Issuu

INDY AWARDS

805-504-1968

Unique Small Business Opportunity

Walking Tours Santa Barbara

Perfectly positioned for the right buyer who can build upon its established success and grow it beyond its current part-time roots.

• Elite Reputation. Nine years in business and a 98% 5-star rating onTripAdvisor, Google and Yelp

• Expert Team. Up to three stellar guides available to stay on, ensuring a seamless transition.

• Perfected Logistics. Three routes (Old Town, Waterfront, Funk Zone) incorporating curated history, stories, and old photos.

• Intellectual Property. 2,000+ hours of research, extensive bibliography, focus group validated written narratives in binders

• Turnkey Assets. Established website, reservation system, and professional (TVSB) marketing video.

• Established Relationships. Chamber of Commerce, Visit Santa Barbara, Acme Hospitality, Dart Coffee, Validation Ale, McConnells, and Margerum Wines

• Flexible Terms. Serious Inquiries Only. Ideal for someone that has a passion for SB, comfortable speaking to groups, loves the outdoors and meeting new people, sense of humor, available time, local connections and a clear vision. Send an expression of interest to: john@freewalkingtoursb.com

Sustainable Heart

Sustainable Heart ~ Transformational Life Counseling ~ Relationships • Occupation and Career • Meditation

Relationships

Grief and Loss • Major Life Transitions • Anxiety

Grief and Loss

Grief and Loss • Major Life Transitions • Anxiety

Spiritual Issues • Communication • Conflict

Spiritual Issues Communication Meditation Anxiety Conflict

Grief and Loss • Major Life Transitions • Anxiety

Spiritual Issues • Communication • Conflict

• Major Life Transitions • Anxiety

Spiritual Issues • Communication • Conflict

Occupation and Career Major Life Transitions Dream Work ~ Transformational Life Counseling ~

Spiritual Issues • Communication • Conflict

Michael H Kreitsek, MA

Transpersonal Counseling Psychology

Michael H Kreitsek, MA

Transpersonal Counseling Psychology

Transpersonal Counseling Psychology www.sustainableheart.com

Transpersonal Counseling Psychology

Counseling From a Buddhist Perspective 805 698-0286

Counseling with Wisdom and Compassion 805 698-0286

Counseling From a Buddhist Perspective 805 698-0286

Mindful Support for Uncertain Times 805-698-0286

Generations of

When the Palisades Fire displaced Emily and her family, she was 28 weeks pregnant. They found safety in Santa Barbara – and Cottage. Baby Athena arrived early, spending 65 days in Cottage’s Haselton Family

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Athena grew strong. She thrived. Today, she’s spreading joy wherever she goes.

Imagine what we’ll do next.

Emily Sunderland, mother of four, Santa Barbara

Executive

Kettmann News Editor Jackson Friedman Opinions

Jean Yamamura Arts and Culture Editor Leslie Dinaberg

Calendar Editor Terry Ortega Calendar Assistant Isabella Venegas News Reporters Ryan P. Cruz, Callie Fausey, 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, Andrew Migliaccio, Evan Ragland, Madeline Slogoff, Lauren Solway, 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

IndyKids 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

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

Shining a Spotlight on Santa Barbara’s Dramatic Dynamos and Behind-the-Scenes Superstars

Leslie Dinaberg

If you attended the Indy Awards in person, or some of our other in-person events over the past year, you might have seen Ellyette Iverson, owner of eji event co., running around alongside our team to help get our events ready. “The Indy Awards are so special because they capture the full scope of theater magic in our community, from the star performers to the innovative designers and costumers backstage, even shining a spotlight on the stalwart ushers who have served our theaters for decades. I love seeing the mix of artistry and intergenerational uplifting it gives you goosebumps!” Iverson said. Head to independent.com/about-the-indy to read Elly’s full interview and learn more about her fantastic events.

Elly Iverson working as EQ-25’s event producer

When Memory Changes, Care Still Connects

When you start to notice the changes, the question becomes what comes next.

You want to do what’s right, without losing who they are in the process. Care here is shaped around the individual, with a steady, thoughtful approach that brings comfort, familiarity and dignity to each day, for them and for you.

Explore your options.

Wellness Weight + Introducing

Medical Weight Loss Done Right - Right Here in Santa Barbara

Evolutions Medical & Day Spa - the area’s most trusted name in aesthetics for over 20 years, is pleased to introduce our Weight + Wellness program. Healthy, sustainable weight loss isn’t just about willpower. Hormones, appetite signaling, stress, sleep, insulin resistance, and inflamation all play a role. If used correctly, compounded prescription GLP-1 receptor agonists can be a highly effective tool for long-term metabolic health and weight optimization.

Program Highlights:

Personalized GLP-1 treatment program

Local medical oversight & support

Monthly InBody body composition scans and semi-annual biomarker testing to track true progress (beyond the scale)

•

Complimentary monthly B-12 injection

Competitively priced, highest quality

Pre-filled syringes and training for easy injections. Little to no pain

•

• Lots of added value - a full wellness + aesthetics approach

Knowledgeable and compassionate

NEWS of the WEEK

by RYAN P. CRUZ, CALLIE FAUSEY, JACKSON FRIEDMAN, TYLER HAYDEN, CHRISTINA McDERMOTT, ELAINE

I Madonnari Chalks Up 40th Year

Joyful laughter, the buzz of running into old friends, the hum of music, and a flurry of chalk dust were in the air at the Old Mission over the three-day holiday weekend.

An annual benefit for Children’s Creative Project (CCP), the 40th annual I Madonnari festivities raise money for the nonprofit component of the Santa Barbara County Education Office that works tirelessly year-round to bring arts education into public schools countywide through programming that

COURTS & CRIME

reaches students from preschool through high school, many of whom would otherwise have little or no access to the arts.

This year’s art centerpiece was a “Super Square” collaboration between five street painters, most of whom have been participating in I Madonnari for decades. Internationally recognized chalk artist Marlon Yanes, dubbed the “Pavement Picasso,” was this year’s featured artist, known for pushing the boundaries of street painting with richly detailed, large-scale works.

Free to the public, the three-day festival included live music and performances from groups such as Zermeno Dance Academy, Santa Barbara High School, San Marcos and La Colina jazz bands, the Brasscals, Jackson Gillies, Spencer the Gardener, and Mezcal Martini.

Proceeds from I Madonnari directly support CCP’s year-round work. For more information, see ccp.sbceo.org. See more of Ingrid Bostrom’s photos of the festival at independent.com/multimedia —LeslieDinaberg

Lawsuit Alleges Sexual Abuse at Dos Pueblos High

The mother of a special needs student at Dos Pueblos High School is suing the Santa Barbara Unified School District, its board, and three para-educators over allegations that her son was sexually abused at school.

The civil complaint, filed by Veen Firm in Santa Barbara Superior Court on May 13, alleges that three special education employees two of whom are still employed at Dos Pueblos abused the student while he was in their care, including in restrooms and other secluded areas of the campus.

The plaintiff in this case, a 14-year-old student, is especially vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse because of his communication limitations and developmental disabilities, the complaint states.

The mother only identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit to protect her and her son’s privacy allegedly found evidence that her son was sexually abused on May 2, it claims. As a result, it continues, he has suffered physical and psychological injury, alongside medical and therapy expenses incurred by the family.

However, “Due to the nature of Plaintiff’s disabilities and the trauma inflicted upon him, Plaintiff is presently unable to articulate

the full extent and details of the abuse that occurred,” according to the filing.

It further alleges that SBUSD “failed to conduct the proper due diligence” before hiring the employees, to adequately supervise them, and to implement the proper policies “designed to detect and prevent sexual abuse and misconduct against vulnerable students.”

Staff had unsupervised access to the student during toileting and hygiene assistance, it alleges.

Eight causes of action are named in the suit, including sexual battery, negligent hiring and supervision, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

“It’s really important that when parents send their kids to a school, especially a special needs kid, that the school district take the required steps to ensure that they come home in just as good a condition as when they arrived at school … that didn’t happen here,” attorney Steven Kronenberg alleged.

No criminal charges have been filed, and Kronenberg said he does not know if any such charges will be filed in the future.

However, Kronenberg noted, one of the defendants named in the case, Miguel “Michael” Angel Juarez, was arrested in May

of last year on suspicion of misdemeanor sexual battery in a separate incident involving an adult woman he had met through his employment at the school. Juarez is no longer employed by the district.

“As far as whether there will be criminal charges filed for what happened in the case that we filed, I believe that’s to be determined,” Kronenberg said. “I don’t bring charges. I only file civil lawsuits where we try to hold people accountable and get compensation for wrongful compliance.”

The lawsuit does not prove any wrongdoing occurred. In a statement, SBUSD spokesperson Ed Zuchelli said:

“The district is aware of the lawsuit filed on behalf of a student at Dos Pueblos High School. Although the district takes all allegations involving student welfare seriously, the filing of a lawsuit is not evidence.”

LABOR

About 20 union members, government officials, and supporters joined in arms to picket against KEYT parent company News-Press & Gazette ahead of contract mediation on 5/21. According to IATSE Local 600 representative Raquel Ruiz, Thursday’s negotiations left with more of the status quo, and another mediation session has been set for 6/5. IATSE Local 600 members which includes KEYT videographers, producers, multimedia journalists, editors, and directors are asking for higher wages, an increase of $3 an hour, which would allow employees to live in the communities they cover. They are also asking for better benefits and protections on overtime and scheduling.

COURTS & CRIME

Taft residents Bridget Jessica Martinez, 34, and Juan Carlos Rodriguez, 39, were arrested 5/21 on suspicion of residential burglary in the Cuyama evacuation zone for the Foothill Fire. After a call came in about a burglary in progress, deputies from the Sheriff’s Office and CHP officers found a residence’s unattached garage on Schaeffer Road had been entered, as well as copper wiring disturbed at the home’s water well. As the officers searched the area, they located the two suspects with copper wiring, burglary tools, and narcotics paraphernalia, the Sheriff’s Office reported. They were arrested and booked into the North County jail.

EDUCATION

Students seeking a teaching credential from Westmont College can apply for a new, year-long residency program that will place them alongside a mentor teacher in an S.B. Unified classroom and comes with a $33,000 stipend for tuition and living expenses. Mentors will receive a $3,000 stipend for their work. A $2.4 million grant from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing will allow SBUSD to support 15 student teachers a year over the course of four years. They will be placed across seven elementary schools, two junior highs, and two high schools, covering single- and multiple-subject credentials.

SPORTS

Anticipation is building in Goleta among businesses and soccer fans for the World Cup games taking place in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada in June and July. Already, the City of Goleta has set up a watch party for the Team Mexico game on 6/24 with a big screen to view the match in the parking lot of Community West Bank at Pine Avenue in Old Town. To welcome Team Austria, whose members are to stay at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara and practice on the turf at UCSB’s Harder Stadium, Goleta will be hanging banners of the team’s red-and-black logo with a line indicating a cheer in German. The team will hold a practice session on 6/5 in a limited public viewing, with UCSB handling the tickets.

PUBLIC SAFETY

—Callie Fausey

He continued, “The lawsuit does not identify a single specific date, time, location, or act by any individual, and the lawsuit against the district and its employees appears to be entirely meritless. We have met with our attorneys, and they, like the district, intend to defend this case and our employees vigorously.”

The Santa Barbara Police Department is asking for the public’s help in finding any information about Vesna Prepolec, the 46-year-old Santa Maria woman found dead on East Beach on 5/8. SBPD has confirmed that at the time of her death, Prepolec was unhoused. Prepolec’s cause of death remains under investigation, and SBPD requests that anyone with information about her contact Detective Baca at (805) 897-2346. n

SANDERS, NICK WELSH, and JEAN YAMAMURA

Marlon Yanes (@tonitoart) was the featured artist at the 40th annual I Madonnari Festival.

Visit a branch, call

Insured by NCUA

1The dividend rate and Annual Percentage Yield (APY) are accurate as of 05/01/2026. There is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY. The minimum opening deposit for the 6-month certificate is $500. The 6-month new money certificate can only be opened in-branch or by phone and funded with new money. New money is defined as funds not on deposit at Golden 1 in the 30 days prior to the certificate account opening. The APY is based on an assumption that dividends will remain in the account until maturity. Any fee, withdrawal, or transfer reduces earnings and there may be penalties for early withdrawal. Call 1-877-GOLDEN 1 (1-877-465-3361) for current rates. We reserve the right to change or discontinue this program at any time. Rates and term are subject to change without notice. 0526-SBAR

Santa Rosa Island Fire 97% Contained

After scorching more than a third of the island, the Santa Rosa Island Fire was nearing full containment at 97 percent and had burned 18,379 acres on Tuesday. It stopped growing on Friday and no further growth was expected, officials said.

Crews are now in the “mop up” and repair phase, including suppression repairs within the Main Ranch Complex by recovering containment lines with vegetation.

“Resource advisors including restoration biologists, archeologists, and cultural specialists are working closely with equipment operators on techniques to minimize additional ground disturbance, soil compaction, and displacement,” officials said in a Tuesday update.

The work will reduce soil erosion by spreading and slowing water flow and increasing soil cover, officials said. It will also reduce the visual impacts of suppression activities.

The fire started after a 67-year-old man ran his boat ashore on May 15 and is now the largest wildfire on record to burn through any of the Channel Islands. The “humancaused” fire remains under investigation, officials said.

However, at least some of the island’s ecological and cultural resources have survived.

A grove of rare and endangered Torrey pine trees was directly in the path of the fire, but early assessments from firefighters found that while some small pockets of the Torrey pines did burn, the trees “still exist and remain largely intact.”

Additionally, aircraft found last week that the historic South Point Light Station built in 1937 to replace a former beacon and restored in 2020 by the National Park Service was still standing.

Whether the other rare and endangered flora and fauna on the island have suffered significant damage some species’ entire global range rests within the burn scar is to be determined.

Author Talk & Signing

Gregory Orfalea Wonder + Shame

Join Chaucer’s Books as we host Gregory Orfalea for a book talk and signing of his novel Wonder + Shame.

The Book: Frank Matter, an historian disillusioned with his country, learns that his family’s ancestral village has just been destroyed in a chemical weapons attack. He journeys to Syria where he reunites with his cousin, known as “the Seamstress of Damascus.” The two flee to the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world where Frank looks to teach orphans the game of baseball. Everyone and everything resist it.

The Author: Orfalea is the author or editor of eleven books. He has taught at Westmont College and SBCC. His collection of memoirs, Angeleno Days, was a finalist for the PEN USA Prize and won the Arab American Book Award. Wed, Jun 3, 6:00 PM 3321 State St

Scan the QR code to see more event info on our website.

The fire has launched Santa Rosa Island the second largest island in the chain into international fame. It’s been covered by news outlets worldwide emphasizing Santa Rosa’s rare flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world.

S.B. Faces $11M in Indigent Care

When Donald Trump’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill (a k a HR 1) goes into effect later this year, it will require the County of Santa Barbara to reactivate its long-dormant Indigent Care Program at an estimated cost to the county of $11.4 million a year.

California law requires county governments to provide care for the medically indigent those who are uninsured and unable to pay for their own care. When the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, however, Santa Barbara County like all 58 counties found itself off the hook. Medi-Cal, as part of the Affordable Care Act, stepped in to provide such care. But under HR 1, many Medi-Cal beneficiaries will no longer qualify for Medi-Cal, because either they don’t meet work requirements or other new eligibility standards imposed by HR 1.

CenCal which administers MediCal in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties estimates 4,500 people now receiving Medi-Cal in Santa Barbara will cease to be eligible. This means the county will have to reactivate its Indigent Care Program.

County Public Information Officer Kelsey Buttitta stressed that indigent care

Santa Rosa Island will remain closed through at least June 6, 2026, due to the wildfire.

—Callie Fausey

Costs

should not be confused with anything resembling a health insurance policy and does not provide the same level of benefits available through Medi-Cal or the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

“It provides only the services necessary to prevent serious harm, pain, or infection,” she stated. Some patients might require “urgent surgeries or cancer treatment,” she noted, while others might need “diabetes control or hypertension management.”

In the past, the state legislature through its budget covered the cost of indigent care that counties absorbed. There was no provision in the governor’s budget for this added cost and nothing in the governor’s May Revise budget released earlier this month.

Last week, Supervisor Bob Nelson the board chair drove to Sacramento to discuss this problem with state legislatures. “You can’t change things if you’re not in the room,” he said. Nelson said he met with Assemblymember Gregg Hart, that Hart was interested, and that some ideas were discussed. Nothing specific, however, has been proposed, let alone finalized.

Imagery from an Unmanned Aerial System from May 20 shows a grove of rare Torrey pines on Santa Rosa Island, surrounded by blackened vegetation but still mostly intact.

New County Tsar Tapped

Boulder County Administrator Jana Petersen Will Replace CEO Mona Miyasato in August

by Nick Welsh

The Santa Barbara County supervisors announced last week the selection of Boulder County, Colorado, county administrator Jana Petersen to replace County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato, who is stepping down this August after 13 challenging, tumultuous, but strangely collegial years at the helm. Of the 66 applicants, the supervisors interviewed five.

“Jana just rose to the top,” said Board Chair Bob Nelson, who led the negotiations with her. “She is a very direct person. And she exudes competence. And based on her references, she doesn’t appear to need sleep; she’s always that available.”

Petersen started out professionally as a public information officer for Bolder County in 1996, transitioned to the City of Boulder for a series of high-ranking administrative posts, and then transitioned in 2020 back to the county, where she served as county administrator right at the onset of COVID, forcing her to figure out how to transition the county from in-person to Zoom-accessible services and communication. She was at the helm as the wind-driven Marshall Fire whipped through Boulder, wiping out 1,084 homes and killing two people. According to press reports, she is given high marks for the speed and efficiency with which the county was able to recover.

Like Santa Barbara County, Boulder is overwhelmingly blue politically and also shares a split between the rural and the urban. Remnants of a once-thriving hippie culture are still alive and well in the city of Boulder, where its main drag, Pearl Street, was one of the first main streets of America to ban cars and go pedestrian only. Throughout Santa Barbara’s protracted deliberations over the future of State Street, Pearl Street was frequently invoked.

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, Santa Barbara County has struggled with mixed success to realign its criminal justice system to put greater emphasis on diversion and mental-health and addiction treatment rather than incarceration. But even before Floyd, Boulder County voters approved a sales tax increase to fund the con-

struction of a new 253-bed center to offer alternatives to incarceration. The county jail was seriously overcrowded at the time, and the new center was seen as a cheaper, more humane, and more efficient alternative to building and staffing new jail cells. The center named after former Boulder sheriff Joe Pelle is run not by the sheriff but by a division of a department that answers to the county administrator. The center now has 213 of its 253 beds occupied. This happened on Petersen’s watch. In her interview, she expressed pride in the center, and the Santa Barbara supervisors worn out by their regular head-butting with Sheriff Bill Brown over jail management and spending issues were impressed.

In Boulder, ICE has also emerged as a hotbutton political issue with the activist community, denouncing the strong-arm tactics deployed by ICE agents. The Department of Homeland Security has returned the favor by accusing Boulder of being a sanctuary county.

Boulder County has roughly 100,000 fewer people than Santa Barbara, but its budget $750 million is only half as large. And it has three supervisors rather than five.

Supervisor Nelson acknowledged Petersen will come to the job without the “local knowledge” that an in-state candidate would bring. She’s operated far outside the gravitational pull of Proposition 13 which limits the rate at which counties can increase property taxes and CEQA, California’s controversial, groundbreaking environmental quality act that, like Prop. 13, is blamed for many of the ills that have long plagued the state.

“There’s a lot of things that are really screwed up about California,” Nelson said. Maybe the outside perspective Petersen brings might help. But really, he said, it wasn’t an issue in her selection. “I think that just speaks to how highly we thought of her,” he said. “I have no doubt she will be up to speed quickly.”

The supervisors are scheduled to approve Petersen’s contract at their June 9 meeting, and once it is approved, she will start on August 20. n

PROUDLY ENDORSED BY: ALL 5 SB COUNTY SUPERVISORS: Steve Lavagnino, Bob Nelson, Joan Hartmann, Laura Capps, Roy Lee

melinda@melindagreene.org @melindagreenecares

Jana Petersen (left) will replace Santa Barbara County’s current CEO, Mona Miyasato, who is stepping down this August.

Car-Camping Conflict

Goleta Introduces ‘No Parking’ Signs and Citations, Expands Safe Parking Program

by Jean Yamamura

As many as 200 vehicles are being used as overnight accommodations in the City of Goleta nightly. For the people who live within, “Many are working, living on fixed incomes, or using their vehicles as the only shelter they can afford,” said Chuck Flacks, Goleta’s Homelessness Services Coordinator. Flacks has been checking in on the city’s homeless population for the past three years.

For other residents of the streets where vehicles park, particularly along a broad right of way on Phelps Road, the view is somewhat different.

“I saw one guy carrying his dry cleaning to his car, and there are some nice cars there,” said Bob Craig, who lives at Pacific Palms, a development on the edge of UCSB’s North Campus Open Space. He and his neighbors have watched vehicles park at the peaceful spot in the evening, stay overnight, and depart in the morning, leaving behind trash and worse.

“It’s awful,” said Craig, who walks the open space several times a week. “People ask how we know it’s human waste. I tell them, ‘Dogs don’t use toilet paper.’ ” Craig recognizes the dire straits that place people in their cars. He and his wife have given food and the occasional bicycle to vehicle residents, but he also knows his neighbors have visitors who are scared to park on Phelps.

The Pacific Palms residents have been meeting with Flacks almost since he started working for the city. They achieved an oversize vehicle parking ban along Phelps and Pacific Oaks roads in spring 2024, which changed the dynamic.

“In the past two years, the RVs were replaced by vans. It’s a sort of a whack-amole situation,” said Pacific Palms resident Frank DiMarco, noting the RVs have moved to other areas of the city. Tents and bicycles mark a creek at nearby Girsh Park. He, Craig, and other residents regularly walk the trails and pick up the debris left by campers.

The city receives dozens of complaints about homelessness in general from throughout Goleta. And it responds to each one, Flacks said; they’re mostly about noise, trash, cooking outdoors, gatherings, and safety. So far this year, he’s received only 13 complaints, compared to 82 last year, a decrease he attributes to increased outreach and newly posted signs. After the oversize vehicle prohibition signs went up, “no parking anytime” signs and citations went into effect, and the city passed a law that outlawed habitation in a vehicle on public property. Those signs went up on May 5.

At the same time, the city expanded its sanctioned overnight parking program to include any property interested in hosting through the Safe Parking program. It also expanded its city-funded outreach to the larger Goleta area and directed the Sheriff’s Office to notify campers before enforcement went into effect.

“The city cares about both sides of this issue and strives not to criminalize homelessness but also understands its responsibility to maintain public health and safety,” Flacks wrote in an email, a careful approach that frustrates Goleta homeowners. By code, a vehicle can only fail to move for 72 hours before being “subject to removal.” Though Goleta can issue a citation for vehicle habitation, with penalties ranging from $100 to $500, none have been given, as the city prefers to first try verbal contacts through sheriff’s deputies, New Beginnings, or CityNet. Towing is not an option in the habitation ordinance.

The approach has had some success. Twenty-eight people have moved into permanent housing or indoor shelter, city spokesperson Kelly Hoover said. Those 28 came from the city’s 36 legal overnight parking spots. But among the hundreds of vehicles that dot the city, only about 47 of their residents described themselves as homeless or said they needed housing. Many declined all services.

Over on Phelps, change is coming slowly. The “no habitation” signs reduced the vans and sedans from about 20 to about a dozen, said Craig, but the issue continues at a strip between Devereux Creek and the west end of Phelps in the coastal zone. Goleta is in the middle of sending its Local Coastal Program for California Coastal Commission approval, which would allow the city to post its parking and oversize vehicle signs in the zone. The city’s workplans have it scheduled for completion by 2027. n

The City of Goleta put up signs to limit RVs and habitation in vehicles around 20 areas of the city.

A Rare Bid to Unseat a Judge

Private Attorney Luis Esparza Is Challenging Judge Thomas Adams, Whose 44-Year Career Has Been Marked by Multiple Achievements and Recent Controversy

by Tyler Hayden

Before he became a judge, Thomas Adams was the lead singer and bass player of the hit folk band The Wayfarers. It was the early 1960s, and the group had just signed with RCA Records and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show when they went on tour in the Jim Crow South.

There they encountered segregated bathrooms and drinking fountains and what Adams called the “rampant racism” of the region. He remembers storming out of a diner that had given “special” menus to a young Black couple sitting next to him a bottle of Coca-Cola was listed for $35, and hamburgers were $120.

“That was my first-ever taste of what I thought was just total unfairness,” Adams said. “I had no idea at the time how that would stay with me year after year after year and affect me to this day.”

Seeking to inject a bit more justice into the world, Adams went on to attend law school, and in 1982, he was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to be a Santa Barbara Superior Court judge. Over his four-plus decades on the bench, Adams has presided over tens of thousands of cases, from family law matters to grisly murder trials, including the county’s last death penalty case. He’s seen it all.

But this election season, Adams, 85, is facing something new: a challenge to his position. Private attorney Luis Esparza, 46, is running to replace Adams in an extremely rare race that is also seen as a referendum on the racial and generational makeup of Santa Barbara’s judiciary.

In California, Superior Court judges are elected by county voters for six-year terms. If a judge retires, passes away, or vacates their seat in the middle of their term, the governor will appoint a replacement, who must then attempt to retain their seat in the next election.

But far more often than not, and for a number of reasons rigorous prerequisites, demanding schedules, and salaries that are often below what attorneys make judges run their races unopposed. If no candidate files papers to challenge a sitting judge, the item doesn’t even appear on the ballot.

In his 22 years of practice, Esparza has always gone it alone. Instead of joining a big law firm after earning his JD, as many of his USC classmates did, he returned to his hometown of Santa Barbara to build his own business. He doesn’t have partners and, unless he’s preparing for trial, employs no paralegals.

Esparza is bilingual and legally ambidextrous with a range of experience in the criminal, civil, business, estate planning, and probate realms, including highstakes cases involving childhood sexual abuse victims. Ethically, Esparza stresses client-first representation, strict confidentiality, and a willingness to forego self-promotion and profit. He said he’s proud to have “prioritized my moral compass over my pocketbook” throughout his career. Whereas Adams is a hail-fellow-well-met type, prone to lengthy stories about his life and career, Esparza is

reserved and succinct. The son of a concrete mason who modeled hard work, he said his public-service ethos came from his three older sisters a teacher, law enforcement officer, and city employee.

Esparza said it’s time for a greater diversity of background and perspective in Santa Barbara Superior Court. He’d like to see its demographics better match the county’s and has ideas to make the system, which is chronically backlogged with cases, run more efficiently. He suggested creating a dispute-resolution “pit stop” to divert potential litigants from filing lawsuits and called for fewer continuances in arraignment court, over which Adams currently presides.

Esparza also said the courts would benefit from more judges coming from private practice, noting that recent gubernatorial appointments, despite rhetoric about a need for professional diversification, have largely drawn from county counsel and public defender offices. Politically, Esparza has been registered “no party preference” since he was 18 and emphasized that trial court judgeships ought to be “truly nonpartisan.”

While Esparza is focusing his campaign on institutional change rather than individual failings, he cited a recent incident involving Adams and a young defense attorney that he said should give voters pause. In 2024, the California Commission on Judicial Performance publicly admonished Adams for yelling at the attorney in frustration and throwing a stack of papers at her.

Adams tells it differently. He says while he was indeed engaged in spirited debate, he dropped the papers from his podium believing there was a table underneath to catch them. Instead, they scattered to the floor. Adams said he immediately wrote letters of apology to both counsels, citing personal stressors (a hospitalized son and the family dog being euthanized that morning), and later developed a friendship with the attorney, including offering her private space in his chambers after she disclosed to him her sudden-onset deafness and the use of hearing aids.

The admonishment in that case was partly influenced by a previous disciplinary action, the Commission noted.

In 2023, Adams was cited for comments “that could be perceived as bias, prejudice, or harassment based on sex or gender.”

Adams has frequently been asked why, after a lifetime of otherwise respected service, he hasn’t chosen to hang up his robe. “I’ve given real prayerful thought to that, and the answer is I love, love, love what I’m doing,” he said. He believes he can continue to “be the difference” in people’s lives, particularly in his arraignment court.

Adams highlighted small, concrete acts such as arranging to store a probation violator’s only possession, a 10-speed bicycle, in his chambers during a 30-day jail term as emblematic of his “golden rule” approach to judging. He also framed his work around Gandhi’s maxim “Be the change that you wish to see in the world,” which he recites daily, and emphasized treating litigants with patience, dignity, and eye-to-eye human connection, including people struggling with addiction and homelessness.

Adams has amassed a lengthy list of endorsements, including a number of current and former judges, Supervisor Laura Capps, Sheriff Bill Brown, and many of Santa Barbara’s top attorneys. They reference how he created the county’s first night court to accommodate working people and started a local Teen Court, a youth diversion program for teens facing first-time misdemeanors and school code violations in which they appear before a jury of their younger peers.

Esparza doesn’t take away from Adams’s achievements or his impressive tenure in a high-pressure job. But as Santa Barbara’s judiciary continues to get older two more judges are in their eighties, with three more hitting retirement age he feels the time is ripe for new blood. If he succeeds, he said, “it would be arguably unprecedented and historically significant.”

“I know contesting a longtime, highly respected judge isn’t for the faint of heart,” he said. “And it has nothing to do with Judge Adams personally. It’s just time for a change. It’s come. Change is in the air.” n

Longtime Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Thomas R. Adams (left) faces a rare challenge from attorney Luis Esparza in this June's primary.

A New Leash on Life

ICK FACTOR: With friends like Santa Barbara’s Republican Central Committee, 5th District supervisorial candidate Maribel Aguilera won’t lack for fresh enemies. Conversely, with enemies like the Central Committee, 5th District candidate Ricardo Valencia just made a whole lot of new friends.

This past weekend, the Central Committee demonstrated why people of a certain age which would also happen to be mine should not mess around with AI Hint: It’s the same reason people shouldn’t drink and drive.

Hit pieces are the porn of politics. We all say we hate it, but clearly somebody’s watching. Based on the AI nasti-gram the Central Committee just pinged out to unsuspecting cell phone users in Santa Maria and Guadalupe the area encompassed by the pivotal 5th District you might think Valencia—a loud and proud progressive school board member and high school teacher was the second coming of the Joker and the Insane Clown Posse rolled into one.

You might think Valencia who tells an earnest, up-from-the-bootstraps origin story has singlehandedly transformed Santa Maria into a Gotham City apocalypse populated by hordes of non-white urban zombies standing in ominously long food lines. (What, were human brains on the menu?) The black smoke of urban riot fires billows in the video’s background as homeless

tents flap desolately in the breeze.

Not good, in other words. Valencia bad.

A Republican friend of mine objected that the ad makers got their civics all wrong Valencia couldn’t possibly have screwed up downtown so bad, he complained. As a school board member, Valencia has no jurisdictional reach over such city matters. Ironically, it’s Maribel Aguilera the very candidate the Republicans are energetically backing but technically “not endorsing” who actually serves on the Santa Maria City Council and before that on the city’s planning commission. As such, she could legitimately be held responsible for the festering rot depicted.

Ninety-nine percent of politics is knowing who to blame. The other one percent is knowing where the money is.

The Democrats were less ironic and legalistic in their response. This past weekend, the Democratic Party Mod Squad Congressmember Salud Carbajal, State Senate leader Monique Limón, and Assemblymember Gregg Hart denounced the ad as racist. The narrator of the ad, they pointed out, speaks with a throaty Spanish accent; all the background zombies were conspicuously of the non-Caucasian denomination. No doubt, they were genuinely offended. But mostly, I suspect, it gave the three Democrat heavyweights an open shot to rile up the overwhelmingly Latino 5th District electorate on behalf of Valencia, the only Democrat in the race.

It’s striking in this day and age that neither of the other two candidates Maribel Aguilera and Cory Bantilan claim any political party. At any other time, they’d both be Republicans. In fact, for most of his life, Bantilan who, for 15 years, has served as outgoing Supervisor Steve Lavagnino’s right-hand man was a loud-and-proud, card-carrying Republican. In some ways, he and Steve epitomized the future of the Republican Party in local politics. But having hearts as well as brains, Bantilan and Lavagnino both jumped ship during Donald Trump’s first incarnation. As Lavagnino explained it at the time, he got tired of being asked whether he was a racist and a homophobe.

While Aguilera is clearly the candidate of choice for the Republican Central Committee, she also takes pains not to claim any party affiliation. This seems both coy and strategically smart. Aguilera tells a life story that makes it hard for people to pigeonhole her easily. Her parents are immigrants; she picked strawberries at age 5; she worked stints with Rape Crisis Center and Legal Aid. But she also did real estate law for oil companies. When a Sable Offshore representative gave her campaign a check for $1,000, Aguilera sent it back. But the Big Ag and Big Money interests in North County as personified by the Jobs and Opportunity PAC and the Leadership PAC — are rolling the dice big on Aguilera

But to be clear, the Republican Central

Committee has not “technically” endorsed Aguilera. But in very clear ways, it has. Yes, the party demonized Valencia as a hair-on-fire left-wing radical, but it also sent out mailers urging party members not to vote for former Republican candidate Bantilan. Why? Either because Bantilan is a party apostate (he is ) or because after 15 years working on the fourth floor of county government, he represents the Deep State of county government He does. Or maybe it’s because he’s just smarter than they are. And he is.

Once upon a time, the letter “R” was not the scarlet letter among sane members of society. We had Brooks Firestone representing us in Sacramento and the Board of Supervisors, for example. It was a Republican supervisor David Yager who bravely cast the decisive swing vote requiring Exxon to clean up the onshore impacts of its offshore air pollution.

Now, to be a Republican, it seems you have to agree to entertain no thoughts other than what Donald Trump says you should have. And of course, Joe Biden and his hordes of illegal immigrants stole the 2020 election.

It’s a sad day that in local races Republican voters now find themselves forced to infer which candidate their party actually endorses via this oblique and obscure process of elimination. Thanks to Trump, Republicans have become like closeted gay people back in the bad old days when “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was still the operative policy.

To my Republican friends, I say only this: Please come out of the closet. And stay the hell away from AI. —Nick Welsh

Vote Luis Esparza

As a retired probation oﬃcer with more than 25 years serving our local courts, I am writing to strongly support Luis Esparza for judge.

Probation officers work every day on the front lines of the justice system. We see firsthand how a judge’s decision affect public safety, victims, and whether offenders successfully turn their lives around.

Luis Esparza understands this reality. He respects the critical role probation plays in holding people accountable while giving them a real chance at rehabilitation.

Too many judicial candidates have never worked inside the system. Esparza has shown he values the partnership between the bench and probation. He will make thoughtful, fair decisions that protect our communities without ignoring the human element that every good judge must consider.

I urge voters to join me in supporting Luis Esparza for Judge. Our courts need someone who truly gets it.

Sylvia Talaugon,

S.B.

Vote Melinda Greene

I am endorsing Melinda Greene for clerk-recorderassessor and election’s Registrar of Voters. I was employed with the county’s Clerk-Recorder Oﬃce and Elections for more than 20 years, receiving two commendations from the Board of Supervisors. It is a large department with critical services that are often taken for granted. Elections receives much attention these days, but property tax administration and the services provided by the clerk-recorder are critical to the health of the county and its community.

I worked many years with Melinda. She is driven, passionate about her work, dedicated, competent, and regularly physically present in the workplace. I have seen her have a hand in almost every aspect of the department.

In addition to overseeing the clerk-recorder division, Melinda has been involved for years with elections. She is very hands on, is always hustling, and willing to do the smallest task to ensure successful outcomes. I remember her helping with training, technology, troubleshooting, hosting observer tours, and more.

Melinda would continue to be an effective, accountable leader. Taxpayers can feel confident giving their support to Melinda Greene.

Vida McIsaac, Petaluma

Did Steyer Pay?

I have read the Independent’s multiple endorsements of Tom Steyer, and I want to know if the Independent has been paid by Steyer’s campaign to endorse him.

He has been known to pay influencers and outlets for undisclosed endorsements, and it is massively important for me to know whether or not he paid the Independent for his endorsement.

Thank you for your response.

Dylan Caldwell, Goleta

In answer to your question about whether the Independent has been paid by Steyer’s campaign, the answer is no. We spent many days reading and listening to interviews with the candidates, talking to people who have worked with them, and eventually reaching a decision as to which candidate we think would be the best governor for California at this time. It was a long process, a process we have followed for the 40 years we have been writing endorsements. People can sincerely disagree. It is diﬃcult in our current political environment to believe every opinion is not a transactional event, but for us here at the Independent, our endorsements are only what they are our researched and deeply considered opinion. Thank you for reading the Independent and for asking us to clarify the process.

Marianne Partridge, Editor in Chief, Santa Barbara Independent

Wonderful Indy Awards

What a wonderful event the Indy Awards were on May 18! Thank you for helping keep the arts alive and for energizing the upcoming talent with confidence and community support. We met so many talented and kind people, and there were no egos. What a treat!

I hope this will encourage my daughter Amber to continue pursuing her talent as an adult and reach for the stars!

Happy birthday to the S.B. Indy, too. Forty is an achievement in this day and age of digital media. With sincere gratitude to SOhO and the S.B. Indy! Jennifer Engle-Coltrin, S.B.

For the Record

¶ In last week’s music story about Nathan Sherwood Liang, we should have said that White Buﬀalo Land Trust was founded in honor of Lyndsey McMorrow and is based in Santa Barbara.

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, 223 E. De la Guerra St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101; or fax: 965-5518; or email: letters@independent.com. Unabridged versions and more letters appear at independent.com/opinions

DONALD BRUCE RHODES

1/10/1938 - 5/7/2026

Donald Bruce Rhodes, 87, of Santa Barbara, California passed away on May 7th. Born on January 10th, 1938 to German and Scandinavian immigrants, Gerald Rhodes and Mildred Sutfin in Williston, North Dakota, his life was steeped in medicine, baseball, his deep faith, and his family.

The Rhodes family moved to Ellensburg, Washington in 1940 and lived in a home on what is now the campus of Central Washington University. Despite Don’s consistent use of the phrase, “I didn’t just fall off a turnip truck,” when he was in elementary school, the Rhodes family moved to a farm on the outskirts of town on which fruits and vegetables of all varieties were grown, including turnips. With a giant willow tree featuring a tire swing, a fast-flowing creek, and an abundance of flat open space, two of the three Rhodes boys, Don and Loren, grew to be tall, lean left-handed pitching machines. When Don was 10 years old, in addition to having severe asthma, he was diagnosed with appendicitis. He was sent alone to Seattle for the surgery. The surgeon was bemused by all of Don’s questions about appendectomies, and in addition to taking great care of him, asked little Donnie if he would like to be awake during the surgery to watch the procedure on a mirror above the operating table. Not only did this occur, but Don came home with the clear and firm 10-year-old mandate that he would, someday, become a surgeon.

There was rarely a time during his elementary, high school, or collegiate years that he was not working a full-time or part-time job, including working in his father’s hardware store, helping to build the Wanapum Dam along the Columbia River, and driving a delivery truck for ‘United Freight’. A favorite story of his kids involves him working a summer job for the local electric company and being high atop a telephone pole on one of the hottest days of summer in Eastern Washington but choosing to not come down for a good length of time because a coiled rattlesnake was perched at the bottom of the pole.

By the time he graduated from high school in 1955, Don had pitched one of the first high school no-hitters ever recorded and was offered a contract to pitch for the San Francisco Giants. His father, reportedly, dispensed with the contract in favor of Don accepting a full scholarship to the University of Washington to pitch for the Huskies. This decision turned out to be prescient in that the entire Rhodes/Woodruff clan are staunch Dodger fans, the archenemies of the Giants. He also played basketball for the Huskies for his first two years. In his freshman year, he was mistakenly placed in a junior-level zoology course. He received high marks in the class and was asked by the professor to continue in the senior level pre-medical laboratory coursework the next year. The Huskies baseball coach informed him that he would lose his baseball scholarship if he did this, as there was no way for him to take this coursework without missing team travel games. The zoology professor then offered to give Don a teaching assistantship position with financial benefits that equaled his baseball scholarship. Don continued to play for the Huskies, and the team from those years was entered into the Huskies Hall of Fame in 1995. He graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in zoology in 1959 and was admitted to the U.W. School of Medicine. Yet, most importantly during these years was that he met his, at the time, roommate’s girlfriend, Alita Wilcox, and patiently waited until they broke up so that he

could date her. Thus began what was a 65-year relationship with the love of his life and mother of his children. They were married in 1963 at All Saints by the Sea in Santa Barbara, California and lived in Seattle so that he could finish medical school while Alita taught elementary school. He frequently showed up in her classroom in his lab coat to speak to the kids about science/medicine and to put on magic shows for them. Don was not only famous for being able to entertain just about any roomful of people from every walk of life, but for his magic tricks that he spent hours working on in preparation for these ‘shows.’ He continued to present them at Mountain View Elementary School in his own children’s classrooms.

Through Alita, he fell in love with classical music and recounted, many times, his experience hearing Bach’s St. Matthew Passion for the first time on a trip to Chicago as being a conversion-like, life-changing event. His support of his wife’s career as a classical cellist and his own children’s and grandchildren’s musical careers was unwavering despite growing up with little to no musical training or exposure at all. It was also during his time in medical school in Seattle that he was invited to join a group of men under the leadership of Earl Palmer, pre-eminent C.S. Lewis scholar, in studying the works of Lewis. This was a profound experience for Don such that 60 years later, his nearly complete collection of first-edition works of C.S. Lewis was given to Westmont College.

In 1966, Don and Alita’s son Christopher was born in Seattle. In 1967, as the draft was going on, Don enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for a medical research program at the age of 27. This was not to be as shortly thereafter, he was called to serve, active duty, as a captain in the Army as surgeon in the Vietnam War. Two days after his second son, Jesse, was born, he left for Chu Lai, Vietnam. He would end up serving until 1969 and was separated from his family during that year. He missed his wife and boys dearly and Alita would send him reel-to-reel tape recordings that he listened to with such frequency that these works became a part of him. Prime amongst them was Rudolph Serkin’s recording of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and a recording of Dvořák’s New World Symphony. He also built his own bomb shelter under his bed out of an air-conditioning container he found in the MASH unit and described frequently rolling out of bed and into this encasement when rockets were raining down upon their unit. He loved the people of Vietnam, and one of the most moving stories from his time there was when he and another surgeon visited a small village outside of Chu Lai and witnessed babies left to die in the street who had been abandoned due to the mother’s inability to nurse them because of cleft-palates. He and the other surgeon, despite being general surgeons, trained themselves to perform cleft-palate surgical repairs and returned to the village to perform surgeries on these infants and return them to their families. There were also stories of Don entering local restaurants and everyone staring at him because of his 6’4” tall blonde, blue-eyed frame followed by giggling commencing when he started to eat. It took him a few visits to figure out that it was because he was left-handed and no one in Asia ate with the left hand. All three of his children would end up being left-handed as would two of his three grandchildren so this was a gene to be reckoned with on the Rhodes’ side. Don often referred to Alita as being “… the only one in the family in her right mind.”

He would later describe the sheer quantity of surgeries completed in Vietnam as the equiv-

alent of ten years of surgery undertaken in a routine year in his career during non-wartime in the U.S. As with many veterans, he did not openly speak of his time there unless questioned and drawn out about it but when he did, his love for the people of Vietnam was clear and deep as was the pain of all he witnessed and experienced. Shortly after his return, Alita took an Asian cooking class because Don missed Vietnamese cooking so much. Nine months after his return, their daughter, Mary Beth, was born.

Don completed his urological surgery residency at Harbor General, UCLA. The family lived in Palos Verdes until 1974 at which point they moved to Santa Barbara, Alita’s hometown, and Don took on a position as urological surgeon with the Santa Barbara Medical Foundation Clinic, the same clinic at which Alita’s father was a physician. He would go on to serve this establishment as an M.D. for the next 40 years as it became Sansum Health. As a surgeon, he was known for his invention and patent of a device that greatly increased the success rates of reverse-vasectomies, for the founding of the first surgical center in Santa Barbara (the Santa Barbara Surgical Center), for providing the financial means behind the scenes for many of the staff members of the urology department to attend nursing school, for assisting surgeons of other specialties whenever possible, and for frequently operating upon neighborhood animals with tumors or other medical conditions that were of threat to them. These procedures would happen in the family garage with the help of anesthesiologist friends who would come to assist.

As a father, Don coached and assisted with just about every baseball, softball, and basketball team on which Chris, Jesse, and Mary Beth played. He was so engaged in the musical activities of the household that he, himself, took up the clarinet. At the time, the family had moved to an avocado farm in Goleta with abundant wildlife in the area. One evening, all three kids, from an upstairs bedroom, heard an ominous sound that they discerned as either coming from a known defunct toilet in the house or a howling animal and raced downstairs only to realize that what sounded like a coyote in distress, as they closed in upon the sound, was, in fact, their father’s attempts at channeling his inner Benny Goodman.

The avocado farm was tended to entirely by Don and the kids with every last avocado being picked by them every season. He taught the kids, amongst other things, to manage the ‘drip irrigation system’, and this involved using syringes to unplug the drippers and learning how to monitor and adjust water pressure/flow. Not at all unlike urological training. As a father, he stitched up Jesse’s dramatic head wound from careening into a pillar at the bottom of the staircase when he was 9, Mary Beth’s knee and various cooking injuries to her precious violin fingers no less than 4 times, and Chris’s nearly severed finger from a run in with a bagel. He was not only a wonderful father and husband, but the medicine man for the entire Wilcox/ Rhodes/Woodruff tribe.

Don’s sense of humor was such that he could disarm any situation of tension with the sparkle in his eyes that impishly and mischievously alerted those around him that one of his jokes was incoming and about to serve as deliverance in the form of laughter. In a family of musicians, he himself was tone-deaf, yet, had the most impeccable timing and delivery as the teller of a joke. Anyone who has heard his ‘MacGregor’ jokes can probably readily summon his Scottish accent. As the field of medicine evolved during his lifetime, he regretted not being able to spend more time with his patients. He saw and treated his patients as each having his/her own story to tell and often spoke to his own children about the importance of knowing when to listen versus when to speak. He was fascinated with the science of medicine and there was no safe napkin around him in a restaurant, as he would take his Cross pen out and make a napkin-sized diagram of a kidney, ureter, or the vascular supply to the bladder to demonstrate a recent procedure or medical mystery he wanted to share with his kids. On Sundays, for a period of 5 years, he would pick up his patient, 88-year-old Max Stegman, a Holocaust survivor, drive him around, and visit with him after Max’s wife had died and he was living alone. He was truly honored to be a physician, a healer, and friend to his patients.

His years in retirement were spent travelling with Alita, attending any and all concerts involving his children and grandchildren, doing every stinking day of the week New York Times crosswords faster than anyone else in the room, reading to blind residents of the Samarkand Senior Living home, lecturing and leading courses on C.S. Lewis, and serving as an elder at El Montecito Presbyterian Church. As he seemed to be entering the next realm, Alita read The Last Battle from the Chronicles of Narnia to him.

Don is survived by his wife of 63 years, Alita Wilcox Rhodes; his brother, Duane Rhodes; his children, Christopher Rhodes (Sheryl Pognat), Jesse Rhodes, Mary Beth Rhodes Woodruff (Matthew); and his three grandchildren, Aidan, Henry and Claire Woodruff. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at El Montecito Presbyterian Church at 3:00pm on June 13th. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the local music education non-profit: The Rhodes Fund/Santa Barbara Strings (santabarbarastring.org).

The Real Story We Refuse to See About Homelessness

Stability: Hard to Reach, Easy to Lose

BY GINA RODARTE QUIROZ

Homelessness is often framed as a personal failure. People assume it comes down to bad choices, lack of effort, or moral weakness. That story is easy to believe because it lets everyone else look away. But it isn’t true. And the longer we hold onto it, the more people we fail.

I know this firsthand. I lived unhoused in Santa Barbara County for more than six years. I’ve now been housed for more than three. I followed the path people say leads to stability. I worked, stayed committed to recovery, and tried to build a life. Yet today, I’m facing the real possibility of losing my home again. Not because I failed, but because the systems around me did.

It also doesn’t match the stereotypes people hold onto.

This is how homelessness actually happens.

When I was living outside, I was employed. At one point, I worked two jobs at the same time. Having a job did not protect me then, and it doesn’t guarantee protection now. The idea that steady work solves everything ignores the reality of low wages, unstable funding, and a housing market in which one missed paycheck can trigger a collapse.

Last year, I was recruited into AmeriCorps as a homeless outreach worker. The person who brought me in was my former case manager, someone who had once found me living in an encampment near the railroad tracks behind the old Juvenile Hall, now La Posada. She knew my history and believed in what I could offer.

I took that job seriously. I was using my lived experience to help others navigate systems that are often confusing and unforgiving. It felt like I was doing exactly what people expect: giving back, working hard, and staying on track.

Then everything changed overnight.

A new federal administration came in, and AmeriCorps funding was cut. On a Sunday evening, we were told not to come to work the next day. No warning. No transition. No safety net. Just like that, our income was gone.

We eventually took legal action and won. Our positions were reinstated. But the disruption had already caused damage that couldn’t be undone.

More recently, I worked as a Comprehensive Housing Specialist with Partners in Housing Solutions. I had an office at La Cumbre Plaza and spent my days helping others secure and maintain housing. I believed my own situation was stable.

On March 9, 2026, I was laid off again due to funding cuts.

Now I am at serious risk of losing the home I’ve held onto for the past three years. The place where I rebuilt my life. The place that represents stability after years of surviving outside.

This situation isn’t unusual. It’s not an extreme case. It’s a clear example of how fragile stability can be. Homelessness doesn’t just affect people who “gave up.” It affects people who did everything they were told to do and still fell through gaps that are too wide to see until you’re in them.

I didn’t become unhoused because of addiction. I became addicted while I still had housing. I was in a violent domestic relationship that nearly cost me my life. Drugs became a way to cope with that trauma. I’ve now been clean for six years.

Recovery didn’t come from hitting rock bottom. It came from deciding I was worth saving.

What kept me unhoused for so long wasn’t a lack of effort. It was a mix of policies and systems that make stability hard to reach and easy to lose. Criminalization of poverty, underfunded programs, unstable employment tied to short-term funding, and a housing system that often shuts people out all play a role. Even services meant to help can fall short when staff lack training in basic approaches such as Housing First or trauma-informed care.

Today, I serve as the California State Captain for the National Coalition for the Homeless and sit on several boards. My work focuses on changing the policies that punish people for being poor instead of addressing why poverty exists in the first place.

But my story isn’t rare. It reflects a larger pattern.

Data from 2025 shows that 2,455 people are experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara County, with hundreds more incarcerated and not counted. These are not abstract numbers. They are people with histories, losses, and turning points that led them where they are.

It’s important to understand this: Homelessness doesn’t only happen to “other people.” Job loss, illness, violence, and sudden funding cuts can shift anyone’s life quickly. The difference is whether there’s a system strong enough to catch them.

Homelessness is not a character flaw. It is the result of policy decisions.

If we want fewer people living on the streets, we need to stop blaming individuals and start demanding systems that hold up under pressure. That means stronger tenant protections, stable funding for essential programs, and policies that prevent people from falling into crisis in the first place.

It also means listening to people who have lived through it.

I am housed today, but one layoff has put that at risk. That’s not a personal failure. It’s a warning. Because this can happen to anyone, at any time.

The author at an outdoor site where she once lived.

obituaries

Dolphia Lee Blocker 07/29/1932-04/19/2026

The heart and soul of the Blocker family has passed away, peacefully and surrounded by children and grandchildren.

Dolphia Lee Parker was born to Verner and Gladys Parker in Shattuck, Oklahoma, just over the Texas line. She grew up living a rural, ranching life in Texas; a childhood she said was idyllic, along with her beloved five siblings. In order to afford Dolphia and her siblings more opportunities, when the elder siblings began high school, their mother and the children began spending the school year in Alpine, Texas, where Dolphia graduated, and then attended Sul Ross State University, where she met her future husband, Dan Davis Blocker. They married when Dan returned from Korea, in September 1952, and twins, Danna and Debbie, were born in 1953, followed by a son, David, in 1955. Soon thereafter they moved to Hollywood, California so that Dan could pursue his dream of acting. Dan rather quickly began to get acting work, and Dolphia's work soon got busier as well, with the arrival of a second son, Dirk, in 1957.

Despite the popularity of Dan's role in “Bonanza”, making normal life difficult, he and Dolphia remained true to the core of their lives: devotion to family and to each other, and to causes like civil rights, peace and justice, which were inextricably part of their household's culture. Dolphia and the children were devastated by Dan's unexpected death following surgery in 1972, at the age of 43. Dolphia, at 39, managed to keep the family close through the kids teenage years.

When the kids were grown, she moved to her beloved Santa Barbara where she lived the remaining almost 40 years of her life, traveling, writing wonderful poetry, supporting causes, keeping grandchildren for long stays, and hosting holidays in her home, which was always open and welcoming to all, and filled with food and wine, joy and love. Her

children remained close to her, most living in Santa Barbara, drawn there by the truly ineffable, numinous presence she emanated and that was felt by all who met her. While she loved her family unconditionally, she was also a remarkable example of tolerance and acceptance, patience and love for others.

Dolphia was predeceased in death by her sisters, Elaine Caldwell, Marilyn Sullivan and brother, Deryl Parker; she is survived by her sisters Shirley Robinson and Janice Smith. She is also survived by her children and their spouses, five grandchildren and their spouses, and eight great-grandchildren, all of whom cherished her, GD (Grandma Dolph), for all of the above, but also for her humor, fun, great love of life, and unfailing wisdom: As her grandchildren stipulated, years ago, "GD knows all and says all!" The family aches with loss of her, but are grateful for the many years they were blessed to have her, and finds strength in the memories made.

Matthew Joseph Hayes 12/13/1953-01/31/2026

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our brother Matthew Joseph Hayes, who departed on January 31, 2026. A devoted son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew was known for his exceptional kindness and generous spirit. He left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

Matthew is survived by his siblings, John Hayes, Daniel Bowen, Catherine Bowen, and his sister-in-law, Julia Bowen. He also leaves behind his beloved nieces and nephews: Tiffany, Amanda, Nathan, Stephanie, Michael, and Jasmine. He was preceded in death by his mother, Tina Bowen, and his brother, Michael Hayes.

A celebration of life will be held in his honor on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Carpinteria State Park Beach Picnic Area. Family and friends are invited to gather and share memories of a life well-lived.

Light refreshments and food

will be provided. Guests are kindly requested to provide their own preferred beverages. We look forward to honoring Matthew's memory together.

Louis (Louie) William Robinson, Jr. 12/05/1932-05/15/2026

Louis (Louie) William Robinson, Jr. was born 12/5/32 and passed away 5/15/26. He was born in Lompoc to Louis William Robinson and Emma Nidz. He had been deemed terminal June 26, 2023 and given 3 - 6 months to live. With determination and God's help he almost made it to 3 complete years.

Louie married Rachel Campos and had Rachael (Sherry), Paul (deceased), Vance and Gayle.

He married Carolyn Clancy Johns in 1969 and helped bring up his 3 stepsons, Roger, Ron and Randy Johns. With the combined family there are 14 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and this year there will be 2 more great great grandchildren.

His immediate family is: Sherry (James Alexander) deceased; Jamie (Ron), Mason (Kennedy) Boyes; Brooklyn (Ethan) Simonson; Reegan (Aidan) Parkinson; Jake (Chrissy), Gunner (Jordan); Talon (Nora); Harli and Hailey Carswell. Joshua (Cheri), Lexa and Loch Carswell Gayle (Kenneth), Michael (Sabrina), Halle; Kendall, Kane and Hunter; Matthew (Keri) Morgan. Vance, Randall, Robinson Roger (Susan), Taylor (Austin), Annie Adolf; Travis (Victoria), Ella and Konnor Triplett; Raywood and Magnolia Johns; and Dylan Johns. Ron (Beverly), Kirsten and Kale Johns Randy (Karen), Kendall (Nathaniel), Sutton Norwood; Cameron (Bianca), Francesca and Clark Johns.

He is survived by many nieces and nephews.

According to his wishes there will be no services.

If you would like to make donations in his name, please donate to VNA Health, 512 E. Gutierrez St., Ste. A, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

A special shout out to Denise, who has been his

nurse for almost 3 years and was wonderful.

Donald "Don" Mueller 10/20/1932-05/11/2026

In Loving Memory of Don, the guy who always had a joke and a need for speed, was born on October 20, 1932, to Arthur and Ruth Mueller in Los Angeles, California.

Don passed away peacefully on May 11, 2026, surrounded by his loving family, just six weeks after the passing of his beloved wife and best friend, Marcia.

A resident of Santa Barbara since 1960, Don worked as a lineman in the transmission department for Southern California Edison, retiring after a dedicated career in 1988.

Don also loved his job at the Ben Page Youth Center, where he served as the head of maintenance for 20 years.

He was an avid boater who loved spending his weekends waterskiing with local boat clubs throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Don’s ultimate passion, however, was quarter-mile drag boat racing. He was a highly respected driver and hired to drive for many successful teams. Drag boat racing took him and his family to numerous venues all across the country, winning many championships along the way.

Over the years, Don owned many classic cars and trucks, showcasing them at shows all over California. He was an active and proud member of the Burbank Road Kings. Don and Marcia loved being part of the Road Kings family and made many long, lasting friendships.

Don is preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 73 years, Marcia, and his son, Donnie Jr. He is survived by his daughter, Cheryl Vendrame (Doug), and his son, Steve Mueller (Nancy). He leaves behind four grandchildren: Jordon Vendrame (Kimi), Jared Vendrame (Christina), Elizabeth Mueller Ceballas, and Nicholas Mueller. He is also survived by four greatgrandchildren: Simon Vendrame, Chelsea Kunde, Fisher Rhoades, and Samantha Ceballas; his sister, Marcia Bryars; and his beloved

dog,"Moosey".

Don will forever be remembered as the "Mayor of Tajo Drive." He was loved by all of his neighbors for his quick sense of humor, his boundless generosity, and his constant willingness to lend a hand. He will be truly missed by all who had the privilege to know and love him.

Please join us to celebrate “Don & Marcia and the wonderful life they shared. The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the San Antonio Village Clubhouse, 39 North San Marcos Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93111.

Shirley Lehrer 07/22/1929-05/06/2026

Shirley Lehrer died on May 6, 2026 at the age of 96. She was born on July 22, 1929 in Los Angeles where she lived, married, raised her daughters, and worked alongside her husband in the family business started by her husband of 76 years, Seymour Lehrer, who died earlier this year. She enjoyed spending time in natural environments-particularly Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks –and appreciated international travel as well.

The Lehrers retired in 1991 and settled in Montecito, where she became active at the Music Academy of the West. Shirley was a member of the Music Academy Auxiliary and participated in its various fund-raising activities. She was a devotee of classical music and art and philanthropically supported the Music Academy, the Santa Barbara Symphony, Opera Santa Barbara, CAMA, State Street Ballet, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. She was also a generous supporter of many other Santa Barbara non-profit organizations including Congregation B’nai B’rith, Cottage Hospital, Hillel at UCSB, and the Jewish Federation.

Shirley is survived by her daughters Karen Lehrer (Steve Sherwin) and Ellen Lehrer Orlando (Tom Orlando), and by her grandson Brett Orlando, her great grandchildren, Mia and Julian Orlando, and her sister, Doris Schaffer.

obituaries

Norma Royale Bena- vides Wilder

08/09/1943-04/04/2026

Norma Royale Benavides Wilder, 82, of Santa Barbara, CA, passed away peacefully on April 4th, 2026 at Valle Verde Senior Living Community. She was surrounded by family and friends in a very loving environment at the time of her passing. She will be dearly missed.

Born on August 9th 1943 in Berea, Kentucky, she was the daughter of Winifred and Charles Wilder.

Norma graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and History from Beloit College and went on to finish two Master’s Degrees. One in South American Literature at the University of Tennessee Knoxville and the other later in her life in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, CA. From 1963 to 1965 she served two years in the Peace Corps in Guatemala. She then worked as a teacher in California and a Secretary Clerk for the Governor of Wisconsin.

Her passion for traveling the world was a family tradition, inherited from her parents and shared with her sister Barbara. She was married to Alonso Benavides in 1971 and they eventually settled in San Jose, Costa Rica where her focus was on raising a family and also managing a refugee farm for El Salvadorian refugees escaping the countries civil war of the 1980’s. The refugee farm was appropriately named Finca Doña Norma (Ms Norma’s Farm).

After her return to California, and divorce in 1994, she worked for the County of Santa Barbara at CALM and the Juvenile Probation and Mental Health Departments as a Counselor and Court Assessor. She retired from working with Santa Barbara County after 20 years of dedicated service.

Throughout her life, Norma was a member of the Unitarian Church and enjoyed social events with family and friends more than anything. She was known for her humor, laughter, warmth and dynamic storytelling.

Norma’s passion in her latter years was writing. She wrote and published two books; The Longer I Live, The Wilder It Gets, and How Does Bilingual Psychotherapy Work?

She is survived by her sister Barbara, children Mia, Karlos and Sofia, grandchildren Ty, Mylie, Emma, Olivia and Yenci, as well as her only nephew and niece Charles and Laura.

Her family will be holding a private memorial service in Carpinteria on May 30th to celebrate her life.

Norma’s final wishes were to have her ashes planted with a tree which will be planted on the family property.

Judith Schiefen 05/03/1940-05/14/2026

It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of Judith Arlene Schiefen on the morning of May 14, 2026 at the age of 86 in her hometown of Santa Barbara, California.

Born on May 3, 1940, Judy was the first born of Rita and Elmer Wilson and the beloved older sister of Dennis Wilson. From an early age, she possessed a knack for creativity, and a quiet strength that would carry her through the course of her life.

A graduate of Santa Barbara High, where she was involved in the Girls’ Ensemble, Pep Club, and was the senior editor of the school’s yearbook, O&G, Judy had aspirations to pursue a career in nursing at Los Angeles General Hospital. But life, as it so often did with Judy, had other plans. One evening, cruising State Street, Judy met the love of her life, David Schiefen, a fateful encounter at the Blue Onion diner that would shape the next 66 years of her story.

Dave and Judy were married at Our Lady of Sorrows in Santa Barbara on November 20, 1960 followed by a reception at the El Encanto, commencing their life-long partnership, built on unwavering devotion, resilience, and deep love. With Judy at the helm, they raised four children– Elizabeth, Suzanne, Michael, and Kimberly, and created a family life steeped in tradition, and togetherness. While they traveled the

world together, visiting many different countries, their happiest memories were made during summers spent camping at Shaver Lake, a place where they would eventually build a cabin that became a second home to their family. There, Judy’s love can be found in the details of hand-sewn patchwork quilts, carefully stitched Christmas stockings, and the traditions that drew their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren together year after year.

Judy would ultimately revisit her early ambition to help those in need through her work as a medical assistant at the Children’s Medical Clinic of Santa Barbara. Beyond raising her family, it was there that she found a great sense of purpose, and she took pride in the support and comfort she brought to children and families over the course of a decade.

Life was not always gentle with Judy. She endured a difficult battle with breast cancer at the age of 49, and the unimaginable grief of losing her only son in 1992, yet she continued to find the same quiet strength. Through each of life’s storms, Dave remained her steadfast safe harbor –her place to seek shelter and strength, and she loved him deeply through their final days together.

Remembered for her love and resilience, her sweet tooth, and her fierce competitive nature (whether bowling, bingo, ping-pong, or left/right/ center, she played to win), Judy is survived by her husband of 66 years, David, her children: Elizabeth (Douglas), Suzanne (Ross), Kimberly (Michael), her grandchildren: Robert (Kelli), Melissa (Armando), Megan, Lauren, Garrett, Grant, Gavin, and Grayson; and her greatgrandchildren: Blake, Madelyn, Reese, and Lizzie.

Our family will miss her deeply, and while her absence leaves a void in our hearts, we find comfort in the thought of one day hearing her voice again, welcoming us with a simple, loving, “hey you.”

A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, May 28, at 11am with a reception to immediately follow at the Old Mission Santa Barbara.

Kabir Chalfin 04/18/1961-05/05/2026

Kabir Chalfin was born Richard Chalfin on April 18, 1961, in Sheepshead Bay, New York. He was the youngest of three sons born to Leonard and Eleanor Chalfin.

Even in his “Richie” days— before adopting the Kabir moniker—Kabir always seemed to be the gravitational center of any group he joined. In those early years, more often than not, the group congregated in the basement of his parents’ home.

In 1973, Kabir attended his first Grateful Dead concert, and his life was never the same. From that moment on, the Grateful Dead became a wellspring of joy, friendship and community—a lasting source of happiness, camaraderie and deep belonging.

Kabir was unconventional, and he happily charted his own path through life – always according to his own sensibilities. After leaving high school early and earning his GED, he joined a traveling carnival, where he worked as a barker for the then brand-new WhacA-Mole game.

Kabir dedicated much of his adult life to the service of others, beginning perhaps with the selfless work he performed at ashrams in New York and India. At the Shree Muktananda Ashram in the Catskills, Kabir helped manage a facility devoted to spiritual practice and inner peace. He also spent meaningful time at Gurudev Siddha Peeth in Ganeshpuri, India—the Siddha Yoga “mother ashram” where Siddha Yoga began. There, Kabir became known as the “key man” because he was entrusted with keys to nearly every lock in the ashram. It was a fitting role for a man who unlocked so many joyful and transformative experiences for so many people.

After returning to the United States, and following a brief stay in the Bay Area, Kabir made his home in Santa Barbara, California. In 1993, he began helping people with hearing loss, and over the course of a career spanning more than thirty years, Kabir lovingly helped thousands of

people to hear better.

In Santa Barbara, Kabir founded SB Music Phreaks, a Facebook group and community hub that continues to connect people with live music and one-another in and around the city. He also co-founded Tribe, a coed adult softball team that helped Jewish people in Santa Barbara to build enduring friendships and community. The relationships and families formed through Tribe continue to this day.

As his sixty-fifth birthday approached, Kabir’s adventurous spirit called him once again, and he bravely moved from California to Southeast Asia, where he continued—as he always had—to meet kind people and to spread joy and laughter.

Kabir was a loyal friend. He was dependable, cheerful, thoughtful and kind; at times mischievous, but always reverent toward the sacred and the sublime. Most of Kabir’s friends remember the day he first entered their lives. How could one forget meeting Kabir? Maybe he was the empathetic professional helping you or someone you loved to hear more clearly. Maybe he was the kind stranger teaching people to hula hoop in the park. Maybe he was the charismatic yogi chanting in an ashram, glowing with love and emanating warmth. Or maybe he was the tie-dyed man with the giant smile and booming belly laugh, dancing and hula hooping in the back of a concert venue. Wherever you met him, he probably was surrounded by people who loved him then— and who love him still.

Kabir often ended his written communications with these words, which speak volumes about both his worldview and the impact he had on others: May the wicked become good.

May the good obtain peace. May the peaceful be freed from bonds.

May the freed set others free. Kabir is survived by his brothers, Marty Chalfin and Les Chalfin; his nieces, Ana Chalfin and Olivia Chalfin; and countless close friends who considered him family.

His memory is a blessing to us all.

Santa Barbara Independent’s 2026

“Theater, at its best, is community. A free community,” as playwright Herb Gardner put it. “We get together without projectors, screens, and gimmicks live people telling other live people a story. Whatever story we please. American theater at its best, at its most alive, is a place of infinite variety. Home of the subversive and the sublime, the maverick and the madman, the inspired and the inspiring, the sage and the clown, and most important, the brave. And the free.”

Santa Barbara’s vibrant and resilient theater community came together last week to honor those ideals at the 2026 Indy Awards.

Held on Monday, May 18 (a traditionally dark night for theater), at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club, the festive crowd was once again excited to cheer on their fellow artists and theater aficionados in a beloved tradition that began 35 years ago in 1991 when, as Santa Barbara Independent Editorin-Chief Marianne Partridge explained, former Arts Editor

LESLIE DINABERG

for the

This year’s celebration of the Independent’s 40th anniversary “would not have been possible without the support of every single person in the theater community,” said Partridge, the paper’s cofounder. “You gave us so many wonderful stories. It was one of the Independent’s early mandates that we intended that we would do everything we could to support the theater community, and this moment for us to be able to thank you means a lot. … Who doesn’t want to give awards to the people that do the most dangerous, horrible, terrible work in the world, being in the theater? I mean, it’s the worst, and you guys nevertheless have turned out such incredible work. So, we’re all grateful, and that’s why we’re here today.”

Working on the Indy Awards this year which honored work between April 2025 and April 2026 (with some May high school musical performances) was yours truly (Leslie Dinaberg, Arts & Culture Editor) and Indy Marketing, Event

August Armstrong, Lighting Award, UCSB’s Animal Farm

Michael Bernard, Director Award, UCSB’s POTUS

Mark Booher, Curtain Call Award, Retiring Artistic Director/Dean of PCPA

Karyl Lynn Burns, Curtain Call Award, Retiring Artistic Director of Rubicon Theatre Company

Yasmine Castaneda, Costumes Award, UCSB’s Animal Farm

Amber Coltrin, High School Performance Award, San Marcos High School

INDY AWARDS

INGRID BOSTROM AND ELAINE SANDERS

Indy Award–winning artist and two-time Santa Barbara Independent Local Hero Rod Lathim proved himself a hero once again, and served as our dashing emcee for the evening, accompanied by a life-sized shark (embodied by Independent queen of awesomeness Erin Lynch), to make sure that award winners didn’t go over their allotted time for acceptance speeches.

The history of the theater community played a prominent role, with special Curtain Call Awards going to several soon-to-be retired luminaries, including Mark Booher, who is retiring as Artistic Director/Dean of PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre). “It does feel a little odd to get a gift for having received a gift for 27 years of work at PCPA,” said Booher, who will retire in December. “I just want to say, as your creative partners all the way up in North County,

Malachi Cottrell, Michelle Drown Student Performance Award, Dos Pueblos High School

Mary Bridget Davies, Performance Award, Ensemble Theatre Company’s A Night with Janis Joplin

Sam Dei Rossi, Stage Manager Award

Salli and Irwin Eve, Michael Smith Theater Hero Award, Out of the Box Theatre Company

Pat Frank, Curtain Call Award, Retiring Set Designer, Theatre Group at SBCC

Noelle Hadsall, High School Performance Award, Dos Pueblos High School

Michael Smith wanted to come up with a way to show our support

theater community of Santa Barbara.

& Promotions pro Richelle Boyd, with a crackerjack team that included Callie Fausey, Tiana Molony, Terry Ortega, Xavier Pereyra, Sarah Sinclair, and Maggie Yates, with support from EJI Events.

SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON SANTA BARBARA’S DRAMATIC

DYNAMOS BEHIND-THE-SCENES SUPERSTARS

we feel great fidelity with you and a bond with the total theater community, and let’s keep doing what we’re doing,” he added. “It’s very hard a lot of the time, and occasionally we get these shiny moments that are delightful, but it’s vital to ourselves, to our communities, and to this civilization. And you all know more than ever, it’s critical right now for us to keep doing the work of artists here locally, but also across our nation.”

Additional Curtain Call Awards went to Rubicon Artistic Director Karyl Lynn Burns, UCSB Theater & Dance Professor Sean O’Shea, and Pat Frank, who is retiring after 41 years as set designer for the Theatre Group at SBCC. Frank laughed as she acknowledged that she’s been doing Santa Barbara theater one year longer than the Independent “I want to thank everyone that supports theater. It’s very important in this world that we’re living in right now.”

Also new to the Indy Awards in 2026 were two honors named for former Independent team members. The inaugural Michael Smith Theater Hero Award was given to the Eve

Family for their longtime support of Out of the Box Theatre Company. Salli and Irwin Eve have been an integral part of the Out of the Box process since their daughter Samantha founded it in 2009, helping with costuming, props, consulting, and everything in between. You’ve probably spotted them at intermission during shows, selling Sam’s homebaked treats all for the love of theater.

Former Independent Arts Editor Michelle Drown, a passionate advocate and cheerleader for high school theater, sadly passed away this year. The inaugural Michelle Drown Student Performance Award, presented by Michelle’s dear friend and theatergoing buddy Terry Ortega, went to Malachi Cottrell of Dos Pueblos, for what she called, “his hilarious performance of the eccentric director in Curtains,” adding, “his command of the director’s scarf was amazing.”

For the first time ever, we gave an award to the hardworking but seldom heralded stage manager Sam Dei Rossi, who has been behind the scenes for many years, making sure things run smoothly at multiple companies. “My running

Matthew Herman and Mike Billings, Stage Artistry Award, Rubicon Theatre Company’s Bonnie and Clyde

Ily Litonjua, Set Design Award, Westmont College’s Antigonick

Cecily MacDougall and Megan Philipp, Expanding Boundaries Award, State Street Ballet

Anastasia Malliaras, Opera Award, Opera Santa Barbara’s Cleopatra

Diana Mateescu and Pesha Rudnick, Costumes Award, UCSB’s Naked Shakes production of The Tempest

Jody Nelson, Usher of the Year Award

joke is that if I’m on stage, something’s wrong,” she joked during her acceptance. “The other running joke being that you know if the stage manager is good at their job, you don’t really pay any attention to them, so thank you,” she added.

Along with performances from students of Santa Barbara, Dos Pueblos, and San Marcos high schools, almost two dozen people gave entertaining, gracious, charming and heartfelt acceptance speeches full of gratitude to be able to create work they love and have it be recognized and appreciated by our community.

Lathim capped off the program by saying, “Please keep making theater that enlightens, entertains, sheds light on both the beauty and the brokenness of this chaotic world that we live in. Bertolt Brecht said, ‘Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.’ So, speak up, be heard. The arts will preserve our sanity. We will get through this.”

And on that joyful note drumroll, please here is a roll call of this year’s Indy Award Winners.

Rylan Nelson, High School Performance Award, Santa Barbara High School

Sean O’Shea, Curtain Call Award, Retiring Professor, UCSB Theater and Dance

Tiffany Story, Performance Award, Theatre Group at SBCC’s Young Frankenstein

Bethany Thomas, Performance Award, PCPA’s Songs for Nobodies

Meredith Ventura, Choreography Award, Out of the Box Theatre Company’s Jagged Little Pill

Dillon Yuhasz, Ones to Watch Award, Not Half Bad Theater’s The Story of War

The gang’s all here, as guests enjoy the Indy Awards after-party at SOhO.

Limited spots still available for select JuneJuly camps (K-6)

MOXI Camps bring play-based STEAM adventures to grades K–6 with hands-on creativity, exploration, and discovery. moxi.org/camps

Builders, trainers, and adventurers unite!

Level up your family night out with an action-packed evening of block-building challenges, collectible creature quests, and hands-on retro adventures for all ages.

Costumes encouraged. Recharge between rounds with food + drinks available for purchase.

@sbindependent on all platforms

INDY AWARDS 2026

Megan Philipp (left), and Cecily MacDougall, Expanding Boundaries Award, State Street Ballet

Mark Booher, Curtain Call Award, Retiring Artistic Director/Dean of PCPA

Meredith Ventura, Choreography Award, Out of the Box Theatre Company’s Jagged Little Pill

High School Performance Award Honorees (from left) Rylan Nelson, Amber Coltrin, and Noelle Hadsall

Michael Bernard, Director Award, UCSB’s POTUS

Sam Dei Rossi, Stage Manager Award

Salli and Irwin Eve, Michael Smith Theater Hero Award, Out of the Box Theatre Company

Brian MacDonald accepting for Mary Bridget Davies, Performance Award, for Ensemble Theatre Company’s A Night with Janis Joplin

Diana Mateescu (left) and Pesha Rudnick, Costumes Award, for UCSB Naked Shakes production of The Tempest

Malachi Cottrell, Michelle Drown Student Performance Award, Dos Pueblos High School

Anastasia Malliaras, Opera Award, Opera Santa Barbara’s Cleopatra

Jody Nelson, Usher of the Year Award

Sean O’Shea, Curtain Call Award, Retiring Professor, UCSB Theater and Dance

August Armstrong, Lighting Award, UCSB’s Animal Farm

Yasmine Castaneda, Costumes Award, UCSB’s Animal Farm

Tiffany Story, Performance Award, Theatre Group at SBCC’s Young Frankenstein

Dillon Yuhasz, Ones to Watch Award, Not Half Bad Theater’s The Story of War

Pat Frank, Curtain Call Award, Retiring Set Designer, Theatre Group at SBCC

Ily Litonjua, Set Design Award, Westmont College’s Antigonick

Jody Nelson and friends celebrate.

Robert and Riley Rodarte of HappySad Theatre Company

Tiana Molony presents August Armstrong with his Indy Award.

Diana Mateescu shows off her award.

Rylan Nelson and Melody Toye perform.

Guests enjoy the Indy Award program.

Emcee Rod Lathim

“This isn’t nostalgia. It’s a living, breathing celebration led by musicians who understand the soul of the music.”

JUNE 13

Led by Ray Benson, the ever-evolving group — now over 100 members strong across its history — continues its tradition of renewal with the 2025 release Riding High In

lovable.” - The Guardian

Prepare to be captivated by the incomparable John C. Reilly in Mister Romantic, a vaudeville show that has already garnered critical acclaim and captured the public’s imagination.

“Marsalis has tackled imposing jazz masterworks before … but at its best, his ‘Belonging’ goes deeper … It’s a performance that both honors and amplifies.” — The New York Times

TUESDAY SEPT 29 2026

Experience an unforgettable evening where country tradition meets cosmic California cool. A five-time GRAMMY® winner, Country Music Hall of Famer, and one of country music’s most influential storytellers, Stuart brings more than 50 years of musical mastery to the stage, joined by the dazzling musicianship of Kenny Vaughan, Harry Stinson, and Chris Scruggs.

Tickets here!

Independent Calendar

THURSDAY 5/28

5/28: S.B. Blues Society Presents Mike Zito Award-winning guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, and bandleader Mike Zito will bring his modern electric blues with roots, Americana, and southern rock sound to S.B. in this debut. 7pm. Carrillo Ballroom, 100 E. Carrillo St. $10-$45. Call (805) 668-6884 or email info@ sbblues.org sbblues.org

5/28: AFSB Spring 2026 Lecture Series: Discover Your Home’s History with Betsy Green From reviewing old phone books, maps, and building permits to exploring genealogy websites, area historian Betsy Green will share tips and tricks for becoming your own house detective. 6-8pm. Architecture Foundation of S.B., 229 E. Victoria St. Pay-what-you-can. Email info@afsb.org afsb.org/news-events

5/28: Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library Presents an Educating Conversation: Fr. Gerónimo Boscana, Franciscan Missionary Ethnographer John R. Johnson, PhD, curator emeritus of anthropology at the S.B. Museum of Natural History for 37 years, will discuss Fr. Gerónimo Boscana, Franciscan Missionary Ethnographer, whose extensive description of the “Acágchemem” or Juaneño Indians of Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of the classics of California anthropology. 6-8pm. Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library, 2201 Laguna St. $24.99-$29.99. Call (805) 682-4713 x131. sbmal.org/events

5/28: Opening to Intuition Workshop: From Subtle Awareness to Inspired Action Learn from an intuitive empath and educator how to access inner knowing and work with it in a way that’s grounded and reliable, and discover which approach resonates best with methods including tarot, kinesiology, pendling, and somatic signifiers. 6:30-8pm. Paradise Found, 17 E. Anapamu St. $44. (805) 564-3573. tinyurl.com/Open-Intuition

5/28-5/31: Rubicon Theatre Company Presents Eleanor Kandis Chappell will bring First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to life in this one-woman show that follows Eleanor from the shadows of the White House to the global stage in this rich personal account of the Roosevelt family, dynasty and presidency. Thu.-Fri.: 7pm; Sat. 2 and 7pm. Sun.: 2pm. Rubicon Theatre, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. $30-$155. Call (805) 667-2900. rubicontheatre.org/shows-events

FRIDAY 5/29

5/29-5/30: Selah Dance Collective Presents Disco Elysium Join this immersive dance-theater experience that invites the audience to move and explore a world where contemporary dance, disco-era spectacle, and cabaret collide with a cast of dancers and collaborators. Fri.: 7pm; Sat.: 2 and 7pm. L’Image Gallery, 111 E. Yanonali St. GA: $35; VIP: $75. Email info@selah.dance selah.dance/disco

THURSDAY

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

FRIDAY

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

SATURDAY

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

SUNDAY

Goleta: Camino Real Marketplace, 10am-2pm

TUESDAY

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

WEDNESDAY

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

FISHERMAN’S MARKET

SATURDAY

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

5/29: British Beat: The Legends of ’60s British Rock From the British Invasion to the anthems that defined a generation, this powerhouse tribute will perform classic songs by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Monkees, and more. 7:30pm. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. $49-$69. Call (805) 963-0761. lobero.org

SATURDAY 5/30

5/30: Safe & Secure: Women’s SelfDefense Workshop Learn to recognize danger early and how to respond decisively as well as practical, effective, reality-based training for real-world situations with a focus on simplicity, efficiency, and confidence. No experience is necessary. 1-5pm. Yoga Soup, 28 Parker Wy. $75. Ages 16+. Call (805) 965-8811. tinyurl.com/Women-Defense

5/29, 5/31, 6/3: SOhO Restaurant & Music Club Fri.: Monkfish, Frogs Don’t Pay Rent, Sophia Montano, 8pm. $10-$18. Ages 21+. Sun.: Kim Collin’s Jazz Combo Workshop, noon. Free Sun.: Herman Matthews Presents: Phatback, Earl & Me! 7:30pm. $23-$29. Wed.: Agent Orange, The Drowns, 8pm. $28-$32. Ages 21+. 1221 State St. Call (805) 962-7776. sohosb.com

5/29: Carhartt Family Wines

5/29: Eos Lounge David Hohme. 500 Anacapa St. 9pm. $12.36. Ages 21+. Call (805) 564-2410. eoslounge.com

5/30-5/31: Cold Spring Tavern Sat.: Honeysuckle Possums. Sun.: Teresa Russell. 5995 Stagecoach Rd. 1:30pm. Free. Call (805) 967-0066. coldspringtavern.com

5/30-5/31: Hook’d Bar and Grill Sat.: The New Vibe, 4pm. Sun.: Out of the Blue (Unplugged), 1pm. 116 Lakeview Dr., Cachuma Lake. Free. Call (805) 350-8351. hookdbarandgrill.com/ music-on-the-water

Live Music T-Bone Ramblers, 5-8pm. 2939 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. Free. Call (805) 693-5100. tinyurl.com/T-Bone-Ramblers

5/29-5/30: M.Special Brewing Co. (Goleta) Fri.: Dylan Cunningham Band. Sat.: Dadbod Confessional. 6860 Cortona Dr., Ste. C, Goleta. 7-9pm. Free. Call (805) 968-6500. mspecialbrewco.com

5/29-5/30: M.Special Brewing Co. (S.B.) Fri.: East Valley Road. Sat.: Bradberri. 634 State St. 8pm. Free. Call (805) 308-0050. mspecialbrewco.com

5/29-5/30: Maverick Saloon Fri.: CRV. Sat.: Rebel Heart. 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. 8:30pm. Call (805) 686-4785. Ages 21+. mavericksaloon.com/ event-calendar

5/30: Restaurant Roy Schnack ‘n Bari Jazz Quartet Free. 7 W. Carillo St. 7pm. Call (805) 966-5636. tinyurl.com/Schnack-n-Bari

5/31: Corks and Crowns The InVocations Album Release. 32 Anacapa St. 3pm. Free. Email theinvocations music@gmail.com. tinyurl.com/The-InVocations

5/31: Longoria Wines Maggie Sullivan. 732 State St. Free. 3-5pm. Email info@longoriawine.com longoriawines.com/events

6/1: The Red Piano Church on Monday: Juan Dolor, 7:30pm. 519 State St. $5. Call (805) 358-1439. theredpiano.com

6/2: S.B. Bowl Lord Huron, Fightmaster. $42.50-$109.50. 1122 N. Milpas St. 7pm. Call (805) 962-7411. sbbowl.com

Mike Zito

SATURDAY 5/30

5/30: S.B. Music Club Scholarship Concerts This concert will feature outstanding scholarship recipients, including vocalists, wind players, string players, and pianists. There will be a second concert on Saturday, June 6. 3pm. Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 4575 Auhay Dr. Free. Email concerts@SBMusicClub.org sbmusicclub.org

5/30: MOXI Family Party: Game On Families are invited to this action-packed evening of block-building challenges, collectible creature quests, and hands-on retro adventures for all ages. Costumes encouraged (no weaponry). Food and drinks will be available for purchase. 5-8pm. MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, 125 State St. Children: $15-$20; adults: $20-$35. Call (805) 770-5000. moxi.org/visit/calendar

5/30: American Direct Cinema Revisited: An Afternoon with Gordon Quinn See a screening of the documentaries Happy Mother’s Day (1693) and Home for Life (1966) followed by a discussion from legendary documentary filmmaker Gordon Quinn, who will discuss his lifelong commitment to the direct cinema movement (a major turning point in the history of American documentary filmmaking in the late 1950s and early 1960s). 2-4:30pm. Pollock Theater, UCSB. Free. Call (805) 893-4637. carseywolf.ucsb.edu

SUNDAY 5/31

5/31: Ojai Design x Vintage Shop this curated marketplace of top antique and vintage designers plus designers in sustainability and handsome clothing, accessories, and beauty products, with food for purchase and live music. 10am-4pm. Matilija Campus, 703 El Paseo Rd., Ojai. Free. Email lisa@emprds.com. tinyurl.com/Pop-Up-Ojai

5/31: Kalo Taxidi Farewell to Hermes Join to wish the Museum’s secondcentury CE Roman sculpture, “Lansdowne Hermes,” a good journey to the Getty Villa with poetry readings and incantations, music performed on modern replicas of ancient instruments, creating your own winged helmet, and raising a glass to toast this trickster, bringer of dreams, and comrade of the feast. Noon-2pm. S.B. Museum of Art, 1130 State St. Free. Email info@sbma.net sbma.net/events

5/31: Peace of Mind 2026: 10,000 Steps in the Right Direction Fundraising Walk S.B.’s Mental Wellness Center and One Mind invite you to walk 10,000 steps (4.5 miles) to raise funds for community services, research, and treatment for anxiety and depression. Check-in: 8am; walk: 9am. Alma Rosa Winery Estate, 7250 Santa Rosa Rd., Buellton. $70. Call (805) 884-8440. tinyurl.com/2026-Peace

5/31: Light & Flight: The Music of Lauridsen and Tin: A Modern American Choral Collaborative Grammywinner Christopher Tin will conduct his own works and the Choral Society’s Artistic Director/Conductor JoAnne Wasserman will conduct Morten Lauridsen’s ethereal Lux Aeterna, that will feature singers from the Santa Clarita Master Chorale and Torrence-based Los Cancioneros Master Chorale as well as the Choral Society singers and orchestra. 3 and 7pm. Trinity Lutheran Church 909 N. La Cumbre Rd. $30. Call (805) 965-6577. sbchoral.org

5/31: Godmothers Gather: Shannon Algeo & Seane Corn Author and yoga teacher Sean Corn will be in discussion with psychotherapist and meditation teacher Shannon Algeo to discuss “The Power in Your Hands: Liberate Yourself from Attachment to Technology,” which considers the relationships with phones and how scrolling disconnects us from our soul. 6-7pm. Godmothers, 2280 Lillie Ave., Summerland. $30. Email info@godmothers.com godmothers.com/events

MONDAY 6/1

6/1: A Natural History of Human Longevity Michael Gurven, PhD, UCSB professor of anthropology and author of Seven Decades: How We Evolved to Live Longer, will provide new perspectives on the why and how of longevity over the course of human evolution. 7-8:30pm. Fleischmann Auditorium, S.B. Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol. Free. Email sbcas@sbnature 2.org sbnature.org/calendar

6/1: Join the Core Nursery Volunteer Team! Team Channel Islands Restoration invites you to receive hands-on specialized training from seed propagation to soil prep, transplanting, and more in support of restoration efforts in our community. Three-hour sessions are once per week as your schedule allows. 5pm. CIR Native Plant Nursery, 1070 More Ranch Rd. Free. Call (805) 448-5726. cirweb.org/calendar

6/1: Foraging Walk with Robin Greenfield in Santa Barbara Join environmental activist Robin Greenfield, who advocates for sustainable living and food sovereignty for a walk to learn how to safely and sustainably forage the common edible and medicinal plants to make them a foundational part of your life. 6-8pm. Douglas Preserve, 2551 Medcliff Rd. $10-$40 donations accepted. tinyurl.com/Foraging-Walk

TUESDAY 6/2

6/2: The Evolution of Long Life: Science, Society, and Human Futures Join Joel Rothman and Amy Boddy in conversation with Michael Gurven about his new book, Seven Decades: How We Evolved to Live Longer, about why humans live so long, reaching limits of human longevity, and how exploring huntergatherer ancestry might help us live healthier lives. 4-5:30pm. Mosher Alumni House, UCSB. tinyurl.com/Life-Evolution

WEDNESDAY 6/3

6/3: Ensemble Theatre Company Presents Every Brilliant Thing In this interactive solo show, Nicholas Mongiard-Cooper narrates as a character who tries to cope with his mother’s suicide attempt that prompts the seven-year-old to search for ways to understand and lift her depression by documenting the joys in life. The play previews on June 3 and runs through June 21. 7:30pm. The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St. Pay-WhatYou-Can. Call (805) 965-5400. etcsb.org

Music Scene

5/30: UCSB Middle East Ensemble This concert, under the direction of Scott Marcus, will include singers and dancers. 7:30pm. Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall. $7-$10. Find more information at music.ucsb.edu/concert-series. Call (805) 893-2064.

5/31: UCSB Student Carillon Recital Bring a blanket or lawn chair to listen to students present a recital. 10am. Storke Tower. Free

6/2: UCSB Ensemble for Contemporary Music The ensemble will showcase contemporary compositions under the direction of Jonathan Moerschel. 7:30pm. Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall. $7-$10.

6/3: UCSB Chamber Players Under the direction of Jonathan Moerschel, these musicians will present a concert of classical masterpieces. 7:30pm. Karl Geiringer Hall. $7-$10.

Find more information at music.ucsb.edu/concert-series Call (805) 893-2064.

6/1: UCSB Chamber Orchestra Enjoy a performance of classical works. 7:30pm. Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall. $7-$10. Find more information at music.ucsb.edu/concert-series. Call (805) 893-2064.

SPOTLIGHTING UCSB READS

CAMPUS-WIDE PROGRAM HOSTS BOOK GIVEAWAYS, WORKSHOPS, AND AUTHOR VISITS

by Alice Dehghanzadeh

For two decades, UCSB Reads has turned a usually solitary activity into a collective experience. Run by the UC Santa Barbara Library, the program offers conversation and collaboration between students, faculty, staff, and community members over a single book each year, and they host events such as book giveaways, workshops, and author visits.

The program was launched in 2007 in partnership with the library and the Executive Vice Chancellor at the time, Gene Lucas. In a recent author talk’s opening remarks, University Librarian Todd Grappone described UCSB Reads’ mission as “foster[ing] a shared sense of belonging” by bringing the campus and community together through a shared book. Despite its growth, the program maintains its mission today but has also broadened its theme into something more relatable instead of the initial “Earth Day” theme back in 2007.

than 400 pages, fairly recent, critically acclaimed, and adaptable for classroom discussion.

This year, UCSB Reads is celebrating its 20th anniversary, with one fête being the 20-year exhibition located on the first floor of the UCSB Library. Sara Kelly, Exhibitions and Events Manager at the library as well as co-curator of the exhibition, said that it “highlights the scope of the program and the different titles that [they’ve] been lucky enough to feature as each year’s UCSB Reads pick.”

This exhibition shows statistics about the program as well as quotes, such as one from Elizabeth Kolbert, author of the first book chosen for UCSB Reads, Field Notes from a Catastrophe Photos of the covers of each selected book are also currently displayed in the exhibition, as well as custom bookmarks that passersby can take.

“It’s been fun to see students stop in front of [the exhibition] and look at everything,” Kelly shared. “I’ve definitely heard comments of people not believing that the Dalai Lama was here for UCSB Reads.”

Kelly and the library’s Director of Communications and External Relations Johannes Steffens shared a bit about the behind-the-scenes process of selecting each year’s book, confirming that once the committee has been decided, an initial selection meeting is held in which everyone brings in one to two books that fit the ideal criteria. After this, they also review submissions from the public before spending the summer in a mini book club setting where committee members read the books and decide on their top five. Then the committee reconvenes to make their top selection, which is then revealed sometime in fall quarter.

The criteria for the perfect book for UCSB Reads includes it being interdisciplinary, intellectually stimulating, ideally less

“We have the goal of trying to find something that’s really broad that can bring in a lot of different partners from both the campus and the community, but that still resonates with everyone,” Kelly added.

With this year’s book, Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, committee members were very “intrigued” by the book, according to Steffens. “Her book was the clear consensus number-one choice for this year.”

“There’s just something really compelling about a comingof-age tale, since this is a coming-of-age moment for a lot of our students,” Kelly added. “[Zauner] writes in a way that has such great candor that’s really approachable. Even though she covers a wide range of topics grief, loss of a family member there’s so many different ways into the story through her connection to music, creativity, and writing…. A lot of students that I interacted with felt that they could really see themselves in part of the story.”

The programming kicked off with its annual book giveaway in January, which had a line 45 minutes before its start, according to Kelly and Steffens. More recently, UCSB Reads hosted an author talk with Zauner herself, and other events for Crying in H Mart this year featured a bibimbap cooking workshop that draws on the Korean cuisine featured in the book, as well as language exchanges, poetry readings, memory keepsake activities, book discussions, a cultural comfort-food fair, and more.

In these events, Kelly saw students and community members become unexpectedly vulnerable with one another. “Because [Zauner] is so open and vulnerable within the book, it almost gives people a license to do that as well,” she shared. “I was surprised they were that openly vulnerable with a group of strangers…. It’s rewarding to see how people resonated with the text.”

Steffens went on to say, “Students really look for community, and obviously there are lots of opportunities on campus and in the area to find your community, but it seems that there is still some sort of gap of something that bridges the social and the intellectual. I think that’s UCSB Reads. It is both a social experience and an experience where students can meet their peers or meet people from other walks of life. They can engage with faculty, staff, or community members on a different level. You also have the intellectual academic experience of reading, analyzing, and discussing a text both in a classroom and in these other settings.”

More information about the program and future events can be found at library.ucsb.edu/ucsbreads.

by Samantha Eve

There’s a reason Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe’s Every Brilliant Thing has become a worldwide phenomenon: It finds humor, humanity, and unexpected joy in life’s hardest conversations. This June, Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) brings the acclaimed one-person play to Santa Barbara in a production directed by Jenny Sullivan and starring Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper. Every Brilliant Thing begins with a child’s simple attempt to help their mother through depression by creating a list of everything worth living for. Ice cream. The color yellow. The sound of laughter. The list grows over decades, evolving alongside the narrator’s own life, loves, losses, and understanding of mental health.

For Mongiardo-Cooper, the play’s enduring impact lies in its honesty and optimism. “Hope is in woefully short supply at present,” he says. “The most important thing about this piece is that it offers genuinely life-affirming hope without sugarcoating the darkness that needs combatting.”

“Theater artists always think of the audience as another character in the play,” says Sullivan. “Every Brilliant Thing brings that into sharp focus each night with a new audience. It is an interactive production that informs the journey of the performer and our audience.”

While Every Brilliant Thing is currently enjoying a successful Broadway revival, this is a piece that has been intentionally designed to feel rooted wherever it’s performed. Sullivan and Mongiardo-Cooper have embraced that concept fully with the ETC production, incorporating Santa Barbara’s sense of spirit and community into the experience and further differentiating this production from others that have preceded it.

Much like the play’s narrator, both artists have put together their own lists of “brilliant things.” Sullivan’s includes “Monarch butterflies covering a tree” and “Joni Mitchell at the S.B. County Bowl,” while MongiardoCooper cites “Joshua trees” and “people who can finish your sentences … and choose not to.”

For ETC, this production offers an opportunity to create a shared experience centered on empathy, vulnerability, and connection. In a cultural moment where conversations around mental health feel more vital than ever, Every Brilliant Thing manages to be both timely and timeless encouraging audiences to laugh, reflect, and perhaps even begin their own lists as they leave the theater.

The UCSB Reads 2026 book giveaway

Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper stars in Every Brilliant Thing.

COURTESY PHOTOS

JEFF LORCH

Students at the UCSB book giveaway

JUNE

The Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, FONTELLA BASS, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder ....and many

MOTOWN legends.

ABSTRACT WORK BRINGS TOGETHER SEVEN ARTISTS

A COLLABORATIVE PAINTING PROVES INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSION AND COMMUNITY CAN COEXIST ON ONE CANVAS

by Hana-Lee Sedgwick

In a world where creating art is often a solitary pursuit, a group of Santa Barbara painters decided that art much like life is better when shared. The result is “Friday Mornings,” a vibrant collaborative painting currently on display at Santa Barbara’s Illuminations Gallery through the end of May.

The abstract work was conceived and created by seven individuals who were brought together through an art class, held every Friday morning as part of SBCC’s Extended Learning Program.

Many of the artists credit teacher Carissa Luminess’s critique format for fostering a deep sense of camaraderie between them, ultimately inspiring this collaboration. “Our Friday morning class is not the typical studio workshop. It’s a critique class,” says Sara Hare, a longtime journalist-turned-aspiring artist. “We paint in our own studios, then bring in our work for feedback and discussion. It’s a very intellectual process. That dynamic is really the basis for our strong connection. If we had simply been sitting there painting quietly, we likely wouldn’t have built these relationships or been inspired to create something together.”

“We’re in an era driven by social media, and most of the time we’re alienated from each other,” explains Hare. “This class became a way to connect, communicate, and ultimately create with people of different ages and backgrounds.”

Despite spanning generations and varying levels of experience from established artists to those newly exploring abstract painting the group found common ground in a shared love for the creative process.

Over the course of roughly 10 hours,

participants Victoria Charters, Sean Fraer, Sara Hare, Helen Heising, Lizzie Olson, Ian Parker, and Sharon Whelan splashed, layered, and smeared acrylic paint over a five-by-five-foot square of raw, unstretched canvas. The first version, says Hare, resembled “New York subway graffiti art from the 1970s a bit shocking and irreverent. We all just kind of did our own thing without talking through it.”

By the next iteration, they had found their rhythm. Taking the time to discuss color, form, and intention more thoughtfully, they slowly refined the underpainting to reflect a more communal vision. The final work a colorful tableau of abstract images in sea green, cobalt blue, tangerine, and black strikes a balance between collective harmony and individual expression.

Unframed and hung organically in fiberarts style behind the front desk of the gallery, which is located at La Cumbre Plaza, “Friday Mornings” reflects both the whimsy and unity of its creation. “We are so grateful to Brian Woolford, one of the co-op members of Illuminations Gallery, who offered his personal space in the gallery for us,” adds Hare.

“To have this guest artist opportunity means so much to all seven of us, who are thrilled to have been brought together by the magic and mystery of creative expression.”

More than a painting, “Friday Mornings” stands as a reminder of what’s possible when you make space for each other, showing that individuality and community can coexist on one canvas.

“Friday Mornings” is for sale at Illuminations Gallery, part of the La Cumbre Center for Creative Arts. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and is located at 121 South Hope Avenue.

Artists who contributed to the “Friday Mornings” collaborative painting include Victoria Charters, Sean Fraer, Sara Hare, Helen Heising, Lizzie Olson, Ian Parker, and Sharon Whelan.

FROM SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE TO STARTUP LEADERSHIP

HOW CHASE ALDERTON LEARNED TO EMBRACE UNCERTAINTY

BY TIANA MOLONY

For most teenagers, choosing a college and a future career feels less like a decision and more like a referendum on the rest of their lives. But for Chase Alderton, the path ahead felt largely written before he ever filled out an application.

Growing up in the San Fernando Valley as the second of four siblings, Alderton remembers watching his older brother head off to city college. “We had the city college route in our blood,” he joked. So when it came time to decide where he’d go to school, he didn’t overthink it.

Santa Barbara City College emerged as the natural choice. It also helped that Alderton’s cousin, Ashley Farias, worked as an administrative assistant in the PE athletics department. At the time, Alderton was considering a career in athletics and hoped to assist her once he arrived. “She was one of the first real role models I had outside my parents,” he said of Farias. “Her work ethic and dedication to SBCC are incredible and continue to this day, as she’s held various roles on campus for [more than] 20 years.”

There were other, more immediate reasons, too. “What drove me to Santa Barbara is, I was dating a girl at the time who was going to Santa Barbara City College,” he said with a laugh. The relationship ended not long after he arrived, but the move itself turned out to be one of the most consequential decisions of his life.

For the first time, Alderton was away from home away from parents, childhood friends, and any pre-set expectations. He came mostly on his own, and that, he said, mattered. “It was the first time where I really had to just figure things out,” he explained. “There was no real plan, and parents aren’t around to tell you what to do.”

At SBCC, that sense of uncertainty didn’t fade so much as it became productive. Through his cousin’s role in the athletic department, he was pulled into the college’s sports community and given a behind-the-scenes look at collegiate athletics. He also took classes with head women’s basketball coach Sandrine Rocher-Krul, who, he said, was “a great leader and helped me develop many of the philosophies I still use today.” Alderton described her as a “mentor” and “trailblazer by nature,” someone whose ability to balance family life with a demanding travel schedule helped shape his own ambitions.

Peter Aguilar, who worked in the athletic department, also left a lasting impression by tying coursework to real-world experience. “Those were my favorite kinds of classes and teachers,” Alderton said. “I tried to take as many of his classes as possible.”

For a while, coaching and sports felt like a clear direction. But as he got closer to the realities of the field limited job openings, constant mobility, and little geographic stability he realized it wasn’t the life he wanted. Rather than treating that realization as a failure of planning, he treated it as a necessary adjustment.

After attending SBCC from 2008 to 2011, Alderton transferred to UC Santa Barbara, where he majored in psychology and graduated in 2013. With a psychology degree in hand, Alderton graduated without a defined career path, moving through jobs more as exploration than strategy personal training, then bartending. Marketing entered his life almost by accident, through a friend at a local agency. “I kind of stumbled into it, to be honest,” he said. What he found was a natural fit: a blend of creativity, strategy, and human behavior. His psychology background, once incidental, suddenly became useful.

In 2018, he joined Recharge Payments, then a small startup in Santa Monica, and rose through the company over six years. He left in early 2024, later leading marketing at two other companies before another turning point arrived this time alongside the impending arrival of his first child. He and his wife, whom he met at SBCC, began rethinking structure, stability, and time. The result was a shift into contract marketing, building a portfolio of clients instead of committing to a single full-time role.

There was no master plan guiding the transition just experience, relationships, and a growing comfort with uncertainty. Early this year, he formalized that work as Alderton Marketing Group.

Looking back, Alderton resists the idea that any of it was carefully mapped out. “The plans that I’ve had for the future have never worked,” he reflected, “and I’ve always just had to kind of figure out what’s right in front of me.”

When asked if he would change his decision to attend Santa Barbara City College, he doesn’t hesitate. He says he “absolutely would not change any of that for the world I think I landed in the right place.” In many ways, he added, it was the first place that taught him not just how to choose a path, but how to keep moving when there wasn’t one.

What We’re Losing in the Santa Rosa Island Fire

The current fire that has burned 18,379 acres of Santa Rosa Island’s 53,760 acres, or 34 percent, is historically significant. This fire now has the distinction of being the largest on any of the eight California Channel Islands in recorded history. Previously, a 13,000-acre blaze on San Clemente Island in July 2024 held the record, started by military exercises on the Navy island.

The fire threatens the sensitive habitat of the island’s endemic flora Santa Rosa Island manzanita, Santa Rosa Island Torrey pine, Santa Rosa Island live-forever, Hoffmann’s gilia, munchkin Dudleya, island tree mallow; several of which are already listed as endangered species. The fire also threatens the island’s populations of rare fauna island foxes, island spotted skunks, island deer mice, and many more.

A Look at the Three Historic Structures That Have Already Burned

by Taylor Viens, Executive Director of the Chrisman California Islands Center

Also concerning is the loss of history. At least three historic structures have already been confirmed lost: Johnson’s Lee Equipment Shed on the western edge of the fire and the Wreck Line Camp Cabin on the eastern edge. Additionally, a storage structure adjacent to the equipment shed was also reduced to ashes.

Even more concerning, the National Park Service is taking preventative measures to ensure the fire does not spread to the historic Main Ranch structures, a worst-case situation.

The Forgotten History of Johnson’s Lee

As the only harbor on the south side of Santa Rosa Island, the name “Johnson’s Lee” harkens back to United States Coast Survey employee William M. Johnson, who was in charge of Channel Islands topographic surveys compiled in 1855, 1859, and 1860.

From 1951 to 1963, a large military installation was developed in response to the threat of attacks during the Cold War. It consisted of seven two-story barracks, a mess hall, a power house, a pier, three maintenance buildings, seven administrative support buildings, two water tanks, an incinerator, and a number of small sheds.

The U.S. government leased about 10 acres for this Air Force Air Control and Warning Station. It was manned until 1963 with up to 300 personnel. In 1965 the facility was

abandoned, and demolition of the facility was delayed due to asbestos mitigation issues. Vail & Vickers repurposed building materials from the site for decades, going so far as to relocate an entire building to the Main Ranch, as noted by Marla Daily, President Emerita of the Santa Cruz Island Foundation.

In the early 1990s, the facility was largely torn down by Channel Islands National Park. However, a few structures, including the Johnson’s Lee Equipment Shed, were preserved for their historic and educational value.

Ford Point, or “Wreck”

A History of Fires on Santa Rosa Island

This is not the first instance of fire on Santa Rosa Island.

Wreck Line Camp Cabin was located on the island’s southeast quarter to the east of Johnson’s Lee. The nickname “The Wreck” comes from the 1894 stranding of the Crown of England. This served as a survey station established in 1934 by Charles K. Green, who wrote it was located on a “portion of the wood deck of a wrecked ship standing vertically in the ground 35 feet in height on Skunk Point.”

Originally, The Wreck camp was established by early ranchers Vail & Vickers to salvage lumber and materials that washed ashore from the frequent shipwrecks along the treacherous island coastlines.

Historical Significance

The loss of Johnson’s Lee Equipment Shed amounts to the loss of the last physical structure connecting us to the long and imposing history of the Cold War–era Air Force Base. Dr. Tim Vail, former Santa Rosa Island rancher and President of the Santa Cruz Island Foundation, said: “In my years on the island, I can think of three or four fires on Santa Rosa Island. We know that the fires are overwhelmingly human-caused. It saddens me to see the loss of several historic buildings and irreplaceable artifacts that my family looked after for generations. Not to mention, the endangerment of several endemic plants and animals found on Santa Rosa Island notably the Torrey pines. It is now, perhaps more than ever, important that we protect the human history of the many families that lived on these islands.”

Additionally lost in the fire was a downed plane, Stinson L-5, used by bow hunters to poach deer from the island who, after hitting a cattle wallow on the ridge top and breaking their landing gear, walked into ranch headquarters and complained that they had to make an emergency landing. They were to return the following weekend with replacement parts, but by the time they returned, the cattle had eaten the fabric off the plane’s wings.

Prehistoric Fire Evidence: During archaeological expeditions on Santa Rosa Island, researchers found burned areas where ancient peoples 12,000 to 30,000 years ago cooked pygmy mammoth. Controlled fire tests were conducted to study the action of ancient fires on the earth, and excavations uncovered “barbecue” pits where mammoth bone had been burned.

Trespassing and Grass Burning (1878): In November 1878, acting on a complaint from the More brothers, who owned the island at the time, Constable Phillips and Deputy Marshal Donnellan arrested nine men for trespassing, burning grass, shooting, and other crimes committed on Santa Rosa Island. This is one of the earliest documented fire incidents on the island in the historical record.

Fatal Ranch House Fire (1968/9): On November 3, 1969, Howard Albert Anderson, the cook on Santa Rosa Island, was killed in a ranch house fire. The fire was believed to have been started by Anderson’s cigarette after he fell asleep smoking in bed. Anderson had worked for Vail & Vickers for about six-and-a-half years, and the building that burned the Bunk House/Cook House was one of the oldest on the island, dating to the More era of the 19th century. Afterward, Al Vail and Bill Wallace designed a new comedor/bunk house, famously sketching the first plans on a napkin before engaging an architect.

Southwest Shore Brushfire (2001): On January 26, 2001, a fire burned roughly 10 acres of grass and brush on the southwest shore of Santa Rosa Island. Crews from the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service battled the fire, along with two air tankers and a helicopter.

For more information on Santa Rosa Island’s history, visit Islapedia.com. Additionally, the Chrisman California Islands Center has a large collection of archival material related to Santa Rosa Island’s ranching history, as well as many artefacts on display in the Center in downtown Carpinteria.

Johnson’s Lee was originally developed as a large military installation during the Cold War

FLACKS JOURNALISM FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE TODAY

Mickey Flacks was a dogged advocate for affordable housing, among other progressive causes, so the Santa Barbara Independent launched the Mickey Flacks Journalism Fund soon after she died in 2020 to keep her work alive.

Christina McDermott

McDermott’s quest is only possible due to the generosity of our readers who have supported the Mickey Flacks Journalism Fund. Christina is on the job. We want to keep it that way. Please give generously.

Thanks to her fellowship, our reporter Christina McDermott spends many of her waking hours trying to unravel Santa Barbara’s forbiddingly complex and expensive housing landscape.

Pippin Brings Collected Beauty to La Arcada Plaza

CNew Downtown Shop Offers Layered Interiors, Storied Objects, and an Open Invitation to Gather by Tiana

arly Pippin had long imagined opening an antique shop in Santa Barbara. As a child, she made day trips from Westlake Village with her family, often stopping at Lewis & Clark, a longtime antique store in La Arcada Plaza. “That was always one of our favorite shopping destinations,” she mused.

Now, the setting has become something like a loop closing on itself. On May 7, Pippin opened her own shop, aptly named Pippin, just around the corner from Lewis & Clark.

“When I moved to Santa Barbara two years ago, it felt like this was the place and this was the time,” she shared, sitting opposite me in her new store. “It’s such a magical city, and it’s so community-oriented I thought a retail shop might survive here.”

Inside, Pippin is a tightly curated mix of home goods both new and old alongside art and antiques: Italian doors with weathered paint, late-1800s painted panels from Florence, and 19th-century works sourced in France and Italy. She also carries contemporary paintings by artists, including Santa Barbara’s Michael Vilkin and Newport Beach’s Zoe Hadley.

Smaller objects pillows, pots, books, and chairs fill the space, creating a layered, collected effect reminiscent of a very cool, impossibly stylish grandmother’s home. The overall vibe leans distinctly shabby chic, and prices span a wide range a deliberate choice, Pippin said, to keep the shop accessible. As she noted, “I think everyone deserves something beautiful.”

Pippin brings an unusually institutional

Molony

background to an antique space. After college, she worked at the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries in Washington, D.C., galleries focused on Asian art, and even had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian’s storage vaults to view conserved paintings. She later spent about seven years at the Getty in Los Angeles in Brentwood, working in close proximity to collections and curatorial teams.

“I love being surrounded by objects that have a story to them,” she said.

Some of her more unique items in Pippin are the student sketchbooks she found at a Parisian market. The notebooks, more than a century old, are filled with detailed drawings that are still remarkably intact. Though she sells some of the drawings, she admits that she hesitates to part with her favorites.

Pippin hopes the shop will evolve into something more than a retail space: a kind of informal gathering place. “Where people can gather and be a part of a community and exchange ideas,” she said. “Almost like a traditional French salon art, philosophy, people coming together to have meaningful discussions. That’s what we need more than ever.”

Pippin hopes her store can be a special space for antique-lovers and the antiquecurious alike. Above all, she emphasized that Pippin is “a space that’s for everybody.”

Pippin is located at 1114 State Street, #24, and is open every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Tuesdays, and 12 to 5 p.m. on weekends. For more information, see pippinhome.com or check out @pippinsantabarbara on Instagram.

Juneteenth with

jon boogz

SHORT FILM SCREENING, SOMATIC HEALING EXERCISES & Q&A WITH WRITER, DIRECTOR & EMMY AWARD WINNING CHOREOGRAPHER

FRIDAY JUNE 19, 2026 6:00 PM PROGRAM CENTER STAGE THEATER 7:30 - 8:30 PM RECEPTION PASEO NUEVO

Pippin

FOOD& DRINK

Willy Wonka’s Factory is Alive and Well in Montecito Sweetness

Caruso’s takes sustainability seriously. Chef Massimo Falsini takes great pride in attention to each and every detail at the Michelinstarred fine dining restaurant at the Rosewood Miramar Beach property.

“In Caruso’s, we approach sustainability not just from the product perspective, like where it comes from, and how it’s grown, that it’s organic, and so on, but also from the social side, which is extremely important,” said Falsini, as we sat outside the ocean-view property and chatted about chocolate, cacao, and his recently launched zerowaste bean-to-bar chocolate program, in which his team makes the chocolate in-house.

Full Belly Files

Matt Kettmann’s award-winning Full Belly Files serves up multiple courses of food & drink coverage every Friday, going off-menu from our regularly published content to deliver tasty nuggets of restaurant, recipe, and refreshment wisdom to your inbox.

FOOD & DRINK

Cacao can’t be grown locally, so Falsini began his research with a trip to Hawai‘i in April 2025, visiting about 16 farms in Oahu to find the best partners. Hawai‘i is the most sustainable producer in the world thanks to state agricultural and environmental laws that enforce fair trade practices and regenerative methods, and chocolate from Hawai‘i is also often considered superior for its unique, complex flavor profile, which is a result of the islands’ distinct volcanic terroir, according to some information Falsini shared. Other contributing factors include high cocoa butter content, an ethical and sustainable supply chain, and the quality control inherent in a “bean-to-bar” domestic production process.

With his high-school-age daughter Evelyn along to assist, they selected three farms to work with. Falsini said he explained to his partner Rick Caruso (owner of the hotel), “I told him, ‘Rick, I need a little investment, so we’re gonna make chocolate in the Miramar.’ And he said, ‘Oh, really? Oh, wow, you always come up with something.’ And the only challenge is you can’t ship fruit from Hawai‘i, right. So, what they do for me, I established a fermentation process and a drying process with them, so they ferment and dry for us, and then they send it to us.”

perature, Falsini explains which caramelizes sugars and unlocks the Maillard reaction, producing the deep, roasted notes we associate with chocolate. After roasting, the local team tempers and molds the chocolate in-house. They also use it to create cacao butter and cacao tea without anything going to waste.

Caruso’s Goes the Extra Mile for Chocolate

by Leslie Dinaberg

The Hawaiian cacao farms Caruso’s works with include 21 Degrees Estate, in Kaneohe, Oahu, a 10-acre farm owned by retired military veterans Michael Rogers and Maria Carl. They also work with Mauna Kea Cacao in Pepeekeo, a 100 percent woman-owned business, with Susan Basset as the chocolatier and farmer, as well as Lavaloha Chocolate in Hilo, a one hundred percent Hawaiian-owned farm with Daeus Bencomo as the farm director.

Similar to wine and coffee and other crops, what’s planted around the cacao will influence the ultimate taste, as will the roasting time and temperature. “Basically, when you roast for a shorter time, the more fruit you get from the cacao,” said Falsini. “The more you roast, the longer you roast, the less fruit you get you get more chocolatey flavor, just like the coffee.”

The result is featured on the Caruso’s tasting menu. In addition, the restaurant will begin providing a takeaway chocolate bar featuring the Caruso’s blend. “So, it’s going to be a gift when they choose to enjoy the tasting menu,” said Falsini.

Speaking of tasting, I was one of the lucky few who was able to taste these handcrafted, sustainably produced chocolates without dining at Caruso’s, and the variation between each type was notable. “We want every farm to shine,” said Falsini, who walked me through the differences between the 21 Degrees Estate, which was very floral, with notes of papaya and banana; the Lavaloha, which is also fruity, but less so than the 21 Degrees; and the Mauna Kea, which is more chocolatey.

Cacao doesn’t taste like chocolate when harvested, Falsini explained. It’s bitter and vegetal. The magical properties of chocolate come from human craftsmanship. First is the fermentation, which is done in Hawai‘i and triggers enzymatic reactions, creating precursors of chocolate aroma, and then the roasting is done by the Caruso’s team, led by Executive Pastry Chef Vincent Donatelli in Montecito each of the farms’ cacao fruit has a different roasting tem-

“Every one of them is special,” said Falsini. The chocolate tasting, which they call the “Il Nostro Willy Wonka, Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Degustation” is a $45 addition to the meal featuring three single-origins chocolate and one blend paired with a whiskey selection, served as napolitains (bitesized gourmet chocolate squares) with cacao husk tea.

Caruso’s is located at the Rosewood Miramar Beach, 1759 South Jameson Lane, Montecito. For more information, see bit.ly/4dAXVFu.

A dessert at Caruso’s using the sustainably crafted chocolate

Mindset Symposium Debuts in Santa Barbara County

There’s a palpable energy surging through the global regenerative agricultural movement right now, and the epicenter of this enlightened farming philosophy when it comes to growing wine grapes is right here on California’s Central Coast.

First-Ever Regenerative Viticulture Conference Runs June 8 to 10 in the Santa Maria Valley

by Matt Kettmann

Paso Robles is home to both the first regencertified vineyard in the country at Tablas Creek as well as the planet’s most thorough investigation of how these methods compare to conventional farming at Robert Hall. Santa Barbara vintners, meanwhile, are deeply engaged in the One Block Challenge, with more than 15 estates actively converting acreage over to regenerative methods as you read this.

Into this forward-thinking milieu comes the Mindset Regeneration & Resilience Symposium, a three-day conference featuring two dozen speakers and intensive workshops at Cambria Winery in the Santa Maria Valley from June 8 to 10. The brainchild of longtime Napa Valley sustainability expert Anna Brittain, the itinerary is aimed at the wine industry and perennial crop farmers but should actually appeal to anyone interested in learning more about how the regenerative mindset is reshaping agriculture across the world.

“This is the first regenerative symposium for the wine industry, and it’s coming right to this region,” said Brittain. “It will be relevant for anyone who wants to geek out on regenerative agriculture. This is going to be an exceptionally deep dive.”

The first day includes a keynote speech from superstar sommelier-turned-vintner Rajat Parr, who left the world of fancy restaurants a few years ago to work the ground with his own hands at Phelan Farm in the hills above the San Simeon coast.

“Regenerative farming isn’t a trend — it’s a return to something ancient and essential,” said Parr. “The soil is the winemaker. Everything we do above ground is just a response to what’s happening below it. When we farm regeneratively, we’re building complexity, resilience, biodiversity — and yes, better wine. But more than that, we’re leaving the land better than we found it. That’s the whole point.”

Each day includes a practical workshop, a “critical questions” forum, a keynote, and a masterclass, with a wine tasting on the symposium’s final afternoon. Other speakers include John Kempf, a pioneer and leading innovator in regen; Kelly Mulville, known for his work to keep sheep under vines year-round at Paicines Ranch; Mimi Casteel, a visionary vintner from Hope Well Wines in Oregon; and Obi Kaufmann, the author and illustrator of books like The California Field Atlas and The State of Fire. Leading Santa Barbara voices like Alice Anderson of Âmevive, Jesse Smith from White Buffalo Land Trust, and Chiara Shannon

from Groundstar Vineyard will also share their insights.

“This is a chance to engage with them oneon-one,” said Brittain, who quickly pulled these experts together due to her reputation for hosting the much larger RISE Climate & Wine Symposium in Napa. “You can’t really break the mold on conferences, but the goal is to do something a little different and build something that accelerates and provides the support to create change.”

Brittain recently moved to Santa Barbara after leaving her executive director job at Napa Green, which is the nonprofit that certifies and supports the sustainability efforts of Napa Valley vintners. But she’s lived here before, having earned her masters in environmental science & management from UCSB’s Bren School, where she worked with the Chumash tribe on climate resiliency as her thesis. When she arrived late last year, the folks she knew and met encouraged her to use her convening powers to help Santa Barbara’s wine industry, which is how Mindset was put in motion.

The timing is right, as the interest in regenerative seems to be far exceeding the previous pushes for organic and biodynamic farming.

“Organic is a lot about what you don’t do, and people are starting to see the limits to that approach,” said Brittain. “Regenerative agriculture is about farming for life. It’s really about building soil health and biodiversity and resilience in a farm system. Part of why it’s taking off is that you can really start on those regenerative practices without being organic. It’s an on-ramp that people can take to improve their farming.”

Parr is proud to be part of this inaugural event. “Events like Mindset matter because this conversation needs to be louder, wider, and more urgent,” he said. “I’m grateful to the community showing up for it.”

RTown Goleta

Eddie’s Grill Coming to Old

eader Joe H. let me know that Eddie’s Grill, offering burgers, salads, and sandwiches, is coming to 5725 Hollister Avenue in Goleta, the former home of Goodland BBQ and Alphie’s. The restaurant was started in Lompoc in 2014 by brothers Eduardo, Juan, Carlos, and Jose Villa and was named after Eduardo, known as Eddie. The company now operates locations in Ventura, Buellton, and San Luis Obispo, in addition to Lompoc and Yuma.

Local diners might remember the super friendly Carlos Villa, who used to work at Good Earth Restaurant, and managed Natural Café and New Baja Grill, among other places. Villa said the restaurant’s approach has centered on adapting to customer demand while maintaining a menu built around fresh, homemade food rather than prepackaged ingredients. “Our goal is to serve homemade dishes in a timely manner that our customers will love,” he said.

While Eddie’s Grill offers familiar grill staples including burgers and sandwiches, the menu also includes salads, homemade soups, steak and seafood entrees, pasta dishes, desserts, and shakes made with real fruit and ice cream. Villa credited the restaurant’s staff, family members, and longtime customers for helping the business continue to grow over the past decade. Visit eddiesgrills.com

RESTAURANT OPENINGS: Here is a summary of eatery openings that The Restaurant Guy wrote about recently:

◊ April 2026: Brass Bird Coffee & Kitchen, 3102 State St.; Chef 81, 966 Embarcadero del Mar, Isla Vista; Giovanni’s Pizza, 6831-B Hollister Ave., Goleta; The Grand on State, 1218 State St.; Lily’s Donuts, 38 W. Victoria St.; Rori’s Artisanal Creamery, 270 Storke Rd., Goleta; South Coast Deli, 205 Santa Barbara St.

◊ March 2026: Kool Runninz S.B., 409 State St. (now closed); Monte’s, 1198 Coast Village Rd., Montecito

◊ February 2026: Jalapeño S.B., 900 N. Milpas St.; Outpost, 955 Embarcadero del Mar, Isla Vista; Yetz’s Bagels, 250 Storke Rd., Ste. G, Goleta

◊ January 2026: Drover’s Doughnuts, 5745 Calle Real, Goleta

◊ December 2025: Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop, 509 State St.; Wingstop, 1964 Cliff Dr.; The Copper, 1031 State St.; Noe’s Café, 129 E. Anapamu St.; Aura Restaurant, 511 State St.; Manifattura, 413 State St.

◊ November 2025: Bistro Amasa, 1404 De la Vina St.; Little Mountain, 516 San Ysidro Rd., Montecito; Sweet Hustle, 6529-B Trigo Rd., Isla Vista

◊ October 2025: Mesa Pizza, 6576 Trigo Rd., Isla Vista; Mony’s Taqueria, UCSB

◊ September 2025: Siam Street Food, 425 State St.; Downtown Eats at M. Special, 634 State St.; Gracie, 107 Harbor Wy.; Aegean, 731 De la Guerra Plaza; Dart Coffee, 794 Linden Ave., Carpinteria

◊ August 2025: Dom’s Taverna, 30 E. Victoria St.; Little King Coffee, 1801 E. Cabrillo Blvd.

◊ July 2025: Luna’s Café, 1218 Santa Barbara St.; Seoulmate Kitchen, 38 W. Victoria St.; The Nugget, 892 Linden Ave., Carpinteria; Onigiri, 3001 State St.; Fresco at the Market, 38 W. Victoria St.

◊ June 2025: Lulio at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, 8301 Hollister Ave., Goleta; Marisella at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, 8301 Hollister Ave., Goleta (formerly Angel Oak); The Win~Dow, 701 Chapala St.; Zapp Thai Asian Food Truck, 53 Santa Felicia Dr., Goleta

◊ May 2025: Drippin’ Chicken, 416 State St.; Pascucci, 1230-A State St. (moved from lower State); Corazón Cocina, 772 Linden Ave., Carpinteria; Ospi, 1801 E. Cabrillo Blvd.; Rozzi Pizza, 233 W. Montecito St.; Starbucks, 402 N. Milpas St.; Third Window Brewing, 720 Linden Ave., Carpinteria; Tina’s Pizza, 732 Linden Ave., Carpinteria

BRIANNA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY

Anna Brittain

Educate to Fight Hate

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY by

Rob Breszny

WEEK OF MAY 28

ARIES

(Mar. 21-Apr. 19): In the weeks ahead, simply being right won’t necessarily lead to success. Having strength, intelligence, wealth, or connections might help, though not as much as usual. But a different approach will work well as you strive to overcome challenges: a blend of cleverness and integrity. I invite you to be cunning while remaining honorable. Practice subtle strategy in service of higher aims. And here’s one more secret to ensure victory: Let go of any need to receive full recognition for your efforts.

TAURUS

(Apr. 20-May 20): “Dear Horoscope Guy: Two astrologers have assured me that as a Taurus, I’m a natural-born money magnet. So why am I broke? I keep begging the Divine for cash miracles, and I buy lottery tickets twice a week. Still nothing! Please tell me when I’ll finally hit the jackpot. Better yet, give me the winning numbers. —Taurus Desperate for Dollars.” Dear Desperate: The “luck” you crave will arrive as you diligently pour yourself into building your sweetest dreams, spurning shortcuts and enjoying yourself as much as possible. The Divine prefers to fund eager co-creators, not wishful thinkers. I predict that a slow-motion jackpot will ultimately arrive through your devoted attention to doing what excites you.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20): Among the Dogon of Mali, Sigui So is a secret language. It’s used in a sacred ritual when people gather to retell their beginnings and patch up strains in tribal harmony. I’m borrowing Sigui So here as a symbol for a way of talking that I hope you will specialize in during the coming weeks: language that eases tensions, soothes friction, and fosters unity. Start like this: Unleash your trademark wit but spike it with sly blessings and tactful probes. Wield your fluency to burn away confusion and uncover unspoken feelings. If you’re in an extra-bold mood, give everyone tacit permission to be their idiosyncratic selves instead of their polished personas.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22): What’s the holiest, most healing trouble you could rustle up right now? I mean trouble that freshens what’s stale but doesn’t scorch the earth. Maybe it’s a buoyant disruption, such as telling wild truths you usually tend to soften. Or maybe it’s asking for what your future self pines for instead of what your past self regards as polite and reasonable. As a Cancerian soul myself, I dare both you and me to give ourselves permission to rumble. Let’s be brazen as we instigate creative upheavals in service to our cheerful vigor. Let’s instigate at least one concrete action that will rattle the stagnant pattern just enough to make life more interesting.

LEO

could ever take place. Then ask yourself how much of your uneasiness springs from vivid fantasies or from a practiced tendency to fret. You might also ruminate on how you absorb the background worry that’s amplified by mass culture. After reflecting on all that, I invite you to take one concrete action to lower the level of tension you have come to treat as normal. Take another action to weaken the grip of your deepest dread. The current planetary patterns suggest you now have the bold, creative power necessary to shrink your baseline anxiety.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Even more than usual, you have a sacred duty to celebrate your poignant sweetness and dark intelligence. For the sake of your emotional health, you should pay wild reverence to your deepest, most mysterious yearnings. To be the person we all you need you to be, you must tenderly nurture the parts of your inner world that resemble the aurora borealis. I want to support you in these sublime sacraments, which is why I suggest you memorize the following prayer by Rainer Maria Rilke: “Be attentive to what is arising within you, and place that above everything you perceive around you. What is happening in your innermost self is worthy of your entire love.”

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Linguists use the term “false friends.” These are words in different languages that seem similar but don’t have the same meaning. For example, the Spanish word embarazada resembles “embarrassed” to English speakers but actually means “pregnant.” I suspect you’re dealing with another type of false friend, Sagittarius: people or situations that turned out to be at variance with what you initially imagined. But rather than feeling unsettled by these revelations, I suggest you treat them as a prod to see with fresh eyes. Your disorientation could be the beginning of more interesting understandings.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a code assigned to a book for commercial and cataloging purposes. It contains key information and includes a built-in error-detection notation. If you transpose two numbers when entering an ISBN, the last digit will tell you something’s wrong. In this spirit, Capricorn, I heartily recommend that you build more mistake detection into your life. Invest in extra safeguards. Add verification steps. Build in double-checks. The goal is to create systems robust enough to survive oversights and gaffes. I very much want you to give yourself the gift of safety nets that will empower you to take smart risks and intriguing gambles.

AQUARIUS

(July 23-Aug. 22): Sea otters are a keystone species. Their presence is essential to the health of their entire ecosystem. As they eat sea urchins, the kelp forests flourish. Without otters, the urchins overgraze, and kelp forests may collapse, which in turn affects hundreds of other species. One creature’s appetite helps regulate an entire undersea neighborhood. I suspect you’re serving a similar function, Leo. You’re having more impact and wielding more influence than you realize. No pressure! But please act accordingly: with maximum integrity and robust responsibility.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A Dutch woman who died left her grandnephew an inheritance of 220,000 euros. The only problem is that he’s homeless and constantly on the move, so the executors haven’t been able to find him. This echoes a recurring pattern in your life. Even now, sources of blessings are searching for ways to reach you, but you are slow to notice their approach or to magnetize yourself to their arrival. My prayer: May you figure out what needs to be done to make yourself fully available for these gifts and then ingrain that capacity in your habit mind.

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Visualize your fears. Consider how few of them rest on a genuine likelihood that the scary events

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You may not yet grasp how richly creative you are right now, nor how much more abundant your generative powers could become. So, it’s auspicious that you are reading this horoscope now. Consider this your advance notice: Your capacity to originate ideas, projects, and connections is surging, and it’s crucial to choose with care which possibilities you nurture and which you decline. If you are selective and intentional about what you sow, then about six months from now, you will be far more likely to gather lush, beautiful harvests instead of wrestling with overgrown, unruly tangles.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Ethnobotanist Wade Davis documented how different cultures perceive entirely different realities despite inhabiting the same physical world. It means that two people can stand in the same forest and see different forests through their cultural lens and personal mythology. This is simultaneously the problem and the opportunity you face, Pisces. You and others in your orbit are inhabiting divergent realities that superficially seem the same. If you hope to reconcile the differences, you must first acknowledge them as real. You’re dealing with fundamentally different ways of constructing meaning, not just small misunderstandings.

SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

CLASSIFIEDS

EMPLOYMENT

PROFESSIONAL

Full

A&L PATRON EXPERIENCE MANAGER

Email:

Job

ARTS & LECTURES

Under the direction of the Manager of Ticketing Operations & Patron Services, the Patron Experience Manager is a key leader in shaping the patron experience, with a particular focus on providing & “white‑glove” concierge service that transforms standard ticketing into a high‑touch membership benefit. Responsibilities include VIP ticket concierge services, leading front‑of‑house operations and event support to ensure an exceptional, seamless, and highly personalized experience for patrons, donors, and community guests. A central component of this role is overseeing the organization’s ticket concierge function—serving as a primary point of contact for high‑level patrons, subscribers, donors, and special guests requiring tailored ticketing support. This includes managing complex ticket requests, premium seating coordination, subscription adjustments, VIP access, and resolving sensitive service matters with discretion and care. The Manager works closely with the ticketing and development teams to facilitate priority access, monitor inventory for strategic seating assignments, and ensure that patron preferences and giving history are thoughtfully considered in service delivery. This role helps translate the organization’s concierge‑level service standards into practices that strengthen relationships with the broader audience and encourage repeat engagement. This position requires an in‑depth knowledge of Tessitura, A&L’s ticketing system, so that they can also support advanced ticket needs, data retrieval and list management. In addition, the Patron Experience Manager oversees all public‑facing front‑of‑house event logistics, supervising front‑of‑house personnel, including student staff and volunteers. Responsibilities include hiring, training, scheduling, and performance oversight to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and service. Working collaboratively with ticketing, development, production, and programming teams, this position ensures that each performance and special event reflects the organization’s mission, values, and commitment to excellence while strengthening long‑term patron relationships. Reqs: Bachelor’s degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training; 4 ‑ 6 yrs Experience managing FOH and ticketing operations for a performance or theatrical venue and providing support for public events; 4 ‑ 6 yrs Experience providing support for public events; Willingness and ability to work evenings and weekends; Basic knowledge of campus mission, vision, goals, and objectives, with the ability to apply this understanding in supporting live event production operations.

Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted

Salary Range: $71,600 to $88,550/yr. Full Salary Range: $71,600 to $127,400/yr.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Open until filled. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 86348.

BUSINESS OFFICER

GLOBAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT

The Business Officer is responsible for the full range of management functions for the Global Studies Department encompassing administration, financial management, contract and grant administration, staff and academic personnel, academic and student support services, technical support services, purchasing, facilities maintenance and renovation, instructional resources and safety programs. Develops and implements operating policies and procedures as they relate to overall department goals and objectives. In this capacity, independently solves problems requiring interpretation of a wide variety of federal, state, and campus policies. These responsibilities, therefore, require thorough knowledge of University, state, and federal regulations, policies, guidelines, and procedures, as well as the use of considerable judgment and tact in problem solving and decision making. Handles confidential faculty and staff matters for the department and ensures compliance with the implementation of diversity guidelines and procedures. Provides continuity with regard to department policies and long range goals and develops strategies for implementation. Interprets, implements and ensures compliance with staff personnel policies and collective bargaining contracts. Serves as the liaison between the department and external agencies by responding to and recommending a course of action with respect to various inquiries and problems as they may arise. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree in related area and/ or equivalent experience/training; 1‑3 yrs Supervisory and Personnel work experience; 1‑3 yrs Financial Work experience; 1‑3 yrs Student Advisory experience. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check; UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment. Hiring/ Budgeted Salary Range: $79,200 ‑ $95,000/yr. Full Salary Range: $79,200 to $143,400/yr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Open until filled. Apply online at https://jobs. ucsb.edu, Job # 85445.

CONCUR BUSINESS SYSTEMS ANALYST CONTROLLER/BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES

Under the direction of the Business Systems Manager 1, the Concur Business Systems Analyst provides high‑level operational support for Business and Financial Services (BFS). This role focuses on the continuous optimization of business processes and the resolution of complex system issues through ongoing analysis of user needs and system performance. The position serves as the primary lead for the long‑term maintenance and

enhancement of UCSB’s SAP Concur Travel and Expense Management System. A critical component of this role is maintaining and monitoring the integrations between Concur and Oracle Financials Cloud to ensure seamless data flow and financial accuracy. The analyst documents evolving business processes, proposes system improvements, and manages the lifecycle of system changes—from writing functional design documents to executing test scripts. Furthermore, this position ensures business continuity and develops sophisticated reporting tools for campus stakeholders while serving as the primary backup for the Jaggaer/PTP/TaxLead. Reqs: Bachelor’s degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training; 1‑3 yrs Experience analyzing moderately complex business processes and problems; 1‑3 yrs Experience developing user reference materials and trainings. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employee sponsorship. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range: $34.29 ‑ $40.97/hr. Full Salary Range: $34.29 ‑ $61.02/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 # 86272.

EMF SERVICE TEAM MEMBER

CONTROLLER/BUSINESS & FINANCIAL

SERVICES

Responsible for providing customer‑oriented, value‑added post‑award management services to UCSB Principal Investigators (PIs), Research Finance Analysts (RFAs), and university partners through: set‑up, invoicing, and fiscal management of individual grants and contracts awarded by Federal, State, other government, and private sponsors for the support of the Santa Barbara campus research enterprise. The EMF Service Team Member applies university policies and office procedures; exercises judgment within defined guidelines and practices to determine appropriate actions; manages professional relationships with customers, partners and sponsors; and balances workload to ensure required service levels are achieved and sponsor deadlines are met. The EMF Experienced Service Team Member manages an award portfolio with significant complexity to the most complex depending on award volume (scope) – a high number of awards with complexity scores of 6 to 10; or a low to medium number of awards with complexity scores of 11 to 14; or a low number of awards with complexity scores above 15. Reqs: Bachelor’s degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training. 4‑6 yrs Professional experience in accounting, auditing, or other related fields. 4‑6 yrs Demonstrated ability for Continual Learning, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Oral Communication, Written Communication, Compliance Management, Influencing/Negotiating and Customer Service. 4‑6 yrs Demonstrated Integrity, Flexibility, Poise, Resilience, Attendance, Accountability, Empathy, Decisiveness, Self‑Direction, Technical Credibility, and Subject Matter Expert. 4‑6 yrs

Demonstrated ability to apply theory and put it into practice with in‑depth understanding of the professional field to analyze and solve problems/issues of diverse scope related to Office Skills, Office Systems, Business Knowledge for core finance functions, Analysis, Project Management, Regulatory Compliance, Post Award Processes, and Post Award Systems. Notes: Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employee sponsorship.Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/ Budgeted Range: $71,600 to $85,550/yr. Full Salary Range: $71,600 to $127,400/ yr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Open until filled. Apply online at https://jobs. ucsb.edu, Job # 82445

GRADUATE PROGRAM ADVISOR DEPARTMENT

OF CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY

Under the direction of the Student Affairs Manager, with additional guidance provided by the Faculty Graduate Advisor, MSO and Chair of the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry (DCB), the Graduate Program Advisor provides support in all aspects of the graduate program. Provides Department and University policy and procedural information to current and prospective graduate students, faculty, and staff. Serves as liaison between students, faculty, and other campus administrative units and control points. Is responsible for advising

approximately 175 graduate students on a variety of academic issues and ensures students are making progress towards their degree and career goals while remaining within established university and program guidelines and regulations. Manages graduate student records, program data and statistics and is responsible for overseeing all publications for the graduate program.

Working with the student affairs team, the Graduate Program Advisor participates in policy decisions and program development to support faculty initiatives and encourage student academic success. Is responsible for the overall coordination and administration of graduate student recruitment, admission, outreach and new student orientation processes. In collaboration with the Payroll Coordinator, advises graduate students on academic appointments and employment matters. Is expected to be strongly committed to the program and to the welfare of the students, maintaining a climate of interpersonal support while exercising independent professional judgment and creative problem solving skills. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training; 1‑3 yrs Directly related experience, preferably in a higher education institution; Ability to multi‑task; verbal and written communication skills; Interpersonal skills; Multicultural competencies; ability to work with diverse populations; Basic knowledge of student immigration and visa processes pertaining to international students and scholars; Ability in problem identification and reasoning; Skills in service orientation, organization, active listening, and critical thinking; Solid verbal and written communication skills. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted

Salary Range: $25.77 to $32.50/hr. Full Salary Range: $25.77 to $43.58/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

Job # 86295.

GROUNDS EQUIPMENT

OPERATOR

FACM (FACILITIES MANAGEMENT)

Under supervision, operates specialized medium to heavy power grounds and related equipment in the maintenance and operation of the Campus Grounds, road and bikeway systems. Reqs: Knowledge of safe operation procedures for medium and heavy grounds equipment, including mowers, tractors, sweepers, dump trucks, and landscaping attachments; Knowledge of turf and landscape maintenance practices such as mowing, edging, aerating, fertilizing, irrigation support, and debris removal; Knowledge of preventative maintenance procedures for grounds equipment, including oil changes, lubrication, belt inspection, and fluid replacement; Knowledge of workplace safety standards, including PPE use, hazard awareness, and safe handling of tools and machinery; Skilled in operating ride‑on mowers, tractors, turf sweepers, blowers, and other landscaping equipment efficiently and safely; Skilled in performing routine grounds maintenance while maintaining high‑quality appearance standards; Skilled in diagnosing minor mechanical issues and completing basic equipment repairs and maintenance; Ability to follow written and verbal instructions and complete assignments independently; Skilled in time management and prioritizing tasks in a fast‑paced outdoor work environment; Ability to communicate professionally

Continued on p. 44

EMPLOYMENT (CONT.) LEGALS

with supervisors, coworkers, students, and the public; Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions and perform physically demanding labor for extended periods; Ability to maintain awareness of surroundings while operating equipment near pedestrians, buildings, and roadways; Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a grounds or facilities team; Ability to maintain campus grounds, athletic fields, roadways, and landscaped areas to university standards; Ability to safely lift, carry, and move equipment and landscaping materials as required; Preferred High School Diploma and 1‑3 yrs Experience in operating landscape equipment, specifically operating heavy equipment. Notes: Must speak English to communicate with the public; 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; 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. Hiring/Budgeted Range:

$26.22 ‑ $28.90/hr. Full Salary Range: $21.88 to $30.08/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 # 86346.

PLUMBER

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

The Plumber designs, redesigns and assembles from working drawings and blueprints various systems including water, steam, sanitary and storm drains, irrigation and sprinkler systems and compressed airlines. These installations require a thorough knowledge of all building and safety codes, the ability to work from blueprints and make working drawings, and the ability to use appropriate formulas and computations for pipe sizing and fitting related to pressure and flow; perform welding, soldering and brazing as required; install and repair plumbing fixtures, air compressors, pumps, steam and hot water boilers. Reqs: High School Diploma or Equivalent; 3‑5 yrs of Journeyman level experience; Design, redesign and assembles from working drawings and blueprints various systems including water, steam, sanitary and storm drains, irrigation and sprinkler systems and compressed airlines. These installations require a thorough knowledge of all building and safety codes, the ability to work from blueprints and make working drawings, and the ability to use appropriate formulas and computations for pipe sizing and fitting related to pressure and flow; perform welding, soldering and brazing as required; install and repair plumbing fixtures, air compressors, pumps, steam and hot water boilers. Notes: Must be able to take night and weekend call‑backs. Days and hours may vary to meet the operational needs of the department; 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; UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment. Hiring/ Budgeted Range: $47.48/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 # 86261.

POLLOCK THEATER MANAGER

CARSEY‑WOLF CENTER

Under the direction of the Business Officer, the Theater Manager is responsible for the daily operations of the Pollock Theater as a Film and Media Studies classroom and a venue for the Carsey‑Wolf Center’s public programming. During the day, the Manager provides classroom support, supervises and trains a team of student employees, and ensures the technical aspects for high‑quality instruction; in the evening and occasional weekends, the Manager works with the Carsey‑Wolf Center staff to ensure a seamless movie‑going experience for guests and patrons. Responsible for coordinating the videotaping of all events, post‑production editing, marketing, and posting the final cut to CWC’s website and UCTV. The Theater Manager serves as the operational manager, making sure the Pollock Theater is secure and maintained as a first‑class classroom and venue. Serves as technical director for all events and classroom teaching requiring multi‑media support. Coordinates with outside vendors for the upkeep and maintenance of the acoustic and visual media equipment used in the Theater. Trains and supervises part‑time student assistants for the Department of Film and Media Studies and the Carsey‑Wolf Center; 10‑15 students each quarter learn theater management and production skills to program, market, prepare, and film events with the Carsey‑Wolf Center. Reqs: Bachelor’s degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training; 4‑6 yrs experience managing a film‑screening theater and providing support for public events; 4‑6 yrs experience with equipment management and technical support for advanced audio‑visual technology; Thorough knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles and practices of event planning and public relations, including event design, organization and production; Demonstrated good judgment in making decisions and managing events. Skill in effectively meeting budget and time constraints; Highly developed judgment, decision‑making and problem recognition/avoidance/resolution skills; Ability to effectively work with invited guests, donors, government officials and university VIPs; Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including active listening, dynamic flexibility, critical thinking, and ability to multi‑task and ensure productive time management; Demonstrated history of strong leadership abilities, excellent interpersonal skills, and collaborative relationship building. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check; UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free Environment. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range: $71,600 ‑ $93,000/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 # 86207.

PROJECT MANAGER (CONTRACT) DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

The Project Manager is the University representative responsible for all aspects of the administration and oversight of Capital Improvement Projects, and of deferred maintenance and major infrastructure upgrade projects. Projects range widely in size, complexity, scope and contract value. The Project Manager has the authority to independently interpret contracts, negotiate changes in the Work, hire and manage professional consultants, oversee development of plans and specifications, create budgets

and manage expenses, direct the work of project support staff, serve as liaison with all campus departments, and obtain project approvals and permits. These activities are executed within the framework of University policy and pertinent local, state and federal laws and codes. The Project Manager is responsible for all aspects of the programming, design, bid and construction process and must possess advanced project management skills to effectively manage complex projects with critical timelines. Execution of assigned duties requires frequent problem solving and a high degree of autonomy in decision making while also working collaboratively with clients, consultants, contractors and other campus departments. Reqs: Bachelor’s degree required in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management or related field; Required 5+ yrs of progressively responsible experience in the area of project management of capital improvement projects; Demonstrated experience with managing new construction and renovation of office, classroom, laboratory, infrastructure, housing and/ or athletic facilities preferably within a University environment or other Public Works domain; Demonstrated ability to manage: project scope, schedule and budget, professional services and construction agreements, development of and compliance with plans and specifications, contractor coordination; Knowledge of business and fiscal analysis, processes, and techniques related to project management and the ability to analyze data and make accurate cost projections; Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn and apply University policies and procedures; Excellent communication skills with an ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner, both verbally and in writing, and ability to apply a high level of judgment and discretion; Demonstrated ability to use a variety of computer applications including project management and scheduling software. Notes: Hours and days may vary to meet the operational needs of the department; May need to travel up to 5% to job sites or other areas for training; Required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies and procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; For multi‑hire positions: Some positions filled under this posting may be required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; Satisfactory criminal history background check; UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment. Hiring/ Budgeted Range: $135,000 to $155,000/ yr. Full Salary Range: $97,200 to $182,000/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 # 86001.

SR. PARKING REPRESENTATIVE

PARK (PARKING OFFICE)

Enforces University parking regulations by issuing citations and courtesy warnings to vehicles illegally parked. Identifies vehicles to be “booted” and processes them according to California Vehicle Code. Keeps current on campus events and their locations. Directs traffic and escort vehicles including semi‑trucks and buses. Informs supervisor of problems as they arise. Provides parking instructions and gives directions. Reqs: High School Diploma; Demonstrated exceptional customer service by providing and delivering professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance; Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate with students, staff,

faculty and the general public; Ability to grasp new concepts. Ability to maintain professionalism and composure under high customer demand and challenging customer interactions; Ability to work as part of a team, maintain a positive attitude and work together to achieve a common goal of providing world class customer service; Excellent written and verbal communication. Notes: Maintain a valid CA driver’s license. Must wear prescribed uniform while on duty; Ability to work outside year round in inclement weather using established foul weather gear provided by the department; Ability to stand and walk for most of each shift and walk an average of 6 to 8 miles daily over hilly terrain, around parked cars in both covered and uncovered parking facilities; 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; UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment. Hiring/ Budgeted Hourly Range: $25.45 to $26.42/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 # 86044

STARBUCKS ASSISTANT MANAGER

CAMPUS DINING

The Assistant Manager of Starbucks trains and supervises a team of part‑time student employees. Creates and maintains the Starbucks product and store experience for customers. The Assistant Manager is required to be the floor manager; ensures consistent service, supervision and sanitation. Reqs: High School Diploma; 1‑3 yrs in retail coffee location or restaurant environment‑specifically in the area of customer service, merchandising and inventory; 1‑3 yrs Experience in supervising and managing staff. Ability to work effectively with others, full‑time and student staff; 1‑3 yrs Demonstrated ability working with diverse student and career staff; 1‑3 yrs Excellent communication and customer service skills, including ability to effectively convey information verbally and in writing; 1‑3 yrs HACCP and Sanitation knowledge. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check; Visa sponsorship is not available for this position; UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment. Budgeted Hourly Range: $26.53 ‑ $29.31/hr. Full Salary Range: $26.53/hr ‑ $30.48/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 # 85763.

ADMINISTER OF ESTATE

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER

ESTATE OF: VINCENT IAN POSNER No.: 26PR00235

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: VINCENT IAN POSNER

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: RACHEL MICHELLE HAYNES POSNER in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.

THE PETITION requests that (name): RACHEL MICHELLE HAYNES POSNER 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: 6/25/2026 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.

Published: May 14, 21, 28 2026.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JERRY L. POST No.: 26PR00229

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: JERRY L. POST a.k.a. JERRY LEE POST A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: CYNTHIA J. POST in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.

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: 6/17/2026 AT 9:30 a.m. Dept: SM 1 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, located at 312 East Cook STREET SANTA MARIA, CA 93454 COOK DIVISION

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: GAIL A. MECONO

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.

THE PETITION requests that (name): PAUL JORGENSEN 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: 06/25/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: Five SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, located at 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101. ANACAPA DIVISION

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 05/05/2026 by Monica Buenrostro, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: John A. Berryhill; 1505 East Valley Road, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93108; 805‑969‑4451 Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4 2026. NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JAMES PHILIP SALCIDO AKA SALSIDO No.: 26PR00231 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: JAMES PHILIP SALCIDO AKO SALSIDO A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: SANTIAGO P SALSIDO in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. THE PETITION requests that (name): SANTIAGO P SALSIDO 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: 6/25/2026 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.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.

THE PETITION requests that (name): CYNTHIA J. POST 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.

MARKETPLACE

ANNOUNCEMENT

DID YOU KNOW Newspaper‑generated

content is so valuable it’s taken and repeated, condensed, broadcast, tweeted, discussed, posted, copied, edited, and emailed countless times throughout the day by others? Discover the Power of Newspaper Advertising. For a free brochure call 916‑288‑6011 or email

cecelia@cnpa.com (Cal‑SCAN)

ELIMINATE GUTTER cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris‑blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1‑855‑424‑7581 (Cal‑SCAN)

END YOUR tax worries today. Let us make your tax problem our priority. Scared, stuck with high tax amounts?

Our A+ tax professionals can help. Call for a FREE consultation. Call Priority Tax now 1‑ 877‑361‑0387 (Cal‑SCAN)

INFLATION IS at 40 year highs. Interest rates are way up. Credit Cards. Medical Bills. Car Loans. Do you have $10k or more in debt? Call NATIONAL DEBT

RELIEF and find out how to pay off your debt for significantly less than what you owe! FREE quote: Call

1‑877‑630‑2684

PREPARE FOR power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5‑Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1‑866‑381‑0627 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

PROMPT LOCAL service available for appliance repair. Washer/Dryer, Dishwasher, Refrigerator, Stove/Oven and all major appliances. Certified, Insured techs. Satisfaction guaranteed. Call to schedule your appointment now! 1‑877‑706‑0401.

STOP OVERPAYING FOR AUTO INSURANCE! A recent survey says that most Americans are overpaying for their car insurance. Let us show you how much you can save. Call Now for a no‑obligation quote: 1‑833‑399‑1539

STRUGGLING WITH CREDIT CARD

DEBT? If you owe $10,000+, we can help you become debt free in 24‑48 months! Make one monthly affordable payment. Get Help Now! Call: 1‑877‑895‑5782

THE DIFFERENCE in winning and losing market share is how businesses use their advertising dollars. CNPA’s Advertising Services’ power to connect to nearly 13 million of the state’s

readers who are an engaged audience, makes our services an indispensable marketing solution. For more info call Cecelia @ (916) 288‑6011 or cecelia@ cnpa.com.

YMT VACATIONS. Over 50 guided tours available. Affordable, social and stress‑free travel designed for mature travelers. Our tours include accommodations, transportation, baggage handling, sightseeing, entrance fees, a professional Tour Director and select meals. For a limited time SAVE $250 on all tours. Call YMT today. 1‑866‑314‑6821

INSTRUMENTS

WE BUY Vintage Guitars! Looking for 1920‑1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. These brands only! Call for a quote: 1‑833‑641‑6624

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ATTENTION: VIAGRA and CIALIS

USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special ‑ Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1‑833‑641‑6594

GOT AN UNWANTED CAR??? DONATE IT TO PATRIOTIC HEARTS. Fast free pick up. All 50 States. Patriotic Hearts’ programs help veterans find work or start their own business. Call 24/7: 1‑833‑426‑0086

CLASSES/LESSONS/ WORKSHOPS

GUITAR TEACHER at Jensen Lesson Studios has lesson times available. 30 years teaching experience, most styles taught except flamenco. Lessons are weekly at a flat rate of $200 a month paid at the beginning of each month. Michael Shiflett (805) 682‑3880

WELLNESS

SAFE STEP. North America’s #1 Walk‑In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top‑of‑the‑line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1‑888‑989‑5749 (Cal‑SCAN).

MONEY TO LOAN

RETIRED COUPLE $$$$ for business purpose Real Estate loans. Credit unimportant. V.I.P. Trust Deed Company www.viploan.com Call 1‑818‑248‑0000. Broker‑principal DRE 01041073. No consumer loans. (Cal‑ SCAN).

CARE —

Caregiver

a staffing rotation. Bathing, meals, companionship, overnight & 24‑hr care across Santa Barbara, Goleta, Montecito & Carpinteria. Owner‑led, California licensed. https://agewell.care · Call or Text (805) 900‑0829

SERVICES

BREAK‑INS take less than 60 SECONDS. Don’t wait! Protect your family, your home, your assets NOW for as little as 70¢ a day! Call 1‑833‑881‑2713 NEED NEW WINDOWS? Drafty rooms? Chipped or damaged frames? Need outside noise reduction? New, energy efficient windows may be the answer! Call for a consultation & FREE quote today: 1‑833‑890‑1293

PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for a quote, service or an inspection today! 1‑833‑406‑6971

have completed some college or higher education are between the ages of 35 and 74

have an annual household income of $100,000 or

crosswordpuzzle

ByMattJones

Across

1. 70-Across’s U.S. equivalent

4. Newspaper section

10. Latest craze

13. Walk off with

14. Northern lights phenomenon

15. Indignation

16. Where words are formed letter by letter in dreams?

18. Pro hoops gp.

19. Words with “on TV”

20. Woeful sound

21. Japanese wheat noodles

22. Charlie Brown outburst

24. Hamilton bills, slangily

26. “I see it now!”

29. Droplets of water

31. “Galloping Gourmet” Graham

32. Football party entree, often

34. Long-standing

36. AL and NL divisions

39. Bored feeling

40. Sm¯rrebr¯d bread

41. Party game with a similar concept to “The Traitors”

42. Laundry day target

43. ___ Leppard

44. Perfect places

45. Diner orders

47. Butter-and-flour sauce thickener

49. “___ Kapital” (Karl Marx work)

50. Solvent in nail polish remover

53. Smooth-talking

55. Bank (on)

56. Number that’s its own fourth power

58. Odd

62. Not so well

63. Menswear delivery for Danson or Lange?

65. Pub provision

66. Lip overgrowth, slangily

67. Very, in Versailles

68. Lawn repair roll

69. Artist known for optical illusions

70. 1-Across’s U.K. equivalent (and inspiration for this puzzle)

Down

1. Sticks in the microwave

2. Somehow manages (with “out”)

3. Lamprey lurer

4. Musician Buffy ___-Marie who retired from live performance in 2023

5. Knock-knock joke, usually

6. Assns.

7. Bender, for example

8. “From the Alex ___ Stage ...”

9. Dejected

10. Hide-and-seek players being provided snacks?

11. Shady garden spot

12. Academic heads

13. Screening org.

17. Provides a segue for

21. Like emails with bold headers

23. “The Princess Bride” weapon

Hatch location

Leaves amazed

Little help

Romance author Monaghan took over?

Comparatively cunning

Culpable

Remove condensation from

“Bob’s Burgers” daughter

Mouthy lip (or lippy mouth) 46. Pig noses 48. Donegal’s province

Opera selections 51. Yo-Yo Ma’s instrument 52. Supercomputer first unveiled over 80 years ago 54. Teen doll line since 2001

Ingrain indelibly

Raison d’___

LEGALS (CONT.)

MICHAEL J. FREY

filed by:

in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.

THE PETITION requests that (name):

MICHAEL J. FREY 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.

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: 7/02/2026

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. Anacapa Division.

SINCLAIR FUEL

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.

Published: May 21, 28. June 4 2026.

FBN ABANDONMENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT ABANDONMENT

File No. FBN2026‑0001230

County of Original Filing: SANTA BARBARA

Date of Original Filing: 09/25/2024

Original File No. FBN2024‑ 0002273

Fictitious Business Name(s): SKIN NURSE, 1330 CHAPALA STREET, SUITE 104 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101, County of SANTA BARBARA MOROVATI AESTHETIC MEDICAL CORPORATION, 1330 CHAPALA STREET, SUITE 104 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101,

on duty: oil changes, brakes, and automotive services.

PROPANE TANK :

$19.95 (plus tax) with exchange (cheapest in town)

place an ad go to

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 800-245-0398

TOP DOLLAR PAID for old vintage guitars! Gibson, Fender, Martin, Grecsch, Rickenbacker, Epiphone, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. Call 866-433-8277

Reach millions of homes nationwide with one easy, affordable buy in the ADS Network! For more information: www.communitypublishers.com/category/all-products -

Peace of mind & early detection - Now more than ever, it’s important to get screened for Stroke & Cardiovascular Disease risk. Life Line Screening is simple & painless. 833970-4172

Portable oxygen concentrator may be covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence & mobility w/the compact design & long-lasting battery. Inogen One free info kit! 877-305-1535

Consumer Cellular - same reliable, nationwide coverage as large carriers. No long-term contract or hidden fees, free activation. All plans unlimited talk & text starting at just $20/mo. 877-751-0866

Become a published author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Free author`s guide 877-729-4998 or dorranceinfo.com/ads

No cleaning gutters guaranteed! LeafFilter - most advanced gutter protection, backed by a no-clog guarantee & lifetime warranty. 833-610-1936 schedule free inspection & estimate. Get 75% off install & $250 bonus discount! Limited time. Restrictions apply, see rep for warranty & details.

CALIFORNIA

This business was conducted by A CORPORATION

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on JUN 24, 2024 I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A Registrant who declares as true information, which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime. (B&P Code 17913). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.

S/ TANYA MOROVATI, CEO

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 05/08/2026 5/21, 5/28, 6/4, 6/11/26

CNS‑4042623#

SANTA BARBARA

INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KAPLAN INTERNATIONAL: 721 Cliff Drive Santa Barbara CA 93109; Kaplan International North America, LLC 12735 Morris Road Suite 260 Alpharetta, GA 30004 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 01, 2013. Filed by: ASHLEY

POMONIS/MANAGER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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: 2026‑0001175. Published: May 7, 14, 21, 28 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BLOOM POST: 816 East Carrillo Street, Santa Barbara CA 93103; Victoria T. Fitoussi PO Box 472 Santa Barbara, CA93102

This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Apr 20, 2026. Filed by: VICTORIA FITOUSSI with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 28, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of

Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles/multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited time offer up to 50% off install + additional 10% off install military, health & 1st responders. 833-370-1234

Inflation at 40-year highs. Interest rates are up. Credit cards, medical bills, car loans. Have $10k+ in debt? Call National Debt Relief to find out how to pay off your debt for much less than you owe! Free quote: 844-955-4930

Home break-ins take less than 60 seconds. Don't wait! Protect your family, home, assets now for as little as 70¢/day! 833-890-1262

Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as 1-day. Limited time, waving all installation costs! Additional terms apply. Subject to change & vary by dealer. Ends soon. 844-501-3208

Pest control: Protect your home from pests safely. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders & more. Locally owned & affordable. For service or inspection today! 833-860-0657 Have zip code ready!

MobileHelp America's premier mobile medical alert system. Home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts, free brochure! 888-489-3936

Aging roof? New homeowner? Storm damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. 833-640-4753

Have zip code ready when calling!

Water damage cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage in your home. Our trusted professionals do repairs to protect your family & home value! 833-887-0117. Have zip code ready!

the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001138. Published: May 7, 14, 21, 28 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: OLD SCHOOL CUBAN/MID CENTURY MAN.: 748 Enterprise Avenue Lompoc, CA 93436; Templar Gate LLC 5142 Hollister Ave #4012 Santa Barbara, CA 93111

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 16, 2026. Filed by: VICTOR M. TAMAYO/ MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 29, 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: 2026‑0001152. Published: May 7, 14, 21, 28 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MOUNTAIN SEA CBD.: 333 Old Mill Rd, 326 Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Jill M. Brzezicki (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 17, 2026. Filed by: JILL M. BRZEZICKI/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001067. Published: May 7, 14, 21, 28 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: INTRICATE DRYWALL INC.: 320 N Fairview Ave. Unit 6 Goleta, CA 93117; Pete’s Intricate Drywall 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 Apr 17, 2026. Filed by: PETER CAMPOS/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001064. Published: May 7, 14, 21, 28 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CENTRAL COAST POWER SOLUTIONS: 1412 Bath St B Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Michael J Danforth (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 23, 2026. Filed by: MICHAEL J. DANFORTH with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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 E49. FBN Number: 2026‑0001080. Published: May 7, 14, 21, 28 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT

File No. FBN 2026‑0001083

The following person(s) is doing business as: SANTA BARBARA PONDS, 1215 DE LA VINA ST STE E, SANTA BARBARA CA, 93101, County of SANTA BARBARA.

SANTA BARBARA PONDS LLC, 1215 DE LA VINA ST STE E, SANTA BARBARA CA, 93101 CA

This business is conducted by A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on NOT APPLICABLE /s/ CHRISTOPHER HINDS, MEMBER This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on SANTA BARBARA. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28/26

CNS‑4039120# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

File No. FBN2026‑0001084

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: DIVINE BLINK ESTHETICS, 633 Chapala St, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 County of SANTA BARBARA

DIVINE BLINK ESTHETICS LLC, 633 Chapala St, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

This business is conducted by a limited liability company

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names

Professional lawn service: Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Free quote. Ask about first application special! 833-860-0811

DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB games! Choice Pkg $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devic-es.

HBO Max included for 3 mos w/Choice Package or higher. No contract or hidden fees! Restrictions apply. IVS 866859-0405

Wesley Financial Group, LLC timeshare cancellation experts over $50 million timeshare debt/fees cancelled in 2019. Free info package. Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. 833-308-1971

Bath & shower updates in as little as 1-day! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-543-9189

Prepare for power outages today - Generac Home Standby Generator. Receive free 5-Year warranty w/qualifying purchase. 855-948-6176 to schedule free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not a discount plan. Free info kit! 855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258

Need cash quickly? We buy houses in any condition. Get a fair cash offer within 24 hours! Call today. Liz Buys Houses: 833-359-4707

listed above on N/A. DIVINE BLINK ESTHETICS LLC S/ LILIANA SOTO, MANAGING MEMBER , This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 04/23/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28/26

CNS‑4031477# SANTA BARBARA

INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

File No. FBN2026‑0001103

The following person(s) is doing business as:

B BAR K STABLES, 5290 OVERPASS RD, STE 112 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93111, County of SANTA BARBARA. KUESIS PROPERTY HOLDINGS LLC, 5290 OVERPASS ROAD STE 112 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93111, CA This business is conducted by A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on NOT APPLICABLE /s/ MARIA NORRIS, MANAGING MEMBER This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 04/24/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28/26

CNS‑4039159# SANTA BARBARA

INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT

File No. FBN2026‑0001105

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Sprouts Farmers Market, 2170 S. Bradley Rd., Santa Maria, CA 93455 County of SANTA BARBARA

SF Markets LLC, 5455 E High St., Ste. 333, Phoenix, AZ 85054 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 N/A. SF Markets LLC S/ BRANDON LOMBARDI, SECRETARY, This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 04/24/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28/26

CNS‑4034123# SANTA BARBARA

INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KARI ARCURI‑NURTURED BIRTHS: 4004 Via Lucero, Unit 9 Santa Barbara CA 93110; Kari Rene Arcuri (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jun 22, 2024. Filed by: KARI ARCURI with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 04, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001188. Published: May 7, 14, 21, 28 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN 2026‑0001086

LEGALS (CONT.)

Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk

5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28/26

CNS‑4039263#

SANTA BARBARA

INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PAPERWORK BOT, QORSOFTWARE: 1736 Olive Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Kaytos, 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 06, 2025. Filed by: LISA BIGGS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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: 2026‑0001218. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

File No. FBN2026‑0001060

The following person(s) is doing business as:

RIVIERA FOOT & ANKLE CENTER, 601 EAST ARRELLAGA, SUITE 203 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93103, County of SANTA BARABARA. FOOT & ANKLE HEALTH CENTER OF SANTA BARBARA, PC, 1820 W. ORANGEWOOD AVENUE, SUITE 104 ORANGE, CA 92868, CA

This business is conducted by A CORPORATION.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on SEPT 14, 2025 /s/ ABIMBOLA JOHNSON, D.P.M., PRESIDENT

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 04/22/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 5/14, 5/21, 5/28, 6/4/26

CNS‑4040805# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SHEPHERD’S GIVING FARM: 1980 US 101 Goleta CA 93117; Tom A Shepherd (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 05, 2026. Filed by: TOM SHEPHERD/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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 E63. FBN Number: 2026‑0001195. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT

File No. FBN 2026‑0001111

The following person(s) is doing business as:

PIPPIN, 1114 STATE ST STE 24

SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101, County of SANTA BARBARA. CURATE HOME LLC, 1114 STATE ST #24 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101, CA

This business is conducted by A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on NOT APPLICABLE /s/ CARLY PIPPIN, MANAGING MEMBER

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 04/24/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 5/14, 5/21, 5/28, 6/4/26

CNS‑4040945# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CENTRAL COAST MAINTENANCE PROS: 5560

Black Road Casmalia, CA 93429; Jason B Rangel PO Box 118 Casmalia, CA 93429 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Apr 30, 2026. Filed by: JASON RANGEL/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 05, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the

PUBLIC NOTICE

Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001203. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THIRD THOUGHTS HOLLOW: 26 San Marcos Trout Club Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Yesenia Thomas (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 30, 2026. Filed by: YESENIA THOMAS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001200. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SKYENNA, SKYENNA WINES: 12 Helena Avenue Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Skyenna LLC PO Box 30132 Santa Barbara, CA 93130 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 01, 2017. Filed by: LEN GERMANO/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001072. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

NOTICE OF THE PERIOD DURING WHICH ASSESSMENT PROTESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED, THE METHODS THEY CAN BE SUBMITTED, THE PLACE WHERE THEY MAY BE FILED, THE TIME THE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS WILL MEET TO EQUALIZE ASSESSMENTS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 1601, as amended, of the Revenue and Taxation Code of the State of California, that Assessment protests will be accepted from 8:00 a.m., July 2, 2026 to 5:00 p.m., November 30, 2026 by the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Room 407, County Administration Building, 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, California, 93101. The Assessment Appeal Application form is available online at: https://www.countyofsb.org/1232/ Assessment-Appeals. Assessment Appeal Applications may also be submitted online at https://sbaaefile.azurewebsites.net/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2F

NOTICE is further given that the Assessment Appeals Board of the County of Santa Barbara shall meet to consider assessment protests and to equalize assessment of property on the local role commencing, Wednesday, December 16, 2026, and shall continue in session for that purpose, from time to time, until the business of equalization is disposed of.

Witness my hand and seal this 20th day of May 2026.

Mona Miyasato CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Lia Marie Graham, Deputy Clerk of the Board

AVISO PÚBLICO

AVISO DEL PERIODO DURANTE EL CUAL SE ACEPTARÁN PROTESTAS DE VALORACIÓN, LOS MÉTODOS EN QUE PUEDEN PRESENTARSE, EL LUGAR DONDE PUEDEN PRESENTARSE, LA HORA EN QUE LA JUNTA DE APELACIONES DE VALORACIÓN DEL CONDADO DE SANTA BARBARA SE REUNIRÁ PARA IGUALAR LAS VALORACIONES

@sbindependent on all platforms

Se notifica conforme a la Sección 1601, modificada, del Código de Rentas e Impuestos del Estado de California, que se aceptarán protestas de tasación desde las 8:00 a.m. del 2 de julio de 2026 hasta las 5:00 p.m. del 30 de noviembre de 2026, en la Secretaría de la Junta de Supervisores, Sala 407, Edificio de Administración del Condado, 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, California, 93101. La Solicitud de Apelación de Tasación está disponible en línea en: https:// www.countyofsb.org/1232/Assessment-Appeals. Seleccione “Spanish” en la página web para español. Las Solicitudes de Apelación de Tasación también pueden presentarse en línea en: https://sbaaefile.azurewebsites.net/Account/ Login?ReturnUrl=%2F (solamente en inglés).

Se NOTIFICA además que la Junta de Apelaciones de Tasación del Condado de Santa Barbara se reunirá para considerar las protestas de tasación y para igualar la tasación de la propiedad en el papel local a partir del miércoles, 16 de diciembre de 2026, y continuará en sesión para ese propósito, de vez en cuando, hasta que el asunto de la igualación sea resuelto.

Testigo mi mano y sello este día 20 de mayo de 2026.

Mona Miyasato

SECRETARIA DE LA JUNTA DE SUPERVISORES

Lia Marie Graham, Diputada Secretaria de la Junta

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ANALOGUE ROOM: 1693 Mission Dr. D2 Solvang, CA 93463; Sol II Inc. 865 Kolding Ave. Solvang, CA 93463 This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Apr 09, 2026. Filed by: JOHN WILLIAM WRIGHT/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000983. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HOLLISTER RANCH PRESERVE, HOLLISTER RANCH CONSERVANCY: 1000 Hollister Ranch Gaviota, CA 93117; The Hollister Ranch Owners’ Association (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 14, 1971. Filed by: BETH SHEVIN/ PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0000963. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SELF STORAGE OF SANTA MARIA: 1701 N. Carlotti Drive Santa Maria, CA 93455; William B. Kendall 3000 Lista Linda

Lane Santa Barbara, CA 93108 This business is conducted by A Limited Partnership Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Dec 11, 2000. Filed by: WILLIAM B. KENDALL/MGP, BRC, SELF STORGE OF SANTA MARIA LP with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001192. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MERCHAV: 1463 Camino Rio Verde Santa Barbara, CA 93111; Tragan Campbell (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 05, 2026. Filed by: TRAGAN CAMPBELL/FOUNDER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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 E63. FBN Number: 2026‑0001199. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAPIEN SOUL: 731 East Haley Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Lisa Biggs (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Oct 01, 2025. Filed by: LISA BIGGS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 21, 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: 2026‑0001021. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CARA MIA PUBLISHING COMPANY: 311 Gardengate Lane Lompoc, CA 93436; John R. Battistone (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: JOHN R. BATTISTONE/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 07, 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: 2026‑0001224.

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CARRIAGE AND WESTERN ART MUSEUM OF SANTA BARBARA: 129 Castillo Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Carridge And Western Art Museum Of Santa Barbara (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Apr 01, 1972. Filed by: PETER GEORGI/ VP with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 21, 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: 2026‑0001032. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Design Review Board Hybrid Public Hearing – In Person and via Zoom Goleta City Hall – Council Chambers 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B Goleta, CA 93117 Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 3:00 P.M.

ATTENTION: The meeting will be held in person and via the Zoom platform. The public may also view the meeting on Goleta Channel 19 and/or online at https:// www.cityofgoleta.org/goletameetings

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Design Review Board (DRB) of the City of Goleta will conduct a public hearing for the projects listed below, with the date, time, and location of the DRB public hearing set forth above. The agenda for the hearing, including how to participate virtually in the hearing via a Zoom link, will also be posted on the City website at least 72 hours before the hearing (www. cityofgoleta.org).

For Conceptual/Preliminary/Final Review:

UCSB Wall Signage and California Environmental Quality Act 71 S Los Carneros (APN 073-330-071)

Case No. 26-0027-ZC/26-0018-DRB

Adapt Health Signage and California Environmental Quality Act 5782 Thornwood Drive (APN 071-170-047)

Case No. 26-0024-ZC/26-0014-DRB

For Conceptual/Preliminary Review:

Fairview Gardens Conditional Use Permit and California Environmental Quality Act 598 N. Fairview Avenue (APN 069-090-052)

Case No. 25-0001-CUP

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 Design Review Board 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 Design Review Board and published on the City’s Meeting and Agenda page.

FOR PROJECT INFORMATION: For further information on the project, contact Mary Chang, at (805) 961-7567 or mchang@cityofgoleta.gov. Para consultas en español, comuníquese con Marcos Martinez al (805) 562-5500 o mmartinez@ cityofgoleta.gov. Staff reports and documents will be posted approximately 72 hours before the hearing on the City’s website at www.cityofgoleta.gov.

In accordance with Gov. Code Section 65103.5, only non-copyrighted plans or plans that the designer has given permission have been published on the City’s website. The full set of plans is available for review at the Planning Counter during counter hours or by contacting the staff member listed for the item 805-961-7543.

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) 9617505 or cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.gov. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the hearing will enable City staff to make reasonable arrangements.

Publish: Santa Barbara Independent 05/28/2026

LEGALS (CONT.)

Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun

4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s)

is/are doing business as: THIS UNFINISHED LIFE, TUL: 1520 San Miguel Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Tawnya Bragg (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 02, 2026. Filed by: TAWNYA BRAGG with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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: 2026‑0001219. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SANTA YNEZ

BILLIARDS & CAFE: 1000 Edison St. Santa Ynez, CA 93460; SY M&R LLC

PO Box 1948 Santa Ynez, CA 93460

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 01, 2026. Filed by: MATHEW ABDULAZIZ/ MANAGER/MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 29, 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: 2026‑0001150. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CHANNEL ISLANDS ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL

SURGERY: 2425 Bath St. Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Reynaldo Rivera DDS MD Inc. 67 S Glenn Dr. Camarillo, CA 93010; McAninch Dental Group Inc. 1111 East Ocean Avenue Lompoc, CA 93436 This business is conducted

ORDINANCE NO. 26-06

by A General Partnership Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Filed by: REYNALDO RIVERA/PARTNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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: 2026‑0001007. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MESA TAX

PROFESSIONALS: 1933 Cliff Drive, Suite 14 Santa Barbara, CA 93109; MBS Books 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 23, 2026. Filed by: AHOVANY MENDOZA/ MEMBER with the County Clerk of

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GOLETA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 5.08 (SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS) OF THE GOLETA MUNICIPAL CODE AND FINDING THE AMENDMENTS TO BE STATUTORILY EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT UNDER CEQA GUIDELINES §§ 15060, 15061, AND 15378 (CASE NO. 250006-ORD)

On May 19th, 2026, at 5:30 P.M., at the Goleta City Hall, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, California, the City Council of the City of Goleta (“City”) conducted the second reading and adopted Ordinance No. 26-06 that amends Title 5 (Business Licenses and Regulations) of the Goleta Municipal Code related to Short-term Vacation Rentals (STVRs). Changes to the City’s STVR regulations relate to: definitions for hosted/non-hosted STVRs and primary residence; a waiting period for non-hosted STVR licenses for recently purchased properties and properties subject to no-fault eviction; a three-strike violation and license suspension provision; a prohibition on STVR licenses for a property owned by a corporation, limited liability company, or any form of business trust; and a limitation on number of nights per year a non-hosted STVR may be rented.

The City Council of the City of Goleta passed and adopted Ordinance No. 2606 at a regular meeting held on the 19th day of May, 2026, by the following roll call vote:

AYES: MAYOR PEROTTE, MAYOR PRO TEMPORE SMITH, COUNCILMEMBERS

KASDIN, KYRIACO, AND REYES-MARTÍN.

NOES: NONE

ABSENT: NONE

ABSTAIN: NONE

The ordinance will be effective 31 days from the date of adoption. A copy of the ordinance is available at the City Clerk’s Office, cityclerkgroup@ cityofgoleta.org, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, California, or by calling the office at (805) 961-7505.

Deborah S. Lopez City Clerk

Publish: Santa Barbara Independent, May 28, 2026

GOLETA WATER DISTRICT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN AND 2025 WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 5:30 pm in the Goleta Water District Board Room at 4699 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, California 93110 the Board of Directors of the Goleta Water District (GWD) will conduct a public hearing pursuant to California Water Code sections 10642 and 10608.26 to consider community comments and input on the Goleta Water District 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP).

The Draft UWMP and WSCP are currently available for public review online in the Agenda for the May 27, 2026 Water Management and Long Range Planning Committee meeting, available online at http://www.goletawater.com/agendasand-minutes. After June 2, 2026, the Draft UWMP and WSCP will be available online in the Agenda for the June 9, 2026 Board of Directors meeting at the same link provided. The draft UWMP and WSCP have been developed in accordance with the California Urban Water Management Planning Act, Water Code sections 10610 through 10656, as well as the Water Conservation Act of 2009, Water Code sections 10608 through 10608.64. Public input from diverse social, cultural and economic elements of the population is encouraged and is an important part of the 2025 UWMP and 2025 WSCP update processes.

Written comments may be submitted by 5 pm Tuesday, June 9, 2026 to the attention of Ryan Drake, Water Supply & Conservation Manager at 4699 Hollister Ave, Goleta, CA 93110 or to rdrake@goletawater.com. Verbal comments can also be made at the hearing noted above. Upon conclusion of the hearing, the Board of Directors may revise, change, modify, and/or adopt the 2025 UWMP and/or the 2025 WSCP. The Plans will be considered for adoption at the June 9, 2026 public meeting, immediately following the public hearing.

Santa Barbara County on Apr 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: 2026‑0001124. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MARBELLA COUNSELING: 1428 San Andres St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Maria Del Rosario C Ventura PO Box 123 Santa Barbara, CA 93102 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: MARIA VENTURA with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001248. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FIESTA APTS: 416 W North Ave Lompoc, CA 93436; PI Properties No 22, LLC 610 N Santa Anita Ave Arcadia, CA 91006 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 25, 2022.

Filed by: RAO R YALAMANCHILI/ MANAGER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 04, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001184. Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ARIA KITCHEN AND BATH: 1428 Santa Rosa Ave Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Aria Cabinetry And Design (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 05, 2026. Filed by: ALBERTO JAIMES MENDOZA/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 21, 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: 2026‑0001039. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: IRON ARMADA: 748 Enterprise Avenue Lompoc, CA 93436; Templar Gate LLC 5142 Hollister Ave. #4012 Santa Barbara, CA 93111 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 16, 2026. Filed by: VICTOR M. TAMAYO/MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 07, 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: 2026‑0001221. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAGE‑SB, SAGE: 1221 State Street, #92233 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Smart Action For Growth And Equity‑Santa Barbara 1221 State Street #92233 Santa Barbara, 93101 This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 29, 2025. Filed by: STEVE FORSELL/ PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001251. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COASTAL SOUNDS MUSIC THERAPY: 4930 Cervato Way Santa Barbara, CA 93111; Meghan F Downing (same address) This business is conducted by A Indivdual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 02, 2026. Filed by: MEGHAN DOWNING/SOLE PROPRIETOR with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001250. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT

File No. FBN2026‑0001214

The following person(s) is doing business as:

SPRAY IT SLAY IT, 879 SERENIDAD PL GOLETA, CA 93117, County of SANTA BARBARA. GOODLAND FAMILY ENTERPRISES LLC, 879 SERENIDAD PL GOLETA, CA 93117, CALIFORNIA

This business is conducted by A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on APR 16, 2026 /s/ JANELLE ORTEGA, MANAGING MEMBER

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 05/06/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 5/21, 5/28, 6/4, 6/11/26

CNS‑4043222# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE LAW OFFICE OF KRISTIAN BEVERLY: 414 North O Street Santa Barbara, CA 93436; Kristian D Beverly (same address) This business is conducted by A Invididual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Apr 30, 2026. Filed by: KRISTIAN BEVERLY/ESQUIRE with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001208. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RHIM, INC: 3938 Harrold Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Rhim, 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 Dec 01, 2010. Filed by: RAUL RUTTEN/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E76. FBN Number: 2026‑0001292. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

File No. FBN2026‑0001142

The following person(s) is doing business as: ANIMAL CLINIC OF SANTA MARIA, 1 S WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 2200 CHICAGO, IL 60606, County of COOK COUNTY. CENTRAL VET MGMT, LLC, 1 S WACKER DRIVE SUITE 2200 CHICAGO, IL 60606, CALIFORNIA

This business is conducted by A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on NOT APPLICABLE /s/ P. ROY JAIN, COO/SECRETARY/VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 04/28/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk

LEGALS (CONT.)

5/21, 5/28, 6/4, 6/11/26

CNS‑4043062#

SANTA BARBARA

INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s)

is/are doing business as: LADERA

PROPERTIES: 4161 Vieja Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Johan C Scharin (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 14, 2026.

Filed by: JOHAN C SCHARIN/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 18, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E49. FBN Number: 2026‑0001315. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s)

is/are doing business as: NOBLE POWER EQUIPMENT, NOBLE SAW: 2935 S Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401; Noble Saw Acquistion, LLC 196 Curtner Ave Campbell, CA 95008 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 01, 2026. Filed by: RICHARD OGAWA/ MANAGER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001068. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HANDYMAN

CHRIS MADSEN: 3 Willowglen Place Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Christopher P Madsen (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 13, 2026. Filed by: CHRISTOPHER

MADSEN/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 18, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001320. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COASTAL

RIVIERA VINTAGE: 744 Calle De Los Amigos Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Jose Orozco (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: JOSE OROZCO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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: 2026‑0001130. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL: 199 S Turnpike Rd, Ste 105 Santa Barbara, CA 93111; CCNSB, 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 May 01, 2026. Filed by: TED ELLIS/GENERAL MANAGER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001284. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 805

IMMIGRATION SERVICES: 133 South Salinas Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Lucero Milla (same address) This business is conducted by A Invididual Registrant commenced to

transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Filed by: LUCERO MILLA/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 15, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E63. FBN Number: 2026‑0001303. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LIQUID CULT: 3038 La Ramada Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93111; Onyx And Redwood LLC 5662 Calle Real #183 Goleta, CA 93117 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jun 04, 2019. Filed by: JESSICA KUIPERS/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 15, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001307. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NANCY G WEISS CONSULTING, CHYTILO CONSULTING: 1505 Mission Canyon Rd Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Osprey Consulting LLC POB 92233 Santa Barbara, CA 93190 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 06, 2023. Filed by: MARC CHYTILO/MANAGER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001258. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MIA ROSE BEAUTY BAR: 3011 De La Vina St Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Rosemary A. Perez (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: ROSEMARY PEREZ/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E28. FBN Number: 2026‑0001289. Published: May 21, 28. Jun 4, 11 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CONNECTPOINT, INC: 175 Cremona Dr. Suite 160 Goleta, CA 93117; Connectpoint, 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 Jul 26, 2018. Filed by: RICK WOOD/ EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 21, 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: 2026‑0001358. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

File No. FBN 2026‑0001248

The following person(s) is doing business as:

VALERIO’S TOWING & TRANSPORTATION, 945 E. JONES STREET, SUITE 25 SANTA MARIA, CA 93545, County of SANTA BARBARA. VALERIO’S DIESEL REPAIR LLC, 945 E. JONES STREET SUITE 25 SANTA MARIA, CA 93454, CALIFORNIA

This business is conducted by A LIMITED LIABLITY COMPANY.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the

fictitious business name or names listed above on NOT APPLICABLE /s/ OMAR GERARDO VALERIO, CEO

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 05/11/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk

5/28, 6/4, 6/11, 6/18/26

CNS‑4044114# SANTA BARBARA

INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SOLACE JEWELRY: 452 Fellowship Rd. Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Catherine M. Brunner (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 14, 2026. Filed by: CATHERINE BRUNNER/ MS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 18, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001323. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

RACHEL VAN MULLEM, COUNTY COUNSEL

MIKE MUNOZ, SENIOR DEPUTY (BAR#218870) 105 E. ANAPAMU STREET, 201 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101

ATTORNEY FOR SANTA BARBARA COUNTY PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA 1100 ANACAPA STREET 2ND FLOOR SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101 ANACAPA DIVISION

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MILLER LANDSCAPING AND MAINTENANCE: 1321 East Ocean Ave Lompoc, CA 93436; Miller Landscaping And Maintenance Inc. (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to

REPORT OF SALE AND PETITION FOR ORDER CONFIRMING SALE OF REAL PROPERTY and Sale of Other Property Sold as Unit

ESTATE OF: RODNEY DRAPER CASE NUMBER: 24PR00683

Hearing Date and Time: June 25, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 5 address of court is listed above

1. Petitioner (name of each): Harry E. Hagen, Santa Barbara County Public Administrator is the personal representative and requests a court order for c. approval of commission of 2.5% of the amount of: $624, 000.00 d. additional bond is not required

2. Description of property sold

a. Interest sold: 100% %

b. Improved

d. Street address and location (specify): 1012 Alphonse Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93013

e. Legal description is affixed as Attachment 2e.

3. Appraisal

a. Date of death of decedent or appointment of conservator or guardian (specify): 10/18/23 b, Appraised value at above date: $ 800,000.00

c. Reappraised value within one year before the hearing: $ 690,000.00 Amount Includes value of other property sold as a unit. (If more than one year has elapsed from the date In item 3a to the date of the hearing, reappraisal is required.)

d. Appraisal or reappraisal by probate referee has been filed

4. Manner and terms of sale

a. Name of purchaser and manner of vesting title (specify): See Attachment 4a.

c. Sale was private

d. Amount bid: $624, 000.00 Deposit: $18, 720.00

e. Payment Cash

f. Other terms (specify terms on Attachment 4e)

5. Commission

a. Sale without broker

b. A written exclusive (name): Melissa Kane, Sun Coast Real Estate

c. Purchaser was procured by (name): Lenny Gerthoffer, Blue Star Real Estate a licensed real estate broker who is not buying for his or her account.

d. Commission is to be divided as follows: 100% to Melissa Kane, Sun Coast Real Estate

6. Bond

a. Amount before sale: $ none.

b. Additional amount needed: $ none.

c. Proceeds are to be deposited in a blocked account. Receipts will be filed. (Specify institution and location):

7. Notice of sale

a. Published

8. Notice of hearing

a. Special devisee: (1) None.

c. Personal representative, conservator of the estate, or guardian of the estate: (1) Petitioner (consent or notice not required)

b. Special notice: (3) Required written notice will be given

9. Reason for sale

a. Necessary to pay

b. The sale is to the advantage of the estate and in the best interest of the interested persons. (1) debts

10. Formula for overbids

a. Original bid: $624,000.00

b. 10% of first $10,000.00 of original bid: $ 1,000.00

c. 5% of (original bid minus $10,000): $ 30,700.00

d. Minimum overbid (a + b + c): 655,700.00

11. Overbid. Required amount of first overbid (see item 10): $ 655,700.00

12. Petitioner’s efforts to obtain the highest and best price reasonably attainable for the property were as follows (specify activities taken to expose the property to the market, e.g., multiple listings, advertising, open houses, etc.): MLS, open houses

13. Number of pages attached: 43 Date: May 1, 2026, Mike Munoz, Senior Deputy I declare under penalty of perjury the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.

Date: May 4, 2026

Harry E. Hagen SB County Public Administrator

ATTACHMENT 2e

Residential real property located at 1012 Alphonse Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, described as follows: THE NORTH EASTERLY 25 FEET, FRONT AND REAR, OF LOT 44 OF MILPAS GARDENS, IN THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, ACCORDING TO THE MAP THEREOF RECORDED FEBRUARY 21ST, 1919 IN BOOK 9, PAGE 52 OF MAPS AND SURVEYS IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY RECORDER OF SAID COUNTY.

ALSO A RIGHT OF WAY OVER THE SOUTHWESTERLY 5 FEET FRONT AND REAR, OF THE NORTHWESTERLY 75 FEET OF THE PREMISES HEREIN DESCRIBED AS RESERVED, IN THE DEED FROM EDGAR W. JAQUES ET UX., TO A. R. METCALF AND ALICE M. METCALF, HIS WIFE, DATED MAY 7, 1925 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 60 PAGE 358 OF OFFICIAL RECORDS OF SAID COUNTY. APN: 031-185-004

ATTACHMENT 4a

TITLE SHALL BE TAKEN AS FOLLOWS: SERGIO VERDUZCO & MAGDALENA VERDUZCO, HUSBAND AND WIFE AS JOINT TENANTS WITH RIGH OF SURVIVORSHIP; AND, SERGIO VERDUZCO, JR., AN UNMARRIED MAN.

Published May 21, 28. June 4 2026.

LEGALS (CONT.)

transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 01, 1983. Filed by: RANDY

MILLER/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001283. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s)

is/are doing business as: HEARING

CONCIERGE OF MONTECITO: 1230 Coast Village Circle, Suite M Santa Barbara, CA 93108; Hearing Concierge Of Montecito Audiology, APC (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: AMBER FLETCHER/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 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 E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001249. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LA CASA DE MARIA RETREAT AND CONFERENCE

CENTER: 888 San Ysidro Lane Santa Barbara, CA 93108; Immaculate Heart Community 840 Echo Park Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90026 This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 01, 1943. Filed by: SHEILA ARASAWA/ CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001295. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

File No. FBN2026‑0001209

The following person(s) is doing business as:

1. ADVANCED VETERINARY SPECIALISTS, 2. AVS, 3. SAGE VETERINARY CENTERS, 414 EAST CARRILLO STREET

SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101, County of SANTA BARBARA. SAGE VETERINARY HOLDCO LLC, 1 BAXTER WAY SUITE 200 WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91362, DE

This business is conducted by A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on FEB 11, 2021 /s/ MARK MOURITSEN SECRETARY OF SAGE VETERINARY HOLDCO LLC,THE GENERAL PARTNER

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 05/06/2026.

Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 5/28, 6/4, 6/11, 6/18/26

CNS‑4041289# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0001213

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as:

Extra Space Storage, 101 W Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 County of SANTA BARBARA

Extra Space Management Inc, 2795 E Cottonwood Pkwy Ste 400, Salt Lake City, UT 84121

This business is conducted by a Corporation

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A.

Extra Space Management Inc S/ GWYN GOODSON MCNEAL, OFFICER, This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara

County on 05/06/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 5/28, 6/4, 6/11, 6/18/26

CNS‑4035715#

SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: STRATUS EVENT TECHNOLOGY: 5384 Ogan Rd Carpinteria, CA 93013; Stratus Streaming LLC (same address) This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 01, 2026. Filed by: ALFREDO PERALTA with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Apr 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 E73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001073. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CENTER FOR SPRITUAL RENEWAL: 888 San Ysidro Lane Santa Barbara, CA 93108; Immaculate Heart Community 840 Echo Park Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90026 This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 01, 1943. Filed by:

SHEILA ARASAWA/CHIEF FINANCIAL

OFFICER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001296. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RIVIERA COLLECTIVE: 69 Santa Felicia Drive, Unit #111 Goleta, CA 93117; Riviera Collective LLC (same address) This business is conducted by A Limited

COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in the Board of Supervisors’ Hearing Room County Administration Building 105 East Anapamu St. 4th Floor, Santa Barbara The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara in the County Hearing Rooms located at 105 East Anapamu Street in Santa Barbara and 511 East Lakeside Parkway in Santa Maria on June 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. or shortly thereafter. Please see www.countyofsb.org for web streaming of the meeting, agenda, supplemental materials, and minutes, as well as page two of the agenda for a description of public participation options available to provide testimony on actions regarding the adoption of the proposed Ordinance Amending the Public Works Department Subdivision Map and Document Review Fee Schedule – Surveyor Division, and approving the proposed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption per CEQA Guidelines (CCR Section 15273, subdivisions (a)(1) and (a)(2). A copy of a report with the proposed ordinance can be viewed with the materials docketed for this item on the agenda. This information may also be obtained by calling the County Department of Public Works at (805) 568-3020 during business hours. Comments, objections or protests to the adoption of the proposed charges may be presented at the hearing or filed with the Clerk of the Board before the public hearing, whose address is 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, California, 93101.

For current methods of public participation for the meeting of June 9, 2026, please see page two (2) of the posted Agenda. The posted agenda will be available on Thursday prior to the above referenced meeting for a more specific time for this item. However, the order of the agenda may be rearranged, or the item may be continued.

Staff reports and the posted agenda are available on the Thursday prior to the meeting at http://santabarbara.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx under the hearing date or contact the Clerk of the Board at (805) 568-2240 for alternative options.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by 4:00 PM on Friday before the Board meeting. For information about these services please contact the Clerk of the Board at (805) 568-2240.

If you challenge this 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 prior to the public hearing. G.C. Section 65009, 6066, and 6062a.

Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Filed by: GIULIANA MCCRACKEN GARCIA/ MANAGING MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 21, 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: 2026‑0001359. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LUXURY PAINTING: 302 W Montecito St, B Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Luis E Cervantes (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 18, 2026. Filed by: LUIS CERVANTES/ PAINTER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 18, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E78. FBN Number: 2026‑0001318. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PORTER

DOUD PROPERTIES: 1284 West Main St Santa Maria, CA 93438; Charles Porter (same address) Doud Family Tax Exclusion Trust (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 Jan 01, 1998. Filed by: MARK J. SMITH/TRUSTEE with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 22, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by E30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001377. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DARLING ROSE HOSPITALITY: 734 Elkus Walk Apt 106 Goleta, CA 93117; Andrew J Houghin‑Scasny (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 13, 2026. Filed by: ANDREW HAUGHIN‑SCASNY with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 21, 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: 2026‑0001352. Published: May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

NAME CHANGE

AMENDED IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: JOSE LUIS SANTANA ORDONEZ CASE NUMBER: 25CV07245

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: JOSE LUIS SANTANA

ORDONEZ 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: LUIS SANTANA TERRAZAS

PROPOSED NAME: LUIS

SANTANATERRAZAS 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 June 12, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 4, SUPERIOR COURT

COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

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 22, 2026, JUDGE Donna D. Geck of the Superior Court. Published May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION

TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: JEFFREY ROBERT MENELLY CASE NUMBER: 26CV02696

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS:

PETITIONER: JEFFREY ROBERT

MENELLY 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: JEFFREY ROBERT

MENELLY

PROPOSED NAME: JEFFREY ROBERT

MENELLI

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 June 26, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 4, 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 May 04, 2026, JUDGE Donna D. Geck of the

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in the Board of Supervisors’ Hearing Room County Administration Building 105 East Anapamu St. 4th Floor, Santa Barbara

The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara, State of California on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. or shortly thereafter, in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Rooms, 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA, and 511 East Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria, CA, on proposed tipping fees charged at County Solid Waste Facilities, maximum franchised collection rates, and new Cuyama parcel fees for the collection of municipal solid waste in the unincorporated area for fiscal year 2026-27.

Copies of all the proposed rates will be posted at the County of Santa Barbara website at the link above for the June 9, 2026, Board Hearing. Copies of the maximum franchised collection rates will be posted by April 24, 2026, at http:// www.countyofsb.org/1112/collection-servicesrates. Hard copies of all the rates will be available on June 4, 2026, at the Clerk of the Board’s office at 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, California. Hard copies of the rates will also be available at the office of the Resource Recovery & Waste Management division located at 130 E. Victoria Street, Suite 100, Santa Barbara, California. Questions can be directed during business hours to (805) 882-3600.

Mona Miyasato

CLERK OF THE BOARD OF

SUPERVISORS

By: Sheila de la Guerra, Deputy Clerk

Superior Court. Published May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026. IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: ROBERT BRETON PHILLIPS CASE NUMBER: 26CV03161 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: 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: ROBERT BRETON PHILLIPS

PROPOSED NAME: BRETON PHILLIPS 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 July 15, 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 May 21, 2026, JUDGE Thomas P. Anderle of the Superior Court. Published May 28. Jun 4, 11, 18 2026.

PUBLIC NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

Proposed Flood Hazard Determinations for the City of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California, Case No. 25‑09‑0750P. The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) solicits technical information or comments on proposed flood hazard determinations for the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), and where applicable, the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report for your community. These flood hazard determinations may include the addition or modification of Base Flood Elevations, base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries or zone designations, or the regulatory floodway. The FIRM and, if applicable, the FIS report have been revised to reflect these flood hazard determinations through issuance of a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR), in accordance with Title 44, Part 65 of the Code of Federal Regulations. These determinations are the basis for the floodplain management measures that your community is required to adopt or show evidence of having in effect to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. For more information on the proposed flood hazard determinations and information on the statutory 90‑day period provided for appeals, please visit FEMA’s website at https://www. floodmaps. fema.gov/fhm/BFE_ Status/bfe_main.asp , or call the FEMA Mapping and Insurance eXchange (FMIX) toll free at 1‑877‑FEMA MAP (1‑877‑336‑2627).

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) Classification and Compensation Plan Study

Issue Date: May 6, 2026

Closing Date: June 2, 2026

The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara is inviting proposals from qualified firms to conduct a compensation study. Proposals are due no later than 5:30PM on June 2, 2026. Proposals will be held in confidence until negotiations are completed and a contract is awarded.

Mona Miyasato

CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

By: Sheila de la Guerra, Deputy Clerk

LEGALS (CONT.)

Proposals should be prepared in accordance with the instructions and will be evaluated on the criteria listed therein. Proposers are encouraged to describe the particular benefits and strengths of their services. A contract will be negotiated with the proposer that provides the most qualified and best services for the most reasonable value as determined by a Housing Authority proposal review team.

Questions or inquiries regarding the Request for Proposal should be directed to Tiffany Carter, Human Resources Manager at (805)897‑1040 or tcarter@hacsb.org.

Please visit our website at www. hacsb.org for the Request for Proposal Instructions.

SUMMONS

SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL)

NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): Alfredo Perez, an individual; Jacinto Hernandez Ramirez, and individual; Timo’s Auto Wrecking, LLC; and DOES 1 TO 20, inclusive

YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTA DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): Facundo Jose Contreras Martinez, an individual NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this Summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff.

A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self‑Help Center(www.courtinfo.ca. gov/ selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Website (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self‑Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. !ADVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación.

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

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

The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y dirección de la corte es):

SANTA BARBARA‑ANACAPA DIVISION

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA 1100 Anacapa St. , Santa Barbara, CA 93101 CASE NO: (Número del Caso): 25CV07166

The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is: (El nombre, la dirección, y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante que no tiene abogado es): Elliott Eghbali, Esq. BD&J, PC 11175 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 (310) 887‑1818 DATE Fecha): 04/14/2026. Clerk, by (Secretario) /s/ Teri Chavez, Deputy (Adjunto) Published: May 14, 21, 28. Jun 4 2026.

TRUSTEE NOTICE

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE File No.:25‑369356

A.P.N.:071‑072‑017 Property Address.: 834 CARDINAL AVENUE, GOLETA, CA

93117. YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED MAY 02, 2007. 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. In the event tender other than cash is accepted, the Trustee may withhold the issuance of the Trustee’s Deed Upon Sale until funds become available to the payee or endorsee as a matter of right. The property offered for sale excludes all funds held on account by the property receiver, if applicable. The property described heretofore is being sold “as is” 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,

COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

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 Beneficiary’s bid at said sale may include all or part of said amount. The amount may be greater on the day of sale.

Trustor(s): DANNON M. STORY, A MARRIED WOMAN AS HER SOLE AND SEPARATE PROPERTY Duly

Appointed Trustee: Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid And Crane, LLP DEED OF TRUST

Recorded on May 11, 2007 at Instrument No 2007‑0035308 of Official Records in the office of the Recorder of SANTA BARBARA County, California

Sale Date: 6/10/2026 Sale Time: 1:00 PM Sale Location: At the main entrance to the County Courthouse, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.Amount of unpaid balance and other charges: $300,256.98

(Estimated) Street Address or other common designation of real property: 84 CARDINAL AVENUE, GOLETA, CA 93117. See Legal Description ‑ Exhibit “A”attached here to and made a part hereof. 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. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee and the successful

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in the Board of Supervisors’ Hearing Room County Administration Building 105 East Anapamu St. 4th Floor, Santa Barbara The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara in the County Hearing Rooms located at 511 East Lakeside Parkway in Santa Maria and 105 East Anapamu Street in Santa Barbara on June 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. or shortly thereafter. Please see www.countyofsb.org for web streaming of the meeting, agenda, supplemental materials, and minutes, as well as page two of the agenda for a description of public participation options available to provide testimony on actions regarding the adoption of the proposed charges for sewer service in County Service Area 12 (Mission Canyon Sewer District) for fiscal year 2026-2027, adoption of the resolution regarding the collection of said charges on the tax rolls, and approving the proposed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption per CEQA Guidelines (CCR Section 15273(a)(1)-(4)). A copy of a report with the proposed charges can be viewed with the materials docketed for this item in the agenda. This information may also be obtained by calling the County Department of Public Works at (805) 803-8750 during business hours. Comments, objections or protests to the adoption of the proposed charges may be presented at the hearing or filed with the Clerk of the Board before the public hearing, whose address is 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, California, 93101.

Mona Miyasato CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

By: Sheila de la Guerra, Deputy Clerk

bidder shall have no further recourse. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDER(S): 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(S): 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 (866‑684‑2727) or visit the

website http://www.servicelinkasap.co m, using the file number assigned to this case 25‑ 369356. 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 Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT(S): Effective January 1, 2021, you may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction pursuant to California Civil Code Section 2924m. 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 (866‑ 684‑2727) or visit the website http://www.servicelinkasap.co m, using the file number assigned to this case 25‑ 369356 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. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid And Crane, LLP Date: 4/27/2026 By: Emma Taylor Authorized Signatory 13010 Morris Road, Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30004 Phone: 858‑997‑1304

SALE INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED ONLINE AT HTTP://WWW.SERVICELINKA SAP.COM FOR AUTOMATED SALES INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL (866‑684‑2727) The above‑named trustee may be acting as a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained may be used for that purpose. CA DPFI Debt Collection License # 11461‑99; NMLS ID 2591653. To the extent your original obligation was discharged or is subject to an automatic stay of bankruptcy under Title 11 of the United States Code, this notice is for compliance and/or informational purposes only and does not constitute an attempt to collect a debt or to impose personal liability for such obligation. However, a secured party retains rights under its security instrument, including the right to foreclose its lien. LEGAL DESCRIPTION ‑ EXHIBIT A LOT 16 IN BLOCK F OF KELLOGG PARK, AS PER MAP RECORDED IN BOOK 40, PAGES 19, 20, AND 21 OF MAPS, IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY RECORDER OF SAID COUNTY. A‑ 4872903 05/21/2026, 05/28/2026, 06/04/2026

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara in the County Hearing Rooms located at 511 East Lakeside Parkway in Santa Maria and 105 East Anapamu Street in Santa Barbara on June 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. or shortly thereafter. Please see www.countyofsb.org for web streaming of the meeting, agenda, supplemental materials, and minutes, as well as page two of the agenda for a description of public participation options available to provide testimony on actions regarding the adoption of the proposed benefit assessment charges for County Service Area 3, County Service Area 31, and the Santa Barbara North County Lighting District for fiscal year 2026-2027, adoption of the resolutions regarding the collection of said charges on the tax rolls, and approving the proposed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption per CEQA Guidelines (CCR Section 15273(a)(1)-(4)). A copy of the reports with the proposed charges can be viewed with the materials docketed for this item in the agenda. This information may also be obtained by calling the County Department of Public Works at (805) 8038750 during business hours. Comments, objections or protests to the adoption of the proposed benefit assessment charges may be presented at the hearing or filed with the Clerk of the Board before the public hearing, whose address is 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, California, 93101.

Mona Miyasato CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

By: Sheila de la Guerra, Deputy Clerk