15 minute read
In Passing
7 – 14 May 2020 MONTECITO JOURNAL28
“We have seen more people coming to us for food and shelter, many of them for the first time. As this crisis continues, we need to be prepared to see more households and individuals needing assistance.
“We are also aware that some of the typical means by which people come into our treatment program – criminal justice and the courts – are also impacted by the COVID crisis, so we have taken all necessary steps to keep our residential population safe and medically clear individuals so they can have access to treatment.” Grassroots Gear
Social activist Judi Weisbart, founder and president of Busy Woman Consulting, is now Santa Barbara’s Queen of Masks.
The county has hired Judi as Face Covering Community Coordinator, she tells me.
“The community desperately needs face coverings on every face,” she says. “There are other funds for healthcare workers PPE, but we must also help cover those on the front lines, our sheriffs, police, social workers, emergency management teams, food bank volunteers and staff, grocery store clerks, and the most vulnerable such as the elderly, homeless, and farmworkers.”
Judi says the Santa Barbara County Mask Network has been formed to do everything in the power of grassroots activism to cover our faces and reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID-19.
“There are hundreds of people sewing masks, others supplying fabric, distributing materials and beautiful handmade masks, and working tirelessly to take care of the health and wellbeing of our community.”
The Santa Barbara Foundation has agreed to be the financial sponsor for the new network, but Judi says they still need monetary support for deliverables, materials such as cotton, interfacing, elastic, wire, and thread.
“We are already purchasing 5,000 yards of elastic each week!” adds Judi. “In addition we want people to sign up to help sew, transport, and help the network grow,” she adds.
If you can help, access the website https://www.sbfoundation.org/ give-now/give-to-sb-county-masknetwork/. Preparing for Polo
Santa Barbara Polo Club, which was re-scheduled to kick off its 109th season on May 15, now plans to launch in July, according to manager David Sigman.
“The health and safety of our membership, staff, and the community are of the utmost importance to us,” says David. “As we look ahead toward the possible reopening of the club for spectators when restrictions are lifted, we are creating new safety procedures for seating, dining, beverage service, and much more to ensure the safest environment for guests.”
Always a highlight of the summer season. We’ll Drink to That
Lucky’s, the achingly trendy eatery on Coast Village Road, is living up to its name.
The Paso Robles winery, PharaohMoans, has donated 100 bottles of their highly acclaimed 2017 Rhone-style wine, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going directly to the restaurant to help support the staffers affected by the coronavirus lockdown.
Each bottle sells for $100 with a total of $10,000 expected to be raised.
Winery owner John Schwartz says Lucky’s has been a longtime supporter. “We’ve supported some notable eateries in the Napa Valley and wanted to do something for the Central Coast with our vineyard in this area. We are delighted to be able to offer some support.” “If evolution really works, how come mothers have only two hands?” – Milton Berle “Shuddering awe is mankind’s noblest part” Juan de Arellano Basket of Flowers (ca. 1664); Museo del Prado, Madrid Marcia A. Christoff European Old Masters-Spain, Italy, Northern Renaissance Advisory - Curation - Scholarship www.marciachristoff.com - marcia@marciachristoff.com Hancock Park, Los Angeles - Washington D.C. - 213.500.8400 - Oswald Spengler
Charles “Chuck” Arnold
In Passing H e was born in Lexington, Illinois to Alma and Gayle Arnold. He spent his early years on a farm near Lexington, graduating from Lexington High School in 1940. Chuck entered the University of Illinois, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He participated in the ROTC program and was called to active duty in July of 1943 and entered into the Army Engineer Corps. While on temporary duty at the U of I in late 1943 Chuck met Viola McCord, who was a student. They married in 1944 and were together for 66 years until her death in 2011. His time in service was mostly spent in the Pacific Theatre with Chuck’s final commission at MacArthur’s Headquarters in Tokyo.
Chuck returned to the U of I in 1945 to finish his Engineering Degree in 1947. He and Viola migrated to California in 1948 where he joined the Schlumberger Well Surveying Corp. as a field engineer. Chuck resigned in 1956 to join Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co as a financial representative in the Los Angeles area. In 1960, the Arnold family moved to Santa Barbara where Chuck represented Northwestern Mutual Life in Santa Barbara until retiring in 2012. He was a charter member of several insurance and financial organizations in Santa Barbara. At various times, Chuck was a volunteer with the American Cancer Society, the Montecito YMCA, as well as other organizations. Chuck was a member of the El Montecito Presbyterian Church for 60 years and a member of the Montecito Rotary Club for 25 years. He had a love of sports cars and owned many over the years, which he enjoyed restoring, driving, and selling.
Chuck is survived by his children, David, Diane, Joan, and Christopher and their spouses, his grandchildren Nicole and Zachary, as well as, from his later years, his best friend Joy.
At his request, there will be no memorial service. His ashes are at sea; send a hello, when you walk the beach. •MJ Chuck Arnold, beloved war veteran and sports car enthusiast MISCELLANY (Continued from page 6) Polo club manager David Sigman (photo by Priscilla) Paso Robles winery, PharaohMoans, donates 100 bottles to help Lucky’s staffers Judi Weisbart, Queen of Masks
Leading the Charge
Billionaire Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso, 61, owner of the Rosewood Miramar and chairman of the board of trustees at USC, has joined President Donald Trump’s Great American Economic Revival Industry Group.
The group of 200 leaders, which also includes Santa Barbara Polo Club patron Geoff Palmer, 69 – who lives in Beverly Hills and St. Tropez – one of L.A.’s biggest rental property developers, has been formed to combat the economic impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
It includes leaders in agriculture, banking, construction, defense, energy, financial services, healthcare, food and beverage hospitality, manufacturing, real estate, retail, tech, telecommunications, transportation, and sports.
Seeing the Light
Carpinteria actor Kevin Costner, 65, has taken to Instagram with “The Sun Will Rise Again,” an inspirational clip from his rock band Modern West, a sun with themes of light emerging from darkness, timely and relevant amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.
“I want to let you know that I’m doing alright,” says the Oscar winner. “And I pray and hope the same thing is happening to you.”
The Dances with Wolves star-director noted he washes all his groceries and knows he has it good, and is well aware of how many people don’t.
“There is a lot of noise out there that can be pretty confusing,” says Kevin. “The only thing I can hope is that maybe this song maybe mirrors how you’re feeling with the idea of how it ends -– the sun’s gonna rise again. That’s going to happen for all of us.”
Music to our ears...
SBCC Helps
The Santa Barbara City College Foundation has sprung into action to support students facing multiple challenges resulting from the current health crisis, including loss of paid work, and homeschooling of children.
“When a crisis hits, philanthro
Geoff Green, CEO of the City College Foundation
• The Voice of the Village • MONTECITO JOURNAL 29
GOT FRUIT?
YOUR BACKYARD CAN HELP FEED HUNGRY FAMILIES IN SANTA BARBARA Please HELP by Donating your extra Fruit! It’s fun and feels great to contribute. Self-curbside drop-o to the Unity Shoppe is, M-F 9:30 - 11:00 am & 1:00 - 5:00 pm Located at 110 Sola Street in S.B. OR, WE WILL PROVIDE THE PICK UP & DELIVERY To the Unity Shoppe when your produce is bagged or boxed.
ARRANGE A PICK UP BY EMAILING US AT daviso celasb@gmail.com
All pickups are done outside the home, curb side preferred. No Personal contact necessary for obvious precautionary reasons.
REMEMBER, You and Your ‘Giving Trees’ can provide much needed Nourishment to so many in dire need! Let’s all make a Di erence, GOD BLESS
Full House
An eagle-eyed reader noted that last week’s column included an emperor, queen, a prince, two princesses, an archduchess and a duchess.
Almost a royal flush! Eternally Grateful
My eternal thanks to the Montecito Association for a pandemic kit that was left gratis outside my cottage door.
The kit consists of four ounces of hand sanitizer, six KN95 and ear loop masks, and 12 Nitrile gloves.
An invaluable gift in these most traumatic of times.
Sightings have been suspended during the coronavirus, given the social distancing edict from California governor Gavin Newsom.
They will return when the restrictions have been lifted. Pip! Pip! – and be safe.
Readers with tips, sightings and amusing items for Richard’s column should e-mail him at richardmineards@verizon.net or send invitations or other correspondence to the Journal.
To reach Priscilla, e-mail her at priscilla@santabarbaraseen.com or call 805-969-3301. •MJ HERE FOR Everybody
Ann Burre, MA., F-AAA
Dispensing Audiologist, AU1181 (805) 869-1277 hearingsb.com 5333 Hollister Ave., Suite 165
Santa Barbara, CA 93111 AUDIOLOGY AND HEARING AIDS Welcoming new and existing patients Swim and surf plugs available HEARING SERVICES OF SANTA BARBARA py has a unique role to play,” says foundation CEO Geoff Green. “Community-based organizations can immediately move resources to help bridge the gap between initial shock and the eventual arrival of public assistance and other community responses.”
One-time grants of up to $1,000 have helped cover such costs as housing, food, childcare, and other essential items, including the technology and internet access necessary for students to continue their education remotely.
The foundation received more than 2,300 requests last month, providing around $2 million in assistance.
Sterling work... Call to Unite
Former TV talk show titan Oprah Winfrey appeared via webcam at the weekend to kick off Call to Unite, a 24-hour livestream benefitting COVID-19 relief, which raised $60 million.
During the 20-minute stint, Oprah, 66, reflected “on what this means to us as a family and a community” alongside the event’s organizer Timothy Shriver, brother of newscaster Maria Shriver.
Actress Julia Roberts lent her presence to the occasion, along with a plethora of famous faces, including Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, singer Josh Groban, and medical heroes.
Oprah invited the likes of author T.D. Jakes and spiritual leader Eckhart Tolle for her segment of the stream to discuss the trials and tribulations people are set to endure in the wake of the unprecedented pandemic.
She urged viewers to refrain from consuming too much media relating to COVID-19 as it is easy “to be consumed by the agitation, by the hysteria, by the confusion, and the constant angst.”
“I’m hoping we all come out of this more united... seeing each other as part of the whole.”
Sitting on the Throne
While battening down the hatches at Maison Mineards Montecito during quarantine, I’ve been reading the two volume diaries of the late Kenneth Rose, diarist of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph newspapers in London.
Exceptionally well connected with frequent dinners with the late Queen Mother and Edward, Duke of Kent – grandson of King George V –, Rose, who died in 2014, records in an entry for June, 1957, that English playwright Noel Coward at social gatherings, when he wanted to go to the lavatory, would grandly announce: “I must telephone the Vatican!”
Ever the wit…
And Boy Did This Community Step Up!
Like everywhere else, the quarantine has been devastating to our local shops and no doubt will be for some time. This is why, this past weekend, the Montecito Journal, along with our friends at the Coast Village Association, the 93108Fund, the Montecito Association, and a whole host of individuals and business leaders, held our MAY DAY MONTECITO CASH MOB event, to support our local shops and restaurants. And boy did this community step up! Between May 1 and 3, we raised approximately $233,000! $173,000 of that was the purchase of gift cards (advanced purchase credits) that Montecitans made from local businesses. The other $66,000 (so far) was donated to the 93108Fund and will be disbursed to minimum wage workers in our community.
Needless to say, we exceeded expectations. Thank you to everyone who came out to support this effort by putting their money where their mouth is. So, while many things may be true at once, it’s hard to argue that Montecito is not a very special place! Montecito Cash Mob Extended Through Mother’s Day
Because the Montecito Cash Mob has been such a success, we’ve decided to keep Open through Mother’s Day in the hopes that you will continue to buy gift cards from businesses at which you intend to shop anyway, and to give those who have not yet gone shopping, the opportunity to do so at MontecitoCashMob.com. After all, Mother’s Day is coming up and it’s the perfect time to buy Mom that beautiful bracelet she so deserves! And believe me, she so deserves it! (Are you reading this, Honey?)
If we want the charming, unique character of Montecito to survive this moment, we need to support the places that make it charming and unique. And surely one of the things that gives Montecito its character is that it’s not filled with franchise stores and “big boxes.” For certain staples I’m as guilty as anyone of 1-clicking for convenience. But the experience of going into a locally owned shop, where salespeople know you, and put things aside for you because they think you’ll like it and are honest with you when something looks horrible on you, that’s worth something. We may not always get the bargain we can get online, but we’re supporting our local shops and owners who care. And Montecito would not be Montecito without them. Introducing the Montecito Morning Mojo
On a final note, still on the subject of supporting local business, I’d like to say a word about the importance of local journalism and our appreciation for your ongoing support. Strong local journalism is not only an important means of keeping up on local matters, but without it we have no way to influence our local leadership and policy making. Without a robust local press, we have no vehicle with which to hold local leaders’ feet to the fire on important issues. A good example of this can be seen in the attention Mitchell Kriegman’s recent stories have gotten in City Hall regarding some of Santa Barbara’s City leadership, the sorry state of State Street, and the importance of bringing together Santa Barbara’s business community around a strong vision.
So I want to give a shout out to the Montecito Journal’s new twice weekly newsletter: THE MORNING MOJO. Please go to www.montecitojournal.net to check it out and subscribe (for free). I hope you enjoy it.
Limerick Contest Results
And finally, the results of the Montecito Journal’s Thom Steinbeck Creative Writing Contest: The Limerick Edition. This time around we received so many wonderful submissions that we punted to you to decide. This week over 200 readers weighed in and we have six winners:
FIRST PLACE: $125 gift certificate to Mountain Air Sports Congratulations to Natalie Klan – 9 years old
SECOND PLACE: $100 gift certificate to Mountain Air Sports Congratulations to MollyAnn Leiden
‘Got 56 rolls of TP Facebook the sun and the sea A good song to sing Plus Quibi and Sling And no sign of having CV
THIRD PLACE: $75 gift certificate to Mountain Air Sports Congratulations to Linda Prince
There once was the land Montecito Where everyone lived in high Splendito A virus most foul Caused Oprah to howl And we all hunkered down to Finito
FOURTH PLACE: $50 gift certificate to Pacific Health Foods Congratulations to Chris Stocking
A surprisingly clamorous din For the anti malarial chloroquin But lo and behold Now the truth has been told You’re better off sticking with gin
FIFTH PLACE: $50 gift certificate to Pacific Health Foods Congratulations to Kate Ford
There once was a lady with gray, The roots her salon took away. But sheltered in place, Two-toned she embraced, And inside her home she did stay.
SIXTH PLACE: $50 gift certificate to Pacific Health Foods Congratulations to Rebecca Clark
There once was an artist from Santa Barbara. She fell in love with a handsome candelabra. Every night they would sit, Pour a glass and get lit, And entertain thoughts most macabre.
MONTECITO JOURNAL’S
VISUAL ARTS CONTEST:
This time we have decided to do something a little different. We have received many photographs and other artistic reflections on the time of corona. So, this week we ask that you submit a piece of visual art that captures a moment of this moment: a photograph, a drawing, a picture or a painting, or anything else visual image fit to print.
We can’t wait to see what we get.
Send your image by Sunday, May 24to:
letters@montecitojournal.net. We will publish the winning image and award the winning artist with a $125 gift certificate to a local restaurant of our choice for
