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AUG. 20-27, 2026 VOL. 40 NO. 2074

WRITTEN OFF Teaching Men in Santa Barbara County Jail How to Tell Their Own Stories by Ryan P. Cruz

Seniors Being Forced From Homes

by Christina McDermott

ALSO INSIDE

Pride Week Kicks off with Historic Flag-Raising by Elaine Sanders

The Odyssey to Break Free from Criminal Justice System by Izadora Hamm

Ready for Kickoff: High School Football Preview by Victor Bryant

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More than 50 live events. One extraordinary season.

2026-2027

Single Tickets on Sale Now! The Joffrey Ballet, Feb 27 & 28

Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal, Jan 27

John McEnroe, May 7

In Conversation with Pico Iyer

GALLIM, Mar 11

Anne Applebaum, Jan 31

Bernadette Peters, Oct 15

José González, Sep 26

Stanley Clarke & Hiromi, Mar 5

Yuja Wang, piano, Apr 20

Circa, Duck Pond, Oct 18

Margaret Atwood, Apr 23

In Conversation with Pico Iyer

Hilary Hahn, Dec 2

Scott Galloway, Sep 25 Notes on Being a Man

View the full 2026-2027 lineup at ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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THE INDEPENDENT

AUGUST 20, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

TABLE of CONTENTS

The Indy’s First Office Pet

Volume 40 #2074, Aug. 20-27, 2026

COVER STORY

Written Off

COURTESY

Editor in Chief Marianne Partridge Publisher Brandi Rivera Executive Editor Nick Welsh Senior Editor Tyler Hayden Senior Writer Matt Kettmann News Editor Jackson Friedman Opinions Editor Jean Yamamura Arts and Culture Editor Leslie Dinaberg Calendar Editor Terry Ortega Calendar Assistant Isabella Venegas News Reporters Ryan P. Cruz, Callie Fausey, Elaine Sanders Senior Arts Writer Josef Woodard Mickey Flacks Fund Fellow Christina McDermott Photographer Ingrid Bostrom Assistant Editor Tiana Molony Copy Chief Tessa Reeg Copy 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, Austin Lampson, Melinda Palacio, Cheri Rae, Hugh Ranson, Amy Ramos, Lorissa Rinehart, Starshine Roshell Contributors Rob Brezsny, Jim Buckley, Cynthia Carbone Ward, Ben Ciccati, Cheryl Crabtree, John Dickson, Roger Durling, Chuck Graham, Keith Hamm, Rebecca Horrigan, Gareth Kelly, Kevin McKiernan, Carl Perry, David Starkey, Ethan Stewart, Brian Tanguay, Tom Tomorrow, Jatila Van der Veen, Isabelle Walker, Maggie Yates, John Zant Director of Advertising Sarah Sinclair Marketing and Events Manager Richelle Boyd Advertising Representatives Suzanne Cloutier, Bryce Eller, Ariana Hugo, Tonea Songer, Scott Maio Digital Marketing Specialist Graham Brown Business Operations and Accounting Manager Erin Lynch Office Manager/Legal Advertising Tanya Spears Guiliacci Distribution Gregory Hall Interns Ella Bailey, Natalie MacFarlane, Danielle Verlardi Columnist Emeritus Barney Brantingham Photography Editor Emeritus Paul Wellman Founding Staff Emeriti George Delmerico, Richard Evans, Camille Cimini Fruin, Laszlo Hodosy, Scott Kaufman Honorary Consigliere Gary J. Hill Indy Kids Bella and Max Brown; Elijah Lee, Amaya Nicole, and William Gene Bryant; Henry and John Poett Campbell; Emilia Imojean Friedman; Rowan Gould; Finley James Hayden; Ivy Danielle Ireland; Madeline Rose and Mason Carrington Kettmann

Teaching Men in Santa Barbara County Jail How to Tell Their Own Stories by Ryan P. Cruz

NEWS ..................................................... 7 OPINIONS ..........................................13 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

OBITUARIES.....................................16 In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

THE WEEK.........................................31

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)

ARTS LIFE .........................................35

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

Restaurant Guy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

LIVING ................................................40 FOOD & DRINK ............................44 ASTROLOGY .................................. 47 CLASSIFIEDS .................................48 ON THE COVER: Design by Xavier Pereyra.

The Independent is not an office where a cat lurks around and curls up on desks, or where dogs sit at reporters’s feet. But last week, when Senior Editor Tyler Hayden was going on a trip out of town with his family, he had no one to watch his son’s fish, Bitsy. Like all fish, this beautiful betta could not be left without food or a watchful eye, so he popped into the office and entrusted Bitsy to our Marketing and Events Manager Richelle Boyd and our Business and Operations Manager Erin Lynch. Bitsy thrived during his short stay at the Indy’s office. He was the most frequently visited animal, making proper introductions with every staff member during his short stay. Bitsy snagged an official nametag on his tank and became an honorary Angry Poodle despite his fins. Bitsy is back home safe, and though the stay was short, our staff would like to thank Finley Hayden, the betta’s proud owner, for sharing him with our office.

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INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

Emily Sunderland, mother of four, Santa Barbara

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.

THE INDEPENDENT

AUGUST 20, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

AUG. 13-20, 2026

NEWS of the WEEK

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

Pride Week Kicks Off with Historic Flag-Raising

athered on the steps of City Hall, dozens of members and allies of Santa Barbara’s LGBTQ+ community (pictured) embraced and celebrated Monday’s historic act of raising of the rainbow flag above City Hall, all while waiving their own miniature pride flags. After a resolution introduced by the Pacific Pride Foundation was passed on July 28, City Council unanimously approved the first-ever flying of the pride flag in De la Guerra Plaza for the month of August, kicking off the foundation’s 2026 Pride Week in Santa Barbara. “We have stood with our transgender com-

munity, our elders, our families, and so many who need to know that they are not alone, and 51 years later, we are still here doing the work,” said Julio Roman, executive director of the Pacific Pride Foundation, at Monday’s flag-raising. Monday’s event was a collaboration between the City Council, Pacific Pride Foundation, PFLAG Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Transgender Advocacy Network, YouthWell, and the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara. “At a time when LGBTQ people—particularly our transgender community—continue

to face attacks on their dignity, their rights, and their very existence. This is why, more than ever, this flag-raising means so much, because this flag is more than colors and fabric,” said Roman. For Meara Aubin and Michelle Lauren, it is important for their 8-year-old daughter, Era Lauren, to see the Santa Barbara community support not just LGBTQ+ people but also families. In the midst of talking with an Independent reporter, Police Chief Kelly Gordon knelt down and started talking with Era, giving her a SBPD badge sticker. “Just so you know, my kiddos have two moms too,” said Gordon. Although the flag will not be flying though the entirety of August, as outlined in the July resolution, it will be up during Santa Barbara’s Pride Week hosted by Pacific Pride and through the annual Pacific Pride Festival, which will be held at Chase Palm Park Field on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. —Elaine Sanders

GOLETA

Seniors Being Forced from Homes

NEWS BRIEFS COURTS & CRIME

Arrests during Santa Barbara’s 2026 Fiesta increased by more than a third from last year, according to data released by the Santa Barbara Police Department. Police handled 1,557 calls for service across the city, a 9 percent increase from last year’s 1,427, during the celebration. Throughout the celebration, held 8/5-8/9, officers were out directing traffic for the Fiesta Parade, Children’s Fiesta Parade, and Fiesta Cruiser Ride. They also patrolled downtown and other Fiesta event areas on foot and by bike, along with making routine checks at local bars. The number of people booked into Santa Barbara County Jail rose from 59 in 2025 to 94 this year. In total, officers made 199 arrests, compared with 149 last year. Officers made 43 felony arrests this year, compared with 31 last year, while misdemeanor arrests climbed from 118 to 153. Municipal code enforcement more than doubled, with 71 incidents compared with 35 last year. DUI arrests also saw an uptick, rising from seven in 2025 to 12 this year. Kenneth Rivas, 41, was arrested during a traffic stop in S.B. on 8/11 and later charged with felony drug and weapon charges after sheriff’s detectives discovered 3.2 pounds of suspected fentanyl, 6.5 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, and one ounce of suspected cocaine during a search of his home at the 1200 block of Vallecito Road in Carpinteria, where they also seized a handgun, ammunition, and $1,100 in cash. The amount of fentanyl found in Rivas’s home is 14,528 potentially lethal doses worth of the drug, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Rivas has been booked into county jail on charges including possession of narcotics for sale and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. His bail was set at $35,000. S A N TA B A R B A R A CO U N T Y F I R E D E PA R T M E N T

COMMUNITY

At University Mobile Home Park, Renters Receive Termination Notices

by Christina McDermott n a hot August day, a few renting residents at University Mobile Home Park received papers saying the park’s ownership was terminating their tenancy. They had 60 days to move. For decades, the mobile home park has served as a housing option for seniors. The park is under a local rent control ordinance, meaning rent has stayed below market rate. Neat trailers with small yards are clustered together along narrow roads. Some trailers show signs of age, but tenants keep the park neat and quiet. In 2025, ownership in the park changed hands. A shell company called University Park Manufactured Housing Community LLC took over as the on-paper owner, and a company called Harmony Communities

came on as park management. Harmony sent a new rule book that said the park was now an all-ages park, sparking opposition from many residents. Harmony also sent notices that space rent would increase by about $200 per month, a 60 percent jump, to address rising costs. Because of Goleta’s rent control ordinance, the park’s owners had to give residents a chance to formally arbitrate against the increase. Park residents organized and negotiated with Harmony instead, resulting in a staggered rent increase of $150 over five years. In much of the park, mobile home owners rent spots, but a small portion of the park residents are purely tenants, renting their mobile homes from the park’s owners. It is a small group of these tenants facing the end of the lease.

In a statement to the Independent, Harmony said that it is terminating the tenancies for some of the park-owned trailers and removing them from the rental market permanently, a right guaranteed by a piece of legislation called the Ellis Act. Generally, when a landlord decides to remove rental housing from the market and issue terminations of tenancy, they are required to provide one month’s rent to help with relocation, according to the Tenant Protection Act of 2019. At least one household showed the Independent their termination of tenancy paperwork. That paperwork says the household is not covered by the Tenant Protection Act. The act protects people who rent both the land and the trailer from park ownership or management, according to a webpage from Attorney General Rob Bonta’s Office. At least CONT’D ON PAGE 9

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

Joseph Fletcher, 42, was arrested for a suspected alcohol DUI about an hour after crashing his Jeep Compass into a house on the 100 block of Lassen Drive around 7 p.m. on 8/11, according to California Highway Patrol. He was then transported to Goleta Valley Hospital, where he was released from police custody for treatment of minor injuries. The Goleta house was home to five people and their four pet dogs, all of whom were home and none of which were injured at the time of the crash. Fletcher caused extensive damage to the home, leaving firefighters to red-tag the structure and displacing the family. According to CHP, Fletcher claimed that he blacked out while driving, which caused him to veer off the road and hit the house. Fletcher refused a preliminary alcohol screening test but did submit to a mandatory chemical blood alcohol test, the results of which were not publicly available at the time of publication. n CONT’D ON PAGE 9

INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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AUGUST 20, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

Dan Ashton, owner of Goodland Guns, reads a prepared statement during a community meeting addressing residents’ concerns over the store’s proximity to a preschool.

So, What Now?

Despite Public Outcry, Goleta Gun Shop Still Scheduled to Open Next to Preschool

by Izadora Hamm oodland Guns is set to open its doors in less than a month, while Goleta residents are still waiting to see whether the city can act to prevent the store from being next door to the preschool Here We Grow Early Learning Center. After the Goleta City Council’s closedsession legal briefing on August 12, the city announced it will revisit its rules governing where firearm retailers can operate, but in the meantime, the controversy has raised broader questions about how the relocation was approved in the first place. “None of the council knew anything about this,” city councilmember Stuart Kasdin said. “I found out about it when there was a discussion on Nextdoor.” He learned in late July that city staff had treated the store’s relocation from Old Town Goleta as a permitting matter because existing rules did not require public notification. According to Kasdin, city officials did not anticipate the level of community reaction which, he said, illustrated the difference between the technical requirements of the law and the broader intent behind city policies. “There should have been some recognition that guns are not the same thing as backpacks,” Kasdin said in the meeting. Mayor Paula Perotte became emotional when she addressed the room: “I realize that we could have done this better; we should have, and I am sorry,” she said. “I share your concerns.” Councilmember James Kyriaco asked residents not to blame city planning staff, saying “We’re the ones who have to be accountable.” Kyriaco also pointed to Goleta’s efforts to expand access to childcare, including easing zoning rules to expand where childcare providers could operate, and the city’s $250,000 investment in local childcare centers. Still, residents questioned more than the store’s proximity to the preschool. The father of two daughters, Scott Cooper, who has owned his Ellwood home for 40 years, said the decision had shaken his faith in the city’s management that approved

a gun store next to a preschool and along a path used by schoolchildren without notifying the council or public. Mary Nishimoto said neighbors learned about the approval only two weeks before the meeting when the deadline for filing an appeal had already passed. On of the most moving moments came as Christy Zewick read a letter written by her 11-year-old daughter, Charlotte: “I’ve heard about things called school shootings, where people shoot a bunch of kids,” Charlotte wrote. “Having a gun shop next to preschool and close to an elementary school, I feel like that’s kind of just setting up for a school shooting if somebody felt like that was a really good thing to do.” Goodland Guns owner Dan Ashton told the Independent that before he had signed a 25-year lease on the Hollister Avenue property, he had spent two years trying to relocate the store from its current address in Old Town Goleta because of rising costs and security concerns there. He said he had received city approval in June after he had followed all local codes and regulations. In a statement posted to Goodland Guns’ website on August 14, Ashton said the federally licensed firearms dealership is “one of the most highly regulated, monitored, and physically secure commercial spaces you can have in a neighborhood” and that the business poses “zero hazard” to anyone walking by. Ashton also charged that nearly a third of 2,022 signatures on a petition opposing the relocation came from outside the community. At the council meeting, speakers focused their criticism on the city’s approval process, with some defending Ashton and even offering to fundraise. “We’ll see what the implications of the new ordinance are,” Kasdin said. “The owner will have to decide if this influences his decisions. But the outcome is hard to predict right now.” The council’s next discussion on the matter has not yet been scheduled. Jean Yamamura contributed reporting to this story.

C E A R N A L CO L L E C T I V E

CITY

An aerial view of the proposed redevelopment of the former Macy's building in downtown Santa Barbara

Paseo Nuevo Plans Praised Commissioners Call Yardi’s Plan for Long-Empty Macy’s ‘Major Improvement’

by Ryan P. Cruz he early designs for the plan to revive the long-empty Macy’s building in downtown Santa Barbara received much praise during a preliminary concept review with the city’s Historic Landmarks Commission on August 12, with commissioners calling the project a “major improvement” that would set the tone for the future of Paseo Nuevo. It was the first time the public got a glimpse into the proposed adaptive reuse project, which would transform the empty shell of the former Macy’s building into the new corporate headquarters for Yardi Systems. The plan was formulated after previous proposals for the space fell through, and the Yardi family approached the city to see if the company could take over the property for its 600 local employees. Kevin Yardi, the company’s senior vice president, was present during the hearing, along with lead architect Brian Cearnal, who presented the plans to rehabilitate the threestory building by keeping much of the main structure and adding updates for access, circulation, and natural light for the new office spaces. The design team took faux openings and made them real to allow daylight to enter spaces that were ignored; large two-story windows were added to the tower structure, and windows were added on the wall-like Ortega Street side of the building; elevators and escalators were moved and skylights added to introduce more light. “We want to be able to bring in as much light as possible,” Cearnal said. Cearnal, one of the city’s most wellknown architects, said he intended for the project to be a “reinvention of this building’s spirit,” fulfilling its potential by adding elements that would make it more aesthetically pleasing than it had been in the past. The new building will have office spaces on the second and third floors and a new rooftop deck with lowered parapets and

walls to allow for skyline views. The first floor will have small retail spaces on the Paseo Nuevo side and a conference room and event center to host company gatherings and community events. Yardi said the first-floor space will be ideal for public events and would be offered to local nonprofits at a reduced rate or for free. Current plans include smaller changes to the exterior, such as the removal of the archway on the Ortega Street side, and the replacement of cast stone in favor of natural sandstone. The renovation will also include the removal of the peacock murals at the Macy’s entrances, with plans to work with the Museum of Contemporary Art to preserve and move them into a new location. Commissioners had mostly positive comments about the preliminary design, complimenting the efforts to work with the existing building and only offering comments about small design elements. “I think it is an immensely supportable project,” said commission Vice Chair Robert Ooley. “What a great use of a dead building.” Ooley commended the design team for addressing parts of the Macy’s building that didn’t work before and creating a new look with a “cool, traditional Santa Barbara” feel. Commissioner Ed Lenvik called the design an “immense improvement.” He said the only thing he would want to see adjusted would be the proposed two-story windows—which weren’t traditional to El Pueblo Viejo but could fit this project if done right, he said. “I think it’s an incredible project, and I’m very excited to have this energy in town,” Commissioner Cass Ensberg said. Ensberg pointed out a few areas that could be improved, such as colorful “Santa Barbara blue” window trimming or the addition of dark wood elements similar to those at the former Saks Fifth Avenue on State Street. “Make it more playful and less formal,” Ensberg said. Commission Chair Anthony Grumbine said the new version of the building would be “so much better than it was” and would bring life to a long-dormant vacuum in downtown Santa Barbara. Since this was only a concept review, the commission could not approve or deny the project. Officially, the commissioners agreed that the project meets the design criteria. The project will continue through the review process with the commission’s comments regarding the windows, tower connection, and other small refinements. n

NEWS of the WEEK CONT’D

GOLETA SENIORS

one resident told the Independent they had not received any offer of one month’s rent. It’s unclear whether there is another reason the tenants are ineligible. Tenants who spoke to the Independent wished to remain anonymous for this story, saying they feared legal retaliation from park ownership or management. The park’s owner, University Park Manufactured Housing Community LLC, is currently suing the City of Goleta in federal court over the city’s ordinance that requires the park to remain for residents

CONT’D FROM P.7 55 and older. Current and possibly former Harmony employees are listed as University Park Manufactured Housing Community’s registering agent and manager in state filing documents. A motion to dismiss the case is still pending. Parks managed by Harmony have been involved in lawsuits throughout the state. Close to home, the owners of Del Cielo Mobile Estates in Orcutt sued Santa Barbara County over its emergency senior housing overlay law in 2024. A court trial is scheduled for September 14. n

BRIEFS

CONT’D FROM P.7

PUBLIC SAFETY Santa Barbara City College texted its campus to lock down around 11 a.m. on 8/18 after an individual allegedly pulled what police described as a “sharp instrument” on a victim at the college’s stadium before puncturing the victim’s bicycle tire and leaving the area in the direction of the SBCC campus. Police said the two knew each other by first name. Santa Barbara police were on site, working with campus security to locate the individual, who was not found on campus, and the lockdown was lifted about an hour after it began. The college opens formally 8/24, but the campus is populated with staff, faculty, students, and sports practices ongoing. A pedestrian was struck by a southbound passenger train around 3:20 p.m. on Wednesday about 100 yards south of Las Positas Road in Santa Barbara, the city police reported. The woman was unconscious but breathing and had a pulse. First responders, including police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, treated the individual, who was taken by ambulance to Cottage Hospital. The railroad tracks were open by 4:15 p.m. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. Earlier this month, a man was fatally struck by a passenger train near Dwight Murphy Park, marking the fourth trainrelated death in South County this year. More details have come to light surrounding the fatal car-versus-pedestrian collision in Montecito earlier this month. Just before 10 p.m. on 8/2, the Santa Barbara Police Department received a call regarding a Toyota Camry that hit a pedestrian crossing Coast Village Road later confirmed to be Pedro Rivera, 67, who worked as a bartender at Birnam Wood Golf Course in Montecito and as an assistant manager at Carpinteria’s Teddy’s by the Sea. Rivera was crossing the road from the CVS side of the street heading toward Lucky’s Steakhouse and was not in a crosswalk at the time of the collision, according to S.B. Police Sergeant Nathan Beltran. The driver of the Camry was cooperative with law enforcement on the scene. At this time, it appears as though the driver was not speeding, and a DUI is not suspected, Beltran said. The incident remains under investigation. At about 5:20 a.m. on 8/16, Santa Barbara City Fire and Montecito Fire responded to a multi-family home in flames at 314 North Alisos Street. The blaze has left nine residents displaced. According to City Fire, firefighters arrived at the address to find heavy smoke and flames emanating from the building, which they contained in about half an hour. Fire crews made a thorough search of the building confirming that there were no occupants left inside during the incident and no neighboring structures were affected. Cars parked next to the struc-

ture were consumed in the blaze. The American Red Cross has been contacted to provide assistance to the nine residents as they navigate the loss of their home. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

ANIMALS The Santa Barbara Zoo published more sad news this week, this time concerning its two capybaras, who have been recently off-habitat. On 8/14, veterinarians euthanized Poppy, the zoo’s 8-year-old female capybara, after specialists discovered an “inoperable mass” in her throat, according to the zoo’s Instagram page, which was making it difficult for her to breathe or eat. Additionally, Antonio, the zoo’s 4-year-old male capybara, has been off habitat for two months while facing his own battle with “multiple myeloma, a rare type of blood cancer that originates in the plasma cells of the bone marrow,” the zoo said. Antonio’s is the first known case of successfully diagnosed multiple myeloma in a living capybara at a zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. His treatment could be an “opportunity to learn more about this rare disease in capybaras,” the zoo said.

EDUCATION Roughly five years ago, Providence School faculty members walked through the former Girls Inc. property on Ortega Street and said a prayer. Now, after decades of searching — and, school leaders emphasized, praying—that vision became a reality on Thursday, after Providence broke ground on what will become the Christian school’s first permanent home. Bringing together Providence’s middle and upper school students, the new campus will serve up to 250 students in grades 7-12. Advancement Director Kellie Landrum said the school’s preschool through 6th-grade students will remain at the San Roque campus, while the school will end its lease on the current Canon Perdido Street campus once the new site opens in about two years.

COUNTY Under state law, it’s a crime for anyone to be in possession of nine or more catalytic converters—valued by thieves for the precious metals these devices contain—without proof of ownership or without being a licensed recycler. Supervisor Steve Lavagnino introduced language this week that could make it illegal in Santa Barbara County to possess just one converter without proof of ownership. Lavagnino is proposing that first-time offenders be fined $1,000, and second timers $3,000. Law enforcement lacks the tools to catch thieves in the act, he argued, so it makes sense to reduce the number of detached converters required to trigger the fine. The matter is scheduled for its first public hearing 9/22.

INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

AUG. 13-20, 2026

COUNTY

Mona Miyasato’s Last Hurrah CO U R T E S Y K E L S E Y B U T T I T TA

County’s Admired Chief Executive Retires After 13 Historic Years

Retiring County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato gives her farewell speech at the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, August 18.

by Nick Welsh his Tuesday morning, Mona Miyasato found herself on the receiving end of a standing ovation, so loud and so insistent that it would have warranted an encore had she been a conductor of a symphony orchestra. But this was the Board of Supervisors’ chambers, where for nearly every Tuesday the past 13 years, Mona Miyasato — the county’s chief executive officer — might well have wielded a conductor’s baton. In her case, the orchestra would have included not only the five county supervisors but also all 4,700 of the county’s employees who make up its 23 different departments. This Tuesday, August 18, would be Miyasato’s last Tuesday meeting. After 13 years, she was stepping down. She would miss the “pomp and circumstance” of the supervisors’ meetings, she said in an earlier interview. But she would definitely not miss having to sleep with the county phone right next to her bed. Just in case. This being Santa Barbara County, “just in case” tends to happen a lot. Forty-three times during Miyasato’s watch, the county declared a state of emergency. Floods and fires struck repeatedly. Sometimes one after the other. When the rampaging debris flow exploded above Montecito early in the January morning of 2018, it was in the wake of the Thomas Fire, then the biggest wildfire in state history. Horrifically, 23 people died. Of the 12 major fires during Miyasato’s tenure, more than half of them required evacuations. Then there was the 2015 oil spill along the coast — from which the state, national, and local political worlds are still reeling. And of course, Santa Barbara’s never ending cannabis wars, and the fiscal bloodbaths that have bookended the beginning and the end of Miyasato’s career in Santa Barbara. Not to mention the years-long lockdown inflicted by COVID. One wonders how she survived so long. So, why now? “I needed new eyes,” she explained. “When you find yourself saying, ‘Oh, we already tried that,’ ” she said, “that’s a sign you should go.” This Tuesday morning — and at the goodbye party of the 10 THE INDEPENDENT

previous night — the equivalent of Santa Barbara’s deep state exhausted themselves straining for superlatives with which to praise Miyasato: “unflappable,” “implacable,” “the smartest person in the room but confident enough not to broadcast it.” Former supervisor Gregg Hart, now a state assemblymember, swallowed a thesaurus before attempting to describe Miyasato in a free-form poem: “Grace. Kindness. Compassion. Massive intellect,” he said. To listen to the supervisors who hired Miyasato in 2013, it was the single best decision they ever made. Congressmember Salud Carbajal, who was 1st District supervisor at the time, called it “a win-win-win” decision. Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, now about to retire after four terms, recalled the board’s first interview with Miyasato. She was totally relaxed and exuded such confidence, he explained. “We all just looked at each other,” he said. “ ‘Do not let her leave this building.’ ” To listen to the supervisors, Miyasato is an administrative mastermind. She routinely herds cats. She gets people — even those who violently disagree — rowing in the same direction. Supervisor Laura Capps called Miyasato the single best thing that happened to county government in 13 years. Former supervisor Das Williams called her administration nothing less than “transformative.” More than that, Miyasato has a great sense of humor. She’s genuinely funny. It was generally agreed that Miyasato’s so-called “soft skills” changed the emotional chemistry of the county’s political and institutional leadership for the better. Her management style was strikingly unlike some of her predecessors — one of whom was famous for spraying and splattering people with his tirades, and another had such a gloomy view of the job that he likened his role as county executive to piloting a jet plane about to crash. Traditionally, the supervisors themselves have been a fractious, fractured bunch, riven along intractable northsouth county lines politically, economically, and culturally. Yet from the outside looking in, the county supervisors, for all their historical ideological baggage, have for the last 13 years adopted the model of good-faith bargaining rather

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than the grandstanding that characterizes so many other government bodies. So, how did that happen? Supervisor Lavagnino recalls getting into it with Supervisor Carbajal on the dais early on in his tenure. Some of it was theater, Lavagnino admitted, but the underlying heat was real. Afterward, Lavagnino ran into Miyasato. “I’m not trying to tell you how to do your job,” she told him, “but that’s not the best thing for us. When we can get along, it makes a difference.” The message made an impact. Yet Miyasato is hardly a pushover. “Sometimes the desire to be collegial can get in the way of good policy decisions,” she cautioned. “Consensus is the tool, not the destination.” Money, of course, also helps. Miyasato is responsible for crafting the budget the supervisors have to vote on. According to former supervisor Das Williams, Miyasato recognizes the difference between which projects really delivered the goods and which ones are merely shiny political trophies. It was in that light, he said, he understood Miyasato’s muchquoted operating motto: “We can do anything,” she likes to say, “but we can’t do everything.” Supervisor Lavagnino put it a bit more bluntly at the Monday-night goodbye party while pretending to explicate the text of Miyasato’s name. “Mona,” he said, is Japanese for “noble little one.” Miyasato, Lavagnino claimed, translated loosely into “I don’t give a shit, you’re not getting any more general fund money.” Supervisor Joan Hartmann, herself a policy wonk’s policy wonk, highlighted Miyasato’s systems-based approach instead. When Miyasato arrived, Hartmann wrote, she confronted 23 independent departments — feudal fiefdoms — all pursuing independent agendas, several of which are run by elected officials who don’t answer to her. But to make a dent in the county’s intractable homelessness issue, for example, at least four departments had to work together, hand in glove. The problem of homelessness remains, but under Miyasato — with strong board support and unprecedented state and federal funding — the county has partnered with DignityMoves, a private nonprofit, as well as Santa Maria’s preternaturally efficient Good Samaritan homeless shelter enterprise to create three new prefab tiny-home communities. A fourth community focused on families and veterans is on the way. This multi-departmental, systems-based approach, Hartmann noted, has been on display as Miyasato addressed the issue of criminal justice reform, a political, trendy-sounding slogan perhaps, but a crushing fiscal burden on all county departments when the cost of running not one but two jails is factored in. Miyasato recognized that she better have someone who understood how the parts were put together. She hired former undersheriff Barney Melekian to reform the criminal justice system. After Melekian went on to become interim police chief for the City of Santa Barbara, Miyasato hired former probation chief Tanja Heitman, herself a fountain of institutional knowledge about the criminal justice system. Heitman and Public Defender Tracy Macugo have teamed up and have worked closely with Behavioral Wellness, Public Health, and jail administrators. And along the way, Miyasato launched an exhaustive topto-bottom management audit of every county department to get a clear-eyed assessment of which department was accomplishing what, how efficiently, and what changes needed to be made. In addition, she asked front-line county workers for their thoughts on how the county could do better. Under Miyasato’s watch, Santa Barbara County achieved the muchcoveted Triple A bond. And perhaps most astonishingly, the county’s Behavioral Wellness department — one of the two most prolific fiscal bleeders of all the departments — finally figured out how to staunch the flow. Miyasato will say she had a great team; she had a lot to do with assembling that team. If and when the next disaster strikes, there are measures in place; the county has created a massive debris basin in Montecito from the remains of properties devastated during the debris flow. Perhaps more critically, under Miyasato’s watch, the county opened a new emergency responder communication center that integrates

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WHAT’S ON AT SBMA

The Board of Supervisors presented retiring County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato (center) with a plaque commemorating her years of public service.

all the assets of all the first responder agencies onto one integrated chessboard. In sizing the expansion of the North County Jail, Miyasato and Sheriff Bill Brown — an independently elected official—butted heads over how many beds and how much money would be required. Brown has consistently insisted his department has needed more positions and has never been shy about pushing for more money. Miyasato has consistently pushed back, insisting on more administrative transparency over how the sheriffs’ money is being spent. This, in turn, gave rise to the recent audit of overtime spending by custody officers in the county jails, which has led to criminal charges being filed against two deputies. Despite this ongoing tension, Miyasato and Brown have managed to maintain cordial and genuinely respectful—if also mutually exasperated—relations. At the Monday retirement party, Supervisor Steve Lavagnino—who is also retiring when his term expires at the end of the year—described a tiny voice that told him it was time to retire. Acting as emcee and all-around event roaster, Lavagnino looked at Sheriff Brown, who has been in office for 20 years, and called out, “Bill, are you hearing anything at all?” Though this brought a huge laugh from the crowd, the number of high-level administrators leaving office soon is dramatic. Aside from Miyasato’s departure, Assistant County Administrator Tanja Heitman and Public Defender Tracy Macuga are both retiring at the end of this year. Between them are 46 years of high-octane, highly engaged leadership in the county’s criminal justice sector. Also retiring are Daniel Nielsen, director of the Department of Social Services; Harry Hagen, the tax collector for the past 30 years; Betsy Schaffer, the county’s auditor-controller; and Joseph Holland, the

county’s clerk, recorder, and assessor of 42 years. All told, that’s 162 years of county leadership experience. That’s a massive amount of turnover to be absorbed in a single hiccup. For newly arriving County Executive Jenna Andersen, former manager of the City of Boulder, Colorado, that’s a whole lot of furniture to replace just as the much-anticipated impacts of Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Budget Bill start to be felt in deadly earnest. To what extent will the safety net hold? What happens if it fails? Even out the door, Miyasato can’t help but ponder the next natural disaster looming over the horizon. “We’re looking at the possibility of a really bad El Niño this year,” she noted. “FEMA—the Federal Emergency Management Administration — does not appear to like blue states.” Should the worst happen, such as violent coastal storms and the federal government declining to provide the help it normally does, the county should squirrel some funds away. In the meantime, Miyasato is pondering the next chapter. She plans on coaching young future government executives to become better leaders. “I see so much anxiety and distress out there. People aren’t sure they want the job. I was at a conference recently, and no one said they wanted to be the Number One. They wanted to be Number Two. “But you need people in government in these jobs. You can do really great work with wider ramification,” she said. “But you have to really want it—getting asked those tough questions, getting thrown in difficult, scary situations. That’s what reveals who you are. How often in life do we have a chance to be tested that way? That’s how I want to contribute.” “What does somebody my age do when they retire?” she asked. “Take up golf? Pickleball? I’d sprain my ankle.” n

Remixed: Entwined Histories and New Forms Closes August 30

Perceptual Shifts: Photographs from the Collection Through September 20

UPCOMING EVENTS & PROGRAMS Photo by Mariah Miranda Spiritual Technologies: Basil Kincaid on the Art of Quiltmaking Sunday, August 30 11 am – 12 pm Free for Members & Students

Photo by Mariah Miranda

1st Thursday: Robot Karaoke Thursday, September 3 5 – 8 pm Free

For more exhibitions and events, visit www.sbma.net. 1130 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA Tuesday–Sunday 11 am–5 pm • 1st Thursdays 11 am–8 pm From top: Basil Kincaid, A Day at Victoria Glades, 2021. Vintage corduroy, donated clothes, clothes from the artist, Ghanian embroidered fabrics, hand woven Ghanaian Kente, brocade, Ghanaian wax block fabric, various lace fabrics, Abrokyere. Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody. Image courtesy of the artist. © Basil Kincaid • Barbara Kasten, Construct NYC 11, 1982. Cibachrome. SBMA, Gift of Margaret W. Weston. © Barbara Kasten. Courtesy the artist and Bortolami, New York.

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Letters

All About Oil

he Independent often runs news coverage to say they do not want drilling nearby, it is also about renewed oil activity and affordable reasonable to expect realistic answers about where housing developments on the Central Coast. The the essential supply should come from, and how it headline of a letter in April opposing a residential would be transported to where it is needed. development said the quiet part out loud: “Build Energy decisions involve tradeoffs. Avoiding the Somewhere Else.” tradeoff does not make it go away; it just shifts the The coverage concerning the renewal of oil activ- impacts to someone else’s back yard. ity has a similar tone but on a larger scale. As a —Gerald Quindry, retired engineer with expertise on energy and envi- now of Fairfield, Illinois, was on the original design ronmental issues, I want to focus on the practical team for Gaviota’s All American Pipeline in the 1980s. rather than political or regulatory issues of renewed oil production. We use a wide variety of petroleum-derived products every day, including fuels used for transagree with the above piece, but I offer a different portation, agricultural and construction machinperspective. ery, emergency services, and military activity. But I too worked on the Celeron/All American/ many essential products — like nitrogen fertilizer; Plains pipeline project. And I worked on Exxon’s single-use, sterile medical equipment; and weight- Santa Ynez Unit, and Chevron Point Arguello, and reducing plastic components of electric vehicles, Unocal Point Pedernales, and others that were not wind turbine blades, and insulation for electrical built. I said at the time, 1986, and I still believe: wiring — cannot be made without chemical feed- When the total cost of searching for, extracting, stocks. Those feedstocks are produced from petro- refining, and cleaning up after petroleum is greater leum and natural gas. In many cases substitution is than its value as energy, we will use petroleum as a simply not possible. The demand for the products source for chemicals. It will be too valuable to waste will not disappear so the chemical feedstocks must and too costly to burn. For a whole host of reasons, many say we are already there. be produced. If the argument to be made is “not here,” then the I suggest society should rationally consider the next question must be: where? Saying “not here” just total — present and future — costs of all existing avoids the question, and the point needs to be made and potential energy supplies. I believe the sooner that everywhere else is always somebody else’s back we make the transition away from wasteful burning yard. A “not in my back yard” (NIMBY) philosophy of a precious commodity, “the essential supply,” the cannot resolve the issue. If avoiding tough decisions better off we and our planet will be. So rather than could generate power, every political speech, policy “build somewhere else,” we need to say, enough paper, and protest would keep the lights on and already, and responsibly manage what petroleum is food on the table for everybody at reasonable cost. already developed to its greatest long-term value. It Contrary to some well-publicized opinions, a makes no sense to burn our petrochemical future. future, all-renewable system does not provide a —Robert Almy, This is one geologist’s view. solution. That proposed system does not exist, and of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, was manager of the even the most unrealistic theories and timelines Santa Barbara County Energy Division during the do not eliminate all the need for liquid petroleum environmental review, permitting, and permit comproducts. Hoping that tomorrow’s technology will pliance phases of several offshore energy projects. solve today’s needs does not change the fact that for the foreseeable future, the petroleum-based products Californians use must come from somewhere. The Independent welcomes letters of less than 250 words If the Central Coast should not produce petro- that include a daytime phone number for verification. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Send to: Letters, S.B. leum, then where should it be produced? Another Independent, 223 E. De la Guerra St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101; country with less oversight and weaker environ- or fax: 965-5518; or email: letters@independent.com. Unabridged mental rules? If it is reasonable for any community versions and more letters appear at independent.com/opinions.

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BY C H R I S E R V I N lex Cole is gone. A friend and

CHRIS ERVIN

BEST OF 2026

Alexandra C. Cole colleague of only a few short years, she passed from this world on July 22 at 10 in the morning. It was a day and time of her choosing. It was a no-nonsense decision, to leave under her own terms, a decision typical of this strong woman. And with her passing, Santa Barbara has lost one of her most devoted champions of historic preservation. I met Alexandra Cole in my role as archivist for the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Several years ago, she visited the Gledhill Library reading room, a place she knew better than I at the time. I had recently taken over the role following Michael Redmon’s 40-year tenure. Alex had researched Santa Barbara architectural history at the Gledhill for years as principal of her own company, Preservation Planning Associates (PPA), a firm that helped developers comply with city and county requirements before they altered historic structures. During Alex’s occasional visits to the Gledhill, she would explain in simple terms Alex Cole at the James Joyce what she did. She said, “I am the voice of the historic buildings that cannot speak for themselves.” But Alex did not see herself as a bulwark Barbara Depot, the Miramar, El Encanto, the Biltagainst rampant development. She saw herself as an more, Coral Casino, San Ysidro Ranch, Riven Rock, intermediary between the needs of the developer and Granada Theatre, Lobero Theatre, Big Yellow House, the needs of historic preservation. She prided herself Botanic Garden, Mattei’s Tavern, Music Academy of the West, Casa Dorinda. The list goes on. on finding solutions that satisfied both worlds. I got to know Alex during our handful of lunches at Alex practiced what she preached. She and her Joe’s. Alex grew up on the East Coast; her father was a second husband saved an 1875 wooden framed house scholar and Episcopal minister. She received a BA in on Fig Street from being demolished and the property History from Smith and a Masters in Library Science turned into a parking lot. The barn behind the house from Columbia University. She moved to Santa Bar- now serves as Jeff Shelton’s studio. With her librarian background, Alex understood bara when her first husband got a teaching position at UCSB. Alex got a job as an academic librarian at her work had historic value beyond its initial use for architectural review boards and planning commisWestmont College. California was a cultural eye-opener for Alex. She sions. She had the foresight to offer her 40 years of said it this way, “In New England, it was as if God local preservation work to an archival repository pointed down at the Earth saying, ‘Thou shalt not,’ where it could have a second life as a resource for but in California, God pointed down at the Earth research. With her extraordinary organizational skills, and said, ‘Go for it!’ ” Alex thrived in Santa Barbara. Alex packaged up her work for the Gledhill in such a Although she was a couple of years too mature to be a way that it was immediately accessible in both hard flower child, she was open enough to embrace the hot copy and digital. tub culture of Mountain Drive. (A pet subject of mine; Over a goodbye drink at the James Joyce just one when I asked her which old Mountain Drivers she week before she left us, Alex shared with me a thumbknew, she said, “Well, Bill Neely was my boyfriend.”) nail of her life. She felt she had lived a full and wonderIn her role as a reference librarian at Westmont, ful life, reflecting her positive outlook on the world. Alex came across a periodical that introduced her to She could recall only two tragedies in her life: the loss the Historic Preservation Program at the University of of her youngest son and the loss of her second home Vermont. She applied to the program and was given a in the Tea Fire, which occurred within seven months full scholarship and stipend that allowed her to move of each other. The chronic disease Alex has been livto Vermont in the late 1970s. After a year and a half, ing with for the past eight years didn’t even make the she was back in Santa Barbara with a second master’s list. Through it all, Alex has prevailed. As women do. degree and ready to start a new career as a historic But age has a way of catching up with us all. A preservation consultant. Thus, Preservation Planning month ago, Alex suffered a bad fall. The medical Associates was born. diagnosis predicted a rapidly degrading quality of Over these many years, Preservation Planning life, so Alex requested and was granted an end-of-life Associates has researched and written more than 600 option by her doctor. At 10 in the morning on July 22, historic structures and sites reports and letters in sup- I lit incense to commemorate the passage of this very port of development in Santa Barbara County. The spiritual woman. My friend and colleague Alex Cole list is a who’s who of landmarks, including the Santa is gone. n

Opinions

VOICES

CONT’D

No Place to Sit BRIAN FAHNESTOCK PHOTOS

Out for a Walk in the Porcelain Desert

B Y B R I A N FA H N E S T O C K ’m not sure how we got on the topic, but it

was immediately funny and I think a highfive was exchanged pretty quickly. Having coffee with a friend, I was commenting on one of my favorite topics — downtown Santa Barbara — when we got sidetracked in what could have been a Seinfeld episode. I think he said, “And there’s your next article.” I’d just been reflecting on what has become the most prevalent sign posted from one end of State Street to the other. In fact, it starts at the far end of the wharf and continues all the way to Mission. And it’s not very welcoming. It’s not “Half Off on Corduroys” or “Check Out Our Breakfast Burritos.” Or “Welcome Traveler from Afar, Wait, the Hostess Will Seat You.” Nope. It’s “Get Lost If All You Want Is Our Toilet.” I think it’s telling that a shop owner would invest hundreds of thousands, maybe millions in their business, offer a product they are proud of, train staff to deliver wonderful service — and yet greet every customer at the door with a negative message about what they won’t do, and what you can’t have. They must get that question a lot. “May I use your restroom?” No one wants to say “no” all day. And thus, the big ugly sign on the front door. I get it. I worked downtown for years and there is nothing more disheartening than to get up from your desk, walk down the hall to the restroom, and find that someone is living in the first stall. Or taking a shower in the sink. Or worse. These signs are not meant for the well-dressed

NOV. 8, 2026

tourist or the cruise ship passenger with their city tour map in hand. They are not intended for the accountant on her lunch break. But they hit us all the same way. We encourage visitors to experience Santa Barbara car-free. Hmm. That sort of implies we’ll take care of them while they’re here. This whole situation reminds me of all the cool wooden benches we removed several years ago so that homeless people didn’t have a place to call home for the evening. I think we made the national news for that. The new State Street Master Plan does mention public restrooms and how important they are. The master plan suggests that coordination between the city and property owners will be needed. I think it will take a lot more than that. But there you have it. We’re a destination, a city that thrives on visitors. We’ve converted homes all over town into small hotels, built way more restaurants than our residents need, developed a beautiful airport and historic train station, and yet have only a couple of public toilets for all to share. And we lock them at night. My friend and I started talking about the old days and where our favorite bathrooms were. I loved the one upstairs at Nordstrom. He mentioned the one downstairs at Borders. We laughed that we both knew the good ones. We both recognized that it’s funny and it’s not. I am sure shop owners would agree. And yes, there really was a Seinfeld episode about it. I think in our conversation, I played George. n INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

obituaries Nicolasa Dominguez Jimenez 09/13/1934-07/16/2026

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Nicolasa Dominguez Jimenez, lovingly known as Nico, at the age of 91. Nicolasa was born on September 13, 1934. At just 17 years old, she came to the United States in 1950 and settled in Oxnard, where she worked in the agricultural fields and at a restaurant called Cielito Lindo. In 1953, she received her resident card, and in 1961, she made her way to Santa Barbara, where she would build her life and raise her family. Nico was strong, fiercely independent, and incredibly hardworking. She came of age during a time when life could be especially difficult for a young female immigrant building a home in a new country. Her strength was not simply part of her personality; it was something life required of her. She was resilient, resourceful, and determined. Nico spent many years in the food service industry, working at several Santa Barbara establishments, including Rose Cafe on Haley Street for 27 years, La Estrellita on Haley Street, and Woolworth’s Luncheon Counter, where she worked for 26 years. Her work ethic was extraordinary, often working long hours and seven days a week to provide for her family. Nico knew her own mind and was rarely shy about sharing it. She could be tough, direct, and wonderfully unfiltered. She did not always express her emotions openly, but those who knew her understood that her love was often found in what she did, especially in her cooking. Food was one of Nico’s greatest ways of showing love, 16

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caring for those around her and bringing people together. She also had a special love for her cats, whose companionship brought her happiness throughout her life. One of Nico’s proudest accomplishments came on February 23, 2000, when she became a United States citizen at the age of 66, a testament to the perseverance and determination that defined so much of her life. Nico had five children before coming to Santa Barbara and later welcomed two more, raising seven children and becoming the respected matriarch of a five-generation family. She is survived by her children, Lupe, Vicky, Joe, Pablo (Denise) and Julio; 28 grandchildren; 29 greatgrandchildren; 16 great-greatgrandchildren; her sister Gloria, extended family, and many friends and loved ones. She was preceded in death by her parents, Adrian Jimenez and Guadalupe Dominguez; her beloved daughters, Diana and Alicia; and her sister, Chelo. We are grateful for the 91 years we were blessed to have Nico. Her legacy will live on through every generation of the family she loved and helped build. We will remember her strength, her unmistakable honesty, the meals that brought us together, the life she built from so little, and the stories and memories she leaves with us. Donations may be made in Nico’s name to the Hospice Serenity House by VNA Health in lieu of flowers. Graveside Service & Celebration of Life Goleta Cemetery August 28, 2026 at 11:00 AM A celebration of Nico’s life will follow the graveside service. Rest peacefully, Mom. Your love and memory will live in all of us, forever.

AUGUST 20, 2026

Jerry Belch

Carole Marks

Jerry Belch passed away on June 3rd 2026, surrounded by his family at home. Mr. Belch taught at Dos Pueblos from 1970-2005. He not only taught, but designed all the Computer Business Application classes. He started with just two Apple IIe computers, and built that into an amazing program. He also published books, to teach other teachers to do the same at their schools. He knew that not all kids were on the college track, and he wanted to teach them skills, so they were qualified for higher paying careers. He was proud to be a Charger, and bled blue and gold. He loved being a teacher, and it showed. He was always there for his students, to help them succeed. Many students even entrusted him, when their lives were falling apart and they had nobody to turn to. He never forgot a students name, even ones he taught in the 70’s. I know he meant so much to so many but the most blessed, was his family. He was married for almost 59 years to the love of his life Janet and his two daughters Julie and Shelley. He was the most amazing Grandfather to his 5 grandchildren: Lynsi, Courtney, Ryan, Christian and Kyle and his great grandson Liam. The services for Jerry Belch will be on Sept. 2nd at 10:00am at El Montecito Presbyterian Church . The church is located at 1455 East Valley Road in Montecito. Everyone is welcome, to come celebrate his amazing life. His Celebration of life is on Sept 2nd, which would have been Jerry & Janet’s 59th wedding Anniversary. The service will be held in the same sanctuary, where their love story began over six decades ago. Mr. B…..You’ll be remembered and loved forever by anyone that was blessed enough to know you.

Born in San Francisco, Carole, whose grandfather was minister of the First Presbyterian Church on Anapamu St., was a third generation Santa Barbaran. She began school in Rochester, Minn., where her doctor father was interning before opening his practice on the Monterey Peninsula. Carole attended Carmel High through her junior year and moved to Connecticut for her senior year at the Ethel Walker School. Her college years were spent at Stanford where she majored in Spanish Literature. Here she met Bill on a blind date that lasted for the 65 years of their marriage. She moved with him to Santa Barbara in 1961 when he joined the faculty of the UCSB English Dept. Carole was a seeker and in the 70’s became a follower of Baba Muktananda, traveling to India where she spent four months in his Siddha Yoga ashram. Later in the decade she spent a summer at the American Ashram in the Catskills, where she drove an airport shuttle to Kennedy, picking up devotees from countries all over the world. Carole was a remarkable driver who only need to drive a route once to have it memorized, after which she never bothered to read street signs. In the 80’s Carole took a job as a loan officer with the Santa Barbara Housing Authority. During the Painted Cave fire of 1990 she served the local Red Cross as a Director of Volunteers and oversaw the computerization of office records. In 1996, following the defeat of Single Payer Proposition 186, Carole invited around 100 of the disappointed campaign activists to a November meeting at the Westside Community Center, a meeting which resulted the foundation of Health Care For

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07/21/1939-06/08/2026

All-California. After which she became the first President of its Santa Barbara chapter. In her later years Carole, who was an avid reader, greatly enjoyed the discussion meetings of the Faculty Wive’s Book Club, or “Bookies”. Her death followed a long battle with myelofibrosis, a rare and incurable form of cancer. He survivors include her husband Bill, her daughter Catherine, son Cullen and siblings Anne, Judith, Shayala, and Steve.

Rich Cervantez

09/24/1968-08/23/2024

"My sweet Rich, two years have passed, but time changes nothing. Same love, different sunset. I miss you, babe... your loyalty, and the complete safety and security that it gave me. You taught me the true meaning of love. I wish everyone could experience being loved the way you loved me for even a single day—because to be loved like this was beautiful. Rare and extraordinary. They’d understand why moving forward is so hard. Your love was a blessing straight from God. A true gift. You don't get a gift like this twice. You gave me so much, leaving behind precious memories and all your incredible friends who've never left my side. My dear, gentle Rich, I vowed to keep you alive, and I will continue to honor that promise in every way I know how... forever in love with you. — Forever Yours, Judi.-P.S. ...and when it's my time, I will run to you."

obituaries Scott Andrew Miners 06/14/1971-08/07/2026

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

the ocean. His ashes will be interred at the Santa Barbara Cemetery in a spot he chose with an ocean view. “Today is the gift.”

Leslie Miller Chrismen

Scott Andrew Miners, 55, passed peacefully on August 7, 2026 at Serenity House after a 5 year battle with cancer. Scott approached his cancer journey with the same optimism he brought to life: “Let’s make every day the best day." Born in San Jose, California, Scott attended West Valley College and graduated from Cal Poly State University in 1997 with a degree in Construction Management. He moved to Santa Barbara after graduation and spent more than 27 years working as a project manager. He was so proud of all the projects he was part of throughout Santa Barbara County. Scott loved people and he loved to network. He was a former member of the Carpinteria Rotary Club and the Santa Barbara Contractors Association. Scott’s lifelong passion was surfing and the ocean. He began surfing while in high school driving over to Santa Cruz as much as he could and continued throughout his life, traveling to Tahiti, Hawaii, Fiji, El Salvador, and Mexico in search of waves. He also surfed frequently locally, his favorite spot was Rincon. He connected with many people over his love of surfing, especially his kids and his lifelong friends. Scott was adventurous, positive, funloving, and deeply loved. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Jennifer; his children, Kira and Caleb; sister Melany Miners and many family members and friends. He’s predeceased by his parents Richard (Dick) Miners and Janice (Jan) Forsen Miners. Scott will be remembered for his love of life, love of his family and friends, and of

A forty year resident of Santa Barbara. A loving and devoted daughter to Mrs. Elizabeth Broome Miller and Captain Robert N. Miller III. A dedicated and long time wife and companion of 53 years to husband James John Chrismen. She married on March 2, 1973 and lived a life of devotion and companionship with her husband. She enjoyed his cooking and sharing her time with friends. Her passing leaves a void and she will be dearly and forever missed.

Marjorie Hill

08/23/1954-02/14/2026

Marjorie Jane Hill (née Vranish), a devoted wife, mother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2026, in Alexandria, Virginia. She was born in Santa Barbara, California, on August 23, 1954, to Ila and George Vranish. Marjorie graduated from San Marcos High School in 1972 and was attending Santa Barbara City College when she met her future husband, Terry Hill, on a blind date. Having both grown up in and loved Santa Barbara, they chose to raise their family there and welcomed their son, Ryan, and daughter, Stacy.

Marjorie was a true Renaissance woman with a wide range of interests and talents. She baked specialty cakes as a side business, sewed clothing and costumes, performed tap, jazz, and ballet with the Rudenko School of Dance, and competed in Western horse shows. She also loved traveling with family and friends, creating treasured memories on trips to New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, and on countless cross-country road trips to visit America's national parks. As the family's historian, Marjorie lovingly preserved photographs, mementos, and keepsakes from her travels and throughout her life. Marjorie devoted many years to caring for her dear friend Barbara Rudenko and for her mother, Ila. She was also a constant source of love, encouragement, and guidance to her own children and to her nieces, nephews, and their children. Family and friends will remember her for her quick wit, generous heart, warm smile, and unwavering kindness. She embodied the very best qualities of a beloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend, and her presence will be deeply missed. Marjorie was preceded in death by her sister, Carolyn Malcheski; her niece, Lisa Malcheski; and her parents, George Vranish Sr. and Ila Vranish. She is survived by her devoted husband, Terry Hill; her son, Ryan Hill (Hannah); her daughter, Stacy Hill (Amir Mohebali); her brothers, Larry Vranish, Steve Vranish (Caron), and George Vranish (Mona). Her love of family, adventure, and generosity will continue to inspire those who knew her. Her last wish is to have her cremated remains scattered in the Scottish Highlands on a final adventure with her family. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Marjorie's honor may be made to the Santa Barbara Zoo or the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

Barton Myers

Barton Myers, 91, was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, then served in the U.S. Air Force as a fighter pilot, stationed in England. While in England, he discovered a love for architecture studying at Cambridge University. After leaving the military, he earned a degree in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, then worked for renowned architect Louis Kahn at his practice in Philadelphia. He then moved to Toronto, where he practiced and taught. Myers became well known for designing steel houses, modular, “Case Study”inspired houses (featured in a recent MOMA show), museums and performing arts centers, including The Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, FL, The Tempe Center for the Arts, in Tempe, AZ , The NJPAC in Newark, NJ, The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Cerritos, CA, and The Portland Center For the Arts in Portland, OR, as well and other major civic buildings. He was a Senior Professor at UCLA Architecture and Urban Design and visiting professor at Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Virginia. In the late 1990s, living in Toro Canyon, in the hills of Montecito, he pioneered designs including roll-down metal doors and reflecting pool roofs that stored water as a creative means of fire protection. Over the course of his career, he won the Canadian Governor General’s Medal twice, the Maybeck Award, as well as countless regional and national AIA awards. Major retrospectives were held at UCSB and the University of

Pennsylvania. Myers wed his next-door neighbor in Norfolk, Virginia, Victoria George Myers. The couple was married for 60 years and developed a deep professional partnership: Vicki ran his architectural practice with him from 1975 until her death in 2019. He is survived by his daughter Suzanne Myers of Brooklyn, NY and Norfolk, Connecticut, and grandchildren Henry and Thea Pincus.

John Gary Giordano 1934-2026

John passed away peacefully August 9, 2026 at Heritage House after a sudden decline in health. John was born on 11/16/34 in Chicago Illinois and moved to Santa Barbara in 1955 to marry his first love Shirley. Together they raised two sons until her passing. After 40 years of service, John retired from UCSB. John married his second love Donna Yamasaki on Nov. 30, 2009 and spent many happy years together. Donna filled John’s life with love and joy. They enjoyed bantering over Packer/Bears football games and bowling in leagues. John’s family expanded a great deal when he married Donna and he was loved by everyone. He always demonstrated love and patience and taught us all to enjoy life. John always had a positive outlook and a smile to share. We will miss him dearly. John is survived by his two sons John Jr (Linda) and Jim, his grandson Justin Barrick, and his wife Donna and extended Yamasaki family of 8 kids, 18 grandkids and 19 great grandchildren. A celebration of life mass will held Monday August 24, 2026 at 11AM at St Raphael’s Catholic Church.

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WRITTEN OFF COVER STORY

Teaching Men in Santa Barbara County Jail How to Tell Their Own Stories by Ryan P. Cruz

riting for a living has allowed me a certain level of freedom and gotten me to places I’d

never imagined I’d find myself, from flying down a mountain on a zip line to paddling in the Pacific in a Chumash tomol. But last year it brought me back to the one place I’d vowed never to return to: the Santa Barbara County Jail. It happened one morning over breakfast, when Alice Perez, Santa Barbara Sheriff ’s Office program manager, asked me to lead a creative writing group inside a men’s unit at the Main Jail. I asked myself, did she really think that I could stand in front of these guys? Would they even want to be in a class about writing? I already knew what it was like inside. In my mid-twenties, I was a college dropout working as a dishwasher before I moved my way up to work as a line cook. I fell in love with cooking, but I also fell into the late-night lifestyle that comes with a high-pressure kitchen. Before long, heavy drinking turned into light drug use and then full-on addiction. I was spiraling, had lost my driver’s license flipping my car while intoxicated, and found myself in and out of Santa Barbara County Jail about a half-dozen times. During the final stretch, I ended up in the barracks known as the Honor Farm (an aging section of the South County jail that has since been closed), where I spent weeks reading and scribbling on scraps of paper I scrounged together. Out of boredom, I sat in on a spiritual study group that happened to be led by Alice’s husband, Eddie Perez—whom everybody called Pastor Eddie. Eddie told us all about his life, his traumatic youth, his 38 years behind bars, and his path to rebuilding his life. He told us how, long before he became Pastor Eddie, he had received a life sentence, where he spent most of his time in solitary confinement in California state prisons. Somehow, he made a miraculous shift inside himself, founding a men’s group for fellow inmates he called Criminal Gangs Anonymous (CGA). By 2014, Eddie was released and enrolled in a program for formerly incarcerated students at Santa Barbara City College. There he met Alice, a dean at the school who would eventually become the love of his life. He said that following his intuition placed him exactly where he needed to be. Those words flipped a switch inside me, and as soon as I got out, I joined the same program, spending the summer studying at SBCC with a GPS monitor strapped to my ankle. I listened to Pastor Eddie and followed my intuition, believing in a wild idea that I could maybe make a living as a writer. I signed up for the school newspaper, and with the encouragement of advisor Josh Molina, I became the paper’s editor within a year. I began freelancing around town and, somehow, caught the attention of Independent Executive Editor Nick Welsh, who offered me the opportunity to join the staff full-time in 2021. I kept in touch with Alice and Eddie, who were now working at the jail, introducing a more humancentered approach to the Sheriff’s Office programs. They added and expanded art classes, counseling sessions, and an updated version of Eddie’s personal development courses. I began helping them stuff Christmas goodie bags for the more than 800 people spending the holidays in county jails. I wrote about jailhouse graduation ceremonies and interviewed them both when they were selected as Independent Local Heroes in 2024. So, when Alice suggested the writing group over breakfast that morning, I moved past the self-doubt and agreed to start in spring 2025.

PAUL WELLMAN

CONTINUED >

Artwork created by members of the creative writing group in Santa Barbara County Jail INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

COURTESY

COVER STORY

Pencil drawings with Aztec and Mexican imagery made by men inside Santa Barbara County Main Jail

BREAKING THROUGH

The first day of our writing group, I was nervous as I walked back into the labyrinthine halls of Santa Barbara County’s Main Jail, the custody deputy’s keys jangling as they opened each door. I flinched as the barred cell door clanged behind me; it was a sound I never thought I’d have to hear again. The tank, where the men spend most of their days, was bustling with activity; some guys were working out, watching TV, or snacking on packs of noodles. It felt as if every eye were on me. I asked the men to gather around in the middle of the day room. I explained that I would be leading a creative writing group once a week for anybody who wanted to join. I began opening my bag, pulling out a stack of composition notebooks and a supply of fresh, tiny golf pencils (the only writing utensil allowed in the jail and not the best for lengthy writing). The skeptical looks started to fade. I told them my story, how I was right where they were just a few years ago. I told them that writing was an outlet that helped me take control of my own narrative. I told them that by following my dream to write, I can now Google my name and instead of my criminal record popping up, I get to see hundreds of bylines. I told them that I would be there to help them find their own writing voice, whether it was their dream to write or not. I told them that they were the only experts in their lives. I told them about one of my favorite writers, Hanif Abdurraqib, who wrote in his essay collection They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us: “The truth is, if we don’t write our own stories, there is someone else waiting to do it for us. And those people, waiting with their pens, often don’t look like we do and don’t have our best interests in mind.” I read a Charles Bukowski poem, “The History of One Tough Motherfucker,” about a cross-eyed, tailless, run-over cat the poet takes in and cares for despite being told the cat is damaged and unlikely to survive. When the poem finished, one of the men remarked, “Damn, I didn’t know you could write poems like that.” It turned out these men were eager to let their stories out. They had lived hard lives, with emotional scars that had never been healed. Instead, they’ve built up walls, calloused them-

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AUGUST 20, 2026

selves, and played the characters everybody thought them to be. But behind their walls was a wealth of lived experience waiting to be shared with the world. Alice said that people who have experienced the worst traumas are, in a way, closer to reality than those who have a smooth path through life. “We spend so much time trying to shield ourselves from something, and these guys weren’t able to shield themselves from it.”

GETTING TO WORK

At first, it was a mixed bag. Some immediately seemed engaged, while others sat listening and leafing through the books quietly. But, after a few weeks of class, the men really started to open up. Even the guys who had been quiet began to participate in discussions and complete our weekly free writes. I structured the 90-minute class in blocks, starting with a free-writing period where I gave them short topics to write about—telling them it would warm up their minds. They wrote about their favorite movies, current events, or what was holding them back from achieving their goals. This took up the first 15 minutes. Next, we read short stories, poems, plays, movie scripts, essays, and excerpts from books. I brought exam examples of fables, creation myths, and classic literature. I tried to find them voices from low and high, everything from Robert Frost to Mark Twain to an unexpectedly beautiful piece about the Carpathia—the ship that rescued the Carpathia survivors of the Titanic — written by an internet author known only by their username “mylordshesacactus.” They connected with Bukowski’s raw and vulgar poetry and were fascinated by the serene and rugged world of Henry David Tho Thoreau’s Walden. Around Halloween, we read ghost stories, and the week before Christmas, we read Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (another ghost story). Every piece sparked questions on the technical aspects of writing, about symbolism behind the words, and the things the writers were hinting at between the lines. They loved Ernest Hemingway’s sparse, powerful prose in “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” and were inspired by the fiery fury of Hunter S. Thompson’s Gonzo

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reporting on the big bad biker gang, Hell’s Angels. I asked them to dig deeper, whether we were reading scenes from the film scripts of Training Day and Godfather—examples of how to create memorable characters—or lyrics from rap songs, written by street poets such as Tupac Shakur, Nas, and Kendrick Lamar. I passed along my belief that these writers could spin a phrase just as powerful and substantive as Walt Whitman, James Joyce, or any other author who was able to tap into the pulse of their generation. I found it apt that this year, a working-class Chinese delivery driver and poet Wang Jibing was awarded China’s prestigious Lu Xun Literature Prize. It was affirmation that wisdom and the ability to connect with people through words isn’t exclusive to highbrow academic settings. Jibing, who grew up poor in rural China and works full time as a driver, scribbled 5,000 poems in between food deliveries. His award-winning collection Low Flights describes the suffering and quiet happiness of ordinary working folk. “Who prescribes that with wings spread one must fly high? Low flight is also a flight,” Jibing writes in the title poem of his collection. It was eye-opening to see how the men in the group responded to the pieces. They were quick to pick up on subtle cues in the writing and were able to relate what they were reading to their own lives. After our discussions, they were always eager to get working on their own writing projects, experimenting with the techniques they just learned and letting their words break loose. These were some of my favorite moments, during the second half of our weekly sessions, watching the guys with their heads down, hands flying across the pages of their notebooks. Some would hunch in their bunks with their notebooks propped up against their legs. One of the youngest guys in the class stuck headphones in his ears every time he wrote, listening to instrumental music on a tablet to “get the words flowing,” he later told me. I brought them magazines and literary journals to read during this quiet time. I told them our goal was to put together a magazine of our own, featuring the pieces they felt ready to share. Each week, while the group worked, I would sit at one table and meet with the men one-on-one to work on their personal writing project. Many of them have been through hardships and traumas that few people see with their own eyes—the extremes of life. There’s immense pain, shame, and guilt about their lives, and heavy feelings about the world around them. I watched as they grew more comfortable with writing and gently nudged them to keep getting to the bottom of what they were feeling. It’s all part of the process, Alice had told me, that allows men who have dealt with extreme trauma—death, abandonment, and abuse—to accept themselves and find a way to be whole again. “That’s the thing about creative expression: You kind of have to write your way into and through a deeper understanding of what’s happening,” Alice said. “Your feelings are not even known to you; everything’s sort of inchoate in a jumble inside us until you then realize, ‘Oh, that’s how I feel.’ You write your way into seeing what you’re dealing with.” The work they began to turn in shattered my expectations. There were poems about how it felt to be on the other side of the gavel, in a justice system that “throws years” at young Latino men who are rarely given the second chances that more wealthy defendants receive: “They wanna throw the book at us / Without a single look at us / What if we shook it up / And we all changed positions?” Another young man, a 25-year-old from Santa Maria, wrote an essay about what a perfect day outside jail would look like versus his day-to-day reality for the past several months locked up. In the first part, he describes a simple morning with his wife and son, with a nice breakfast and a kiss goodbye before taking his son to school and heading off to a construction job. The slow-paced day is filled with small moments that fill him with gratitude, where a movie on the couch is the cherry on

top of an all-too-perfect day. “Some would call this boring but I call it rich—rich because I have my freedom, and I’m able to spend it with my loved ones,” he writes. In the second half, this dream of a simple life is replaced by his cold reality in county jail. A cell door slams and startles him awake at 4:45 a.m., and he spends the morning trying to make the best of his highly regimented schedule. The day is filled with counts, chores, and a strict program that people in the unit follow like clockwork. The details make the piece, and he shows an early talent for using description to evoke emotion. “I’ve learned that, depending on the way you write something, you can make the reader believe, think, maybe even feel what you’re trying to explain in words,” he told me in a one-on-one interview during one of the final weeks of our group. “In writing stories or poems, the details are what matter because they help readers to envision what they’re reading.” Many of the pieces they wrote explored the pressures of street life, of growing up in environments where violence and betrayal are normalized. They often wrote of feeling stuck, being misunderstood, and struggling with post-traumatic stress. Their writings were filled with anti-heroes and characters who have an underlying faith despite the odds stacked against them. It was great to read the work written by a bright-eyed 20-year-old with a tattoo on his left cheek, who approached me after our first group session with a tattered notebook in his hand. He told me it was his sci-fi novel that he had been working on for the past year. He had been incarcerated since he was 15 and said he fell in love with reading fantasy and sci-fi series as a way to escape. He let me take his notebook home to read, and I was blown away at the world he created. His story was full of class warfare, family rivalry, intergalactic diplomacy, and a hero plagued by traumatic visions. I typed up a copy with a few notes and brought it back, and over the next few months, he rewrote scenes, scrapped entire sections, and filled up another two notebooks with additional chapters.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

the artists in the unit to come up with some illustrations to go along with some of their writing. It was inspiring to watch the guys work together and to get to know each of them over the months I spent visiting their unit. There was a deep sense of camaraderie during these sessions, and I enjoyed learning about their lives and sharing about mine. These men are some of the toughest I’ve ever been around, but they’re also some of the most caring. They would light up when I returned each week and ask about my job, the news, and what I’d been working on. When I bought a ring to propose to my now-fiancée, the guys in the group were among the few people I told. I often thanked the men in the group for being willing to talk about things such as writing and art. Being vulnerable takes a lot of courage in these settings, where being perceived as weak can make you a target for others. I was grateful they bought into the program and were willing to work, even on days when it wasn’t easy. There were times our group was interrupted or cut short by jail staff for security reasons; there were days when half the group was missing due to court or attorney visits. Other times, men were dealing with bad news or family troubles that kept their minds elsewhere. It can be tough living with these big things over you. Some of these men have caused great harm or are on trial for serious crimes. They often don’t get the chance to speak for themselves. But these programs, and caring folks such as Alice and Pastor Eddie, offer a chance for these men to process their traumas and mistakes and find worth in themselves.

When I told people I was working with a group of men in the jail, I was occasionally met with some pushback from those who feel that somebody charged with a crime doesn’t deserve a creative outlet or entertainment. I was actually shocked when one man said to me, “They’re criminals. Why even give them the time of day?” I posed that question to the group, and one man wrote his response in a letter he shared with me before he was released: “Many people might believe that men in our situation don’t deserve these types of liberating experiences, but I disagree. I deeply feel like each and every person in here has knowledge and insight that they need to share with the entire world.” After nearly a year’s worth of group sessions, our time together came to an end. As is the nature with county jails, most men are fighting court cases, trying to earn release, or awaiting transfer to serve lengthier sentences upstate. Many of the men who were part of the group are now scattered across different facilities, moved up north to Santa Maria or into another unit in the Main Jail. I still receive calls from some of the guys, and we work on editing pieces over the phone. Several of the men wrote letters to reflect on their time in the group. One man, who spent the first several weeks sitting in class without saying a word, wrote about how he came out of his shell through poetry. “I learned that deep inside myself there is a talent to where writing came natural to me,” he wrote. “After everything I’ve been through, instead of taking anger out on others, now I just pour all my emotions onto paper and let my writing speak for itself.” Another, whose writing is included in this issue, wrote that the group helped to “free his mind” and find a new way to express himself. “Even if I’m locked in a cage, this class helped me find strength in my creativity while reflecting on my weaknesses and shortcomings,” he said. “It gave me hope even when I felt hopeless, and peace even when living in what feels like a war zone. I’d like to share my gratitude with the entire class for encouraging me to keep going, especially during all the times I felt like calling it quits…. The time with us will be cherished by myself and others for a long time. We need more teachers in life, and not just in academic settings.” I’m working with Alice to complete the magazine with the work completed by our group. The booklet will include drawings, poems, stories, and interviews with the writers themselves. It’s become a passion project, and I reread their work with a great sense of pride. We are planning to expand more groups in the future, with the support of Alice, Eddie, and the Sheriff ’s Office. n COURTESY C ALIFORNIA DISABILITY RIGHTS

As the weeks went by, more of the guys started to finish their pieces. A few of the men stepped up as co-editors of the magazine, helping me arrange stories and recruiting some of

“Throwing Years,” a drawing made in county jail depicting a judge’s gavel delivering lengthy sentences

Artwork drawn on a postcard, to be sent to loved ones back home

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COVER STORY

Who Am I?

’ve been trapped for longer than I care to remember. Confined by the darkness of what can only be described as a tomb. I’ve yet to experience the sunshine nor have I ever seen the moon and stars. Shit, I couldn’t even tell you what the sky looks like anymore…. Those that I have met, they don’t care to see my smiling face or merely acknowledge that one is there. I’m just another number on a list. When the gloved hands found me, they did not greet me with salutations as we met; neither did they bid me farewell as they handed me off to become someone else’s personal property. We just parted ways as if I was never there to begin with. Where will this journey take me? Who am I? Do you know? Though many of us share a similar origin story, we all don’t go out the same way. A few of us come in different colors and vary in pigments, which makes it easy for most people to tell why we don’t share the same taste in life. It isn’t long, though, before we all end up in the “Belly of the Beast.” From the box to the bag, that’s how it goes for a lot of us. While being tossed around with little to no care, I watch those around me slowly disappear — one by one, day by day — until I’m the last one left. It’s not often, but there are those like me that may be able to make it in here longer than a week. But tell me, what’s the point of existing, if one is not fulfilling one’s purpose for existing? I can’t breathe in here. Let’s just get this over with before I lose my noodle and expire. I’d blow my own top back if I had the means to. At last the day is here. The hands that placed me in here have decided it’s finally my time to go … but not before they slam me down hard on the floor. Is this a test? Are they trying to break me? I quickly learn the answer as I’m picked up and bashed again — two, three, four more times, and then a fifth. One more time for good measure. Assurance to my handlers that I am completely broken apart and I will never reform to who I once was. Their moves calculated; their intentions clear. They try not to puncture my skin and have my insides burst all over the crowd. But let’s not be foolish — this isn’t for my safety. This is to avoid having to clean up another mess. I’m the least of their concern now. I’m shattered and I will never be complete or whole again. These wounds are permanent. At least now I get to take a warm bath. Maybe that will help me regain some of my dignity. “Be ready in three minutes” — I am clearly instructed. Though this is my final day, I am eager to see it end. I can feel their eyes impatiently staring, waiting for me to finish so they can sink their teeth into me. Before the water in the sink is even drained, they flip me upside down and toss me head first into the fish bowl of judgement. But I know my fate oh too well. The end is near — I’m cooked. I see the executioner walk toward me with his utensil of death. This is it. He strikes down hard and fast and with a few quick flicks of his wrist I am no longer recognizable. I’m but a sliver of what I once was. I remember back when I was first fresh out. I had dreams of feeding hungry children somewhere in the world — kids who couldn’t afford a decent meal — and saving them from starvation. I fantasized about maybe going to a fun party or even a potluck. I spent nights hoping and praying I would make it home to my beautiful bright accountant, helping her save money to pay her tuition through business school. Knowing we would treat each other well and she would appreciate me the most on those cold lonely nights where I would be there to keep her warm. But that’s not my life. I didn’t get to live out those dreams. Instead, I spent my final moments suffering inside a dark dirty cell. My final trip was to jail, but this is not where my story ends. For it is here I will forever be remembered. My legacy will outlast all the others who may have come before me, and they will know my name long after I am gone — say it with me now: Maruchan! (The Life and Death of a Top Ramen Noodle) Written while incarcerated inside Santa Barbara County Jail, 2025

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A DIFFERENT ODYSSEY IN THE MAKING

Documentary Highlights the Odyssey to Break Free from the Criminal Justice System

by Izadora Hamm | Photos by Clarissa Koenig

here do you go when there’s no

place to call home—or when home isn’t necessarily a place you want to return to? What, for that matter, is considered home at all? For more than a decade, those questions have followed Michael Morgan. A UC Santa Barbara professor of voice and speech, Morgan has been bringing together UCSB students and incarcerated youth to create and perform their own adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey. The Odyssey Project began in 2011, when Morgan partnered with Los Prietos Boys Camp, a minimum-security juvenile detention facility, giving the theater program a chance to connect with young boys who had been trying to outrun fate. At the center of Homer’s timeless epic is Odysseus, a Greek hero returning home after the Trojan War. His grueling journey to Ithaca stretches on for years as he faces storms, monsters, temptation, and other obstacles that repeatedly keep him from reaching his family in a classic story that also inspired Christopher Nolan’s summer blockbuster film The Odyssey. For Morgan, that struggle to return home offered a clear parallel to the young men he was working with—individuals who would eventually leave detention and have to find their way back into their communities or build lives for themselves elsewhere. “They’re just kids. They all have potential; they have dreams; they have abilities,” said Morgan. When filmmaker and producer Mark Manning saw Morgan’s work, he was fascinated by the idea of using theater as an intervention tool—but it was the young men themselves who ultimately drew him in. “We started filming the theater program in 2014,” Manning said. “His technique and way with the boys really impressed me and I started to see a really powerful story unfolding.” Now, more than a decade later, four of the young men who participated in the program are at the center of a documentary Manning and Morgan have been developing since those first days of filming. Over years of rehearsals and a performance at Center Stage Theater, again and again, they saw evidence of young people with curiosity, dreams, childlike interests, and an appetite to do something different with their lives.

The problem, they came to believe, was not a lack of potential. It was the weight of the circumstances surrounding them and the feeling that their identities had already been written for them: How could they be anything different? The gravitational pull of drugs, racism, gangs, family expectations, and the loyalty to your home is a strong one. Theater became a way to interrupt that narrative — even temporarily—and allow the young men to see themselves and one another differently, clearly, honestly. During the 2014 production that would eventually become part of the documentary, one of the young men brought contraband onto the UCSB campus. It was a painful reminder of the circumstances the program was up against, and of how difficult it could be to break patterns that followed the young men beyond the walls of detention. When no one came forward to take responsibility, the entire project was nearly shut down. Eventually, someone stepped in, and the group was able to move forward. For Morgan, reconvening brought a renewed sense of purpose—they had made it through another obstacle. The experience itself began to feel like an odyssey. “Clearly, I had no control over what I was dealing with—the prison officials could have just cut it dead,” Morgan said. “When we got back together, there was a sense of renewal, refreshment, and the energy was so high, so strong.” They would face another disruption when an important member left after being released from custody, forcing them

to scramble to find someone to replace him. The young man who stepped into his shoes was soft-spoken and uncertain about whether he could carry the role, but watching him take on the part became another memorable chapter. However, that awareness of a lack of control became part of a larger question: What happens when the systems shaping a young person’s future are forces that they have little power to change? The documentary eventually widens its lens beyond the theater program and toward the criminal justice system itself. That shift becomes particularly personal through the story of the young man who stepped into the role of Odysseus. He would eventually face an 18-year mandatory prison sentence after being charged with multiple felonies, a punishment that became a central focus of the film. The documentary used his case as an examination of California’s Racial Justice Act (RJA), which was designed to give defendants a way to challenge convictions or sentences when racial bias can be shown in their arrest, trial, or sentencing.

A local campaign rallied around the young man’s case, and renowned defense attorney Robert Sanger, who previously represented Michael Jackson, became involved in the effort. Attorneys studied sentencing disparities in Santa Barbara County and filed a motion under the RJA. Despite the mandatory nature of the young man’s sentence, the effort ultimately helped reduce his prison term from 18 years to 17 months.

CONTINUED >

INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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AUGUST 20, 2026

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COVER STORY

“Our community saved his life,” Manning said. Four years after its passage, fewer than 12 RJA cases have been successful, highlighting the deeply entrenched racial bias within the system. The law has faced resistance at nearly every level, limiting its ability to address the racial disparities it was designed to confront. The documentary’s impact campaign will seek to bring greater attention to the act, while connecting audiences with organizations and ways to get involved. “I think one of the things we do is we dehumanize the other so we can be oppressive, turn our heads, and not care as much,” Manning said. “The ability to get to know these guys humanizes an important issue. It opens the door for people to care.” That sense of humanity is also part of why the four men are not simply subjects of the documentary. They now have equity shares in the film and a say in how their stories are told. In the play, going home does not necessarily mean returning to the place you came from. It means finding a place where you can live differently, and “home” itself can mean something different. “Home is a place within you,” Morgan said. “And if you could find that place, you could withstand a lot of challenges — from the spiritual to what’s in your heart, to what your essence is.” That idea has stayed with both Morgan and Manning as the documentary has stretched across more than a decade, but the original theater program has changed along the way. Los Prietos Boys Camp closed in 2024, and the program eventually moved to the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility. At one point, the course continued online during the COVID19 pandemic. Morgan and his students also worked with incarcerated youth through other programs, including Fresh Lifelines for Youth in the Bay Area. Unfortunately, the UCSB course was last offered in 2025 after the university discontinued it amid budget cuts. The intimate classroom model — up to eight UCSB students working alongside up to eight incarcerated students — was central to the project. Manning said the relationships formed between the groups were often as important as the theater itself.

For the UCSB students, it could be startling to recognize the privileges and opportunities they had that the incarcerated students did not. But the students also found common ground since they were simply young people in a room together, learning lines, rehearsing scenes, and getting to know one another. As the documentary enters its final months of production, Manning sees the project reaching beyond the film itself. There is an impact campaign intended to bring the story into educational settings and communities. The team also participated in the Getty Villa’s Odyssey Remix in Los Angeles, a day of lectures and presentations examining the ancient epic from different perspectives. Their larger goal is not simply to tell the four men’s stories, but to make a deeply ingrained issue feel human and immediate — to break down the sense that racism and inequality are problems so large that an individual can do nothing about them. “If you give people something to do, which is the impact campaign, opening hearts — amazing solutions, amazing organizations — their lives get better too,” Manning said. The documentary is now nearing completion, and the story that began with a group of young men rehearsing The Odyssey at UCSB has become something much larger. That story is still, in many ways, an odyssey. It is about trying to find where home is — where it could be — about the systems and circumstances that can make that journey harder, and about what happens when people are given the chance to see one another not as statistics or labels, but as people, as kids. The ancient poem has survived for thousands of years because its questions remain familiar: Where do we belong? What does it mean to return? And, after everything that has happened along the way, what does it take to finally come home? For more information and to view the Getty presentation, see conceptionmedia.net/the-odyssey.

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g n i n n a l P e r ’ e W

& Y T R A P E G U A H ! D E T I V N I E R YO U ’ Join us in Celebrating the Independent ’s 40th Anniversary!

SATURDAY AUGUST 29 11AM - 4PM

Presidio Parade Grounds & Chapel • Family fun for all ages •

CALLING ALL PAST INDY STAFF, LOCAL HEROES, INTERNS, AND VOLUNTEERS TO

ENJOY ALL DAY ENTERTAINMENT

COMMUNITY STAGE

REUNION LOUNGE PLAY GAMES AND EAT LUNCH IN THE

BECOME AN INDY COVER AT

REST STOP

STAND-IN PHOTOFRAME

EXPLORE INTERACTIVE BOOTHS IN

KID’S ZONE

ADVENTURE OUT AND VISIT PIT STOP PARTNERS

including:

S.B. Fire Department, State of Mind Café, Library on the Go Van, S.B. Half Marathon

Lobero Theatre, Paradise Found, Opal Restaurant, Grassini, Cheese Shop, Frequency, S.B. Historical Museum

Santa Barbara

1986

THE INDEPENDENT

AUGUST 20, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

4O YEARS

2026

FESTIVAL LINE UP VISTA DEL MONTE

COMMUNITY STAGE Live Music and Entertainment Schedule:

PRESIDIO PANELS Presented by:

BLUEDOT INSTITUTE 12:00PM WHO’S THE BOSS?

11:00-12:00PM STUDENT SHOWCASE

Nick Welsh & Marianne Partridge Moderated by Matt Kettmann

12:30-1:30PM BRADBERRI

1:00PM INDY ORIGINALS

1:45-2:45PM EAST VALLEY ROAD 3:00-4:00PM THE BAD NEIGHBORS

Joe Woodard, Tanya Spears Guiliacci, Camille Cimini Fruin, Martha Sadler Moderated by Tyler Hayden

2:00PM THE FUTURE OF OUR NEWS

Callie Fausey, Elaine Sanders, Maya Johnson, Christina McDermott

Moderated by Ryan Cruz INTERACT WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AT THE FEST City of SB Sustainability Community Environmental Council League of Women Voters One Thread Collective SB County Action Network SB High School Alumni Assoc. UCSB Alumni Assoc.

AND THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS

SCAN CODE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND EXCLUSIVE FESTIVAL MERCH

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WE LC OME TO T HE S O U N D T R A C K OF F REEDOM THERESA CAPUTO AUGUST 28 / $79+

NIKKI GLASER

NAME THE NEW ZAMBONI! AUGUST 20 - SEPTEMBER 1

G IVE IC E I N PAR ADI SE ’S NEW Z AM B O N I A N AME AN D B E E N T E R E D FOR T H E C H AN C E TO WIN A R I DE O N T H E RES UR FAC E R AN D OTHER G R E AT P R I Z E S!

SEPTEMBER 6 / $120+

BANDA LOS RECODITOS SEPTEMBER 18 / $55+

RON WHITE OCTOBER 2 / $69+

SCAN THE QR CODE TO ENTER NOW OR VISIT independent.com/zambonicontest

LOS FARMERZ OCTOBER 9 / $105+

JUMPING JACK FLASH OCTOBER 16 / $25

Santa Barbara

1986

THE INDEPENDENT

AUGUST 20, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

4O YEARS

2026

INDEPENDENT CALENDAR

AUG.

20-26

the

BY TERRY ORTEGA

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

THURSDAY

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

FRIDAY

Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley) and directed by Alfred Hitchcock follows two men whose lives become entangled after one of them proposes they “trade murders” and one kills the other man’s wife while the other kills the other’s father. 1:30pm. Goleta Community Center, Rm. 3, 5679 Hollister Ave., Goleta. Free. Call (805) 964-7878 or email goletavalleylibrary@cityofgoleta.org.

tinyurl.com/Strangers-Train

8/20: Los Tranquilos, Burgundy Blues, Val-Mar Records Join for ’60s/’70s-inspired soul and psychedelia from México and all Latin America from Nipomo-based Los Tranquilos featuring brothers Manny and JJ Martinez and friend Cameron Porter with Coachella Valleybased Burgundy Blues’ signature blend of oldies, indie, and soul inspired by the ’50s-‘70s. Val-Mar Records, S.B.’s all-vinyl deejay collective founded by Valdas Karalis, Dom Burnham, and Donny Brubaker, will open the show with nu-disco and deep house sounds. 8pm. SOhO Restaurant & Music Lounge, 1221 State St. $20-$25. Ages 21+. Call (805) 962-7776. sohosb.com

SUNDAY

Goleta: Camino Real Marketplace, 10am-2pm

TUESDAY

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

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

SATURDAY

WEDNESDAY

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

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

La Luz

SOhO Restaurant &

8/20-8/23,8/26: Music Club Thu.: Los Tranquilos with Burgundy Blues & Val-Mar Records, 8pm. $20-$25. Ages 21+. Fri.:

FISHERMAN’S MARKET

An Evening with Will Evans, 7pm. $28, $35. Sat.: Mamma Mia 2! Here We Go Again! Sing-Along Brunch, Noon. $5. Sat.: Mamma Mia 2! Here We Go Again! Sing-Along Brunch, noon. $5; Shoe Biters Record Release Party, 4:30pm. Free. Sun.: Kenny Lee Lewis Presents: A Tribute to the Fillmore with a Tribute to Dave Mason. 7pm. Marinero 8pm. $27. Ages 21+. $25. Wed.: (((folkYEAH!))) Presents: La Luz with Marinero, 1221 State St. Call (805) 962-7776. sohosb.com

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

cfsb.info/sat COURTESY

8/20: This 1951 psychological thriller (rated PG) written by Patricia Goleta Valley Library Film Club: Strangers on a Train

Shows on Tap

FARMERS MARKET SCHEDULE

COURTESY

THURSDAY 8/20

COURTESY

FRIDAY 8/21

8/20: Elings Park Kiwanis Music Nights Smelly Cat, 5:30-7:30pm. 1298 Las Positas Rd. Free. Call (805) 569-5611. kiwanissb.org/page/ kiwanis-music-nites 8/20-8/22: The Grand on State Thu.: Grand Accordion Night, 7:30pm. $35. Fri.: Colin Richardson & The Grand Band, 8pm. $35. Sat.: Early Show: Brian Mann, Kim Collins, Shawn Thies, 6pm. $25; Late Show: Téka Brazilian Jazz, 7:30pm. $35. 1218 State St. Email thegrandonstate@gmail .com. thegrandonstate.com/events

SAMsARA

8/22: Pours for Paws Adoption & Fundraiser Bring

8/21:

UCSB A&L Presents Misfits & Mixtapes: Napoleon Dynamite See this 2004 comedy (rated PG) that follows awkward,

oddball, high-school teenager Napoleon, who lives in Preston, Idaho, and deals with dilemmas among his quirky friends and family. DJ Scott Topper will play a live set before the screening. Bring breathable blankets, low chairs, a picnic, and friends! 8:30pm. Sunken Gardens, S.B. County Courthouse, 1100 Anacapa St. Free. Call (805) 893-3535. artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events

SATURDAY 8/22 8/22: Pilates at Paseo Join for this free monthly Mat Sculpt Pilates full-body workout and local pop-ups, exclusive Mighty promotions, and good energy all around. All levels are welcome. Bring a mat and bring a friend. 9am. Upper Terrace, Paseo Nuevo, 651 Paseo Nuevo. Free. Email santabarbaramanager@mightypilates.com. tinyurl.com/Pilates-Paseo 8/22: Family Renaissance Faire Spend the afternoon at an all-ages concert program that will explore the connections between modern fantasy and the music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance with crafts and activities for the kids. Activities: 3pm; performance: 4pm. Grace Fisher Foundation Inclusive Arts Clubhouse, La Cumbre Plaza, 120 S. Hope Ave., Unit F118. Free. Call (805) 705-8007. gracefisherfoundation.org/events

your furry family member in support or come to adopt one of your own and celebrate rescue, community, and wagging tails. A portion of wine by the glass or a bottle will be donated to Night Sky Rescue. 1-4pm. SAMsARA Winery & Tasting Room, 6485 Calle Real, Ste. E. Free. Email info@samsarawine.com.

samsarawine.com/events

8/22: Medicare 101 Workshop Insurance expert Sky Savarese invites community members who are turning 65 to an educational workshop and preparing for retirement or want a clearer understanding of their Medicare options. Learn about Medicare Parts A and B, prescription, Advantage, and Supplement plans, estimating costs, and mistakes to avoid. 10-11am. Faulkner Gallery, S.B. Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St. Free. Call (805) 962-7653.

tinyurl.com/Workshop-Medicare

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

8/21, 8/23: Carhartt Family Wines Live Music Fri.: T-Bone Ramblers, 5pm. Sun.: Java, 2pm. 2939 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. Free. Call (805) 693-5100. carharttfamilywines.com/ events-calendar 8/21: Carr Winery Barrel Room Ses-

8/21-8/22: Maverick Saloon Fri.: Stacked. Sat.: Just Dave Band. 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. 8:30-11:30pm. Call (805) 686-4785. Ages 21+.

mavericksaloon.com/event-calendar 8/21: Night Lizard Brasscals, 8pm. 607 State St. Free. Email brasscals@riseup.net. tinyurl.com/Brasscals-Aug21 8/21-8/22: Rooftop Bistro & Bar Fri.: The Hoodlum Friends. Sat.: Los Mezcaleros. 6878 Hollister Ave., Goleta. 4-8pm.

Free. Call (805) 562-5996. rooftopgoleta.com/upcoming-events 8/22: S.B. Bowl Train: Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere Tour, 6pm. $62.50-$156.50. 1122 N. Milpas St. 6pm. Call (805) 962-7411. sbbowl.com

8/22-8/23: Cold Spring Tavern Sat.: Van Allen Twins. Sun.: Tom Ball and

sions: Van Allen Twins, 414 N. Salsipuedes St., Santa Barbara. 7-9pm. Free. Call (805) 965-7985. Ages 21+.

Kenny Sultan. 5995 Stagecoach Rd. 1:304:30pm. Free. Call (805) 967-0066.

8/21-8/22: M.Special Brewing Co. (Goleta) Fri.: Lazy Daughter. Sat.: Bad

8/23: Longoria Wines Live music, 3-5pm. 732 State St. Free. Email info@ longoriawine.com.

carrwinery.com/events

Neighbors. 6860 Cortona Dr., Ste. C, Goleta. 7-9pm. Free. Call (805) 968-6500.

mspecialbrewco.com

coldspringtavern.com

longoriawines.com/events

8/24: The Red Piano Church on

8/21-8/22: M.Special Brewing Co. (S.B.) Fri.: Only Joking. Sat.: Will Stephens Band. 634 State St. 8-10pm. Free.

Monday: The Ray Jaurique Trio, 7:30pm. 519 State St. $5. Call (805) 358-1439.

theredpiano.com

Call (805) 308-0050.

mspecialbrewco.com Volunteer Opportunity

Fundraiser

Civil Discourse

Protest

INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

THE

8/22: Elijah Rock: Memories Unleashed Inspired by Rock’s work in brain health and Alzheimer’s awareness, this performance explores the extraordinary ability of music to awaken memories, evoke emotion, and bring people together. Featured selections from his album, Memories Unleashed – Impulse 1, will include “Route 66,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,”“Unforgettable,” and more as well as from the Great American Songbook. 8pm. The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St. $30-$50. Call (805) 965-5400.

SEPTEMBER 12 & 13

Earl Warren Showgrounds 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara

etcsb.org/production/elijah_rock

8/25: Library Services Orientation for Teens Teens are invited to join the SBPL staff for an informative overview of library services and programs, including community service opportunities and physical and digital resources to support academic and career goals. Teens interested in participating in our Teen Advisory Board (TAB) for the 2026-2027 academic year must attend. 5-6pm. Island Rm., S.B. Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St. Free. Email info@sb plibrary.libanswers.com. tinyurl.com/Teen-Orientation

WEDNESDAY 8/26 COURTESY

SATURDAY 8/22

COURTESY

SUNDAY 8/23

Museum Exhibition: Jackie 8/26: AD&A Amézquita: Gemidos de la Tierra This

bit.ly/sbsgoaf JENSEN MUSIC LESSONS Music Lessons Repairs • Rentals Guitar - Ukulele - Bass Violin - Mandolin - Piano Banjo - Voice - Cowbell

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Kenny Lee Lewis Presents: A Tribute 8/23: to the Fillmore and Tribute to Dave Mason Kenny Lee Lewis from The Steve Miller Band has

assembled this all-star show honoring the bands who played at the historic Fillmore East in N.Y.C. and Fillmore West in San Francisco with songs by The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and more. 7pm. SOhO Restaurant & Music Club, 1221 State St. $25. Call (805) 962-7776. sohosb.com

8/23: Tea Tasting & Story Circle: The Art of Making Matcha

jensenmusiclessons.com

Explore the art of making matcha, about the history, tradition, and tea tools used, and the way it cultivates presence, attention, and hospitality through a guided tasting, storytelling, and hands-on preparation. 1:30-3pm. S.B. Yoga Center, 32 E. Micheltorena St. $45-$55. Email breathewithyuna@gmail.com. sbyc.com/upcoming-schedule

ALL BY APPOINTMENT Call or Text: 805-687-4027

MONDAY 8/24

2830 De La Vina Street, Suite G Santa barbara, CA

...in the Tri-Counties

3/24: S.B. Parks & Rec Older Adults Clubs: Scrabble Players of all levels are invited to this weekly social group designed to connect older adults through their love of Scrabble. The group is open to English and Spanish speakers. 1-4pm. Louise Lowry Davis Ctr., 111 W. Victoria St. Free. (805) 897-1928.

s Book Talk and Signing: Jef8/25: Chaucer’ frey Hoelle Professor of anthropology

at UCSB Jeffrey Hoelle will talk about and sign copies of Cultivated: Plants, Hair, and the Aesthetic of Control, which traces the imprint of cultivation across the naturally growing covers of the land and body (plants and hair) using research in the agricultural fields and cattle pastures at the edge of the Amazon rainforest as well as domestic landscapes and hair salons and shops in the frontier cities of Brazil and beyond. 6pm. Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. Free. Call (805) 682-6787.

3845 State St. La Cumbre Plaza

805-770-7715 missdaisy.org THE INDEPENDENT

AUGUST 20, 2026

museum.ucsb.edu/exhibitions

8/26: Get Home Safe Seminar/Parking Lots & Garage Safety This interactive seminar will cover situational awareness and recognizing suspicious behavior, parking lot and parking garage safety, walking to your vehicle alone after dark, carjacking awareness and prevention, practical self-defense techniques designed to create an opportunity to escape, and real-world scenario training that helps participants build confidence under stress. All fitness levels are welcome. 6:30-8pm. SB Krav Maga Family Self Defense Center, 325 Magnolia Ave., Goleta. $25. Ages 16+. Email: info@sbkravmaga.com.

sbkravmaga.com

8/26: Conversation: Decades Behind the Scenes at Mission Santa Barbara Join for a lively conversation with stories shared by Joan Cota, Theresa Pote, and Angelo Cardinalli (OFM) with stories welcomed from the audience. RSVP required. 6-8pm. S.B. Mission Archive-Library, 2201 Laguna St. $25-$30. Call (805) 682-4713 x131. sbmal.org/events

chaucersbooks.com/events INDEPENDENT.COM

CO UR TE SY

tinyurl.com/Scrabble-Aug24

TUESDAY 8/25

show brings together the work of L.A.-based interdisciplinary artist Jackie Amézquita (b. Guatemala, 1985). Rooted in land-based methodologies and ancestral material knowledge, the exhibition examines migration, collective memory, and the relationship between human and morethan-human systems across time. The exhibition shows through November 29. Noon-5pm. Architecture Museum, UCSB. Free. Email events@museum.ucsb.edu.

AUG.

20-26

WE LC OME TO THE SOUNDTRACK OF FREEDOM COURTESY

Out. Proud. Unstoppable! PRIDE Happenings

TICKETS ARE GOING FAST

Me to Pride: Celebratory Group Bike Ride 8/22: Drag Pride riders of all ages and ability levels are invited to meet

COURTESY

at 10am with NA mimosas, light noshes, and the opportunity to deck your bike with streamers and sparkles to roll out at 10:15am for a 1.5-mile route at a gentle pace to arrive at the Chase Palm Park for the Pride Pet Parade at 11am. Register for the starting location. Registered riders will receive a free BCycle Guest Pass to use on ride day. 10:15am. Register for the start location. Call (805) 845-8955 or email admin@movesbcounty.org. moveSBcounty.org/pride

THERESA CAPUTO AUGUST 28 T I C K E T S S TA R T AT $79

Jackette Knightly (left) and Vivian Storm

Pride Festival 2026 This all-ages celebration 8/22: forPacific every generation and identity within the LGBTQ+ com-

munity, and allies, will feature headliner Ava Vox and hosts Vivian Storm and Morgan McMichaels. Join for food trucks (food for purchase), vendors, the Main Stage (with live bands, dance performances, drag entertainment, and deejays), and the Family stage (with dance parties, sing-alongs, arts and crafts, and family-friendly performances). 11am-7pm. Chase Palm Park Field, 323 E. Cabrillo Blvd. Free. Call (805) 963-3636 or email at hello@pacificpridefoundation.org.

DON’T MISS OUT BUY TICKETS TODAY

tinyurl.com/Pride-Fest2026

8/23: PRIDE Family Day at the Zoo Enjoy a day of inclusivity, community, and celebration with a bounce house, face painting, story time, education tables, and more in Dreier Junction. Bring your family, friends, and loved ones to make colorful memories together at the zoo! 10am-3pm. S.B. Zoo, 500 Niños Dr. Free-$37.95. Call (805) 962-5339. sbzoo.org/

events-calendar

INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

TUES

SUN

SEPT

OCT

LOBERO LIVE, KTYD and Panda Man present...

Sat. Aug. 29 Showtime 6:52 PM – Doors Open 6:22 PM

MARTY STUART AND HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES

TOUR 2026 FALL

RICKIE LEE JONES “The Duchess of Coolsville”– Time

Terry Hill Presents Milt Larsen’s

Two Shows! 2 & 6:30 PM

with Salty Strings

SUN. OCT. 11

LOBERO THEATRE 9 OCTOBER 2026 SANTA BARBARA, CA

A dazzling all new revue featuring the finest stars of magic, comedy, sleight of hand, and stage illusions. David Zirbell & Co, Christopher Hart, Ron Saylor & Co, Ice McDonald, and Tina Lenert.

SPONSORED BY Parsonics Studios in association with Barbara White Design

LOBERO THEATRE ENDOWMENT FOR AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC 34

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AUGUST 20, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

@loberotheatre

LOBERO.ORG 805.963.0761

EMAIL: ARTS@INDEPENDENT.COM

ARTISTIC TIDES OF POSSIBILITY L I F E PAGE 35

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VETERAN LANDSCAPE/SEASCAPE PAINTER NICOLE STRASBURG STRETCHES HER CONCEPTUAL FRAME

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“Shoreline Construction” by Nicole Strasburg

by Josef Woodard

or many years, as one of Santa Barbara’s more intriguing left-of-landscape-tradition painters, Nicole Strasburg has been building an artistic voice and substantive body of work. Often working in the medium of oil-on-birchwood versus the expected canvas, her work and her eye stand apart from landscape and seascape art norms and stake a claim in a stylistic avenue all her own. With The Whole Is Greater, her latest show at her longstanding gallery home Sullivan Goss, Strasburg ventures into territory at once new, familiar, and reconfigured. For those of us familiar with her past art, the exhibition represents a pleasantly disarming variation-morphing shift, into work which sometimes ventures into the world of multiples — triptychs, diptychs, and even a pentaptych (five-paneled, the term for which was kindly supplied me by Sullivan Goss curator Susan Bush). Also, geometry enters the conceptual picture, previously seen mainly in her recurring motif of dramatic ocean horizon lines in a composition, along with experimental notions of artwork framing and enclosures. The plot thickens even further: the largest piece originally in the show, “Sea Level,” (now sold and carted off) was an assemblage-like combination of some 18 panels, some stacked atop others. It is a spectrally harmonious composite of sea and sky images (a regular point of interest for her), and conceptually against type in terms of standard nature-based art. A more compact example, which is inhouse, is “Shoreline Construction,” which engages multiple perspectives on shoreline sightings, with her signature echoing of cloud forms and waves. But these are offset, and “complicated” (in a good way) by

squares of abstract color swatches: the palette is contiguous with the color patterns used in the whole of the painting. Strasburg deals with multiples in different ways, from the fluid flow of images in the triptych “Sun Glow” to the clever optical dichotomy of “Time and Tide,” again playing sea against sky and connecting the two natural expanses. Five is the magic number of panels in the tellingly titled “Assembly California.” An implied narrative logic links the culled images of forest, shimmering shore (she does savor shimmering sand) and winding river arabesques, from an aerial view. Another atmospheric evocation hangs across the room in the gallery, with “A Smell of Salt.” A horizontally organized triptych, the piece juggles tide, foaming waves, and a dreamily colored sky, stacked in slices. It conspires toward a sensual yet analytical study of coastal reality, with a virtual hint of salt-aired aroma rising up from the piece—almost too perfectly suited to summer in Santa Barbara. Into these slices of Californian paradisiacal visions comes evidence of man’s toxic footprint in the form of small paintings of illuminated oil derricks, in “romantic” nocturnal views, in “Modern Icons.” These seem all the more pernicious given recent headlines about Trump’s rubber-stamping of Sable Oil’s drilling aggression in Gaviota. And yet Strasburg’s depictions are also plainly beautiful to behold as paintings. These are a part of our seascape, like it or loathe it. One Strasburg-ian quality detected and intact in this body of new work is her special handling of, and eye for, tall, foregroundheavy coastal visions, in which she captures the transition space of sand yielding to sea—ever lapping, naturally in flux, in a

by Maggie Yates

“Tide of Possibility” by Nicole Strasburg

vertical painting like “Joyful Anyway.” (Re: the title — maybe joyful despite the ecodread of ocean drilling?) Next to that painting, as a point of companionship and contrast, there hangs “Tides of Possibility,” with its experimental twist attached. Here, the subject is familiar — sand, sea, and sky in a visual dance—but the palette has been amped-up to an almost psychedelic pitch, with overcooked blues and yellows. This is beach life, but not entirely as we know it and hang out in it. With The Whole Is Greater, we get the sense that the artist, at 60, is testing waters of a new way of approaching a well-tested path. The tides of possibilities flow endlessly, more or less. Nicole Strasburg’s The Whole Is Greater, is on view at Sullivan Goss Gallery (11 E. Anapamu St.) through August 24. See sullivangoss.com.

Launch Pad, a development program for new plays, is moving their annual dramatic reading series to the New Vic Theatre on August 27. This year’s program features two works-in-progress: Julia Izumi’s The Banana Factory (directed by Kate Bergstrom) at 4 p.m., and Megan Tabaque’s The Rink at the End of the World (directed by Launch Pad program director Risa Brainin) at 8 p.m. Brainin describes both plays as being about young people living in today’s world. “The Banana Factory is about activism and how young people are looking at the choices they’re making. The Rink at the End of the World centers around a synchronized skate team practicing for a competition when the world starts to change dramatically, and they are forced to deal with it,”she says. “Both plays address thinking about how to save our world in a comical, fresh way.” (Launch Pad will present a fully produced run of The Rink at the End of the World in the spring of 2027, giving audiences a chance to see the play evolve.) This year’s writers in residence, Izumi and Tabaque, arrived at Launch Pad through an association of newwork-development programs called the 4 Seasons Residency. Every year, 4 Seasons elects a writer to have an experience at each of their four venues: Idaho’s Seven Devils New Plays Foundry, Minnesota’s Tofte Lake Center, Philadelphia’s Ignition Arts, and Launch Pad. While Launch Pad’s summer reading series was previously attached to a summer course (and therefore featured mostly student performers), this year’s productions are independent from any official classes, allowing the pool of actors to include alumni and community talent. “I love giving our alumni work,”says Brainin. “It’s so important to me—building a bridge for them.” Reserve your seats for this free reading series at the New Vic Theatre through the link at Launch Pad’s reading series webpage: launchpad.theaterdance.ucsb.edu/ reading-series/2026.

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JUDY COLLINS STILL SPARKLES THE 87-YEAR-OLD’S FAREWELL TOUR COMES TO SANTA BARBARA LOBERO IN SEPTEMBER

by Leslie Dinaberg

he Sweet Judy Blue Eyes tour — a nod to Stephen Stills’s iconic 1969 Crosby, Stills & Nash ode to his onetime lady love — returns to the Lobero on September 27 as part of an expansive tour across North America giving audiences “one last chance” to experience the iconic Judy Collins’s silvery voice and storytelling prowess live in person. I had the pleasure of speaking to her by Zoom in advance of her Santa Barbara show, and I’m happy to report that even at age 87, Judy Collins’s bright blue eyes and blazing humor are both as fiery as ever.

Is it a memoir? Oh, yeah, it’s everything, and it’s also, I say at the beginning, this should be a crime story. I mean, it’s hard, you know, living up to your potential. Well, yes, absolutely. I mean, it’s funny in a way, but I love it. I love it. I think it’s because I was raised in a family where I was on the road with my father when I was a little girl. He had a 30-year career in the radio, singing on the radio, and he was undaunted.

So, you’re on the road or you’re starting on the road for this tour? Oh, I’m always on the road. … I work all the time, so it’s just that sometimes it’s bigger, like the big tour coming up…. But it’s always 100 shows a year.

You’ve got to be very disciplined. I mean, even just thinking about writing, singing, and practicing the piano is a lot, right? Yes. I have a sign on my mirror in the bedroom that says “Do it now.”

Wow, that’s amazing. It is amazing. I’m amazed at it myself.

So, do you think this is really a farewell tour? I think it’s a partner of so many of the farewell tours that I have experienced in my life. It’s always refreshing because it kind of lifts everybody up, and they all want to come to the show, including me.

So, what keeps you motivated? You’re definitely at a time where many of your peers are not touring anymore. Well, I love it, and I make a living, and I get to keep my skills up in order to keep everything sharp and on the edge. You know, I just practiced the piano a little while ago, and then between interviews, I went and worked on my current book that I’m writing, because I seem to always be writing a book. … It’s called The Voice, and the subtitle is “Singing Through the Storm.”

Judy Collins

When you’re singing songs that you wrote or that you started performing decades ago, does it feel the same, or does it feel different to do those songs now? Oh yeah, it’s different because you’re putting them up against, for instance, the album that I did in 2022, called Spellbound. It’s an album that had all my own songs on it, and that was the first time I’ve done that. Ever since Leonard Cohen said to me in 1966, “I don’t know why you’re not writing songs,” and I had never written any songs. I’d written a lot of prose. I’d written in high school. I’d written after I got into the swing of things with my career [and being] on the road all the time, but I had never written a song. So, the minute I was sitting in my old apartment talking to him about this, I got up and I went into the other room and sat down at my Steinway and wrote, “What I’ll give you since you’ve asked is all my time together. So, it feels like today.” [Judy sang these lyrics to me from her 1967 song “Since You’ve Asked.”] It’s like I just sang it and I wrote it a few years ago, but it’s always brand-new. That’s the thing about songs — the minute you sing them; they’re brand-new for the moment. These songs, they’re so evocative of so many different things in your life. Right, music does that anyway, and so you’ve got your own guide to the past and the future, and you’re doing the thing in the moment, which is wonderful.

Judy Collins returns to the Lobero Theatre on September 27.

In terms of having written some of your own material, is that something you feel like you’re going to continue with? Oh God, yes. You know, I started, as I said, when Leonard asked me, and then I just went right on

writing. I’ve never stopped writing, and thank God because of my beloved husband, who died in December of 2024. So, it’s very recent. So, I’m trying to get over it, get through it any day of the year, and he said to me, in 2017, he said, “I think you should write every day for a year. You should write a song or a poem or some sort of a little exploit on where you have been. What have I been doing today? You should write that every day for 365 days. Then you’ll have a book of poetry at the end of the year.” And I do now. I’ve just finished last year. Oh, wow! It’s called Sometimes It’s Heaven. All those poems were published last year, but after 2017 when he told me to do that, I did it, and then I harvested a dozen songs on one of the last of my albums. It’s called Spellbound, and it has a dozen of my songs. It’s the first time that I’ve done an album of all my own songs. That’s wonderful. Folk music, obviously, was where you first made a name for yourself, but you’ve gone into all kinds of different genres. Do you still think of yourself as a folk singer? No, not really. Yet I love great songs … I mean, I’ll sing “Laura is the face in the misty light” [from the 1940s jazz standard “Laura”] every once in a while, but I’ll also sing “Oh Danny Boy.” Now that’s a folk song. That’s an old song, but it’s also a very contemporary pop song. Everybody knows it. When I’m singing, I do a concert, I organize the series of songs, but I always have the audience sing. And one of the things that I sing is “Danny Boy.” Everybody knows “Danny Boy,” and then I’ll sing “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” Everybody knows “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” So, it’s interesting how those classic songs intermix with the folk music that somehow became standard. This has been wonderful. Is there anything else you want to make sure people in Santa Barbara know about the show? Oh, come to the show. It’ll be fun. I also tell jokes. You’ll miss them if you don’t come, and you can hopefully remember some to tell your friends. See Judy Collins’s Sweet Judy Blue Eyes: Farewell Tour on Sunday, September 27, at 7 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre (33 E. Canon Perdido St.) See lobero.org.

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STUDIO ARTISTS OPEN PRIVATE STUDIOS FOR 25TH ANNUAL LABOR DAY TOUR

by Anya McCue

t’s rare to witness the raw, behindthe-scenes action of an artist’s studio, let alone casually speak to the artist themselves in that environment. Yet every year Santa Barbara Studio Artists (SBSA) makes it possible for the public to tour artists’ home studios, see their recent artwork and talk to them about it. For the upcoming 25th Annual Open Studios Tour, 24 artists are opening their doors on Labor Day Reception at CAW for a previous Studio Artist Tour weekend, September 5-7. There will also be an Opening Reception and Meanwhile, Bennett is an abstract artist Preview Exhibition on Friday, September from Poland. She came to the United States 4, from 5-8 p.m. at the Community Arts with her husband as a biologist, but eventuWorkshop, featuring retrospective memo- ally pursued her love for art professionally. ries from the last quarter-century. Along From graphic design, fine art, and children’s with the celebration, viewers will get a book illustrations, biology still shows up in chance to see a preview of representative her art in shapes — often inviting the viewer works from all the artists. to meet the painting with their own ideas “In a gallery, you talk about the artwork in these “threshold spaces,” as Bennett calls itself, the finished part. But in the studio, them. you are showing everything. You are more Bennett wasn’t fluent in English when vulnerable because you’re showing the she moved to the United States and painting unfinished pieces. Sometimes, I show the quickly became, “a way of expressing somepieces that didn’t work very well … they’re thing that I couldn’t express yet with words. sitting somewhere in the corner, waiting I love seeing people standing in front of my for either a repainting or to say goodbye to painting and telling me what they see — tellthem. Even the conversations about those ing me their story through that painting. not very successful images are very special,” That’s actually more powerful than me just said tour artist and board member Danuta explaining it.” Bennett. In addition to Bennett and Tibbles, artists Bennett explained that this openness to featured in the Santa Barbara and Montecito the tour visitors, in addition to her time as area include: Misa Art, Ann Shelton Beth, a board member, has allowed her a greater William Dalziel, Jeanne Dentzel, Leslie Ekker, connection to other artists in town. One of Karen Fedderson, Brian Kuhlmann, Kathy the founding members, Ruth Ellen Hoag, Leader, Paulo Pereira Lima, Cynthia Martin, said that the purpose of the organization Sarita Reynolds, Joan Rosenberg-Dent, Franwas to create a community platform for art- cis Scorzelli, and Brian Woolford. ists and spectators alike, in addition to flagFeatured West Santa Barbara, Hope ging Santa Barbara as an arts destination. Ranch, and Goleta artists include: Pamela A wide variety of backgrounds and Benham, Marilyn McRae, Jean Range, Nurit mediums are showcased in the tour — the Ruckenstein, Eric Saint Georges, Ann Sandonly qualifier is that an artist needs to have ers, Marlene Struss, and Gerry Winant. a studio where they create. In addition to highlighting these artists, Artist Susan Tibbles grew up in Santa SBSA is also a philanthropic organization. Barbara and began creating art at age 15. A portion of the proceeds will be donated One of her main art formats is assemblage: to Adam’s Angels, an all-volunteer nonprofit the use of found objects to create three- that provides essential clothing, toiletries, and dimensional art. She also has been a col- food to Santa Barbara’s unsheltered residents. lage artist for the Los Angeles Times, often centering her work around geopolitics and The self-guided tour spans Montecito to Goleta, and runs social commentary. The studio tour is a spe- from Saturday, September 5, to Monday, September 7, cial occasion for the public to see Tibbles’s from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tickets are available online studio, as she usually only invites curators at santabarbarastudioartists.com or at the opening reception. For more information, call (805) 280-9178. or people she knows into the space.

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New Faces, Proven Leaders, and Playoff Hopes T

he opening week of the high school football season is here, and for Santa Barbara–area teams, that brings an opportunity to translate the offseason grind into gridiron victories.

High School Football Teams Turn Offseason Work into Friday Night Expectations by Victor Bryant | Photos by Gary Kim

Reid Miller is in line for an increased role at running back after snagging five interceptions on defense last season.

Key returners include Terrence Tasila, who was an All Marmonte League selection last season and will contribute on the offensive and defensive lines. At 6'1" and 270 pounds, Tasila is as physically imposing as he is experienced. He now carries the mantle of continuing Bishop Diego’s legacy of dominance in the trenches. Assistant coach John Hazelton leads players through conditioning “Every year, we have expectations that we build up to, and drills. we have a standard,” said Tasila, who is a four-year varsity player. Senior tight end Jeremiah Mercier Bishop Diego has a prototypical frame at 6'4" and 230 pounds and will contribute more as a The Cardinals graduated a strong pass catcher this season. A big senior year senior class that led the program to the on both sides of the ball could solidify CIF-SS Division 4 playoffs last season, him as a Division 1 prospect. but the cupboard is far from bare. “I’ve definitely worked on catching Bishop Diego is still teeming with the ball a lot more as we’ve lost some of talent, led by veterans along the offenour key targets from last season,” Mercier sive and defensive lines. A key for the said. “We’re very diverse. Everyone can Cardinals will be dominating early in play different positions, so we’re getting the season so that the youth at the skill comfortable.” positions can get up to speed. Perhaps the most dynamic player on “The non-league games become the Bishop Diego roster is senior wide really important for us simply to try receiver/cornerback Remi Boykin. After and get guys on the same page,” said sitting out the first five games last seaBishop Diego legendary head coach son due to transfer rules, Boykin made Tom Crawford, who is the all-time his presence felt during league play as a wins leader in the history of Santa Barstandout in the secondary and an explobara County. “We think we have some sive return man. His role on offense is talent, but getting on the same page in expected to see a major uptick. terms of route running, communicaTerrence Tasila is a four-year varsity “I love coming out here with my boys. tion, and all those things has been the player, who will lead the Cardinals in the I grew up with them, so I’m just ready to focus.” trenches. 40

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put on for the city senior year,” Boykin said. “I feel like I fully get to show what I can do, fully showcase how I fit in with this team and how good we really are.” Fresh off receiving a Cal Poly offer this summer, junior running back/linebacker Sam Boeddeker is projected to take over as Bishop Diego’s primary ball carrier. At 6'0" and 210 pounds, Boeddeker’s blend of size and speed will make him a dominant force on both sides of the ball. With the graduation of three-year starter Tua Puailoa Rojas at quarterback, Bishop Diego will be breaking in sophomore Kaleo Satele, who transferred to the school in January. What Satele lacks in experience he will need to make up for with his electric arm talent and athleticism. After an 8-2 regular season last year, with narrow losses to Oaks Christian and Pacifica in Marmonte League play, the Cardinals figure to take a small step back due to heavy personnel losses. However, it is a very talented group that could peak in the playoffs if it can keep key contributors healthy.

Carpinteria The Warriors fell one win short of a postseason berth last season after dropping their regular-season finale against Channel Islands, 34-21. With four offensive linemen returning, along with starting quarterback Isaac Neri, Carpinteria is in prime position to get over the hump and make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. “The offensive line is the heart of our team, and our leadership council and both our captains are all linemen, so that’s a good sign that they are tied together and ready to move forward,” said Carpinteria coach Van Latham. “They

are experienced. Some of them have been three-year starters, and it’s time that we put it together.” Neri is a true dual threat, having passed for 910 yards and rushed for 374 yards last season. He also has some talented pass catchers in sophomore tight end Brayden Real and junior receiver Jonah Hernandez Jr., who had the majority of his sophomore season wiped out by injury. At 6'1" and 190 pounds, Hernandez has an excellent frame and solid hands. Edwin Nova, Caleb Kelly, Erasmo Frausto-Elizarraraz, and Ramces Romero are the returning linemen. Kelly and Frausto-Elizarraraz will also contribute on defense at the linebacker position. The non-league schedule is made up of four teams that Carpinteria has never played before: Royal, Heritage Christian, Webb of Claremont, and Calvary Chapel Santa Ana. The other non-league contest is against a familiar opponent in Fillmore. If the Warriors are to meet their goal of making the playoffs this season, they have to maintain a healthy roster as they move through the Citrus Coast League, where close games are a near certainty this season.

able blocker last season and has improved as a pass catcher. Junior Zaden Battle is a speedster who will have a role in the passing game as a junior. Isiah Barajas was the top JV receiver last year, and Holden Brey will contribute on both sides of the ball, including as a pass catcher. The Chargers have lost a lot of really good linemen, so the opportunity is there for new players to step up. Hunter Haws saw action last season and will be a standout up front. Marcus Carbajal and Wyatt Mitchell are returning leaders on the offensive and defensive lines. The Tri-County League is now wide open, with defending champion Agoura now out of the league, and the Chargers have the talent and depth to compete from week to week.

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Lucas Blessing is a three-year starter on offense and defense for Santa Barbara.

The Chargers starting quarterback Grady Felix is poised to take command in his junior season.

Coming up on the wrong side of an overtime thriller against rival San Marcos, with a playoff berth on the line, the Chargers learned valuable lessons and have turned the page. Head coach AJ Pateras points to his team’s offseason training as the foundation of the program and is hopeful that the gains in the weight room and on the practice field will pay dividends on Friday nights. “With any football game, you live in that moment for a couple days, and then you kind of refocus, reset, and plan ahead,” Pateras said. “From a motivation standpoint, you don’t have to motivate kids when they can taste a victory.” Junior quarterback Grady Felix returns after splitting time at the position last season. He flashed the ability to run and throw as a sophomore and has progressed significantly in his overall knowledge of the game. “I started half the games last season, so it’s more like building upon stuff that I learned, but I’m still learning every day,” Felix said. “I’m trying to become more of a leader on this team. Obviously, it was more difficult as a younger guy last year with a lot of older, more experienced guys.” At the skill positions, Soren Smedley emerged as a reli-

After losing starting quarterback Griffin Arnold to a cancer diagnosis midway through last season, the Dons took a nosedive, losing four of their last five games, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. However, Arnold has made a miraculous recovery and will be back behind center this fall. As a sophomore, he tossed 14 touchdown passes with just one interception in six games. “We’ve got a lot of returning starters this year, guys that were on that team, and they are hungry,” said Santa Barbara head coach Nate Mendoza. “You can’t really teach game experience, and we have a ton of guys with game experience.” The Dons are loaded at the skill positions, with a deep and talented receiving corps led by juniors Nate Meister and Cade Mault, senior Fin Congdon, and sophomore Keegan Roessler. At running back, Santa Barbara will rely on junior Everett Rabb Preston and senior Reid Miller. Miller was a ball hawk at safety last season with five interceptions. The offensive line is perhaps the biggest question mark for Santa Barbara with the loss of four-year starter Malachi Johnston, who is now at Cal Poly. However, the Dons return three-year starter Lucas Blessing at right tackle. Blessing was also an All Conejo Coast League defensive lineman last season.

Santiago Garcia returns at center after starting the past two seasons, and Damien Miranda is a returning starter at guard. Junior Scout Johnson, the younger brother of Malachi, will start at left tackle. Defensively, Henry Crafton returns at linebacker after leading the team in tackles and sacks last season as a sophomore. The Dons are loaded with talent, especially at the skill positions, but depth up front could be a problem. If they can stay healthy, a run at the Conejo Coast League title is a real possibility.

San Marcos The Isaiah Veal coaching era of San Marcos High football begins this fall as he will look to continue the upward trajectory of the program after back-toback playoff berths. The Royals emerged victorious in the Battle of the Goodland, defeating rival Dos Pueblos to earn the third and final playoff berth out of the Conejo Coast League, but they’ve since graduated a loaded senior class. “Initially, it just starts with getting the kids disciplined in terms of early San Marcos first-year head coach morning practices, lift ses- Isaiah Veal has high expectations sions, filming everything, for his team. attention to detail, getting the guys used to a regimented hard schedule, and just having them buy in with that,” Veal said. “A lot of our coaching staff is young, but we’re passionate.” San Marcos returns starting quarterback Hayden Fealey, who is brimming with confidence after an up-and-down junior season. The Royals relied heavily on the run game last year, and he is eager to provide more balance to the offense. “I’m really excited to take what I’ve learned the last couple years and put it all on the field for my senior season,” Fealey said. The Royals have a number of versatile weapons for Fealey to distribute the ball to, including returning All Tri-Valley League receiver/defensive back Isaac Murillo. Tommy Diaz had emerged in preseason practice as a dynamic ball carrier and key contributor. “I hope to be a big contributor to this team,” Diaz said. “I really like this new offense we are running. It is a lot different from last year.” Sophomore Caden LaPlante is a 6'5" tight end with a massive catch radius that will be incorporated into the offense. Kota Enrico is a sophomore, who will play both running back and linebacker. “Our expectations are to win,” Veal said. “We know it’s a tough league so that just means we have to prepare and take it one day at a time.” n

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Four Decades-Plus of Steady Culture Consumption

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t all began in May of 1980, when a scrawny kid full of music dreams — including that of being a music journalist — walked into the humble digs of the hippy weekly on De la Vina Street. That would be me, and that paper would be Santa Barbara’s legendary alternative newspaper called the News & Review. Monetary gain was meager and nearly moot at times, but I was thrilled to be attached to Santa Barbara’s humble version of America’s alternative weekly culture, lorded over by the mighty Village Voice outta N.Y.C. At the N&R, I was allowed to pursue my obsessive passion Joe Woodard, with cowboy hat, guitar, keyboard, for music and film and expanded my brewski, 1980s interest in fine art. Most of my time at the N&R was under the editorial care and her arrival, I remember the ever toughfeeding of arts editor David Rubien, who yet-tender Marianne suggesting I turn off jokingly later claimed he taught me every- the Weather Report record (Mysterious thing I know. (He may be at least partly Traveler) Nick and I had on. Later, she mentioned that, through the merger batright.) The N&R launched what became my tle, she didn’t want to have the sensation primary and ongoing “day gig,” writ- of tasting “ashes in the victor’s mouth,” the ing in Santa Barbara, where I grew up, first time I’d heard that phrase. Fast forward 40 glorious, delirious, and expanding to the Los Angeles Times, Musician, Rolling Stone, DownBeat (still perilous, and determined years later, at it there), and other music magazines, Marianne and her brave enterprise had books, and freelance writing side streets. prevailed in an era of increasing newspaFreelance writing is a cobbling game, with per world vulnerability. This is 40, to quote the Judd Apatow highs and lows attached, but often rewarding for those of us fixed on steady culture movie, and the paper that has earned respect on a national level. On a more consumption. immediate level, the Independent became a critical component of what makes Santa Barbara Santa Barbara. I’m proud to have been a humble veteran foot soldier in an ongoing righteous cause, of truth telling, community building, by Josef Woodard and, in my case, opinion flinging. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Back in the formative batch of years in the ’80s, I remember hearing that there Signing off with an old-school journalism would be a new sheriff/editor swooping sign of my veteran status: “-30-.” in from the East. Along came Marianne Partridge, heading west after having been editor at both the Village Voice and Rolling Stone — two of my primary sources of inspiration and values-forming as a jour- We are celebrating the Santa Barbara nalist and human! Could it be? Independent’s 40th anniversary with a A few years into Partridge’s direction, free community party in the Presidio she wisely maneuvered a merger between Neighborhood on Sat., Aug. 29, 11 a.m.-4 the News & Review and The Weekly, a com- p.m. The Presidio itself is the epicenter, peting paper also with alternative cred, but complete with panels in the chapel (fealeaning closer to the cozier middle. turing Woodard, Nick Welsh, Marianne Leading into the thorny merger pro- Partridge, and veteran and new Indy cess, we had a strategy meeting at veteran voices) and music, booths, and interactive newspaper war hero and grizzly colleague fun on the parade grounds out front. See Nick Welsh’s place in Summerland. Upon independent.com/indy40fest. n

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How a Scrawny Kid Full of Music Dreams Built His Freelance Writing Career

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INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

Woof!

The Knock’s Door Is Open as Blackbird Flies the Coop

FOOD & DRINK

nian’s dining concept in the former Blackbird space has changed, with a new name, “The Knock Kitchen + Cocktails,” a new, more casual menu, and some new theming. It’s now a “cinematic coastal gastropub inspired by Alfred Hitchcock,” but the striking space, designed by internationally renowned architect Martyn Lawrence Bullard, who also did the hotel’s distinctive modern Moorish- and Moroccaninfluenced interiors, is thankfully still intact, with one particularly notable addition: the dark hallway between the restaurant and the lobby bathroom area is now decorated from floor to ceiling with brass knockers of every shape and type imaginable. This ode to the trademark tension in Hitchcock’s films such as Dial M For Murder, where each ring of the phone and every knock on the door signals some possible life-and-death consequences, was the most obvious cinematic addition to the space, but the menu itself has some fun nods to the mystery world in the form of unexpected ingredients or twists.

Churro

Some of the new menu offerings at The Knock

two apps we tried. The Wedge Alibi Salad featured green goddess dressing (another twist), and we also tried the Brussels sprouts, which had a soy, maple, and lime sauce that was pretty unique. My other favorite savory dish of the night was the ’nduja shrimp and grits, with Cajun-style spices and smoked gouda, along with a great kick of flavor from the ’nduja sausage. In addition to fish and chips, steak frites, a grilled mushroom burger, a crispy chicken sandwich, and a tastylooking burger (which is just $15 on Wednesday nights, along with $10 bourbons and $5 beers), The Knock also has a couple of large plates. There’s the $155 Big Ass Bone-In Tomahawk (it feeds two to four people) and the $72 Everything-but-the-Head Chicken (it feeds 2-4). Maybe next time … with more friends to share entrees with. My second cocktail, the pretty, flowertopped Pleasure Garden, had some nice subtle vanilla and fruit flavors, along with rosé, vodka, and passion fruit liqueur and syrup. Not only was it refreshing and balanced, but it also made an excellent lead-in to the pièce de résistance dessert: a Flaming Neapolitan Baked Alaska, complete with vanilla bean meringue and fresh strawberry confit. It was definitely a happy ending time for this evening at the “cinematic coastal gastropub.” The new restaurant concept still offers something for those in search of fine dining, but the new menu makes the vibe much more accessible for people wanting to pop by just for drinks and a few small bites.

Paws and Pours

hen an email landed in my inbox about a dog-treat tasting flight — where owners sip wine while their dogs sample treats—I turned to my chocolate Labrador, Maple, sleeping on the floor beside me, and told her she was in for a treat (literally). A week later, we arrived at Koehler Winery in Los Olivos for Dogs on the Lawn, a fundraiser in partnership with Nose of Justice, a Santa Barbara County dog-treat and advocacy brand whose mission is to “do right by dogs.” That day, 20 percent of all dog-treat tasting flights sold by Nose of Justice went directly to Santa Barbara Humane, a nonprofit animal welfare organization.

rience lying quietly under the table. “To us,” he said, “that felt like exactly the kind of tiny injustice Nose of Justice should take on.” Dog-tasting flights ($5 each) featured four varieties, each made with a single ingredient and given a quirky name: Oh My Cod, Sippin’ on Salmon, Buzzed on Beef Liver, and Cheers to Chicken Breast. Each treat came with a wine pairing and tasting notes so dogs could taste alongside their human companions. Sipping Koehler Winery’s 2024 Chardonnay, I gave Maple the salmon, which had notes of “cold mountain riverbeds, coastal roe,” and “a finish that lingers longer than your dog’s stare,” according to the tasting sheet. Alongside the tasting flight, dogs received a box of toys to choose from, as well as a seemingly endless supply of tennis balls. Farkas also went around photographing each dog’s nose to create temporary tattoos of our pups. An ice-cold water trough kept the furry friends cool in the valley heat, though the Labradors present — Maple included — decided to submerge their entire bodies in it. Farkas said the goal of the event was not only to include dogs in the wine-tasting experience but also to view the world through our furry companions’ eyes. “At its heart, that’s really what Nose of Justice is about,” said Farkas. “Finding injustices in the dog world, whether they’re serious or delightfully small, and doing something about them.” In an attempt to discover Maple’s favorite bite of the day, I lined up all four treats on a picnic bench, evenly spaced, and told her to go. She flew straight to the beef liver, which was in the middle, then swiftly inhaled the other three. I’m unsure if my so-called experiment yielded accurate results. Still, I walked away having purchased a bag of beef liver.

Hotel Californian’s New Restaurant Concept Is a Cinematic Coastal Gastropub

Nose of Justice Brought Dog-Treat Tasting Flights and More for S.B. Humane Fundraiser

by Leslie Dinaberg

by Tiana Molony

I started my evening with the Monkey Shines cocktail, a clever riff on an espresso martini featuring the subtle addition of Crème de Banana to the traditional vodka, espresso, and coffee liqueur libation. The menu is heavy on shareable plates, as befits a hotel pub. The decadent bone marrow + steak tartare plate was an absolute knockout. It was perfectly seasoned with capers, shallots, pickled mustard seeds, and other spices, all accompanied by a lovely toasted baguette to help sop up every bite of this deliciousness. We also really enjoyed the short-rib croquettes, a unique take on croquettes with a nice smoky corn and chipotle aioli sauce that reminded me of the Fiesta elote street corn being served at the Mercados just a few blocks away. The mini ahi tuna tostadas were good, but not nearly as original as the other 44

COURTESY

he script for the Hotel Califor-

THE INDEPENDENT

AUGUST 20, 2026

The Knock Kitchen + Cocktails is located inside Hotel Californian (36 State St.). Open Tuesday-Saturday, 5 p.m.-close. See hotelcalifornian.com/the-knock-

INDEPENDENT.COM

While grabbing Maple’s treats and my wine, I spotted an elusive corgi lounging on a picnic blanket beside his owners in a far corner of the lawn. The corgi in question, I quickly learned, was Churro, the official mascot of Nose of Justice. His owner and Nose of Justice cofounder, Brian Farkas, told me that Churro was rescued from a dog meat farm in Korea and has since “been on an epic quest for dog justice.” That mission, Farkas explained, means advocating “for greater transparency in pet food, supporting animal welfare organizations, or simply noticing the little ways dogs could be more included in the experiences their humans love, and finding creative ways to make that happen.” The idea for a wine-tasting flight grew out of Farkas’s own experiences. He and his wife enjoy wine tasting and often bring Churro along. As they watched fellow patrons sip their wines and laugh together, they noticed the dogs who came along spent most of the expe-

For more information about Nose of Justice, see noseofjustice.com.

BRIAN FARKAS

Cheers!

FOOD&DRINK

p.44

Pairings

County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors

Female Farmers & Makers

TRAVEL PASO

Shining a Spotlight on

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Coastal Resources Mitigation Fund Santa Ynez Unit Mid-Cycle Fee Assessment On September 1, 2026, the Board of Supervisors will conduct a public hearing to consider a mid-cycle reassessment of Coastal Resources Mitigation Fund fees for the Santa Ynez Unit due to the restart of oil production and storage associated with the project. Staff recommends that a total of six Coastal Resources Mitigation Fund “impact” points be reinstated for the project for May 2025 through December 2027 (amounting up to $318,600 annually), which was the number of points assigned when the facilities were fully operational. Please contact the project manager, Jacquelynn Ybarra, jybarra@countyofsb.org with any questions about the reassessment.

The hearing will take place at 9:00 A.M. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at: County Administration Building Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 4th Floor 105 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 For current methods of public participation for the hearing, please see page two (2) of the posted agenda. The posted agenda will provide a more specific time for this item. However, the order of the agenda may be rearranged, or the item may be continued.

Activities combining nature and wine pairings are part of the Farmers & Makers event.

Cherry Bombe and Travel Paso Team Up to Celebrate

The board letter, including attachments, and the posted agenda will be available on the Thursday prior to the hearing at https://santabarbara.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx#current under the hearing date, or contact the Clerk of the Board at (805) 568-2240 for alternative options. Attendance and participation by the public is invited and encouraged. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, American Sign Language interpreters, sound enhancement equipment, and/or another request for disability accommodation may be arranged by contacting the Clerk of the Board by 4:00 P.M. on the Friday before the Board meeting. For information about these services, please contact the Clerk of the Board at (805) 568-2240 or at sbcob@countyofsb.org.

FOOD & DRINK

ounded in 2013 as a print maga- My Cherry Pie: After Dark, a dinner zine, Cherry Bombe has grown and panel at EMRE at The Ava Hotel. into a media and events company Presented by California Prunes, the evededicated to elevating women’s ning includes a custom tasting menu by voices in food, beverage, and hospitality. guest chef Sarah Thompson of Wynn Las This fall, Cherry Bombe is teaming up Vegas along with a dessert bar showcaswith Travel Paso for Farmers & Makers, ing the region’s best bakers. a three-day celebration of California’s Sunday wraps things up with a female farmers, winemakers, chefs, and morning walking tour of downtown Paso Robles, led by Gretchen Roddick, artisans. Taking place September 25-27, Farm- executive vice president of Hope Famers & Makers will showcase the women ily Wines, and the intimate farm-totable Supper Club, a Cherry shaping California’s food and wine landscape through Bombe and Whole Foods a weekend of tastdinner series celings, dinners, and ebrating women in agriculture. c onve rs at i ons “I’ve been folconnecting the lowing Cherry people behind what we eat and Bombe for many drink with those years. The netwho appreciate work of women their craft. chefs, makers, and “Paso Robles is culinary entrepreby Hana-Lee Sedgwick neurs inspires me,” says a region defined by independent thinkers, and Roddick, who was instrua remarkable number of them mental in getting Farmers & Makare women, from multigeneration farmers off the ground. “Their community ers to first-time winemakers to chefs sits right alongside the wine world, reimagining what California cuisine which sparked an idea: why not Paso?” can be,” says Stacie Jacob, President and Adds Kate Miller Spencer, CEO of CEO of Travel Paso. “Collaborating with Cherry Bombe: “Farmers & Makers is Cherry Bombe lets us share that story our love letter to the women who grow, with a national audience, and to do it make, and sustain the food we love, during one of the most beautiful week- and Paso Robles is the perfect place to tell that story. We are so proud to bring ends of the year on the Central Coast.” Farmers & Makers kicks off Friday our community here and showcase the evening with a Welcome Party at the bounty of the Central Coast.” Austin Hope & Treana Tasting Cellar. Farmers & Makers is being held in Presented by CA GROWN, the evening support of the International Year of the invites guests to mingle over wine and Woman Farmer, a United Nations initiabites amidst the vines. tive recognizing women’s essential role Saturday begins with a guided morn- in global food systems while working ing activity in nature, followed by a to close gender gaps in access to land, Wine Pairing Lunch presented by J. finance, and other resources. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, pairing the “Recognizing the contributions of winery’s white wines with seasonal women in agriculture and agribusiness California cuisine. Saturday’s signature is empowering,” adds Roddick. “This is event, the Farmers & Makers Market, one way we can celebrate locally while features walk-around tastings, seasonal contributing to something much larger.” foods, artisanal products, live demos, and panel discussions with California’s Individual event tickets are available now (weekleading female farmers, winemakers, end passes already sold out), with discounted chefs, purveyors, and makers — all held rates for Bombesquad members and Paso Robles locals. For more information and tickets, that afternoon at the Paso Robles Inn. The weekend continues with She’s visit cherrybombe.com/pages/farmers-and-makers.

If you challenge the project in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence to the Board of Supervisors at, or prior to, the public hearing.

10 th Annual

Heart of New House Luncheon Saturday, September 19, 2026 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

This year’s honorees: TOM AND MONICA CURRY Heart of New House Award

NEW HOUSE

Santa Barbara Men’s Sober Living Since 1955

JOSEPH GARCIA

Hero of New House Award

New House is dedicated to providing a clean, sober, and healthy environment that allows men with alcohol and other drug problems to begin their journey of recovery and reclaim their dignity, self-esteem, and sense of purpose. Proceeds from this event directly fund scholarships, ensuring that no person seeking to change their life is turned away due to lack of funds.

Visit sbnewhouse.org for tickets and more information INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

Satellite To Close

State Street Location

atellite, the wine bar and vegan-focused restaurant at 1117 State Street, will close its downtown location on September 13 after 10 years in business. Owner Drew Cuddy tells me Satellite has been operating month-to-month for about a year and was unable to reach a new lease agreement with landlord Kiva. “After 10 years, the decision didn’t come easily, and it didn’t come quickly,” he said. Satellite itself isn’t going away. The business will regroup at The Factory at 616 East Haley Street, where its wine webshop, wine club, tastings, and music events will continue. Cuddy also used the announcement to address the challenges facing downtown Santa Barbara. “A strong downtown needs people who live in it, and we do not have enough of that here in Santa Barbara,” he said, calling for more housing to be built in and around State Street. Cuddy hopes Satellite may eventually return to downtown in a permanent space when the right location and economic conditions come together. “Satellite at 1117 State Street is closing, but Satellite will never die,” he said. JONESY’S TO CLOSE: Jonesy’s Fried Chicken at 282 Orange Avenue in

FOOD & DRINK

Goleta announced that it is closing on August 30. Matt Kettmann from the Santa Barbara Independent interviewed owner and Goleta resident Kyle Jones and was told that the road work on Hollister Avenue, including a new parking scheme, redrawn lanes, and two roundabouts, scared people away from that part of town. “Ultimately, the City of Goleta is what crippled that location,” said Jones. “We lost 40 percent of revenue overnight when that road construction started.” GOLETA CARL’S JR. CLOSES, MAY BE REPLACED BY SWEETGREEN: Reader Phil

L. let me know that Carl’s Jr. at 5820 Calle Real in Goleta has closed. The location at 7 South Milpas Street is open for business as usual. In August 2025, reader Cris S. first shared with our community future plans for the Calle Real Center in Goleta which is scheduled to have a major facelift in the near future, switching from Santa Barbara’s Spanish Colonial Revivalism theme to Goleta’s blend of styles, including Deco, Streamline Moderne, and Midcentury Modern. The plans indicate that the Goleta Carl’s Jr. will be replaced by Sweetgreen, which has approximately 250 restaurants across the country. I don’t know if Sweetgreen ever officially became a tenant. Sweetgreen is a casual restaurant that serves salads made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. The mission of the company is to inspire healthier communities by “connecting people to real food.” The eatery’s core menu features approximately 13 signature items which are offered year-round in all of its locations, including its new steak plate. In addition to its core menu items, its single most popular item is the custom salad or bowl, which can include combinations from more than 40 ingredients as well as its madefrom-scratch dressings.

NOMINATE NOW

Please Nominate a person who makes our community a better place to live and whose good works and deeds may otherwise go unsung.

SUBMIT AT:

independent.com/local-hero OR SCAN:

LOCAL

HEROES WANTED

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: THE INDEPENDENT

AUGUST 20, 2026

from Crushcakes, 5392 Hollister Avenue, Goleta: “Hi John, after much outcry from the community, we have decided to bring back our breakfast and lunch to Crushcakes Goleta! Come on back, most of your favorites should be there! Hope to see you soon! Peace & Love always, Crushcakes.” STATE OF MIND CAFÉ UPDATE: Last February, Executive Director

Rebecca Benozare reached out to me to let me know that she is in the process of looking for a location in Santa Barbara to open “State of Mind Café” and that none had been chosen yet. Reader Steve H. has confirmed the location is 918 State Street, which is in the SBIFF Film Center Building, and the former home of The Cookie Plug (2024), Good Cup (2012), and Café Zoma (2010). John Dickson’s reporting can be found every day online at SantaBarbara.com. Send tips to info@SantaBarbara.com.

September 25, 2026

BREAKFAST & LUNCH RETURNING TO CRUSHCAKES GOLETA: Here is an update

INDEPENDENT.COM

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY by Rob Breszny WEEK OF AUGUST 20

ARIES

(Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Consider this your official alert that you’re close to getting too much of a good thing. To safeguard the lovely momentum you’ve built lately, be vigilant that genuine abundance doesn’t bloat into plain old overload. Say no to becoming indentured to your own brilliant ideas. Don’t let your victories drag you into depletion. Steer clear of grand gestures of generosity that are driven mostly by the urge to dazzle onlookers. You really can keep every delicious reward you’ve earned, dear Aries, as long as you begin installing some graceful new boundaries right now.

TAURUS

(Apr. 20-May 20): In 1925, Taurus astronomer Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (1900–1979) discovered that stars are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium. Famous astrophysicists of that era rejected her conclusions because she contradicted the prevailing theories. Nevertheless, she persisted in her claims and was eventually proved correct by other experts. Sound familiar, Taurus? If it doesn’t yet, I expect it will soon. Naysayers may insist you’re wrong when you know and I know you’re right. My advice: Be faithful to the truths you’ve directly observed even if they don’t match consensus reality. Your understandings are valid even if they’re inconvenient.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20): You’re ready and able to commune intimately with the hidden source of power that fuels your life. Hallelujah! But first, acknowledge a humbling truth: You’re not entirely sure what that source is. You’ve made assumptions, of course. You’ve told yourself stories about where your vitality comes from: your work, your relationships, your creative projects, your spiritual practices. And while these channels do transmit energy, they’re tributaries of the ultimate spring. In the coming weeks, you’ll have exciting opportunities to trace these streams back to their headwaters. Start this way: Be alert for minibreakthroughs when you feel unexpectedly energized or mysteriously restored.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22): The GPS system requires Einstein’s theory of relativity to work correctly. Satellites in orbit experience time slightly differently than we do on Earth’s surface. Without accounting for that time dilation, your phone would be off by 6.8 miles every day. Moral of the story: The practical requires the theoretical and the mundane needs the cosmic. I bring this to your attention as a useful metaphor, Cancerian. I suspect you’ve been trying to solve ground-level problems with ground-level thinking. But your current challenges require you to factor in some relativity: to recognize that different parts of your life are operating in different timeframes, under different rules. What works in one context doesn’t necessarily work in another. In the coming weeks, refrain from trying to apply universal solutions. Calibrate for context.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22): In traditional textile making, the selvage is the strong edge that holds the fabric together and keeps it from unraveling. It’s braided more tightly than the rest so it can do its guarding work. I think that’s a helpful metaphor for your life in the coming weeks, Leo. Your main weave is pretty gorgeous, but the edges aren’t sufficiently taut. What should you do, practically speaking? For starters, create firm boundaries around your work time, your rest, and your availability to others’ demands.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I am nursing a hopeful dream that you will give yourself a fun surprise or two in the coming days—maybe even more than two. Not necessarily the most expensive delights, but those that would inspire your nervous system to relax and your spirit to celebrate. Possible options: a few hours of free time with no obligations, a hike where you adore and praise the sky, a conversation you’ve been craving, a daring yes, or a long-overdue no. Or how about finally starting a fun project you keep postponing, or setting down a burden

you’ve been carrying for too long? You might ask yourself: “If someone who loved me dearly were in charge of my rhythm, what would they arrange for me?”

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The first maps of Antarctica contained blank spaces labeled simply “unexplored.” Cartographers didn’t pretend to know what wasn’t yet revealed. This was a gift to future trailblazers, who didn’t have to overcome the confusion of false certainties. You could benefit from adopting a similar practice. Instead of explaining every mystery with confident opinions, designate a few regions of your inner world as magnificently unexplored. Your willingness to say “I don’t know yet” will be a fertile form of wisdom. The unanswered questions will be better allies than premature conclusions.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In architecture, the keystone is the central, wedge-shaped stone positioned at the top of an arch. It’s often the last piece placed, and it’s what holds everything together. If it’s removed, the entire structure collapses. But the keystone itself is held in place by the pressure of the other stones. I love the fact that it’s both the most crucial piece and yet totally dependent on everything else. This is an excellent metaphor for you right now. You’re like a keystone: holding everything together and also being held by everything. Please accept my personal thanks for accomplishing the amazing feat of being both powerful and vulnerable! The structure needs you, and you need the structure. PS: Don’t overestimate your independence or underestimate your importance.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t reorganize your junk drawers anytime soon, Sagittarius. Please? Refrain from scrubbing the oven, organizing your kitchen cupboards, and untangling old extension cords. I’m begging you to believe me when I urge to allocate your energy toward the most interesting and important matters. The cosmic indicators are unambiguous. You will be happiest and most successful if you: (1) dare to access secret wisdom you’ve been hiding from yourself; (2) immerse yourself in almost too much beauty and truth; (3) let your imagination run wild as you visualize future scenarios that thrill you even if they’re also a bit unnerving.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The Grand Canyon in Arizona is 277 miles long, as wide as 18 miles, and a mile deep in some places. Through persistent erosion for millions of years, the Colorado River carved it. This massive creative project happened entirely through subtraction, not addition. I suggest you regard it as one of your role models in the coming months, Capricorn. Your goal is to wear away resistance and eliminate what’s unnecessary. The magnificence you produce will be very gradual and incremental.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In engineering, redundancy refers to the practice of building multiple layers of support into a system so that if one part falters, others keep functioning. Airplanes and spacecraft rely on this principle for safety. I urge you to adopt a similar strategy in the coming weeks. By creating backup plans or additional reinforcement, you can move forward with more daring and flair, which I highly recommend. Artful preparation will strengthen your ability to experiment and improvise.

ICE OUT OF SB PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY If you see ICE in your area, call the

RAPID RESPONSE HOTLINE

(805)870-8855 OR TEXT “ALERT” AND RECEIVE NOTIFICATIONS WHEN ICE IS NEARBY follow SBRESISTE on instagram

PISCES

(Feb. 19-Mar. 20): The ocean has different layers. Each has its own temperature, pressure, and ecosystem. Many sea creatures are adapted to one specific stratum and don’t wander far from their chosen realm. But there are transition zones where the layers meet, and they’re often rich in biodiversity. I propose that we use these areas as metaphors for your power spots, Pisces. You tend to thrive in thresholds and boundaries, where edges meet and overlap. That will be especially true in the coming weeks. To court good fortune and sweet delight, you should hang out at the borders where diverse influences mingle.

Homework: Upon waking for the next seven mornings, sing a song that fills you with feisty hope. tinyurl.com/a5a5a5a Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES and DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700. INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNSELOR

HUMAN RESOURCES, UC SANTA BARBARA The Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP) and its psychologists and other mental health providers provide the UCSB campus community with mental health and support services for faculty, staff and adult family members who are covered by UC insurance in the form of brief counseling and referral assistance, as well as psychological well‑being and workplace wellness programming. They also provide counseling that is delivered in a short‑term model with referrals to campus and community resources being an important component of therapeutic interventions and develop and deliver wellness programming in conjunction with supervisor. Licensed psychologists provide direct supervision to a part‑time practicum trainee. Reqs: PhD/PsyD/LMFT/LCSW/LPCC in clinical or counseling psychology or social work; Must have a California PhD, PsyD, LMFT, LCSW, or LPCC license at all times during employment in order to practice and function in this clinical role; 4‑6 yrs Experience in conducting evidence‑based assessment, crisis intervention, and short‑term counseling with adults; 4‑6 yrs Experience developing and delivering psychoeducational workshops; 4‑6 yrs Experience providing therapy and workshops in Spanish (Strongly preferred). Notes: Maintains confidentiality and upholds the highest ethical and legal standards in all relevant aspects of ASAP work and related program activities. In the event of an emergency, the employee in this position may be required to report to duty in support of the campus’ emergency operations plan and/or the department’s emergency response and/or recovery plans. During or immediately following a designated emergency, the employee will be notified to assist in the emergency response efforts, and mobilize other staff members if needed; Credential verification for clinical practitioner; Mandated reporting requirements of Child Abuse and Dependent Adult Abuse; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/ Budgeted Salary Range: $98,506.73 to $115,412.76/year. Full Salary or Hourly Range: $92,871.38 to $ $129,993.10/ year. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 8/10/26. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job #87701

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; 4‑6 yrs Supervisory and Personnel work experience; 4‑6 yrs Financial Work experience; Thorough knowledge of University rules and regulations, processes, protocols and procedures for budget, accounting and fund management, and / or personnel management; Interpersonal skills including verbal and written communication, active listening, critical thinking, persuasiveness, advising and counseling skills; Knowledge of a variety of administrative operational activities such as event planning, basic fundraising processes, risk management planning, website design, accounting and payroll, and contracts and grants regulations and guidelines; Solid knowledge of common University‑specific computer application programs; Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality; Strong skills in short‑term planning, analysis, problem‑solving, and customer service; Thorough knowledge of financial analysis and reporting techniques, and / or human resources policies and procedures for staff and academic employees. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range is $81,600 to $97,000/ year. The full salary range for this position is $81,600 to $147,800/year. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application Review begins 8/26/26. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 87877.

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AUGUST 20, 2026

CASE RESOLUTION OFFICER

TITLE IX COMPLIANCE & DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT PREVENTION OFFICE (TIXO) Using independent judgment, while maintaining an experienced level of professionalism and initiative, and adhering to a strict policy of confidentiality, the Complaint Resolution Officer (CRO) provides direct analytical, caseload management and complaint handling to support the the Title IX Compliance & Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Office (Title IX/DHP Office). Office).The CRO serves as the primary contact and intake person for all assigned cases of harassment and discrimination pursuant to the University’s Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (SVSH) Policy and the University’s Anti‑Discrimination Policy. The CRO acts with the requisite interpersonal sensitivity to deal effectively with the campus community, colleagues and external partners. Initiates response processes by conducting initial investigative outreach to parties, conducts informational sessions and intakes, responds to advisor and/or support people’s procedural inquiries, conducts the initial assessment for all assigned cases, and assumes responsibility for case trajectory and preliminary determinations. Is charged with developing the investigative response for cases proceeding in that process, and for engaging in effective communication with the parties and campus partners throughout the investigation process, and is responsible for maintaining investigative timelines per the University’s policies. Assists in the preparation and distribution of final reports, including consultation about case analysis and preliminary findings. Oversees and maintains complaint filing system for assigned cases. Assists in unique, sensitive and confidential projects assigned by office leadership. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience and training; 2+ yrs of experience working with laws and regulations related to harassment and discrimination in the educational and employment settings or of substantially similar laws and regulations; 4+ yrs of experience with conducting analysis and developing recommendations; Proven track record of effective written and oral communication skills, building rapport while maintaining neutrality, effectively communicating with advisors and support people, diffusing contentious interactions, providing effective support for parties, effective listening skills, and the ability to memorialize high volumes of information shared verbally; Demonstrated ability to gather and organize information, conduct analysis, and develop recommendations in the completion of assignments; critical thinker. Notes:Training of at least 10 hours is required annually after initial training requirements are met. Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range: $90,600 to $98,180/year. Full Salary Range: $90,600 to $166,400/year. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Open Until Filled. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88219.

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COOK

FINANCIAL ANALYST

CAMPUS DINING The Cook performs culinary duties such as preparing soups and casseroles, grilling, roasting or barbecuing foods, working a sauté station, and preparing and assembling made‑to‑order entrees serving up to 1,500 meals per shift. Ensures that assigned responsibilities are accomplished and that high standards of food quality, service, sanitation and safety are met at all times. Assists with student training, food production and sanitation. Reqs: High School Or Equivalent combination of education and experience; 1‑3 Yrs Culinary experience in a high‑volume culinary environment; 1‑3 Yrs Knowledge of and experience with culinary techniques, including but not inclusive of sauteing, grilling, frying, steaming, preparing sauces and stocks; Equivalent combination of education and experience. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check; Visa sponsorship is not available for this position; Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and work standing for up to 8 hours per day; Work hours/days may vary. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $26.78 ‑ $27.29/hr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Open Until Filled. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88153.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT Under the general supervision of the Business Officer, the Financial Analyst is responsible for the overall coordination of the fiscal operations for activities of the Global Environmental Justice Project, Center for Undergraduate Environmental Leadership (CUEL), Yardi Scholars for Environmental Justice Program, The Energy Transformation Initiative, program endowments, small campus grants such as TSRA, URCA, FRAP, Honors Seminars, and Faculty Start up. Collaborates with the Business Officer to implement financial systems and procedures; monitors aforementioned budgets; prepares cost analyses and projects expenses; reviews and reports on monthly expenses and analyzes spending patterns. Oversees and processes payroll and personnel

actions for student employees, limited staff, and graduate students. Provides direction and support to Faculty regarding accounting procedures and policy in areas that include purchasing, payroll, personnel, gift administration, accounts payable, and other areas as needed. Utilizes and maintains a working knowledge of campus systems including Gateway, Timekeeping, UCPath, BARC, FinHub and Flexcard. Oversee and supervise the Financial Administrator. Resolves financial issues and provides input toward maintaining efficiency and accuracy of financial transactions and operations. Processes miscellaneous reimbursements, Honoraria, Entertainment, Travel, and removal for incoming faculty. Tracks and reports financial activities in shadow financial system. Serves as a back‑up for Academic Personnel coordinator in processing merit, recruitment, or personnel actions. Reqs: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience; 1‑3 yrs Work Experience in related area and/or equivalent experience or training; Working knowledge of finance

policies and practices; Ability to perform financial reconciliations of expenses and backup; Demonstrated ability using spreadsheet and database software for moderately complex financial analysis and financial reports; Demonstrated ability to effectively present spreadsheets to management clearly and concisely; Demonstrated analytical and critical thinking skills; Ability to work under the pressure of deadlines, and to multi‑task. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range: $79,200 to $88,000/year. Full Salary Range: $79,200 to $143,400/year. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 08/26/2026. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88026.

Continued on p. 50

NOW HIRING

DELIVERY DRIVER The Santa Barbara Independent is is looking for a temporary, part-time driver to deliver Thursday mornings as needed. This is a flexible position that may lead to a permanent position. Must have a truck or van, valid license, proof of insurance, able to lift 30+ lbs repeatedly, have clean driving record and be self motivated. Starting hourly rate $25. Please no phone calls. Email reason for interest and resume to hr@independent.com. EOE F/M/D/V.

NOW HIRING

DIGITAL CONTENT COORDINATOR The Santa Barbara Independent has an opportunity in our Digital Department. This part-time position will publish editorial content on independent.com and support in scheduling other digital formats including newsletters and social media. We are looking for motivated individuals with great attention to detail who are ready to collaborate. Writing skills and experience in Adobe Creative Cloud and/or creating digital visualizations are a plus. We will train the right candidate. This position is based out of our Santa Barbara office and is a hybrid position with weekly in-person meetings required. Starting hourly rate: $18-$20 EOE F/M/D/V. No phone calls, please.

Please send résumé along with cover letter to

hr@independent.com

INDEPENDENT CLASSIFIEDS

LEGALS ADMINISTER OF ESTATE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: DONNA RAE BLEVINS No.: 26PR00282 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: DONNA RAE BLEVINS A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: JEFFREY JOSEPH WOOLEVER in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. THE PETITION requests that (name): JEFFREY JOSEPH WOOLEVER 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: 08/06/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: 5 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, located at 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in

the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special notice form is available from the court clerk. Angela Braun, Executive Officer 07/20/2026 by Nicolette Barnard, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Kuldeep Kaur; 1233 West Shaw Ave., Ste 100, Fresno, CA 93711; 805‑453‑3560 Published: July 23, 30. Aug 6, 2026. NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: PETRA E. LOWEN‑STRAUCHMAN No.: 26PR00384 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: PETRA E. LOWEN‑STRAUCHMAN A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: QUICHEETA K. LOWEN‑DIAZ in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. THE PETITION requests that (name): QUICHEETA K. LOWEN‑DIAZ 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. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 9/17/2026 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. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court

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a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special notice form is available from the court clerk. Angela Braun, Executive Officer 8/07/2026 by Kim Gallegos, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Connor C. Cote, Esq., P.O. Box 2086, Santa Barbara, CA 93120; 805‑452‑4689. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27 2026. NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: DONNA RAE BLEVINS No.: 26PR00282 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: DONNA RAE BLEVINS A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: CHRISTOPHER POPP in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. THE PETITION requests that (name): CHRISTOPHER POPP 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: 9/10/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: 5 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, located at 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Anacapa Division. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing

or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special notice form is available from the court clerk. Angela Braun, Executive Officer 8/06/2026 by Monica Buenrostro, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Robert B. Locke; 5290 Overpass Rd. Suite 204 Santa Barbara, CA 93111; 805‑683‑1459 Published: Aug 13, 20, 27 2026. NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: MARCIA MAE PEARSON CASE NO. 26PR00370 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of MARCIA MAE PEARSON. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by TIMOTHY MORRIS in the Superior Court of California, County of SANTA BARBARA. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that TIMOTHY MORRIS 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

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E M A I L A D V E R T I S I N G @ I N D E P E N D E N T. C O M

Tide Guide Day

High

Thu 20

4:24 pm 4.9

Low

High

Fri 21

12:44 am 0.9

5:37 pm 5.0

Sat 22

1:36 am 0.6

Sun 23

2:16 am 0.3

Mon 24

Sunrise 6:25 Sunset 7:35

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High

9:00 am 3.6

12:19 pm 3.3

6:35 pm 5.2

9:15 am 3.7

1:13 pm 3.0

7:23 pm 5.5

2:49 am 0.1

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Tue 25

3:18 am -0.1

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Thu 27

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crosswordpuzzle puzzle

s tt Jone By Ma

“Antimatter” — existing in both state.

Ac r o s s

1. Abbr. in grammar 5. Ninth letter of the Greek alphabet 9. Attempt 13. Allergic reaction 15. In that case 16. Opinion on a situation 17. Backyard building had a snack? 19. Spunkmeyer of cookies 20. Show of support from a Twitch community 21. Declares as fact 22. Slam 23. Gomez of “Only Murders in the Building” 25. RR depot 28. Bons ___ (witticisms) 30. D.C. newspaper, informally 31. Minoan island 33. Problem-solving sequence 37. Mobile intro 38. Burglar, say 39. Garden trail 40. Distinction for Rami Malek or Michael B. Jordan 42. Quarrel 43. Comedian Bargatze 44. Certain lap dog, briefly 46. Short musical releases 47. Ohio city near Michigan 49. Complete, at the Cannes Film Festival 51. Property line marker 52. School outing

57. Three-layer snack 58. Wanderers supporting actor Mikkelsen? 59. They may be fine or graphic 60. Complete set of awards 61. Cathedral sections 62. 1990s puzzle game on an island 63. Not so much 64. Shout before throwing something

D ow n

1. Alan Alda TV show 2. Needing relief 3. “SNL UK” cast member Jack who played Princess Diana 4. Worked with computers, maybe 5. “Great, but we need more” 6. “Fancy meeting you here!” 7. High school students 8. Far-away connection? 9. Lincoln’s hat type 10. “Ms. McRae, please record the minutes”? 11. “Yojimbo” director Kurosawa 12. Harry Truman’s wife 14. Punctual 18. Approximation words 21. Spray banned from orchards

24. “Return of the Jedi” creature 25. Scrape remnant 26. “That is correct” 27. Groups of nine Brooklyn athletes? 29. Single-masted vessel 32. Final figure on a ledger 34. Slasher fan’s must-sees 35. URL opener 36. Ampere-per-volt units, once 38. Added to an email chain 41. Suit to ___ 42. Pass along 45. Pottery furnace 47. “Fresh Air” host Gross 48. Old enough 50. “To whom ___ concern” 51. Suds 53. Wedding vow exchanges 54. ‘90s dance party 55. ___ fixe 56. “Over here!” 58. Brooks who’s releasing a “Spaceballs” sequel ©2026 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords. com) For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle #1302

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION:

INDEPENDENT.COM INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

49 49

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PHONE 805-965-5205

E M A I L A D V E R T I S I N G @ I N D E P E N D E N T. C O M

EMPLOYMENT (CONT.) LGBTQ+ SPECIALIST LINE & CATERING THERAPIST COOK COUNSELING SERVICES

PSYCHOLOGICAL

The Licensed Clinician reports to the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) or designee and is assigned duties as specified herein. The therapist will provide high‑quality clinical services, community psychology/outreach and consultation services, and may participate in training doctoral interns, postdoctoral fellows, and practicum students. All CAPS staff are expected to have awareness, knowledge, and skills to effectively provide professional service to a diverse student body, with a focus on LGBTQ+ mental health and well‑being. The therapist is expected to participate in LGBTQ+ campus organizations and initiatives that demonstrate a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging, and to supporting sexual and gender‑diverse students. May provide clinical guidance to other professional staff related to LGBTQ+ mental health. All activities are performed in accordance with professional ethical standards and applicable California laws and regulations. Reqs: Master’s Degree from an accredited program in marriage and family therapy, clinical social work, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience; Possession of a Marriage and Family Therapy (LMFT) or Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences; Maintain current and unrestricted California LMFT or LCSW license; 1‑3 yrs Demonstrated clinical experience working with LGBTQ+ communities; Demonstrated knowledge of LGBTQ+ mental health, identity development, and culturally responsive affirmative clinical practices; Demonstrated ability to provide affirming and culturally appropriate therapeutic interventions for sexual and gender diverse students; Knowledge of issues impacting transgender, nonbinary, and gender‑diverse individuals; Ability to collaborate effectively with LGBTQ+ campus organizations, student groups, and community resources. Notes: Credentials verification for clinical practitioner — license as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) by the Board of Behavioral Sciences in the State of California. Maintain current and unrestricted license; Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required (remote and/or onsite). Employment is contingent on successful completion of our credentialing, privileging, and background check processes; Mandated reporting requirements of Child Abuse; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Pay Rate/ Range: The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $100,496.98/ yr. to $106,669.03/yr. Full Salary Range: $92,871.38/yr ‑ $129,993.10. yr. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University. 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 # 87780.

FACULTY CLUB & GUEST HOUSE Assists in the preparation of food for meal service and catering events in the Club & Guest House Restaurant. Performs culinary duties, quality assurance on all menu items, with attention to detail on presentation. Assists the Club Chef with food production and supervision of the part time student culinary team. Under the direction of the Club Chef, assists in the production of food for The Club & Guest House Restaurant. Tasks include menu item preparation and the production of hot and cold menued items that meet the quality and guidelines of The Club & Guest House. Reqs: High School Diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience. 1‑3 yrs Experience in a restaurant or high‑volume culinary kitchen. 1‑3 yrs Knowledge of and experience with culinary techniques, including but not inclusive of sautéing, grilling, frying, steaming, preparing sauces and stocks. Notes: Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and work standing for up to 8 hours. Work days and hours will vary, evenings and weekends included. Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $26.78/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 #75466.

LEGALS MAIL PROCESSOR MAIL

Works at the customer service window of the University Center Post Office performing US Postal Service transactions and release parcels to addressees (students). Receives, records and sorts incoming US Mail and parcels. Picks up incoming mail from the USPS processing center and also delivers packages to the Santa Catalina Residence complex daily. Operates the University Center truck. Lifts and handles parcels weighing up to 50 pounds. Responsible for performing daily scheduled tasks within the UCen Post Office including: monitoring student staff, confirming addressing of US Mail and packages with inaccurate addressing and discerning the appropriate disposition of these items. Basic light cleaning and maintenance duties, and other duties as assigned within the scope of the job description. Reqs: Two yrs of experience in the handling of campus and U.S. mail, including a working knowledge of postal regulations and postal rates. Notes: Occasional special work hours on weekdays and weekends may be needed as directed by manager. Ability to lift 50 lbs; Required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies and procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted Range: $26.86/ 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 # 88215.

MAIL PROCESSOR MAIL

The Mail Processor performs a variety of duties related to the processing and delivery of US and campus mail. This includes, but is not limited to, operating high speed mailing machines using electronic scales; recharging departments for outgoing postage; picking up and delivering mail throughout the campus; handling accountable mail such as registered, certified, and express mail; prepares US Mail for “returned to sender”; uses variety of stickers to identify handling of packages with addressing issues; operating mail truck and other material handling equipment. Mail Processor is expected to arrive at work on time due to the scheduled nature of services offered to UCSB campus by dept. Reqs: Two yrs of experience in the handling of campus and U.S. mail, including a working knowledge of postal regulations and postal rates; 1‑3 yrs experience and basic knowledge of major shipping carriers and the array of products offered. Notes: Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. Work M‑F 7:30am ‑ 4:30pm, schedule can be modified/adjusted depending on needs of Mail Services operations; Required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies and procedures, and/ or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring Budgeted Range: $26.86/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 # 87955.

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AUGUST 20, 2026

MEDICAL ASSISTANT

STHL (STUDENT HEALTH) Under the supervision of the Clinical Supervisor, the medical assistant provides medical and administrative support to the physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurses, and licensed vocational nurses. The medical assistant will assist, perform or provide limited support for the following: exams, procedures, taking vitals, perform point‑of‑care lab testing, checking in/out patients, filling out necessary paperwork, taking phone/electronic messages and following directives from the clinicians. The medical assistant will also act as a medical chaperone. The medical assistant will perform autoclave and laundry duties, and run errands as needed. Reqs: High School Diploma or equivalent; Knowledge of clinical policies and procedures; Knowledge of medical terminology; Knowledge of electronic medical records and computer skills; Knowledge of common safety hazards and precautions to establish a safe work environment; Ability to communicate well with patients, families, co‑workers, physicians, advance care providers, other members of the healthcare team, community resources, as well as the campus community; Ability to organize and prioritize work; Ability to follow oral and written instructions; Ability to reason and make sound judgments; Skilled in identifying problems and recommending solutions; Skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with co‑workers, management, patients, medical staff, the public, and the campus as a whole; Skilled in accepting constructive criticism and giving suggestions in a professional manner; Act in accordance with the highest possible standards of ethics and integrity and comply with work rules, standards, and procedures; Certification with one of the following agencies: American Association of Medical Assistants (AMA),

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American Medical Technologists (AMT), California Certifying Board of Medical Assistants (CMAA). Note: Applicants without a proper certification will not be considered. Notes: Student Health requires all clinical staff successfully pass the fingerprint background check and credentialing before the start date. To comply with Santa Barbara County Public Health Department Health Officer Order, this position must provide evidence of annual influenza vaccination, or wear a surgical mask while working in patient care areas during the influenza season. Any HIPAA/FERPA violation may be subject to disciplinary action. This is an 11‑month per year position. Work hours may include Thursday evenings from 10am‑7pm. Student Health is closed between Christmas and New Year’s Day; Credential verification for clinical practitioner; Mandated reporting requirements of Child Abuse; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $28.32/hr. to $33.85/hr. Salary or Hourly Range: The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $28.32/hr to $$33.85/ hr. Full Salary Range: $28.32/hr. to $35.19/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 # 88234.

SR. STOREKEEPER FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Operates computerized inventory and material management systems such as TMA and Gateway to maintain records of all purchasing and inventory transactions. Is responsible for the daily shipping and receiving aspects for the Facilities Management department, including tracking partial orders as necessary. Provides back up to department purchaser and delivery position. Monitors and writes orders for all on hand inventory within the storeroom. Position requires specialized knowledge of equipment and parts for the trades of Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Painting, and Locksmith. Must have knowledge of irrigation systems and parts for ordering. Reqs: Position requires specialized knowledge of equipment and parts for the trades of Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Painting, and Locksmith; Must have knowledge of irrigation systems and parts for ordering; Required High School Diploma; 1‑3 yrs In Warehouse/Retail Setting Required. Notes: Requires certification in operation of fork lift; certification will be provided by 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. Hiring/Budgeted Range: $26.81 to $29.60/hr. Full Salary Range: $26.81 to $36.81/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 # 87997.

SR. SUPERINTENDENT OF CUSTODIAL SERVICES FACILITIES MANAGEMENT (FACM)

Responsible for management of the Custodial Services group for Facilities Management which provides cleaning services for approximately 119 buildings encompassing 3,500,000+ cleanable square feet; these spaces include offices, classrooms, lecture halls, and laboratories. Oversees the hiring, evaluation, and discipline of all Custodial staff. Ensures compliance with safety, employee and labor relations, and department regulations. Meets with campus stakeholders to discuss custodial services and to improve campus relations. Provides leadership, direction, support, and supervision to four Principal Supervisors Facilities Management and four Lead Laborers in the Day Crew. Routinely works with Principal Custodial Supervisors to conduct quality control reports to ensure custodial standards are being met. Personally meets with building stakeholders and department representatives as needed to resolve service complaints, schedule special cleaning activities, or resolve special problems. Has responsibility for supplies purchasing and inventory control, cost containment, and evaluation of trial supplies. Coordinates all Custodial safety training with Environmental Health & Safety staff and outside safety trainers. Assists in ensuring all staff members are up‑to‑date on department and University of California required trainings. Takes a lead role in selecting materials and institutionalizing practices that minimize employee and building occupant exposure to toxic materials and minimizes chemical burden to the environment. Develops and implements cleaning standards. Continually evaluates custodial equipment and procedures to minimize injuries. Takes an active role in increasing the volume of recycled materials from all buildings served by the Custodial Division. As new buildings come on line, assesses cleaning strategies and formulates route assignments to maintain facilities at the desired level and within workload constraints per the current collective bargaining agreement. Oversees and manages custodial work orders in a customer relationship management system to ensure work is completed as requested and on time. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree in related area and/ or equivalent experience/training; 7‑9 yrs Custodial Experience; 4‑6 yrs Supervision of Custodial Staff; Advanced knowledge of custodial and housekeeping services including knowledge of codes and policies governing bio hazardous and/or hazardous waste; Excellent communication skills with the ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely to diverse audiences; Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to synthesize information then develop and implement effective / innovative solutions; Demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships and negotiate effectively; Advanced knowledge of fiscal management including budget development, account management and tracking; Advanced knowledge and ability to develop and implement process improvement strategies and initiatives; Demonstrated expertise in human resources management; Ability to lead and manage staff with diverse skills and expertise; Bloodborne pathogen and sharps disposal training. Notes: Master key access to University‑owned residence and/or other facilities; Must maintain a valid California Driver License; 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 Salary Range: $125,000.00 to $140,000.00/yr. Full Salary Range: $100,100.00 to $187,500.00/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 # 87857.

TRAVEL & ENTERTAINMENT CONTRACTS ANALYST

BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES (CTLR‑CONTROLLER’S OFFICE) Serves as the primary subject matter expert responsible for the end‑to‑end lifecycle of travel, entertainment, and event‑related agreements across the University. This role blends expert contract negotiation with strict labor and policy compliance, ensuring all university‑sponsored events, catering, lodging, and facility agreements align with institutional standards and legal frameworks. A key focus of this position is managing compliance for UC Contracting Out for Covered Services (Regents Policy 5402 / AFSCME Article 5). The incumbent will proactively partner with Employee & Labor Relations (ELR), Procurement, and external vendors to mitigate financial and legal risks, audit vendor invoices for wage parity, and manage tracking systems like AgileOne. Acting as a trusted strategic partner, this role provides dynamic customer service, develops training materials, manages a digital helpdesk intake system (ServiceNow), and guides campus departments through complex policy landscapes. Pursuant to the delegation of authority authorized by the campus Materiel Manager; negotiates, processes, executes, and issues agreements in compliance with Federal Regulations, State Law, and University policy. Reqs: Required Bachelor’s degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training Bachelor’s Degree; 4‑6 yrs At least 5 yrs of experience working within higher education or government operations is required; 4‑6 yrs Proven expertise in drafting, analyzing, and negotiating complex travel, entertainment, lodging, and facility use agreements to minimize institutional liability; 4‑6 yrs Strong working knowledge of labor compliance, collective bargaining agreements, and policies regarding contracting out for covered services (such as UC Regents Policy 5402 or similar state/institutional mandates); 4‑6 yrs Demonstrated ability to review financial terms, audit vendor invoices for wage and benefit parity, and manage advanced spreadsheets for compliance reporting; 4‑6 yrs Proficiency in managing digital contract intake queues (such as ServiceNow) and centralized compliance tracking databases (such as AgileOne); 4‑6 yrs Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a track record of partnering effectively with Risk Management, Legal Counsel, and Labor Relations departments. Notes: Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employee sponsorship; Form 700 Statement of Economic Interests Filer; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range: $81,600 to $98,150/yr. Full Salary Range: $81,600 to $147,800/yr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 8/31/26. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88188.

(CONT.)

follows: 09/10/26 at 9:00AM in Dept. SB 5 located at 1100 ANACAPA STREET, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93121 IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner YONA CONZEVOY ‑ SBN 233055 LAW OFFICES OF YONA CONZEVOY, P.C. 9100 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, SUITE 725 E. BEVERLY HILLS CA 90212 Telephone (323) 813‑8223 8/13, 8/20, 8/27/26 CNS‑4067556# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: MARGARET A. MEAD AKA MARGARET ANN MEAD CASE NO. 26PR00371 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of MARGARET A. MEAD AKA MARGARET ANN MEAD. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by CHRISTOPHER R. HUFNAGEL in the Superior Court of California, County of SANTA BARBARA. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that CHRISTOPHER R. HUFNAGEL be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s WILL and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The WILL and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to

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LEGALS (CONT.) 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: 09/17/26 at 9:00AM in Dept. SB 5 located at 1100 ANACAPA STREET, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101 IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner GAMBLE T. PARKS ‑ SBN 230431 FENNEMORE LLP 1006 SANTA BARBARA STREET SANTA BARBARA CA 93101 Telephone (805) 420‑6010 8/13, 8/20, 8/27/26 CNS‑4067566# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special notice form is available from the court clerk. Angela Braun, Executive Officer 08/07/2026 by Kim Gallegos, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: John A. Berryhill 1505 East Valley Road, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93108; 805‑969‑4451 Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3 2026.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: FRED NORMAN GAEDEN No.: 26PR00382 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: FRED NORMAN GAEDEN aka FREDDIE NORMAN GAEDEN A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: KAREN L. SHAW in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. THE PETITION requests that (name): KAREN L. SHAW be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The Independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 09/17/2026 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

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME The following Fictitious Business Name is being abandoned: CAL COAST LOCKSMITHS SERVICES: 272 Orange Ave, Suite 1 Goleta, CA 93117 The original statement for use of this Fictitious Business Name was filed 04/09/2024 in the County of Santa Barbara. Original File no. FBN 2024‑0000914. The persons or entities abandoning use of this name are as follows: Avanelle J Gutow (same address) Schuyler W Covert (same address) The business was conducted by an A General Partnership. Registrant commenced to tranact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A Signed by: AVA COVERT FKA AVANELLE GUTOW/ GENERAL PARTNER Filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 08/13/26, FBN 2026‑0002051 E76. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in the Office of the County Clerk, Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026.

FBN ABANDONMENT STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME The following Fictitious Business Name is being abandoned: HOT WIRE ELECTRIC: 232 West Yanonali Street, Unit B. Santa Barbara, CA 93101 The original statement for use of this Fictitious Business Name was filed 01/05/2022 in the County of Santa Barbara. Original File no. FBN 2022‑0000017. The persons or entities abandoning use of this name are as follows: Kevin Hines 1187 Coast Village Rd Ste I‑209 Santa Barbara, CA 93108 The business was conducted by an A Individual. Registrant commenced to tranact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Dec 28, 2021 Signed by: KEVIN HINES Filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 08/05/26, FBN 2026‑0001999 E30. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in the Office of the County Clerk, Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: GRAZE CRAZE OF SANTA BARBARA: 126 E Haley, A1 Santa Barbara, CA 93023; Callisto Kitchen 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 Jul 9, 2026. Filed by: GABRIELLA BALCHEN/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 15, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN

Number: 2026‑0001808. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN 2026‑0001799 The following person(s) is doing business as: SLODOCO, 290 STORKE RD, STE A GOLETA, CA 93117 County of SANTA BARBARA. SUPER GOOD DONUTS INC., 290 STORKE RD, STE A GOLETA, CA 93117 This business is conducted by A CORPORATION . The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on NOT APPLICABLE /s/ GABINO VENEGAS, PRESIDENT This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 07/15/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 7/30, 8/6, 8/13, 8/20/26 CNS‑4063791# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOODLAND WAFFLES: 1131 State St Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Goodland Wales LLC (same address) This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Mar 01, 2023. Filed by: ROBERT GEORGES/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001864. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HOUSTON CONSTRUCTION: 2123 Castillo Street Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Alex J Houston 3463 State Street 105 Santa Barbara, CA 93105 This business is conducted by A Indivdual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 17, 2026. Filed by: ALEX HOUSTON/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 17, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001843. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FIRST STEP IMMIGRATION: 133 South Salinas Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Lucero Milla (same address) This business is conducted by A Indivdual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/C. Filed by: LUCERO MILLA/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 17, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 24. FBN Number: 2026‑0001857. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HOLEHOUSE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY: 35 W. Micheltorna St Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Becca‑Shane 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 Jan 1, 1992. Filed by: SHANE HOLEHOUSE/ VICE PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 22, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001897. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FLOWER ESSENCE ACADEMY: 3905 State Street, Ste 7‑216 Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Linda Nurra, 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 Jul 2, 2026. Filed by: LINDA NURRA/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001866. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: INSIGHT HOMEOPATHY & WELLNESS: 3905 State Street, Ste 7‑216 Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Linda Nurra, 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 Jun 26, 2025. Filed by: LINDA NURRA/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001867. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TORO CONSTRUCTION: 7 W Figueroa St, 300 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Ascensa Alliance Group, Inc. PO Box 91554 Santa Barbara, CA 93190 This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jun 29, 2026. Filed by: ALEJANDRO ARRAIGA/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jun 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 81. FBN Number: 2026‑0001685. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LIPPMAN ENTERTAINMENT: 4815 Baseline Ave Santa Ynez, CA 93460; Michael B Lippman, Inc. (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Nov 20, 1975. Filed by: NANCY LIPPMAN/ PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 22, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0001887. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GV OPTICAL, GOLETA VALLEY OPTICAL, SANTA BARBARA OPTICAL: 4850 Hollister Ste 102 Santa Barbara, CA 93111; GV Optical (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, 2017. Filed by: DANIEL KNAUSS/CEO/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 17, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001845. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COASTAL COWGIRL GRAPHICS: 200 W Mason St 18 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; McKenna A 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 Jun 15, 2026. Filed by: MCKENNA THOMAS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 24, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001921. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SOLA COLLECTIVE, THE SOLA COLLECTIVE:

237 Oliver Rd Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Rachael Ann Bissig (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 21, 2026. Filed by: RACHAEL BISSIG/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 28. FBN Number: 2026‑0001876. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NO LIMITS, INC: 1480 Camino Rio Verde Santa Barbara, CA 93111; No Limits 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 Jan 23, 2022. Filed by: TANYA M. PAYE/ SECRETARY with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 4. FBN Number: 2026‑0001811. Published: July 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0001910 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Heritage Villas, 300 Burton Mesa Blvd, Lompoc, CA 93436 County of SANTA BARBARA Mailing Address: 1667 E Lincoln Ave, Orange, CA 92865 Investment Concepts Inc, 1667 E Lincoln Ave, Orange, CA 92865 This business is conducted by a Limited Partnership The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/28/2011. S/ Rhonda Geukens, Corporate Secretary ‑ Investment Concepts Inc This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 07/23/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, 8/27/26 CNS‑4064738# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TRADETALKCLUB: 7940 Rio Vista Dr Goleta, CA 93117; Jennifer P Lilienstein (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 1, 2026. Filed by: JENNIFER P LILIENSTEIN/FOUNDER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 76. FBN Number: 2026‑0001874. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: VERO TRADE: 520 W Gutierrez St Apt D Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Andrea Faccetta (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: ANDREA FACCETTA with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 49. FBN Number: 2026‑0001874. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALLEMAN STUDIO: 224 Barranca Ave, Apt 4 Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Ellen A Alleman (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 16, 2026. Filed by: ELLEN ALLEMAN with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001863. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: SOLEI HOUSE: 3504 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Red Thread Ventures Inc. 568 Ripley Street Santa Barbara, CA 93111 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: MELANIE TENG/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0001959. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RIVIERA CONCIERGE MEDICINE: 504 W. Pueblo Street, Suite 301B Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Prithvi Pande (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, 2026. Filed by: PRITHVI PANDE/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 17, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 4. FBN Number: 2026‑0001834. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: CONSTRUCTIVE: 830 Fortuna Ln. Goleta, CA 93117; Power Wave Holdings LLC 2108 N St Ste N Sacramento, CA 95816 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 01, 2026. Filed by: JOHN KUBIAK/ MANAGING MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0001879. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: BONITA BY IZA: 1668 N Refugio Rd Santa Ynez, CA 93460; Izabella P Alvaro (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: IZABELLA ALVARO/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 4. FBN Number: 2026‑0001907. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DMINI CREATIONS: 5405 Tree Farm Lane, Unit 101 Santa Barbara, CA 93111; Diana M Macias (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: DIANA MACIAS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 30, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 49. FBN Number: 2026‑0001966. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AMARILLOMOSTAZA: 418 W. Islay St. B Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Yareli M Cruz Rodriguez (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: YARELI CRUZ RODRIGUEZ with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 10, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001757. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: CITOTAKU: 1128 Oriole Rd Montecito, CA 93108; Brandon S Nebeling (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: BRANDON NEBELING/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 28, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 73. FBN Number: 2026‑0001946. Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0001810 The following person(s) is doing business as: TAYTER10’S, 180 AVENUE OF THE FLAGS, BUELLTON, CA 93427, County of SANTA BARBARA MATHEW TORRES, 180 AVENUE OF THE FLAGS, BUELLTON, CA 93427 This business is conducted by AN INDIVIDUAL. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on JUN 14, 2026 /s/ MATHEW TORRES, OWNER This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 07/16/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, 8/27/26 CNS‑4064386# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0001798 The following person(s) is doing business as: CARP LIFE, 4880 SANDYLAND RD, APT 4, CARPINTERIA, CA 93013 , County of SANTA BARBARA. M.E. RETAIL LLC, 4880 SANDYLAND RD APT 4, CARPINTERIA, CA 93013 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 JULY 26, 2025 /s/ MICHAEL EPPS, MEMBER This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 07/15/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, 8/27/26 CNS‑4063789# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: LAW OFFICE OF SEANA B THOMAS, APC: 15 W. Carrillo St Ste 247 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Law Office Of Seana B Thomas, 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 Oct 25, 2016. Filed by: SEANA B THOMAS/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 4. FBN Number: 2026‑0001904. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HOT WIRE ELECTRIC: 1120 Cliff Dr. Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Kevin Hines Inc. (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Filed by: KEVIN HINES/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 8, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001998. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: YOUR PRINT

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LEGALS (CONT.) ADVANTAGE: 70 South Kellogg Ave Goleta, CA 93117; Boone Printing And Graphics, Inc. (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Filed by: CHRISTOPHER OCHSNER/ PRODUCTION MANAGER AND BORD MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 10, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002019. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026.

is/are doing business as: KORE PSYCHOTHERAPY: 1235 Coast Village Rd, Suite E Santa Barbara, CA 93108; Nicole LM Harman PO Box 30493 Santa Barbara, CA 93130 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 31, 2026. Filed by: NICOLE HARMAN with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 03, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001984. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LARS DESIGN: 621 North Y St. Lompoc, CA 93436; Leslie A Robinson‑Stone (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Nov 1, 2003. Filed by: LESLIE A. ROBINSON‑STONE with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 03, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001981. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RODRIGO GIMENEZ CONSULTING: 246 Chickasaw Street Ventura, CA 93001; Carlos Rodrigo Gimenez (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 06, 2026. Filed by: CARLOS RODRIGO GIMENEZ with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 30, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 76. FBN Number: 2026‑0001967. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s)

PHONE 805-965-5205

is/are doing business as: RIP CURL GARDENS: 38 Rip Curl Place Goleta, CA 93117; Karl D Rider (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 01, 2026. Filed by: KARL RIDER/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 31, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0001977. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0001952 The following person(s) is doing business as: AZURA, 2105 LAGUNA ST SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101, County of SANTA BARBARA. ALEXANDRE PAUL, 2105 LAGUNA STREET, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101 This business is conducted by AN INDIVIDUAL. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on NOT APPLICABLE /s/ ALEXANDRE PAUL This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 07/29/2026.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL Hybrid Public Hearing – In Person and via Zoom September 1, 2026, at 5:30 P.M.

ATTENTION: The meeting will be held in person and via the Zoom platform. The public may also view the meeting on Goleta Channel 19 and/or online at https://cityofgoleta.org/goletameetings. https://cityofgoleta.org/goletameetings NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council will conduct a public hearing to consider a request to initiate the processing of an Applicant requested General Plan Amendment (GPA) to change the Land Use Designation at 7979 Hollister Avenue from Open Space – Active Recreation (OS/AR) to Visitor-Serving Commercial (C-VS or VS), Case No. 25-0001-GPA-I. The date, time, and location of the City Council public hearing are set forth below. The agenda for the hearing will also be posted on the City’s website (www.cityofgoleta.org). HEARING DATE/TIME:

September 1, 2026, at 5:30 P.M.

LOCATION:

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

PROJECT LOCATION: The project is located at 7979 Hollister Avenue in the Coastal Zone. The APN is 079-210-042. On February 19, 2025, the applicant representative J. Ritterbeck of True North Land Use Consulting submitted the GPA initiation request on behalf of the property owners of 7979 Hollister Avenue, Bell Canyon Recreation, LLC. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The request is to change the General Plan Land Use designation from Open space -Active Recreation (OS/AR) to Visitor Serving Commercial (C-VS or VS) in order to facilitate the redevelopment of the site of the former oil and gas processing facility (Ellwood Onshore Facility). If initiated, the applicant may submit a formal application for a GPA, Rezone, and development application. Further, City staff would be authorized to further study compatibility of the entire project with applicable policies, standards, and regulations etc. The City Council’s decision on the GPA initiation request has no effect on how the City Council may ultimately act on the GPA and the other associated development requests in the future. PUBLIC COMMENT: Interested people are encouraged to provide public comments during the public hearing in person or virtually through the Zoom webinar, by following the instructions listed on the City Council meeting agenda. Written comments may be submitted prior to the hearing by e-mailing the City Clerk at CityClerkgroup@ cityofgoleta.gov. Written comments will be distributed to Council and published cityofgoleta.gov on the City’s Meeting and Agenda page. FOR PROJECT INFORMATION: For further information on the project, contact Elizabeth Yee, Contract Planner at 949-489-1442 or yee@civicsolutions.com or Lisa Prasse, Current Planning Manager, at (805) 961-7542 or lprasse@cityofgoleta.gov lprasse@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 cityofgoleta.gov hours before the hearing on the City’s website at www.cityofgoleta.org www.cityofgoleta.org. Note: If you challenge the nature of the above action in court, you may be limited to only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City on or before the date of the hearing (Government Code Section 65009(b)(2)). Note: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need assistance to participate in the hearing, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (805) 961-7505 or cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.gov cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.gov. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the hearing will enable City staff to make reasonable arrangements.

Publish Date: Santa Barbara Independent, August 20, 2026 52

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Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 8/13, 8/20, 8/27, 9/3/26 CNS‑4068597# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: MI GUSTO AUTO: 3890 Via Real, Suite G Carpinteria, CA 93013; Javier Limon (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Aug 03, 2026. Filed by: JAVIER LIMON/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 3, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 76. FBN Number: 2026‑0001987. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HOKU FINANCIAL PARTNERS: 1187 Coast Village Road, I‑395 Santa Barbara, CA 93108; The Omdahl Group, Inc. (same address) This business is conducted by A Corportion Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 28, 2026. Filed by: JEFFREY M OMDAHL/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 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 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0001958. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COASTLINE EQUIPMENT: 6242 Paramount Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90805; Bragg Inbestment Company, Inc. (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 30, 2026. Filed by: M. SCOTT BRAGG/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 6, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002006. Published: Aug 13, 20, 27. Sep 3 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0001953 The following person(s) is doing business as: HOMEWATCH CAREGIVERS OF VENTURA AND SANTA BARBARA 2895 LOMA VISTA RD, SUIТЕ В, VENTURA CA 93003 County of VENTURA. VENTURA AND SANTA BARBARA SERVICES LLC 2895 LOMA VISTA RD, SUIТЕ В, VENTURA CA 93003 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 N/A. VENTURA AND SANTA

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BARBARA SERVICES LLC /S/ BROOKS MARSHALL, PRESIDENT This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 07/29/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 8/13, 8/20, 8/27, 9/3/26 CNS‑4064416# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ONE STOP HANDYMAN: 805 W Sola St Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Jesus S Cuevas PO Box 90937 Santa Barbara, CA 93190 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 15, 2021. Filed by: JESUS S CUEVAS/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 13, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0001780. Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ELEMENTS EMDR THERAPY AND TRAINING: 629 State Street, #249 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Christina Viani Family Therapy, Inc. 3463 State Street #219 Santa Barbara, CA 93105 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: CHRISTINA VIANI/SECRETARY with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 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 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002038. Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROEMERIA BLOOM BAR, ROEMERIA MERCANTILE: 215 East Victoria Street, Apt B Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Whitney H Roemer (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: WHITNEY ROEMER/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 6, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002010. Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DOCOO 805 DOCUMENT CONSULTING : 2046 Modoc Rd, Apt 22 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Ana L Rios Suaste (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: ANA LILIA RIOS SUASTE/ PROPIETARIO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 11, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the

Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002033. Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SHEAR ARTISTRY: 271 N Fairview Avenue, Suite 102 Goleta, CA 93101; Kendra R Gomez (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Aug 13, 2026. Filed by: KENDRA GOMEZ/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 17, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002071. Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CAL COAST LOCKSMITHS, CAL COAST LOCKSMITH : 272 Orange Ave Suite #1 Goleta, CA 93117; Cal Coast Locksmith Services 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 Jul 1, 2026. Filed by: AVANELLE COVERT/PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 13, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 76. FBN Number: 2026‑0002052. Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SERENADE BY ELLE: 1071 Veronica Springs Road Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Laurie A Starks (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 31, 2026. Filed by: LAURIE A STARKS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Jul 31, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 81. FBN Number: 2026‑0001972. Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0001988 The following person(s) is doing business as: AIR‑VOL BLOCK, LLC DBA AIR VOL BLOCK, 2150 DOUGLAS BLVD., SUITE 260 ROSEVILLE, CA 95661 County of PLACER Registrant(s): AIR‑VOL BLOCK, LLC 2150 DOUGLAS BLVD., SUITE 260 ROSEVILLE, CA 95661 State of Inc./Org./Reg: CALIFORNIA This business is conducted by a Limted Liability Compаnу. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on July 01, 2022 AIR‑VOL BLOCK, LLC /S/ JUAN PALDRETE, CFO This statement was filed with the

CITY OF GOLETA NOTICE OF NOMINEES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the following persons have been nominated for the offices mentioned below to be filled at the general municipal election to be held in the City of Goleta on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. For Councilmember District 1 (Full term of four years) Vote for no more than one: Luz Reyes-Martín, Goleta City Councilmember Rollin Michael Gartzke, Business Owner For Councilmember District 2 (Full term of four years) Vote for no more than one: James Kyriaco, Incumbent Phebe Mansur, Small Business Owner

Deborah S. Lopez City Clerk Dated: August 20, 2026

County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 08/04/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 8/20, 8/27, 9/3, 9/10/26 CNS‑4067673# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: DIAL LENDING: 224 Anacapa St, 2A Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Dial Lending LLC 1187 Coast Village Road Ste 230 Santa Barbara, CA 93108 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 1, 2026. Filed by: JAMES EVANS/SECERTARY with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 17, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002076. Published: Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0001988 The following person(s) is doing business as: AIR‑VOL BLOCK, LLC DBA AIR VOL BLOCK, 2150 DOUGLAS BLVD., SUITE 260 ROSEVILLE, CA 95661 County of PLACER Registrant(s): AIR‑VOL BLOCK, LLC 2150 DOUGLAS BLVD., SUITE 260 ROSEVILLE, CA 95661 State of Inc./Org./Reg: CALIFORNIA This business is conducted by a Limted Liability Compаnу. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on July 01, 2022 AIR‑VOL BLOCK, LLC /S/ JUAN P. ALDRETE, CFO This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 08/04/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 8/20, 8/27, 9/3, 9/10/26 CNS‑4067673# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

NAME CHANGE IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: KATHLEEN MARIE WILLIAMS CASE NUMBER: 26CV04425 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: KATHLEEN MARIE WILLIAMS 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: KATHLEEN MARIE WILLIAMS PROPOSED NAME: KATE FOX WILLIAMS 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 September 18, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 4, SUPERIOR COURT COUNTY OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA 1100 Anacapa Street. Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 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 July 24, 2026, JUDGE Thomas P. Anderle of the Superior Court. Published Jul 30. Aug 6, 13, 20 2026. IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: BONGRAN JIN SUN AKA BONGRAN SUN CASE NUMBER: 26CV04414 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: BONGRAN JIN SUN AKA BONGRAN SUN A petition has been filed by the above named Petitioner(s) in Santa Barbara Superior Court for decree

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LEGALS (CONT.) changing name (s) as follows: PRESENT NAME: BONGRAN JIN SUN AKA BONGRAN SUN PROPOSED NAME: BONGRAN SUN 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 September 18, 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 July 28, 2026, JUDGE Thomas P. Anderle of the Superior Court. Published Aug 6, 13,

20, 27 2026. IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: WOODWYN KOONS & DMITRI SIEGEL CASE NUMBER: 26CV04911 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: WOODWYN KOONS & DMITRI SIEGEL 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: JUDE SEQUOIA SIEGEL PROPOSED NAME: BEE SEQUOIA SIEGEL 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 September 28, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 5, SANTA BARBARA SUPERIOR COURT COUNTY OF

SANTA BARBARA 1100 Anacapa Street., Santa Barbara, CA 93121, 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 August 11, 2025, JUDGE Colleen K. Sterne of the Superior Court. Published Aug 20, 27. Sep 3, 10 2026.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BULK SALE AND OF INTENTION TO

TRANSFER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE(S) (UCC Sec. 6101 et seq. and B & P Sec. 24074 et seq.) Escrow No. 011436‑SH Notice is hereby given that a bulk sale of assets and a transfer of alcoholic beverage license is about to be made. The names, and address of the Seller/Licensee are: THE FINE WINE CELLAR, LLC, 2012 DE LA VINA STREET, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93105 The business is known as: VINO DIVINO WINE SHOP The names, and addresses of the Buyer/Transferee are: CARDONA FAMILY VENTURES, LLC, 1529 OLIVE ST, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101 As listed by the Seller/Licensee, all other business names and addresses used by the Seller/

Licensee within three years before the date such list was sent or delivered to the Buyer/Transferee are: NONE The assets to be sold are described in general as: LEASEHOLD INTEREST AND IMPROVEMENTS, FURNITURE, FIXTURES, AND EQUIPMENT, TRADE NAME, GOODWILL, COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE, AND ABC LICENSE and are located at: 2012 DE LA VINA STREET, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93105 The kind of license to be transferred is: 42 ‑ ON‑ SALE BEER AND WINE ‑ PUBLIC PREMISES Now issued for the premises located at: 2012 DE LA VINA STREET, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93105 The anticipated date of the sale/transfer is SEPTEMBER 22,

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS INVITING SEALED BIDS FOR THE CATHEDRAL OAKS CRIB WALL REPAIR PROJECT – PHASE I City Project Number: 9053 PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Goleta (“CITY”), invites sealed bids for the above stated project and will receive such bids via electronic transmission on the City of Goleta Planet Bids portal site until August 27, 2026, 2026 at 3:00 PM Late proposals will be rejected. No exceptions. Copies of the Contract Documents and the Proposal Forms for bidding the project, may be obtained from the PlanetBids Website: https://vendors.planetbids.com/portal/45299/bo/bo-search. Proposals which do not acknowledge addendums to the project documents will be rejected. All communications relative to this project shall be conducted through PlanetBids. Questions about alleged patent ambiguity of the plans, specifications, or estimate must be asked before bid opening. After bid opening, the CITY does not consider these questions as bid protests. No pre-bid meeting will be held. It is required that the Bidders have fully inspected the Project site in all particulars and become thoroughly familiar with the terms and conditions of the Bid Plans and Special Provisions and local conditions affecting the performance and costs of the Work prior to bidding and it is recommended that this be done prior to attending this meeting. Pursuant to California Labor Code Section 1773, the City has ascertained the General Prevailing Rate of Wages in the County in which the work is to be done to be as determined by the Director of Industrial Relations of the State of California. Contractor is hereby made aware that information regarding prevailing wage rates may be obtained from the State Department of Industrial Relations and/or the following website address: https://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/DPreWageDetermination.htm https://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/DPreWageDetermination.htm. The Contractor is required to post a copy of the applicable wage rates at the job site. Attention is directed to Section 7 LEGAL RELATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC of the Special Provisions and State Standard Specifications. The California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) implemented amendments to the In-Use Off-Road Diesel-Fueled Fleets Regulations (“Regulation”) which are effective on January 1, 2024 and apply broadly to all self-propelled off road diesel vehicles 25 horsepower or greater and other forms of equipment used in California. A copy of the Regulation is available at https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/ default/files/barcu/regact/2022/off-roaddiesel/appa-1.pdf. Bidders are required to comply with all CARB and Regulation requirements, including, without limitation, all applicable sections of the default/files/barcu/regact/2022/off-roaddiesel/appa-1.pdf Regulation, as codified in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations section 2449 et seq. throughout the term of the Project. Bidders must provide, with their Bid, copies of Bidder’s and all listed subcontractors the most recent, valid Certificate of Reported Compliance (“CRC”) issued by CARB. Failure to provide valid CRCs as required herein may render the Bid non-responsive. Bidders must be registered on the City of Goleta’s PlanetBids portal in order to receive addendum notifications and to submit a bid. Go to PlanetBids for bid results and awards. It is the responsibility of the bidder to submit the bid with sufficient time to be received by PlanetBids prior to the bid opening date and time. Allow time for technical difficulties, uploading, and unexpected delays. Late or incomplete bids will not be accepted. Bid must be accompanied by a bid security in the form of a money order, a certified cashier’s check, or bidder’s bond executed by an admitted surety, made payable to CITY. The bid security shall be an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the total annual bid amount included with their proposals as required by California law. Note: All bids must be accompanied by a scanned copy of the bid security uploaded to PlanetBids. The original security of the three (3) lowest bidders must be mailed or submitted to the office of the City Clerk at 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, California 93117, in a sealed envelope and be received or postmarked within three (3) City working days after the bid due date and time for the bid to be considered. The sealed envelope should be plainly marked on the outside, “SEALED BID SECURITY FOR CATHEDRAL OAKS CRIB WALL REPAIR PROJECT – PHASE I.” The Project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) per California Labor Code Section 1771.4, including prevailing wage rates and apprenticeship employment standards. Affirmative action to ensure against discrimination in employment practices on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, or religion will also be required. The CITY hereby affirmatively ensures that all business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this notice and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, or religion in any consideration leading to the award of contract. In accordance with the California Public Contract Code 20103.5 when federal funds are involved in local agency contracts, no bid shall be invalidated by the failure of the bidder to be licensed in California at the time of bid opening. However, at the time of award, the selected contractor shall be properly licensed in accordance with the laws of the State and the City of Goleta. Contractor shall possess a valid Class A - General Engineering Contractor license prior to award of Contract. Said license shall be maintained during the contract period. It is the Bidder’s and Contractor’s responsibility to obtain the correct Contractor’s licenses. Bidders shall be skilled and regularly engage in the general class or type of work called for under this contract. The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond each in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract Price. Each bond shall be in the forms set forth herein, shall be secured from a surety company that meets all State of California bonding requirements, as defined in Code of Civil Procedure Section 995.120, and that is a California admitted surety insurer. Pursuant to Labor Code sections 1725.5 and 1771.1, all contractors and subcontractors that wish to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, or enter into a contract to perform public work must be registered with the DIR. No Bid will be accepted, nor any contract entered into without proof of the contractor’s and subcontractors’ current registration with the DIR to perform public work. If awarded a contract, the Bidder and its subcontractors, of any tier, shall maintain active registration with the DIR for the duration of the Project. Failure to provide proof of the contractor’s current registration pursuant to Labor Code Section 1725.5 may result in rejection of the bid as non-responsive. The Contractor Company, including the Responsible Managing Officer (RMO) for the Contractor Company, shall demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years’ experience successfully performing projects of substantially similar type, magnitude, and character of the work bid. The CITY reserves the right to reject all bids, reject any bid that is not responsive to the invitation, or to waive any minor irregularity and to take all bids under advisement for a period of up to ninety (90) working days. Failure to provide proof of the Contractor’s current registration pursuant to Section 1725.5 of the Labor Code may result in rejection of the bid as non-responsive. Failure to comply with enforcement provisions pursuant to Section 1771.4 of the Labor Code may result in a determination that the Bidder is not responsible. Bids shall remain open and valid for a period of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days after the Bid Deadline. Pursuant to Public Contract Code section 22300, the successful bidder may substitute certain securities for funds withheld by CITY to ensure performance under the Contract or, in the alternative, request the CITY to make payment of retention to an escrow agent. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) provides a toll-free “hotline” service to report bid rigging activities. Bid rigging activities can be reported Mondays through Fridays, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Telephone No. 1-800-424-9071. Anyone with knowledge of possible bid rigging, bidder collusion, or other fraudulent activities should use the “hotline” to report these activities. The “hotline” is part of the DOT’s continuing effort to identify and investigate highway construction contract fraud and abuse and is operated under the direction of the DOT Inspector General. All information will be treated confidentially, and caller anonymity will be respected. Any protest to an intended award of this contract shall be made in writing addressed to the City Clerk prior to the award. Any protest may be considered and acted on by the City Council at the time noticed for award of the contract. To request a copy of the notice of agenda for award, please contact the City Clerk cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org or register on the CITY’s website (www.cityofgoleta.org) www.cityofgoleta.org).

CITY OF GOLETA _________________________ Deborah S. Lopez, City Clerk

Published: August 13, 2026 and August 20, 2026 INDEPENDENT.COM INDEPENDENT.COM AUGUST 20, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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LEGALS (CONT.) 2026 at the office of: SUPREME ESCROW, INC., 3701 WILSHIRE BLVD., #535 LOS ANGELES, CA 90010 The amount of the purchase price or consideration in connection with the transfer of the license and business, is the sum of $ 90,000.00 plus estimated inventory of $ 30,000.00 , which consists of the following: Description/Amount CASH $120,000.00 It has been agreed between the Seller/Licensee and the intended Buyer/Transferee, as required by Sec. 24073 of the Business and Professions Code, that the consideration for the transfer of the business and license is to be paid only after the transfer has been approved by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage

Control. Dated: JULY 5, 2026 THE FINE WINE CELLAR, LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIAIBLITY COMPANY CARDONA FAMILY VENTURES, LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 5372129‑PP SB INDEPENDENT 8/20/26

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY Notice is hereby given that pursuant to Sections 21700 through 21716 of the Business & Professions Code, Patterson/101 Allstore Self‑Storage, will sell at public sale, the following

Villa Caridad located in Santa Barbara, a senior independent living housing community for persons 62 years of age or older, continues to accept applications to a waiting list for our 1-bedroom units. Income limits apply. You may pick up an application at: 4202 Calle Real Santa Barbara, CA 93110 805-683-4375 Or online at https://www.stvincets-sb.org/programs/affordable-housing

Villa Caridad ubicado en Santa Barbara, una comunidad para personas mayores e independientes de 62 años o más, continúa aceptando solicitudes para una lista de espera para nuestras unidades de 1 recamara. Se aplican límites de ingreso. Puede obtener una aplicación en: 4202 Calle Real Santa Barbara, CA 93110 805-683-4375 O en línea: https://www.stvincets-sb.org/programs/affordable-housing

delinquent occupant’s(s’) stored contents, by competitive bidding ending on September 3, 2026 at 11 am. Property has been stored by the occupant(s) and is located at Patterson/101 Allstore Self‑ Storage, 98 North Patterson Avenue, Santa Barbara, California 93111. Competitive bid auction available online only at www.storagetreasures.com The property being sold is described as: Unit #H464B – Norma Baldwin Purchases must be picked up at the above location and paid for at the time of purchase with cash or credit card only. All purchased goods are sold as is, where is, and must be removed at the time of sale. The sale is subject to prior cancellation in the event of settlement between Owner and Occupant(s). Dated this 20th day of August 2026. PATTERSON/101 ALLSTORE SELF‑STORAGE (805) 964‑0924 For bidding technical questions ‑ Storage Treasures (480) 397‑6503 CELLCO PARTNERSHIP and its controlled affiliates doing business as Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wireless) proposes to build a 124‑foot temporary ballast pole (Ref. EBI #260072054PR). Anticipated lighting application is a medium intensity dual red/white strobes. The Site location is University of California Storke Tower, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106 34 24 46.2N, 119 50 55.78W. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Antenna Structure Registration (ASR, Form 854) filing number is A1390224. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS – Interested

PUBLIC NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 2026-008 ON-SITE COFFEE SERVICE AT THE GOLETA TRAIN STATION Published: August 20, 2026 PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Goleta (“City”) is currently soliciting proposals from qualified agencies for ON-SITE COFFEE SERVICE AT THE GOLETA TRAIN STATION in strict accordance with the requirements set forth in the City’s Request for Proposal (RFP). PROPOSERS MUST BE REGISTERED ON THE CITY OF GOLETA’S PLANETBIDS PORTAL IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ADDENDUM NOTIFICATIONS AND SUBMIT A PROPOSAL. If any Addendum issued by the City is not acknowledged online by the Proposer, the PlanetBids System will prevent the Proposer from submitting an RFP. Proposers are responsible for obtaining all addenda from the City’s PlanetBids portal. Proposals will be received until 3:00 P.M. (PST) on Friday, September 18, 2026. At this date and time, all proposals shall be submitted electronically via the PlanetBids portal. If further information is needed, submit questions through the Q&A tab in the PlanetBids Portal. Description The City of Goleta owns and operates the newly constructed Goleta Train Station, located at 27 South La Patera Lane, Goleta, CA 93117, and desires to make convenient food and beverage services available to passengers, visitors, and other members of the public using the premises. The City desires to establish an interim concession program for an initial one-year period and may be operated from a self-contained cart, trailer, mobile food facility, or other City-approved equipment located within or outside the premises. Location Goleta Train Station, 27 South La Pater Lane, Goleta, CA, 93117. Duration The duration of the agreement will be for an initial period of one year (12 months), with two additional one-year options at the discretion of the City. The commencement of this agreement is projected to be Fall 2026. Mandatory Site Visit The City will conduct a mandatory site visit on Monday, August 31, 2026, at 1:00 P.M (PST) at the Goleta Train Station located at 27 S. La Patera Lane, Goleta, CA 93117. Questions and Communications All questions must be submitted electronically through PlanetBids. The deadline for receipt of questions is 3:00 P.M. (PST) on Friday, September 4, 2026. Proposal Submittal Instructions Proposers must be registered on the City of Goleta’s PlanetBids portal in order to access all documents, and to receive addendum notifications and to submit a proposal. Go to PlanetBids for results and awards. It is the responsibility of the proposer to submit the proposal with sufficient time to be received by PlanetBids prior to the submittal deadline. Allow time for technical difficulties, uploading, and unexpected delays. Late or incomplete proposals will not be accepted. All communications related to this project shall be conducted through PlanetBids. Questions about alleged patent ambiguity of the plans, specifications, or estimate must be asked before deadline to submit questions. After proposal due date, the City does not consider these questions as protests. All proposals must be submitted electronically through PlanetBids on or before 3:00 P.M. (PST) on Friday September 18, 2026.

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persons may review the application (www.fcc.gov/asr/ applications) by entering the filing number. Environmental concerns may be raised by filing a Request for Environmental Review (www.fcc.gov/ asr/environmentalrequest) and online filings are strongly encouraged. The mailing address to file a paper copy is: FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.

SUMMONS SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): RUT MEDEL, and DOES 1‑20, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTA DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): OCEANIC ENTERPRISES, INC. (formerly OCEANIC COMPANIES, INC.), OCEANIC SAN DIEGO, L.P. AND MANOJ CHAWLA 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): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO 330 W. Broadway.San Diego, CA 92101 CASE NO: (Número del Caso): 25CU033874C 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): Michael Wright, Esq.; 5190 Govenor Dr., Suite 207, San Diego, CA 92122 (858) 554‑1830 DATE Fecha): 06/27/2025. Clerk, by (Secretario) /s/ G. Escorcia, Deputy (Adjunto) Published: Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 2026.

TRUSTEE NOTICE APN: 025‑331‑010 TS No.: 26‑ 12483CA TSG Order No.: 260133458‑CA‑VOI NOTICE OF TRUSTEE SALE UNDER DEED OF TRUST YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED JULY 16, 2022. 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. Affinia Default Services, LLC, as the duly appointed Trustee, under and pursuant to the power of sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust Recorded July 27, 2022 as Document No.: 2022‑0033787 of Official Records in the office of the Recorder of Santa Barbara County, California, executed by: Eva M Barberi, a single woman, as

SANTA BARBARA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PUBLIC NOTICE

The following list of disbursements are unclaimed by the listed payees and held by the Santa Barbara Unified School District. If you have a claim against these funds, please contact the Internal Auditor, phone (805) 963-4338 x 6235. Proper proof of claim and current identification must be provided before funds will be released. A claim form will need to be submitted by the date below. All checks listed are held in the general fund. Funds not claimed by September 28, 2026 become the property of Santa Barbara Unified School District. This notice and its contents are in accordance with California Government Code Section 50050.

Trustor, will be sold AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER for cash (payable in full at time of sale by cash, a cashier’s check drawn by a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specified in section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state). All right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said deed of trust in the property situated in said county and state, and as more fully described in the above referenced deed of trust. Sale Date: September 23, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00 AM Sale Location: At the Main Entrance to the County CourthouseSanta Barbara County Courthouse, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 2 File No.:26‑12483CA The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 343 E Mission St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be made in an “AS IS” condition, 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 said Deed of Trust, with interest thereon, as provided in said note(s), advances, if any, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, estimated fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust, to‑wit: $676,735.57 (Estimated). Accrued interest and additional advances, if any, will increase this figure prior to sale. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call, (800) 280‑2832 for information regarding the trustee’s sale or visit this internet website, www.auction.com, for information regarding the sale of this property, using the file number assigned to this case, T.S.# 26‑12483CA. 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

INDEPENDENT CLASSIFIEDS

PHONE 805-965-5205

E M A I L A D V E R T I S I N G @ I N D E P E N D E N T. C O M

LEGALS (CONT.) telephone information or on the internet website. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT: You may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If you are an “eligible tenant buyer,” you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. If you are an “eligible bidder,” you may be able to purchase the property if you exceed the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. There are three steps to exercising this right of purchase. First, 48 hours after the date of the trustee sale, you can call (800) 280‑2832, or visit this internet website www.auction.com, using the file number assigned to this case 26‑12483CA 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. 3 File No.:26‑12483CA 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 bidder shall have no further recourse. For Pre Sale Information Log On To: www.auction.com or Call: (800) 280‑2832. For Post Sale Results please visit www.affiniadefault.com or Call (866) 932‑0360 Dated: July 24, 2026 By: Omar Solorzano Foreclosure Associate Affinia Default Services, LLC 301 E. Ocean Blvd., Suite 1720 Long Beach, CA 90802 (833) 290‑7452 NPP0492052 To: SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT 08/06/2026, 08/13/2026, 08/20/2026 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE T.S.No. 26‑30190‑JP‑ CA Title No. 260151429‑CA‑ VOI A.P.N. 059‑312‑002 ATTENTION RECORDER: THE FOLLOWING REFERENCE TO AN ATTACHED SUMMARY IS APPLICABLE TO THE NOTICE PROVIDED TO THE TRUSTOR ONLY PURSUANT TO CIVIL CODE 2923.3 NOTE: THERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT ATTACHED YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 09/16/1993. 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(s) drawn on a state or national bank must be made payable to National Default Servicing Corporation, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state; will be held by the duly appointed trustee as shown below, of all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by the trustee in the hereinafter described property under and pursuant to a Deed of Trust described below. The sale will be made in an “as is” condition, but without covenant or warranty,

expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by the Deed of Trust, with interest and late charges thereon, as provided in the note(s), advances, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, interest thereon, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee for the total amount (at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale) reasonably estimated to be set forth below. The amount may be greater on the day of sale. Trustor: Jon David Dunn and Laura Jean Dunn, husband and wife as joint tenants Duly Appointed Trustee: National Default Servicing Corporation Recorded 09/29/1993 as Instrument No. 93‑076135 (or Book, Page) of the Official Records of Santa Barbara County, California. Date of Sale: : 09/02/2026 at 1:00 PM Place of Sale: At the main entrance to the County Courthouse, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Estimated amount of unpaid balance and other charges: $68,689.48 Street Address or other common designation of real property: 776 El Rodeo Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93110 A.P.N.: 059‑312‑002 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 bidder shall have no further recourse. The requirements of California Civil Code Section 2923.5(b)/2923.55(c) were fulfilled when the Notice of Default was recorded. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, cither of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you

wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call 866‑ 539‑4173 or visit this internet website www.ndscorp.com/sales, using the file number assigned to this case 26‑30190‑.IP‑CA. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the internet website. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT*: You may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If you are a “representative of all eligible tenant buyers” you may be able to 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 888‑264‑4010, or visit this internet website www.ndscorp.com. using the file number assigned to this case 26‑30190‑JP‑CA 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 a “representative of all eligible tenant buyers” or “eligible bidder,” you should consider contacting an attorney or appropriate real estate professional , immediately for advice regarding this potential right to purchase. NOTICE: To the extent that the sale is subject to Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (31 C.F.R. Part 1031), purchaser agrees to provide all required information and further agrees to reimburse trustee for any costs, expenses or fees incurred as a result of the collection of such information *Pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code, the potential rights described herein shall apply only to public auctions taking place on or after January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2025, unless later extended. Date: 07/23/2026 National Default Servicing Corporation c/o Tiffany and Bosco, P.A., its agent, 1455 Frazee Road, Suite 820 San Diego, CA 92108 Toll Free Phone: 888‑ 264‑4010 Sales, Line 866‑539‑ 4173; Sales Website: www.ndscorp.com Connie Hernandez, Trustee Sales Representative A‑4881727 08/06/2026, 08/13/2026, 08/20/2026 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE T.S.No. 26‑00484‑SM‑ CA Title No. DEF‑686619 A.P.N. 055‑221‑010 ATTENTION RECORDER: THE FOLLOWING REFERENCE TO AN ATTACHED SUMMARY IS APPLICABLE TO THE NOTICE PROVIDED TO THE TRUSTOR ONLY PURSUANT TO CIVIL CODE 2923.3 NOTE: THERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT ATTACHED YOU

ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 08/05/2021. 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(s) drawn on a state or national bank must be made payable to National Default Servicing Corporation, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state; will be held by the duly appointed trustee as shown below, of all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by the trustee in the hereinafter described property under and pursuant to a Deed of Trust described below. The sale will be made in an “as is” condition, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by the Deed of Trust, with interest and late charges thereon, as provided in the note(s), advances, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, interest thereon, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee for the total amount (at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale) reasonably estimated to be set forth below. The amount may be greater on the day of sale. Trustor: Donna F. Hallenbeck, Trustee of the Hallenbeck Family Revocable Trust dated September 28,2001 and Joseph Neal, an unmarried man Duly Appointed Trustee: National Default Servicing Corporation Recorded 11/05/2021 as Instrument No. 2021‑0077496 (or Book, Page) of the Official Records of Santa Barbara County, California. Date of Sale:: 09/11/2026 at 10:00 AM Place of Sale: At the Main Entrance to the County Courthouse of the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Estimated amount of unpaid balance and other charges: $348,242.76 Street Address or other common designation of real property: 844 laiqua Ln, Santa Barbara, CA 93110 A.P.N.: 055‑221‑010 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 bidder shall have no further recourse. The requirements of California Civil Code Section 2923.5(b)/2923.55(c) were fulfilled when the Notice of Default was recorded. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not

automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call 800‑ 280‑2832 or visit this internet website www.ndscorp.com/sales, using the file number assigned to this case 26‑00484‑SM‑CA. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the internet website. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT*: You may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If you are a “representative of all eligible tenant buyers” you may be able to 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 888‑264‑4010, or visit this internet website www.ndscorp.com, using the file number assigned to this case 26‑00484‑SM‑CA 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 a “representative of all eligible tenant buyers” or “eligible bidder,”you should consider contacting an attorney or appropriate real estate professional immediately for advice regarding this potential right to purchase. NOTICE: To the extent that the sale is subject to Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (31 C.F.R. Part 1031), purchaser agrees to provide all required information and further agrees to

reimburse trustee for any costs, expenses or fees incurred as a result of the collection of such information *Pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code, the potential rights described herein shall apply only to public auctions taking place on or after January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2025, unless later extended. Date: 07/31/2026 National Default Servicing Corporation c/o Tiffany and Bosco, P.A., its agent, 1455 Frazee Road, Suite 820 San Diego, CA 92108 Toll Free Phone: 888‑ 264‑4010 Sales Line 800‑280‑ 2832; Sales Website: www.ndscorp.com Connie Hernandez, Trustee Sales Representative A‑4882750 08/13/2026, 08/20/2026, 08/27/2026 APN: 043‑152‑013 TS No: CA05000002‑23‑3 TO No: 250187865‑CA‑VOI NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE (The above statement is made pursuant to CA Civil Code Section 2923.3(d)(1). The Summary will be provided to Trustor(s) and/or vested owner(s) only, pursuant to CA Civil Code Section 2923.3(d)(2).) YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED October 1, 2018. 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 PROCEEDINGS AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On September 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM, At the Main Entrance to the County Courthouse, Santa Barbara County Courthouse, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, MTC Financial Inc. dba Trustee Corps, as the duly Appointed Trustee, under and pursuant to the power of sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust recorded on October 2, 2018 as Instrument No. 2018‑0042164, of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Santa Barbara County, California, executed by HECTOR ALESSANDRO CABRERO, A SINGLE MAN AND CLAUDIA MCLAUGHLIN, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN AS JOINT TENANTS, as Trustor(s), in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., as Beneficiary, as nominee for ON Q FINANCIAL, INC. as Beneficiary, WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER, in lawful money of the United States, all payable at the time of sale, that certain property situated in said County, California describing the land therein as: AS MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN SAID DEED OF TRUST The property heretofore described is being sold “as is”. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 1809 SAN ANDRES ST, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be made without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the Note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, with interest thereon, as provided in said Note(s), advances if any, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, estimated fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligations secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of this Notice of Trustee’s Sale is estimated to be $537,827.54 (Estimated). However, prepayment premiums, accrued interest and advances will increase this figure prior to sale. Beneficiary’s bid at said sale may include all or part of said amount. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept a cashier’s check drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the California Financial Code and authorized to do business in California, or other such funds as may be acceptable to the Trustee. 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. 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 bidder shall have no further recourse. Notice to Potential Bidders If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a Trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a Trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder's office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same Lender may hold more than one mortgage or Deed of Trust on the property. Notice to Property Owner The sale date shown on this Notice of Sale may be postponed one or more times by the Mortgagee, Beneficiary, Trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about Trustee Sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may visit the Internet Website address www.Auction. com or call Auction.com at 800.280.2832 for information regarding the Trustee’s Sale for information regarding the sale of this property, using the file number assigned to this case, CA05000002‑23‑3. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Website. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. Notice to Tenant NOTICE TO TENANT FOR FORECLOSURES AFTER JANUARY 1, 2021 You may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If you are an “eligible tenant buyer,” you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. If you are an “eligible bidder,” you may be able to purchase the property if you exceed the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. There are three steps to exercising this right of purchase. First, 48 hours after the date of the trustee sale, you can call 800.280.2832, or visit this internet website www.Auction.com, using the file number assigned to this case CA05000002‑23‑3 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. Effective March 1, 2026, new federal regulations (89 Fed. Reg. 70.258) may impact residential real property (1‑4 residential units) title transfers to covered entities trusts, with reporting requirements unless exempt. https://www.federalregister‑gov/ documents/2024/08/29/2024‑19198/

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