org) approximately 72 hours before the hearing.

Project Location: 598 N. Fairview Avenue (APN 069-090-052) Project Name: Adaptive Reuse and Renovation to the Fairview Gardens Historic Farmhouse Case Nos.: Case Nos. 25-0001-CUP; 25-0003-DRB PROJECT DESCRIPTION. The HPC will review and make recommendations to the review authority, which is the Planning Commission, regarding the renovation and adaptive re-use of the Fairview Gardens historic farmhouse building. The farmhouse would be used as a flexible use café/patron area, teaching/staging kitchen, 1st and 2nd floor office space, and a 2nd floor studio dwelling unit.

As described in the report titled Historic Resources Report for 598 North Fairview Avenue, prepared by Post/ Hazeltine Associates: October 2024 the proposed rehabilitation of the farmhouse includes the following: • Install a new foundation. The foundation would be sheathed in wood boards matching the existing skirting in design and materials; • Repair the farmhouse’s exterior walls and roof assembly. Replacement materials including siding, and trim work, will match the originals in material, dimension, profile, and appearance; • Repair the farmhouse’s existing fenestration, including windows that have been covered over. A threepart window on the east elevation’s first floor and a double sash window on the south elevation would be replaced with multi-light French doors to improve accessibility; • Repair the west elevation’s brick fireplace. The chimney would be dismantled and rebuilt to meet current code requirements. If feasible the existing bricks would be reused as a veneer; • Modify the south elevation’s non-historic porch by installing a raised deck, steps, and new porch posts.

The porch draws its inspiration from the house’s Vernacular-type architecture; • The porch would be raised to be level with the front door. The existing porch postdates the period of significance (c. 1930), and the original porch was very likely level with the entry door; • A freestanding shade structure supported by wood posts with a retractable fabric canopy is proposed. The canopy would be retracted except during public events.

SITE INFORMATION. The project site is 12.23 acres, and the primary access point to the farmhouse is from Stow Canyon Road east of the Fairview Avenue/Stow Canyon Road intersection. The proposed farmstand not subject to HPC review would be accessed from Fairview Avenue and the proposed residential duplexes that are not subject to HPC review would be accessed from Stow Canyon Road east of Fairview Gardens. The land use designation and zoning (General Plan Land Use and Zoning) for the project site is “Agriculture”.

Environmental Review. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) action is not required for a recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission. The Review Authority will be asked to adopt the CEQA document when the entire project is under consideration.

PUBLIC COMMENT. Interested persons are encouraged to provide comments during the public hearing in person or virtually through the Zoom webinar, by following the instructions listed on the Historic Preservation Commission meeting agenda. Written comments may be submitted prior to the hearing by emailing the Planning and Environmental Review Department at PERmeetings@cityofgoleta.gov. Written comments will be distributed to the HPC and published on the City’s Meeting and Agenda page.

PROJECT INFORMATION. For additional information regarding the project, contact Senior Planner, Brian Hiefield, at (805) 961-7559 or bhiefield@cityofgoleta.gov. Para consultas en español, comuníquese con Marcos Martinez al (805) 562-5500 o mmartinez@cityofgoleta.gov. Staff reports and other project-related documents will be posted on the City’s website at https://www.cityofgoleta.org/meetings-agendas approximately 72 hours before the HPC hearing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. All persons wanting to review the project application may do so by contacting City of Goleta, Planning and Environmental Review at (805) 961-7543. The agenda, staff report, and project plans will be available approximately 72 hours before the hearing on the City’s website at www.cityofgoleta.gov.

NOTE: If you challenge the above action in court, you may be limited to only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearings described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City on or before the date of the hearings (Government Code Section 65009(b)(2)).

NOTE: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need assistance to participate in the hearings, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (805) 961-7505 or cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.gov. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the hearings will enable City staff to make reasonable arrangements.

Publication: Santa Barbara Independent April 9, 2026

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Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MISSION ROOFING: 130 N. Calle Cesar Chavez, Suite 2 Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Santa Barbara Mission Roofing 1515 Monarch Drive Santa Ynez, CA 93460 This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 15, 1996. Filed by: SUZANNE USHER/ PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 13, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000632.

Published: Mar 19, 26. Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RESOA: 331 West Yanonali Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Joseph W Cox (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 23, 2026. Filed by: JOSEPH W COX/FOUNDER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000577.

Published: Mar 19, 26. Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PACIFIC PICKLE WORKS: 718 Union Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Pacific Pickle Works Inc. PO Box 20295 Santa Barbara, CA 93120 This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Oct 20, 2010. Filed by: BRADLEY BENNETT/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Feb 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 E76. FBN Number: 2026‑0000402.

Published: Mar 19, 26. Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FARMACY UPPER STATE: 4235 State St Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Island Drift LLC PO Box 61106 Santa Barbara, CA 93160 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: BENJAMIN CONDRON/OFFICER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Feb 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000500. Published: Mar 19, 26.

Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SANTA BARBARA JEWELRY APPRAISAL LLC: 1187 Coastvillage Road, 748 Santa Barbara, CA 93108; Santa Barbara Jewelry Appraisal 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 Feb 12, 2026. Filed by: JEREMY NORRIS/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 09, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000567.

Published: Mar 19, 26. Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TUNE IN PSYCHOTHERAPHY: 27 E Victoria St Ste K Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Tune In Psychotherapy, A Professional Marriage and Family Therapy Corporation (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Filed by: TAYLOR SCHREIBER/OWNER & CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E28. FBN Number: 2026‑0000598. Published: Mar 19, 26.

Apr 2, 9 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: HEALTHBRIDGE INTERPRETING: 3805 Cassini Cir Unit 3

Lompoc, CA 93436; Mildred A Lazarit (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: MILDRED A. LAZARIT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E49. FBN Number: 2026‑0000599. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BARATO BARGAIN STORE: 508 N Milpas St. Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Andrew Lee(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 01, 1994. Filed by: ANDREW LEE with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 13, 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 E81. FBN Number: 2026‑0000637. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LUMEN RIVER: 2126 East Valley Rd Montecito, CA 93108; Future Return Holdings(same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 16, 2026. Filed by: ANDREW LEE with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 19, 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 E4. FBN Number: 2026‑0000735. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AM COASTAL VENTURES LLC: 710 State St Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Am Coastal Ventures LLC 312 Rancheria St #F Santa Barbara, CA 93101 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 01, 2026.

Filed by: ANTHONY ROBERTS/MANAGING MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 19, 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 E76. FBN Number: 2026‑0000728.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAN NAPOLI BAKERY: 213 San Napoli Dr Goleta, CA 93117; Michelle D Wheelus (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 12, 2026. Filed by: MICHELLE WHEELUS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 19, 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000741.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RENAE CONNER GOLETA & SANTA BARBARA REAL ESTATE AGENT: 4715 Avalon Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93110; The conner Corporation (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 01, 2026. Filed by: RENAE CONNER/ PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Feb 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000503.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: MOUNTAIN VIEW PRODUCTIONS: 1156 N. Fairview Goleta, CA 93117; Dana B Driskel (same address) Patricia A Devlin‑Driskel (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 Mar 07, 2026.

Filed by: DANA DRISKEL/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E35. FBN Number: 2026‑0000675. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: STOP THE MIND: 2709 Foothill Rd Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Mindy Rosenblatt (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 06, 2026. Filed by: MINDY ROSENBLATT/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E35. FBN Number: 2026‑0000662. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RENAISSANCE ANTIQUES OF SOLVANG: 496 First Street Solvang, CA 93463; Renco, 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 Nov 09, 1998.

Filed by: JULIE PALLADINO/SECRETARY/ TREASURER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 20, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000753.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EMS BODY ATELIER: 924 Anacapa Street G4 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Ems Santa Barbara 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 Apr 03, 2025. Filed by: ANDREW MASER/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 20, 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000767.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: ROCKY MOUNTAIN RECREATION COMPANY: 2275 Highway 154 Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Adveno LLC 6720 W. 121st St. Suite 200 Overland Park, KS 66209 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Nov 19, 2021. Filed by: FRANK PIKUS/OFFICER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 20, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000751.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FRAME: 901 De La Vina St Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Elaine M Esbeck (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 21, 1997. Filed by: ELAINE ESBECK/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 5, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000536.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ASSOCIATED HAND SURGEONS: 2323 De La Vina Street 201 Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Michael J. Behrman, MD Inc. (same address) Robert Ruth, MD Inc. (same address) Adam W. Rives, MD Inc. (same address) Alex Doermann, MD Inc. (same address) This business is conducted by A General Partnership Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 01, 1999. Filed by: GEORGE ARAKELIAN/ CFO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 20, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000756. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

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LEGALS (CONT.) The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RENAISSANCE ANTIQUES OF SOLVANG: 496 First Street Solvang, CA 93463; Cindy Ramos 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 Feb 24, 2026. Filed by: CYNTHIA RAMOS/ LLC MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 06, 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 E76. FBN Number: 2026‑0000555.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LAWSON AND FISHER CHIROPRACTIC: 25 E. Arrellaga Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Fisher & Lawson 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 28, 2011. Filed by: KEVIN FISHER/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 19, 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000742. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TOWN’N COUNTRY REALTY AND INVESTMENT COMPANY: 5669 Calle Real Goleta, CA 93111‑2318; Bryan T Davis (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 25, 2026. Filed by: BRYAN DAVIS/ BROKER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 06, 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 E4. FBN Number: 2026‑0000559.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WILDLIFE PRODUCTIONS: 1900 N San Marcos Rd Santa Barbara, CA 93117; Hemmah Works 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 N/A. Filed by: CODY HEMMAH/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 19, 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 E35. FBN Number: 2026‑0000661. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MRS. PERFECT’S CLEANERS: 4676 Tajo Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Llaneli Martinez‑Carrillo (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, 2023.

Filed by: LLANELI MARTINEZ‑CARRILLO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 06, 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 E49. FBN Number: 2026‑0000560. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0000615 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: THE COPENHAGEN HOUSE, 1660 COPENHAGEN DRIVE THE COPENHAGEN HOUSE, SOLVANG, CA 93463 County of SANTA BARBARA CONCEPT MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL INC., 1660 COPENHAGEN DRIVE THE COPENHAGEN HOUSE, SOLVANG, CA 93463 This business is conducted by a Corporation The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 05/25/2015.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 03/12/2026.

Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 3/26, 4/2, 4/9, 4/16/26 CNS‑4023432#

SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DANNY’S BARBERSHOP: 3337 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Francisco J Garcia Jr (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual

commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 12, 2026. Filed by: MARIA L. MAURY SMITH with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 12, 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 E49. FBN Number: 2026‑0000603.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0000541 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: ZACA LAKE, 8000 FOXEN CANYON ROAD, LOS OLIVOS,

CA 93441 County of SANTA BARBARA ZACA PARTNERS LLC, 21515 HAWTHORNE BLVD SUITE 950, TORRANCE, CA 90503 This business is conducted by a limited liability company The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS CALLING FOR BIDS For Projects issued under the California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (CUPCCAA)

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS CALLING FOR BIDS For Projects issued under the California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (CUPCCAA)

Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by the Hope School District (“DISTRICT”) at 3970 La Colina Road, Suite #14, Santa Barbara, California 93110 not later than:

Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by the Hope School District (“DISTRICT”) at 3970 La Colina Road, Suite #14, Santa Barbara, California 93110 not later than:

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF BIDS is at 10:00 AM, APRIL 30, 2026, for the DISTRICT-WIDE EXTERIOR PAINTING, Project No. 01-25/26 (“Project”).

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF BIDS is at 10:00 AM, APRIL 30, 2026, for the DISTRICT-WIDE SWITCHGEAR REPLACEMENT, Project No. 02-25/26 (“Project”).

Job Walk/Pre-Bid Conference A mandatory job walk, and pre-bid conference will be conducted on APRIL 20, 2026, beginning at 1:00 PM. Meet at Hope Elementary School, 3970 La Colina Road BLDG A, Santa Barbara CA 93110 (FRONT OF SCHOOL). Bids will not be accepted from contractors not attending the mandatory job walk and pre-bid conference. Prospective Bidders attending the mandatory job walk shall adhere to state and Santa Barbara County Public Health guidelines unless otherwise noted. Any oral representations made by DISTRICT representatives or architects at the job walk and pre-bid conference are not intended to be binding on DISTRICT or to be relied upon by prospective bidders.

The Plans/Specifications will be available for purchase through Tri-Co at https:// www.tricoblue.com/ after the mandatory job walk.

With the exception of the mandatory job walk, any requests for prebid job site visits/access should be directed to and coordinated with: Fernando Garcia at fgarcia@hopeschooldistrict.org Questions due from bidders are due by APRIL 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM and should be directed to the Project Architect, Rosa Alvarado, 19six Architects at ralvarado@19six.com CLEARLY MARK BID RESPONSE ENVELOPE WITH TIME/DATE OF BID OPENING AND PROJECT NAME. Bids so received shall be opened and publicly read aloud at Hope School District at 3970 La Colina Road, Suite #14, Santa Barbara, California 93110. All bids shall be made on the forms provided in the specifications and each bid must conform to the Contract Documents. Each bid shall be accompanied by the bid security specified in the Instructions to Bidders.

The Project description includes but not limited to the following: Provide all labor, materials, equipment, tools, supervision, surface preparation, protection, cleanup, and incidentals necessary to complete the District-Wide Exterior Painting Project at Hope Elementary School, Monte Vista Elementary School, and Vieja Valley Elementary School. Work includes pressure washing; preparation of existing painted surfaces; priming and repainting exterior building surfaces, doors, frames, trim, fascia, soffits, metal decking, posts, gutters/downspouts as indicated, roof screens, and other items identified in the drawings; repainting designated site features and signage; and final cleaning. Contractor shall coordinate all work with District operations and perform the work in accordance with the contract drawings, specifications, applicable codes, and public works requirements.

Per Public Contract Code Section 20103.8, the Hope School District will use Method (A) in determining the lowest responsible bid.

Contractor License required: B, General Building Contractor Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1773 and 1773.2 of the Labor Code of the State of California, the DISTRICT has obtained from the Director of Industrial Relations, the general prevailing rate of per diem wages and the general prevailing rate for holiday and overtime work in the locality in which the work is to be performed for each craft, classification or type of workman needed to execute the contract which is available for review at http://www.dir.ca.gov/ dlsr/statistics_research.html. During the Work, the Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”) will monitor compliance with prevailing wage rate requirements and enforce the Contractor’s prevailing wage rate obligations, with a copy of the same being on file with the District Office. It shall be mandatory upon the contractor to whom the contract is awarded, and upon any subcontractor under him, to pay not less than the said specified rates to all workmen employed by them in the execution of the contract, and to comply with all prevailing wage requirements set forth in the Labor Code.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1771.1 of the Labor Code of the State of California, a contractor or subcontractor shall not be qualified to bid or engage in the performance of any contract for this project unless; (1) currently registered and qualified to perform public work pursuant to Section 1725.5; or (2) expressly authorized to submit a bid by Section 1771.1 and provided the contractor is registered to perform public work pursuant to section 1725.5 at the time the contract is awarded.

This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. The successful Bidder will be required to post all job-site notices required by DIR regulations and other applicable law.

Job Walk/Pre-Bid Conference A mandatory job walk, and pre-bid conference will be conducted on APRIL 20, 2026, beginning at 3:30 PM. Meet at Hope Elementary School, 3970 La Colina Road BLDG A, Santa Barbara CA 93110 (FRONT OF SCHOOL ). Bids will not be accepted from contractors not attending the mandatory job walk and pre-bid conference. Prospective Bidders attending the mandatory job walk shall adhere to state and Santa Barbara County Public Health guidelines unless otherwise noted. Any oral representations made by DISTRICT representatives or architects at the job walk and pre-bid conference are not intended to be binding on DISTRICT or to be relied upon by prospective bidders.

The Plans/Specifications will be available for purchase through Tri-Co at https:// www.tricoblue.com/ after the mandatory job walk.

With the exception of the mandatory job walk, any requests for prebid job site visits/access should be directed to and coordinated with: Fernando Garcia at fgarcia@hopeschooldistrict.org Questions due from bidders are due by APRIL 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM and should be directed to the Principal Engineer, John Maloney, JMPE Engineering, Inc. at maloney@jmpe.net CLEARLY MARK BID RESPONSE ENVELOPE WITH TIME/DATE OF BID OPENING AND PROJECT NAME. Bids so received shall be opened and publicly read aloud at Hope School District at 3970 La Colina Road, Suite #14, Santa Barbara, California 93110. All bids shall be made on the forms provided in the specifications and each bid must conform to the Contract Documents. Each bid shall be accompanied by the bid security specified in the Instructions to Bidders.

The Project description includes but not limited to the following: Provide all labor, materials, equipment, tools, supervision, coordination, permits, testing, and incidentals necessary to complete the electrical switchgear replacement work at Hope Elementary School, Monte Vista Elementary School, and Vieja Valley Elementary School. Work generally includes modification of existing electrical service equipment; replacement of designated switchboard interiors, panels, and transformers; furnishing and installing new Siemens panelboards and associated feeders; intercepting and reconnecting existing feeders and branch circuits; grounding and bonding; required demolition and disposal of existing electrical equipment; field verification of existing conditions; utility coordination; startup, testing, labeling, and final as-built documentation. All work shall be performed in accordance with the contract drawings, specifications, applicable codes, and public works requirements, with coordination of shutdowns and campus operations.

Per Public Contract Code Section 20103.8, the Hope School District will use Method (A) in determining the lowest responsible bid.

Contractor License required: C-10, Electrical Contractor Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1773 and 1773.2 of the Labor Code of the State of California, the DISTRICT has obtained from the Director of Industrial Relations, the general prevailing rate of per diem wages and the general prevailing rate for holiday and overtime work in the locality in which the work is to be performed for each craft, classification or type of workman needed to execute the contract which is available for review at http://www.dir.ca.gov/ dlsr/statistics_research.html. During the Work, the Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”) will monitor compliance with prevailing wage rate requirements and enforce the Contractor’s prevailing wage rate obligations, with a copy of the same being on file with the District Office. It shall be mandatory upon the contractor to whom the contract is awarded, and upon any subcontractor under him, to pay not less than the said specified rates to all workmen employed by them in the execution of the contract, and to comply with all prevailing wage requirements set forth in the Labor Code.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1771.1 of the Labor Code of the State of California, a contractor or subcontractor shall not be qualified to bid or engage in the performance of any contract for this project unless; (1) currently registered and qualified to perform public work pursuant to Section 1725.5; or (2) expressly authorized to submit a bid by Section 1771.1 and provided the contractor is registered to perform public work pursuant to section 1725.5 at the time the contract is awarded.

The successful bidder and its subcontractors will be required to follow the nondiscrimination requirements set forth in the General Conditions.

This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. The successful Bidder will be required to post all job-site notices required by DIR regulations and other applicable law.

DISTRICT will be participating in the Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE) Participation Goal Program pursuant to Education Code section 17076.11 and Public Contract Code section 10115.

The successful bidder and its subcontractors will be required to follow the nondiscrimination requirements set forth in the General Conditions.

No Bidder may withdraw its bid for a period of sixty (60) days after the date set for the bid opening. The DISTRICT reserves the right to reject any and all bids or to waive irregularities in any bid.

BY THE ORDER OF THE HOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICE Fernando Garcia, Director of Facilities and Modernization Planning Department

DISTRICT will be participating in the Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE) Participation Goal Program pursuant to Education Code section 17076.11 and Public Contract Code section 10115.

No Bidder may withdraw its bid for a period of sixty (60) days after the date set for the bid opening. The DISTRICT reserves the right to reject any and all bids or to waive irregularities in any bid.

BY THE ORDER OF THE HOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICE Fernando Garcia, Director of Facilities and Modernization Planning Department INDEPENDENT.COM INDEPENDENT.COM APRIL APRIL 9, 9, 2026 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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E M A I L A D V E R T I S I N G @ I N D E P E N D E N T. CO M

LEGALS (CONT.) fictitious business name or names listed above on 11/27/2019.

ZACA LAKE S/ DAMIR PEVEC, MANAGER This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 03/05/2026.

Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 3/26, 4/2, 4/9, 4/16/26 CNS‑4023273# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BLISS AND WISDOM BOUTIQUE 888: 135 N J St. Lompoc, CA 93436; Adriana C Reyes (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Apr 14, 2023. Filed by: ADRIANA C. REYES with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 06, 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 E55. FBN Number:

2026‑0000549. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: STUDIO BIBB: 5693 West Camino Cielo Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Olivia M Bibb (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 27, 2026. Filed by: OLIVIA BIBB with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 06, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000557.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PAWS & PRESENCE DOG TRAINING: 825 Bath St, Apt A Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Kelley De Pompa (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: KELLEY DE POMPA/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E81. FBN Number: 2026‑0000648. Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RAVEN CUSTOM CRAFTS: 135 N J St Lompoc, CA 93436; Misael Reyes PO Box 3546 Lompoc, CA 93438 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 01, 2026. Filed by: MISAEL REYES/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 06, 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 E55. FBN Number: 2026‑0000550.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL April 21, 2026, at 5:30 P.M. Hybrid Public Hearing – In Person and via Zoom 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 City Council will conduct a public hearing to consider a request for a General Plan Amendment (GPA) and Rezone (ORD) to change the Land Use Designation and Zoning of 421, 425, and 445 Pine Avenue known as APN 071-130-048 from General Commercial (C-G) to Business Park (IBP). The information regarding the date, time, and location of the public hearings are set forth below. The agendas for the hearings will be posted on the City website (www.cityofgoleta.org).

HEARING DATE/TIME:

April 21, 2026, at 5:30 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 The property is located at 421, 425, and 445 Pine Avenue (APN 071-130-048) and is in the Inland area of the City. The General Plan land use designation and zoning of the property is currently General Commercial (C-G). On September 4, 2025, Nicole Biergiel of Suzanne Elledge Planning and Permitting Services (Agent), submitted a request for a GPA and Rezone on behalf of Goleta Business Park LLC (property owner).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project is to change the subject property’s General Plan land use and zoning designations. The applicant requests a General Plan Amendment to change the General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan (GP/CLUP) Land Use Element Figure 21, the Land Use Plan Map, from General Commercial (C-G) to Business Park (I-BP). Also requested is an Ordinance Amendment to change the zoning designation from CG to BP, consistent with the proposed General Plan Amendment. No physical development is proposed and no modifications to the existing building are requested. The request is also to adopt a Notice of Exemption pursuant to 14 California Code of Regulations § 15090 as stated under the Environmental Review Finding heading. The City Council will be the City’s decision maker for the project.

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”) PREVIOUS HEARINGS: On January 26, 2026, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended adoption of the General Plan Amendment and the Rezone to the City Council.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FINDINGS: The proposed project is categorically exempt pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq.; “CEQA”) and CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 15000, et seq.). Specifically, the project is categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines § 15061(b)(3) (No possibility of a significant effect) and 15060(c)(2) (No direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment).

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 City Council meeting agenda. All letters/ comments should be sent to cityclerkgroup@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 City Council and published on the City’s Meeting and Agenda page.

FOR PROJECT INFORMATION: For further information on the project, contact Travis Lee, Associate Planner, at (805) 562-5528 or tlee@cityofgoleta.gov. Staff reports and documents will be posted approximately 72 hours before the hearings on the City’s website at www.cityofgoleta.org. Para consultas en espanol, comuniquese con Marco Martinez al (805) 562-5500 o mmartinez@cityofgoleta.gov.

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.gov. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the hearing will enable City staff to make reasonable arrangements.

Publish Date: Santa Barbara Independent, April 9, 2026 66

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APRIL 9, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WORLDVIZ VR: 813 Reddick St Santa Barbara, CA 93103; WORLDVIZ (same address) This business is conducted

by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Feb 06, 2018. Filed by: PETER SCHLUEER/ PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 06, 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 E35. FBN Number: 2026‑0000543.

Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: FRIENDS OF EARL WARREN SHOWGROUNDS: 980 Tornoe Road Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Earl Warren Showgrounds Foundation (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Filed by: KEVIN SNOW/TREASURER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E49. FBN Number: 2026‑0000828. Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUNRISE MASSAGE & SKINCARE: 300 Mellifont Ave Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Tawnya S Love (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: TAWNYA LOVE with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 19, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000723. Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DIRTY FOLK: 208 Price Ranch Rd Los Alamos, CA 93440; Lauren Schad (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 07, 2026. Filed by: LAUREN SCHAD/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Feb 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 E78. FBN Number: 2026‑0000487.

Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: CAPITAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT: 1411 Pacific Avenue Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Christopher Gregoire (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: CHRIS GREGOIRE/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E35. FBN Number: 2026‑0000652. Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LEXUS OF SANTA BARBARA: 350 Hitchcock Way Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Gl Lox, LLC 111 E. Broadway, Suite 900 Salt Lake City, UT 84111 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Dec 15, 2020. Filed by: JOHN K. GARFF/ PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 09, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000571.

Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RAW GARDEN, CALIFORNIA LOVE: 240 E. Hwy 246 #210 Buellton, CA 93427; Central Coast Agriculture, Inc. 85 W. Highway 246 #233 Buellton, CA 93427 This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 31, 2016.

Filed by: MISTY MACIAS/AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 23, 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000780.

Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HAPPY PETS DOG TRAINING AND CARE: 5455 8th St., 54 Carpinteria, CA 93013; Gia C Chavez (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 19,

2026. Filed by: GIA CHAVEZ/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 24, 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000787. Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: CAPITAL PACIFIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP, CAPITAL PACIFIC HOMES: 209 W. Alamar Ave, Ste A Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Center Point Development Group, Inc. (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 26, 2009. Filed by: MICHAEL O’FLYNN/CFO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 06, 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000556. Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KEY CONNECTIONS: 1511 Chapala St Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Emilie A Foster (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on March 10, 2026. Filed by: EMILIE FOSTER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000700.

Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WOLFF WALKER LAW: 1334 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Wolff Walker Law (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on March 16, 2018.

Filed by: KYLE WALKER/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 20, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000754. Published: Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NEW STANDARD ELECTRIC: 814 E Cota St B Santa Barbara, CA 93103;

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL (Hybrid Public Hearing – In Person and via Zoom) April 21, 2026 at 5:30 PM Annual Adjustments for User Fees and Charges for FY 2026/27 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 Goleta City Council will conduct a hybrid public hearing to consider the adoption of a resolution modifying the City of Goleta User Fees and Charges Schedules. The User Fees schedules include but are not limited to all City service, permitting and user fees with the exception of Developer Impact Fees. As of April 16th, 2026, a list of proposed fees will be available for public viewing during normal business hours at the City of Goleta Office, at 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA. The date, time, and location of the City Council 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: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 5:30 PM 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) 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 City Council meeting agenda. Written comments may be submitted prior to the hearing by emailing the City Clerk at CityClerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org. Written comments will be distributed to the Council and published on the City’s Meeting and Agenda page.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Please see the posted agenda, available on Thursday, April 16, 2026, on the City of Goleta’s website www.cityofgoleta.org. For inquiries in Spanish, please contact Marcos Martinez at (805) 562-5500 or mmartinez@cityofgoleta.org.

Note: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this hearing, please contact the City Clerk at (805) 9617505 or email cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the hearing is required to enable City staff to make reasonable arrangements.

Publish Dates: April 09, 2026, and April 16, 2026

Omar A Lopez (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 28, 2026. Filed by: OMAR LOPEZ/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 01, 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000862.

Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SANTA BARBARA DRIVERS CLUB, SB DRIVERS CLUB, SBDC, SB DRIVERS: 3914 Via Lucero, Unit G Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Barbara Brothers 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 Mar 18, 2026. Filed by: JASON BARBARIA/MANAGING MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 20, 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000764. Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RETRO ENAMEL PINS: 1521 Laguna St, Apt 102 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Brittany MCClelland PO Box 41337 Santa Barbara, CA 93140 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 01, 2026. Filed by: BRITTANY MCCLELLAND/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 19, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000738. Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0000669 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: ALONDRA’S SWEET SHOP, 321 W NORTH AVE SPC 102, LOMPOC, CA 93436, County of SANTA BARBARA ALONDRA ALVAREZ SOLIS, 321 W NORTH AVE SPC 102, LOMPOC, CA 93436 This business is conducted by an Individual The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on NOT APPLICABLE. S/ ALONDRA A SOLIS, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 03/17/2026.

Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/26 CNS‑4027942# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PENTIMENTO THE BOOK: 2921 Holly Road Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Michael G Vilkin (same address) Amy Barnard 2417 34th Street Santa Monica, CA 90405 This business is conducted

by A General Partnership Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 01, 2026. Filed by: MICHAEL VILKIN/PARTNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000849.

Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COASTLINE MOBILE PHLEBOTOMY: 818 N Milpas St Santa Barbara, CA 93454; Daisy G Calderon (same address) This business is conducted

by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Apr 01, 2026. Filed by: DAISY CALDERON/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000881.

Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

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LEGALS (CONT.) PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS INVITING SEALED BIDS

GOLETA COMMUNITY CENTER SKYLIGHT REPLACEMENT (Project No. 9127a) Published: April 9, 2026 PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Goleta (“City”) invites sealed bids for the above stated project and will receive such bids via electronic transmission on the City of Goleta PlanetBids portal site until 2:00 P.M. (PST) on Tuesday, May 20, 2026, and will be publicly opened and posted on the PlanetBids portal site promptly thereafter. PROPOSERS MUST BE REGISTERED ON THE CITY OF GOLETA’S PLANETBIDS PORTAL IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ADDENDUM NOTIFICATIONS AND SUBMIT A PROPOSAL. Proposers are required to acknowledge receipt of all addenda issued.

Proposers are responsible for obtaining all addenda from the City’s PlanetBids portal.

Copies of the Bid and Contract Documents may be obtained from the Planet Bids Website: https://vendors.planetbids.com/ portal/45299/bo/bo-search.

The work includes all labor, material, supervision, and equipment necessary to construct, deliver and install a finished GOLETA COMMUNITY CENTER (GCC), SKYLIGHT REPLACEMENT PROJECT (NO. 9127a). Work includes the replacement of an existing 46’ x 10’ skylight located in the dining room of the GCC as further described in the Project Description.

Project Duration The successful contractor (after receipt of Notice to Proceed) shall have 150 calendar days to complete all work called for under the Contract Documents.

Project Location 5679 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, California, 93117.

Project Description The City seeks to remove the existing skylight structure and shading system and replace it with a new structure that utilizes a motorized solar shade system that is mechanically driven. The project is designed to replace, like-for-like, the exiting 46’ x 10’ skylight, including the roof curbing, located above the GCC dining room. The new system will be placed in the same opening after curb replacement, and will utilize a powder-coated, metal framing system in Colonial White, which matches the white coloring of the existing roof.

Questions and Communications All questions must be submitted electronically through PlanetBids. The deadline for receipt of questions is 5:00 P.M. (PST) on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting Mandatory pre-bid meetings will be held at the Project Site (5679 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, California, 93117) at: • Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. (PST) • Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. (PST) Attendance at one meeting is required. Bidders must attend a pre-bid meeting, fully inspect the Project Site, and will be held responsible for all information presented. It is required that the Bidders become thoroughly familiar with the terms and conditions of the Bid Plans, Special Provisions, and Local Conditions affecting the performance and costs of the Work prior to bidding and it is recommended that this be done prior to attending the pre-bid meeting.

Bid Submittal Instructions Bidders must be registered on the City of Goleta’s PlanetBids portal in order to access all bid documents, and to receive addendum notifications and to submit a bid. Go to PlanetBids for bid results and awards. It is the responsibility of the bidder to submit the bid with sufficient time to be received by PlanetBids prior to the bid submittal deadline. Allow time for technical difficulties, uploading, and unexpected delays. Late or incomplete bids will not be accepted. All communications related to this project shall be conducted through PlanetBids.

Questions about alleged patent ambiguity of the plans, specifications, or estimate must be asked before bid opening.

After bid opening, the City does not consider these questions as bid protests. All bids must be submitted electronically through PlanetBids on or before 2:00 P.M. (PST) on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. At that time, the electronic bids will be opened within the system and made publicly available in PlanetBids immediately following opening.

Bid Security The bid must be accompanied by a bid security in the form of

a money order, a certified cashier’s check, or bidder’s bond executed by an admitted surety, made payable to City. The bid security shall be an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the total annual bid amount included with their proposals as required by California law.

Note: All bids must be accompanied by a scanned copy of the bid security uploaded to PlanetBids. The original security of the three (3) lowest bidders must also be mailed or submitted to the office of the City Clerk at 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B, Goleta, California 93117, in a sealed envelope and be received or postmarked within three (3) City business days after the bid due date and time; otherwise, the bid shall be considered non-responsive. The sealed envelope should be plainly marked on the outside, “SEALED BID SECURITY FOR GOLETA COMMUNITY CENTER SKYLIGHT REPLACEENT PROJECT NO. 9127a”.

Performance Security Pursuant to Public Contract Code section 22300, the successful bidder may substitute certain securities for funds withheld by CITY to ensure performance under the Contract or, in the alternative, request the City to make payment of retention to an escrow agent.

Affirmative Action The Project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) per California Labor Code Section 1771.4, including prevailing wage rates and apprenticeship employment standards. Affirmative action to ensure against discrimination in employment practices on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, or religion will also be required. The City hereby affirmatively ensures that all business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this notice and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, or religion in any consideration leading to the award of contract.

Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) Pursuant to Labor Code sections 1725.5 and 1771.1, all contractors and subcontractors that wish to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, or enter into a contract to perform public work must be registered with the DIR. No Bid will be accepted, nor any contract entered into without proof of the contractor’s and subcontractors’ current registration with the DIR to perform public work. If awarded a contract, the Bidder and its subcontractors, of any tier, shall maintain active registration with the DIR for the duration of the Project. Failure to provide proof of the contractor’s current registration pursuant to Labor Code Section 1725.5 may result in rejection of the bid as nonresponsive.

Contractor License A contract may only be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder properly licensed in accordance with the laws of the State and the City of Goleta. Contractor shall possess a valid Class B - General Building Contractor license prior to award of Contract. Said license shall be maintained during the contract period. It is the Bidder’s and Contractor’s responsibility to obtain the correct Contractor’s licenses.

Bidders shall be skilled and regularly engage in the general class or type of work called for under this contract.

Performance and Payment Bonds The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond each in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract Price. Each bond shall be in the forms set forth herein, shall be secured from a surety company that meets all State of California bonding requirements, as defined in Code of Civil Procedure Section 995.120, and that is a California admitted surety insurer.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funding This contract will be funded in whole or in part with Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) funds. Contractor and subcontractors (and/or consultants) must, to the extent applicable, comply with the CDBG requirements, including the applicable regulations at 24 CFR Part 570 and 2 CFR Part 200, as well as all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations. CDBG Contract Provisions applicable to this project are included in the Bid Document. Contractor (and/ or consultants) hereby certifies they are familiar with and shall comply with the CDBG requirements.

Prevailing Wage Statement This contract will be funded in whole or in part with federal housing and community development funds. The applicable requirements of the Federal Labor Standards Provisions (HUD-4010 form), including prevailing wage requirements of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts will be enforced. A copy of the Federal Labor Standards Provisions and the Federal Wage Decision applicable to this project is included in the Bid Document.

This is project is a public work in the State of California, funded in whole or in part with public funds. Therefore, the higher

of the two applicable prevailing wage rates, federal or state, will be enforced. The Contractor’s duty to pay State prevailing wages can be found under Labor Code Section 1770 et seq.

Labor Code Sections 1775 and 1777.7 outline the penalties for failure to pay prevailing wages and to employ apprentices, including forfeitures and debarment. The State Wage Decision is on file at the City Clerk’s office, and is also available online at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlsr/.

Apprenticeship Program

Attention is directed to Sections 1777.5, 1777.6 and 1777.7 of the California Labor Code and Title 8, California Administrative code, Section 200 et seq. to ensure compliance and complete understanding of the law regarding apprentices.

Section 3 Statement This contract is in support of a rehabilitation or construction project assisted with federal funds and is a HUD Section 3 construction contract. Contractors and subcontractors must address the Section 3 employment work hours benchmarks for Section 3 Workers and Targeted Section 3 Workers as established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 24 CFR Part 75.

Conflict of Interest In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services, the conflict of interest provisions in 2 CFR 200.318 shall apply. No employee, officer, or agent may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by a Federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract. The officers, employees, and agents of the non-Federal entity may neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors or parties to subcontracts.

Build America, Buy America The construction services performed pursuant to this contract are for an infrastructure project and subject to the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) requirements under Title IX of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA”), Pub. L. 17758, and the regulations at 2 CFR Part 184. Absent an approved waiver, all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in this project must be produced in the United States, as further outlined by the Office of Management and Budget’s Memorandum M-24-02, Implementation Guidance on Application of Buy America Preference in Federal Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure, October 25, 2023. By submitting a bid, Contractor hereby certifies they are familiar with all laws and regulations that may affect cost, progress, and performance of the work, including BABA requirements.

A copy of the proposer/consultant and/or contractor selfcertification form is included in the Bid Document.

Contractor Experience The Contractor Company, including the Responsible Managing Officer (RMO) for the Contractor Company, shall demonstrate a minimum of ten (10) years’ experience successfully performing projects of substantially similar type, magnitude, and character of the work bid.

Rejection of Bids The City reserves the right to reject all bids, reject any bid that is not responsive to the invitation, or to waive any minor irregularity and to take all bids under advisement for a period of up to one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days. Failure to provide proof of the Contractor’s current registration pursuant to Section 1725.5 of the Labor Code may result in rejection of the bid as non-responsive. Failure to comply with enforcement provisions pursuant to Section 1771.4 of the Labor Code may result in a determination that the Bidder is not responsible.

Liquidated Damages The Liquidated Damages shall be $1,800 per day.

Protest Any protest to an intended award of this contract shall be made in writing addressed to the City Clerk according to Specification Section 002113, Paragraph 5.25 (Filing of Bid Protests) and filed and received by the City not more than five (5) calendar days following the date of City’s Notice of Intent to Award the Contract. Any protest may be considered and acted on by the City Council at the time noticed for award of the contract. To request a copy of the notice of agenda for award, please contact the City Clerk (805) 961-7505 or register on the City’s website (www.cityofgoleta.org).

All questions about this project and bidding requirements must be submitted in writing through PlanetBids.

Publication Date: Santa Barbara Independent, April 9, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM INDEPENDENT.COM APRIL APRIL 9, 9, 2026 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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LEGALS (CONT.) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: MUSIC AND ARTS CONSERVATORY OF SANTA BARBARA: 351 Hitchcock Way B‑130 Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Goleta Music & Arts Conservatory (same address) This business is conducted

by A Corporation Registrant commenced

to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Filed by: CAROL FISHER/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 23, 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 E81. FBN Number: 2026‑0000769. Published: Apr

9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DEMO 2 DESIGN, REU$EIT: 350 S Kellogg Ave Goleta, CA 93117; Carol S Ashley PO Box 60715 Santa Barbara, CA 93160 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to

NOTICE OF ZONING ADMINISTRATOR HEARING Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 1:00 P.M. HOANG RESIDENTIAL ADDITION AND SETBACK MODIFCATION with California Environmental Quality Act Notice of Exemption 7035 Armstrong Road; APN 073-184-026 Case Nos. 25-0001-MOD/25-0046-DRB/26-0007-LUP ATTENTION: The hearing will be held in-person and virtually via the Zoom platform.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Zoning Administrator of the City of Goleta will conduct a public hearing on the merits of the proposed Modification (MOD) at 7035 Armstrong Road. The date, time, and location of the public hearing are set forth below. The agenda for the hearing will also be posted on the Zoning Administrator page of the City website https://www.cityofgoleta.org/your-city/ planning-and-environmental-review/zoning-administrator-hearings 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:

7035 Armstrong Road; APN 073-184-026

Project Name:

Hoang Residential Addition and Setback Modification

Case Nos.:

25-0001-MOD, 25-0046-DRB, 26-0007-LUP

PROJECT DESCRIPTION SUMMARY: This is a request for the Zoning Administrator to approve a modification to reduce the interior side setback from 10 feet to 6 feet to permit an as-built 300-foot addition to an existing 1,768-square foot residence square foot residence. The addition is located on the rear west side of the residence. The area of the addition within the required 10-foot interior side setback is 60 square feet. The resulting project will increase the total living area of the single-story residence to 2,068 square feet.

The project is located at 7035 Armstrong Road on 6,574 square foot lot. The subject property is designated as Residential Planned (RP) in the Zoning and General Plan Land Use designation and is located in the Inland Zone.

The Zoning Administrator will be the decision-maker for the project unless its decision is appealed to the City Council.

The project was filed by Son Thanh & Tran Hoang, owners.

Environmental Review: Pursuant to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code, §§ 21000 et seq.), the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 Cal. Code of Regulations, §§ 15000, et seq.), and the City’s Environmental Review Guidelines, the project has been found to be exempt from CEQA and a Notice of Exemption is proposed. The City of Goleta is acting as the Lead Agency for this project.

The project has been found to be exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15305(a) (Minor lot line adjustments, side yard, and setback variances not resulting in the creation of a new parcel) and §15303(b) (New construction or conversion of small structures). Additional details are provided in Attachment B Notice of Exemption.

NEXT STEPS: If the Zoning Administrator grants the applicant’s request, the next steps include: (1) 10-day appeal period; (2) Issuance of a Land Use Permit; (3) Final Design Review; and (4) Building construction and inspections.

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 Zoning Administrator 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 Zoning Administrator and published on the City’s website.

DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY AND PROJECT INFORMATION: Staff reports and related materials for the Zoning Administrator 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 Luisa Negrete at 805-961-7545 or lnegrete@cityofgoleta.gov. Para consultas en espanol, comuniquese con Marco Martinez al (805) 9562-5500 or mmartinez@ cityofgoleta.gov.

ELECTRONIC PARTICIPATION: Please register for the Zoning Administrator hearing on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. by following the information provided in the Zoning Administrator 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, April 9, 2026 68

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APRIL 9, 2026

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transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Apr 01, 2026. Filed by: CAROL S ASHLEY/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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 E1. FBN Number: 2026‑0000889.

Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WELLA’S SOUL FOOD: 318 East Milpas Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Janelle R Dennis 725 West Figueroa St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101 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: JANELLE RENEE DENNIS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 01, 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 E76. FBN Number: 2026‑0000855.

Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUN GROVE DESIGNS: 1105 N. Milpas St. Apt D Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Victoria Selnes 107 Npalitos Way #40102 Santa Barbara, CA 93103 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: VICTORIA SELNES/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 30, 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000840.

Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE AVALON PARLOR: 633 E. Cabrillo Blvd. Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Erin M. Olson 936 E. De La Guerra St Santa Barbara, CA 93103 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 24, 2026. Filed by: ERIN OLSON/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 30, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000806.

Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FARMS, SUNSHINE HARVEST ENERGY: 27 W Anapamu Street 454 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Evolution Sustainable Industries Incorporated (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Feb 24, 2026. Filed by: THOMAS J MILLER/FOUNDER/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Mar 30, 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0000832. Published: Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0000671 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: HOWELL & CO, 30 EL PASEO, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101, County of SANTA BARBARA LAWREN HOWELL, INC, 220 FRANCE CIR, OJAI, CA 93023, 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 NOT APPLICABLE. /S/ LAWREN HOWELL, PRESIDENT This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 03/17/2026.

Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/26 CNS‑4029272# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0000452 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 1. EMERGENT LEARNING CENTER, 2. EMERGENT LEARNING CENTERS, 1111 E. OCEAN AVENUE, #2, LOMPOC, CA 93436 County of SANTA BARBARA EMERGENT LEARNING, LLC, 29 S. WEBSTER STREET, SUITE 310, NAPERVILLE, IL 60540 This business is conducted by a limited liability company The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 06/24/2025.

EMERGENT LEARNING, LLC, S/ DR. MARK R. DIXON,

COURT COUNTY OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA 1100 Anacapa Street.

Santa Barbara, CA 93101, ANACAPA 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 March 5, 2026, JUDGE Colleen K. Sterne of the Superior Court.

Published Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

MANAGER This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 02/18/2026.

Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/26 CNS‑4029284# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

LIEN SALE NOTICE OF PUBLIC LIEN SALE Hazelwood Allied Transfer & Storage, Inc. will sell at public auction, pursuant to California law, Civil Code sections 3068‑3074, household goods belonging to Nicole Jordon, LOT #211 (2 warehouse vaults), to satisfy a lien for unpaid storage charges. Sale at 6338 Lindmar Dr., Goleta, CA‑(805)‑684‑4000 via Storage Treasures (http://www.storagetreasures.com) commencing April 23, 2026.

Public sale terms, rules, and regulations will be made available online. Payment must be made in cash or with credit card.

No checks. We reserve the right to refuse any bid.

All sales are subject to cancellation.

NAME CHANGE IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: REBECA MERCADO BENAVIDEZ and ALBERTANO ESQUIVEL NOVA CASE NUMBER: 25CV06842 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: REBECA MERCADO BENAVIDEZ AND ALBERTANO ESQUIVEL NOVA 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: AYLIN ESQUIVEL MERCADO PROPOSED NAME: AYLIN ESQUIVEL MERCADO 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 April 27, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 5, SUPERIOR

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: EVGENIYA ZAKHARNEVA, ADHAM MALATY CASE NUMBER: 26CV01491 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: EVGENIYA ZAKHARNEVA, ADHAM MALATY 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: LEONARDO PEARCE ADHAM MALATY PROPOSED NAME: LEONARDO PEARCE ADHAM MALATY 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 May 11, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 5, 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 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 March 23, 2026, JUDGE Colleen K. Sterne of the Superior Court.

Published Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: CAROL FRANCINE PAUL CASE NUMBER: 26CV01419 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: CAROL FRANCINE PAUL 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: CAROL FRANCINE PAUL PROPOSED NAME: CAROLE FRANCINE PAUL THE COURT ORDERS that all persons

Notice of Southern California Edison Company’s Rate Increase Request

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUNSHINE HARVEST/ SUNSHINE HARVEST AGRIVOLTAIC

Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) 2027 Cost Recovery Application to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) (A.26-03-031) Notice of Southern California Edison Company’s Rate Increase

Request What is Being Requested?

Pacific PG&E Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Power Plant (DCPP) Cost is authorized to recover DCPP costsDiablo from theCanyon customers of other electric utilities2027 in California, Recovery Application to of the California Public Utilities Commission (A.26-03-031) including customers Southern California Edison Company (SCE) with(CPUC) no additional markup. PG&E is only applicant seeking approval from the CPUC. SCE customers are responsible for $208.330 million, What isthe Being Requested?

PG&E isandauthorized to costs from the customers of otherthiselectric SCE is requiredrecover by law toDCPP collect that authorized amount.

SCE is providing notice ofutilities PG&E’s in California, including customers of Southern California Edison Company (SCE) with no additional markup. PG&E is the application becauseapproval it could result a rate increase SCE’s customers. only applicant seeking frominthe CPUC. SCEforcustomers are responsible for $208.330 million, and SCE is required by law to collect that authorized amount. SCE is providing this notice of PG&E’s application because it could result in a rate increase for SCE’s customers.

Proposed Increase by Customer Class

Proposed Increase by Customer Class

Customer Class Residential (Non-CARE) Residential (CARE) Lighting, Small, & Medium Power Large Power Agricultural & Pumping Street & Area Lighting Standby

¢/kWh Increase 0.13 0.08 0.10 0.07 0.08 0.06 0.05

% Increase 0.3% 0.4% 0.3% 0.4% 0.3% 0.2% 0.3%

How Would This Impact the Average Residential Customer?

How Would This Impactthe theaverage Average residential Residential customer Customer?using 500 kWh per month would see a bill If the request is approved, increase of approximately $0.65 per month in 2027. Similarly, a typical CARE residential customer using 500 If the request is approved, the increase average residential usingThe 500 actual kWh perimpact month would seebased a bill on usage, kWh per month would see a rate of $0.42 customer per month. will vary baselineincrease territory, and other factors. of approximately $0.65 per month in 2027. Similarly, a typical CARE residential customer using Additional Information 500 kWh per month would see a rate increase of $0.42 per month. The actual impact will vary based on You can read more about the utility’s request and make public comment by visiting usage, baseline territory, andFor other factors. about participating in CPUC matters, you can contact the Public apps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/A2603031. questions Advisor’s Office at Public.Advisor@cpuc.ca.gov, 1-866-849-8390, or 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102. Please reference A.26-03-031 in any communication with the CPUC.

Additional Questions AboutInformation the Request You canabout read more the utility’s request and make comment1-800-655-4555; by visiting For questions this about application, please contact SCEpublic by: Phone: Email case.admin@sce.com ; Mail: Eric Lee, A.26-03-031 – 2027 DCPP Cost Recovery Application, Southern apps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/A2603031.

For questions about participating in CPUC matters, you can contact the California Edison Company, P.O. Box 800 Rosemead, CA 91770, or visit www.sce.com/applications for further Public information.

Advisor’s Office at Public.Advisor@cpuc.ca.gov, 1-866-849-8390, or 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102. Please reference A.26-03-031 in any communication with the CPUC.

INDEPENDENT CLASSIFIEDS

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PHONE 805-965-5205

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E M A I L A D V E R T I S I N G @ I N D E P E N D E N T. CO M

LEGALS (CONT.) 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 May 11, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 5, 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 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 March 19, 2026, JUDGE Colleen K. Sterne of the Superior Court.

Published Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: KRISTEN K. HARBERS CASE NUMBER: 26CV01573 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: KRISTEN K. HARBERS 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: KRISTEN K. HARBERS PROPOSED NAME: KRISTEN K. KINSELLA 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 May 11, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 5, 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 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 March 23, 2026, JUDGE Colleen K. Sterne of the Superior Court.

Published Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 2026.

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: JESSICA THALIA LIONTOP CASE NUMBER: 26CV01589 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: JESSICA THALIA LIONTOP 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: JESSICA THALIA LIONTOP PROPOSED NAME: JESSICA THALIA 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 May 20, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 3, 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 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 April 01, 2026, JUDGE Thomas P. Anderle of the Superior Court.

Published Apr 9, 16, 23, 30 2026.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ALICE H. SANDOVAL, DECEASED SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA

BARBARA In re the matter of: Alice H. Sandoval Revocable Trust Dated March 13, 2024 CASE NO. 26PR00139 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the creditors and contingent creditors of the above‑named decedent, that all persons having claims against the decedent are required to file them with the Santa Barbara County Superior Court, located at 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, California 93101, and whose mailing address is P.O. Box 21107, Santa Barbara, California 93121‑1107, and deliver pursuant to Section 1215 of the California Probate Code a copy to Elizabeth M. Rodriguez, as trustee of the trust dated March 13, 2024 wherein the decedent was the settlor, c/o Jeffrey Daugherty, Esq., Laborde & Daugherty, 924 Anacapa Street, Suite 1‑T, Santa Barbara, California 93101, within the later of four months after March 26, 2026 (the date of the first publication of notice to creditors) or, if notice is mailed or personally delivered to you, 60 days after the date this notice is mailed or personally delivered to you.

A claim form may be obtained from the court clerk. For your protection, you are encouraged to file your claim by certified mail, with return receipt requested. ________________________________ _______________ Jeffrey Daugherty, Esq. Attorney for Elizabeth M. Rodriguez, Trustee Laborde & Daugherty 924 Anacapa Street, Suite 1‑T Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Published: Mar 26. Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF MICHAEL R RUSSO, DECEASED In re the matter of: Michael R. Russo Revocable Trust Dated September 25, 2024 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the creditors and contingent creditors of the above‑named decedent, that all persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims to the undersigned, James Frederick Tabacchi, as successor trustee of the trust dated September 25, 2024 wherein the decedent was the settlor, 814 Olive Street, Santa Barbara, California 93101, within the later of four months after April 2, 2026 (the date of the first publication of notice to creditors) or, if notice is mailed or personally delivered to you, 60 days after the date this notice is mailed or personally delivered to you.

A claim form may be obtained from any superior court clerk or you may also access the form on the Internet at www.courts. ca.gov/forms. For your protection, you are encouraged to file your claim by certified mail, with return receipt requested. ________________________________ _______________ James Frederick Tabacchi, Successor Trustee 814 Olive Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Published: Apr 2, 9, 16 2026.

PUBLIC NOTICES LEGAL NOTICE – The business records of the following customers of ACCESS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (or any affiliates of ACCESS) located at 5950 Condor Drive, Moorpark, CA 93021 have been abandoned: LAW OFFICES OF EDELBERG & ESPINA. All records will be shredded 9 days after publication of this notice. Anyone claiming to have an interest in the records should contact Access Information Protected in writing at the following address 4 First Avenue, Peabody, MA 01960, Attn: Legal Department, Tel. No. (888) 869‑2767 (Client Support); email: Collections@accesscorp.com.

SANTA BARBARA MTD RFP for Property/Casualty Insurance Broker Services The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD), a public transit operator, is requesting proposals for comprehensive property and casualty insurance brokerage services. The selected broker will market MTD to the broadest insurance marketplace to secure cost‑effective, timely property and casualty coverage for all of MTD’s functions, operations, and programs, and will provide ongoing support in risk management, claims consultation, and contract evaluation. Request for Proposals (RFP) packages are available to interested

parties starting on April 7, 2026. Detailed information about the RFP will be available on MTD’s website at https://sbmtd.gov/ about/doing‑business/. Proposals will be accepted by MTD via email only to purchasing@sbmtd.gov until Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM (PDT). Any offers received after that time will be rejected.

All contract terms are contained in or referenced in the RFP package.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO DESIGNATE AN AREA AGENCY ON AGING (AAA) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the California Department of Aging (CDA) intends to designate an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for the Planning and Service Area (PSA) described below, pursuant to 22 CCR § 7206.

1. GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES: This designation is for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties/PSA 17.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AAA: Under federal and state law (Older Americans Act and Mello‑Granlund Older Californians Act), the designated AAA shall: •Serve as the principal advocate and planning body for older adults and caregivers.

•Develop and administer a multi‑year Area Plan on Aging with annual updates.

•Coordinate community‑based services (e.g., nutrition, legal, and caregiver support).

•Manage federal/state funds and monitor service provider compliance.

3. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) AVAILABILITY: Interested public entities or private non‑profit entities may obtain a detailed RFP package and application instructions online at: https://caleprocure. ca.gov/event/4170/SLO2627‑17 4. IMPORTANT PROCUREMENT DATES: The RFP submission deadline is April 27, 2026, at 5:00 PM. The anticipated award date is May 27, 2026, and the Agreement start date is October 1, 2026. More detailed information about the RFP schedule is available at the link above.

TRUSTEE NOTICE T.S. No.: 2025‑00787 APN: 015‑ 271‑007 Property Address: 448 Scenic Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 3/28/2024. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. A public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash, cashier's check drawn on a state or national bank, check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, or savings association, or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state will be held by the duly appointed trustee as shown below, of all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by the trustee in the hereinafter described property under and pursuant to a Deed of Trust described below. The sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by the Deed of Trust, with interest and late charges thereon, as provided in the note(s), advances, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, interest thereon, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee for the total amount (at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale) reasonably estimated to be set forth below. The amount may be greater on the day of sale. Trustor: Roger Thorne Thomsen, Trustee of The Roger Thorne Thomsen dated 12/8/2003 Duly Appointed Trustee: Sokolof Remtulla Recorded 4/22/2024 as Instrument No. 2024‑0011845 in book ‑‑, page ‑‑ of Official Records in the office of the Recorder of Santa Barbara County, California, Date of Sale: 4/22/2026 at 1:00 PM

Place of Sale: At the main entrance to the county courthouse, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA. Amount of unpaid balance and other charges: $444,940.61 Street Address or other common designation of real property: 448 Scenic Dr Santa Barbara, CA 93103 A.P.N.: 015‑271‑007 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address or other common designation, if any, shown above. If no street address or other common designation is shown, directions to the location of the property may be obtained by sending a written request to the beneficiary within 10 days of the date of first publication of this Notice of Sale. No Trustee’s Deed Upon Sale shall be issued or authorized for recording unless and until the foreclosure trustee has received all required federal reporting certifications or verified that the transferee qualifies for an applicable exemption. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property.

You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property.

You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder's office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property.

NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (916) 939‑0772 or visit this internet website www.nationwideposting.com using the file number assigned to this case 2025‑00787. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the internet website. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale.

NOTICE TO TENANTS: You may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If you are an “eligible tenant buyer,” you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. If you are an “eligible bidder,” you may be able to purchase the property if you exceed the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. There are three steps to exercising this right of purchase. First, 48 hours after the date of the trustee sale, you can call (916) 939‑0772 or visit this internet website www.nationwideposting.com using the file number assigned to this case 2025‑00787 to find the date on which the trustee’s sale was held, the amount of the last and highest bid, and the address of the trustee. Second, you must send a written notice of intent to place a bid so that the trustee receives it no more than 15 days after the trustee’s sale. Third, you must

submit a bid so that the trustee receives it no more than 45 days after the trustee’s sale. If you think you may qualify as an “eligible tenant buyer” or “eligible bidder,” you should consider contacting an attorney or appropriate real estate professional immediately for advice regarding this potential right to

purchase. Please make cashier’s checks payable to Sokolof Remtulla LLP Date: 3/18/2026 Sokolof Remtulla 2301 Dupont Drive, Suite 500 Irvine, CA 92612 Sale Line: (916) 939‑0772 Trustee Line: 888‑ 522‑6214 Deziray Scotia, Junior Trustee Sale Officer NPP0486668 To: SANTA BARBARA

INDEPENDENT 03/26/2026, 04/02/2026, 04/09/2026

AVISO DEL CONSEJO MUNICIPAL AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA Audiencia pública híbrida - En persona y a través de Zoom 21 de abril de 2026, a las 5:30 P.M. PERÍODO DE REVISIÓN Y COMENTARIOS PÚBLICOS BORRADOR DEL PLAN DE ACCIÓN DE 2026-2027 Y ENMIENDA SUSTANCIAL AL PLAN CONSOLIDADO DE 2025-2029 ATENCIÓN: La reunión se celebrará en persona y a través de la plataforma Zoom. El público también podrá ver la reunión en el Canal 19 de Goleta y/o en línea en www.cityofgoleta.org/meetings-agendas.

POR MEDIO DE LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que el Consejo Municipal celebrará una audiencia pública para considerar la adopción formal del Plan de Acción de 2026-2027 y la Enmienda Sustancial al Plan Consolidado de 2025-2029. A continuación, se indica la fecha, la hora y el lugar de la audiencia pública del Consejo Municipal. El orden del día de la audiencia también se publicará en el sitio web de la ciudad (www.cityofgoleta.org).

FECHA Y HORA DE LA AUDIENCIA: LUGAR:

Martes, 21 de abril de 2026, a las 5:30 P.M.

Ayuntamiento de Goleta, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA, 93117 y reunión por teleconferencia; esta reunión se celebrará en persona y a través de Zoom (con instrucciones detalladas para participar incluidas en el orden del día publicado)

DESCRIPCIÓN DEL PROYECTO: La ciudad ha elaborado el borrador del Plan de Acción de 2026-2027 y la enmienda sustancial del Plan Consolidado de 2025-2029 para orientar la inversión de los fondos del programa federal de Subvenciones en Bloque para el Desarrollo Comunitario (CDBG, por sus siglas en inglés). Tal y como exige el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos (HUD, por sus siglas en inglés), el Plan de Acción identifica los proyectos y actividades específicos que se llevarán a cabo durante el próximo año del programa con fondos de CDBG para abordar las necesidades y objetivos prioritarios establecidos en el Plan Consolidado. Para el año del programa 2026-2027, la ciudad anticipa recibir $320,925 dólares en fondos de CDBG. Estas estimaciones de financiación se basan en las asignaciones federales previstas y están sujetas a cambios en función de las asignaciones del Congreso y los ajustes de la fórmula del HUD. Las copias del borrador del Plan de Acción de 2026-2027 y de la Enmienda Sustancial al Plan Consolidado de 2025-2029 estarán disponibles para su revisión y comentarios por parte del público desde el 3 de abril de 2026 hasta el 4 de mayo de 2026. Durante este periodo, los borradores de los planes estarán disponibles en las siguientes ubicaciones: En línea: www.cityofgoleta.org/grants Ayuntamiento: 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B, Goleta, CA 93117 Centro comunitario: 5679 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA 93117 Evaluación ambiental: A efectos de la Ley Nacional de Política Ambiental y la Ley de Calidad Ambiental de California, la aprobación del borrador del Plan de Acción de 2026-2027 y de la enmienda sustancial del Plan Consolidado de 2025-2029 está exenta de forma categórica de la evaluación ambiental. Antes de comprometer o liberar fondos para cada uno de los proyectos propuestos, HUD exige que se evalúe y documente el impacto ambiental de todas las actividades establecidas en el Plan de Acción de acuerdo con las regulaciones aplicables del programa. Se preparará una revisión ambiental adecuada para cada actividad aprobada antes de celebrar un acuerdo con cualquier entidad para recibir fondos de CDBG. COMENTARIOS PÚBLICOS: Se anima a las personas interesadas a presentar comentarios públicos durante la audiencia pública, ya sea en persona o virtualmente a través del seminario web de Zoom, siguiendo las instrucciones que figuran en el orden del día de la reunión del Consejo Municipal. Los comentarios por escrito pueden enviarse por correo electrónico al secretario municipal a CityClerkgroup@cityofgoleta.gov. Los comentarios por escrito presentados antes de la audiencia pública se distribuirán al Consejo y se publicarán en la página de reuniones y orden del día de la ciudad.

PARA INFORMACIÓN SOBRE EL PROYECTO: Para obtener más información sobre el proyecto, póngase en contacto con el gestor de subvenciones del programa CDBG, al (805) 690-5126 o en CityGrants@cityofgoleta.gov. Para consultas en español, póngase en contacto con Marcos Martínez al (805) 562-5500 o en mmartinez@cityofgoleta.gov. Los informes y documentos del personal se publicarán aproximadamente 72 horas antes de la audiencia en el sitio web de la ciudad en www.cityofgoleta.org.

Nota: Si impugna la naturaleza de la acción anterior ante los tribunales, es posible que se le limite únicamente a aquellas cuestiones que usted u otra persona haya planteado en la audiencia pública descrita en este aviso o en la correspondencia escrita entregada a la ciudad en la fecha de finalización del período de comentarios públicos o antes de dicha fecha (Código de Gobierno, sección 65009(b)(2)).

Nota: De conformidad con la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades, si necesita ayuda para participar en la audiencia, póngase en contacto con la Oficina del Secretario Municipal al (805) 961-7505 o en cityclerkgroup@ cityofgoleta.gov. La notificación al menos 48 horas antes de la audiencia permitirá al personal municipal tomar las medidas razonables necesarias.

Fecha de publicación: Santa Barbara Independent, 9 de abril de 2026 INDEPENDENT.COM INDEPENDENT.COM APRIL APRIL 9, 9, 2026 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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