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More places to dine
Homeless outreach team to serve Santa Barbara
Nine restaurants to open soon in Santa Barbara
City wants law enforcement to be a top priority By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
For the first time ever, the city of Santa Barbara will have the presence of a homeless outreach team during the evening and weekend hours in the downtown corridor and along the waterfront.
The city will also be continuing its commitment to provide homeless outreach, case management and housing navigation services throughout the entire city during weekday hours. On Tuesday, the Santa Barbara City Council approved Please see OUTREACH on A4
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
The Azul Cocina and Cantina is slated to open this month at 7 E. Anapamu S. It’s among nine new restaurants that the News-Press has confirmed are opening in the Santa Barbara area.
By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Santa Barbara will soon have a lot more on its plate. Nine new restaurants are coming to the area. Among them is Azul Cocina and Cantina, a Mexican restaurant at 7 E. Anapamu St. It is set to open this month, according to its Instagram account. The restaurant is co-owned by Executive Chef Manuel Diaz — well known in Southern California as Chef Manny — and Edgar Estrada. According to Azul’s website: “Executive Chef Manuel ‘Manny’ Diaz is an industry-recognized culinary innovator. With more than 40 years of experience and mastery, Diaz has worked in some of the most acclaimed kitchens in L.A. including DTLA’s Pacific Grille, Nicola, Nucleus Nuance, Rudolpho’s and the San Antonio Winery.” The chef’s accolades include the Hero Award from the California State Assembly for inspiring people through his pursuit of the American Dream, according to the website. Chef Diaz, who’s from Durango, Mexico, was 16 when he emigrated to the U.S., where he started out as a dishwasher and rose through the ranks. “Azul Cocina is my baby,” said Chef Manny in an instagram video posted to the restaurant’s account. “Being executive chef, it’s a lot of pressure, but I love what I do. With this amazing team we put together, we created this concept. It’s beautiful. It’s something unique here. I can’t wait for you guys to come and try.” The menu includes a “Chef Manny Recommends” which is currently Duck con Mole: pan roasted duck breast, sweet potato, corn, organic quinoa, hazelnut mole for $28. On its website, the restaurant promises “Mexican cuisine and mixology with the finest locally sourced ingredients from Santa Barbara County. Our mission is to deliver an exceptional authentic
Judge denies bail to defendant in Stearns Wharf murder case By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The sign hasn’t gone up yet for Bungalo805, which will be in the left building at 28 W. Figueroa St. in Santa Barbara.
Mexican cuisine with a modern contemporary twist on flavors and traditions, led by Executive Chef Manny Diaz.” Hours of operation are slated to be Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. To view the menu or make a reservation, go to azulcocinasb. com. Other restaurants opening soon in the Santa Barbara area include the following.
DAVE’S DRIP HOUSE Dave’s Drip House, an ice cream and cereal bar, at 199 S.Turnpike Road, Suite 104, Goleta, is set to have its grand opening on Feb. 16. “We will have 16 base flavors that will rotate, based on the season. But better yet, you will be able to customize your ice cream Please see RESTAURANTS on A4
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The Dave’s Drip House food truck is parked in front of Dave’s Dogs Grill at the Turnpike Shopping Center in Goleta.
One of the four alleged gang associates charged in connection with the fatal shooting of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf last month appeared in court Wednesday in a bid to have a judge set bail in his case, but his request was denied. Unlike his three codefendants, James Lee Rosborough, 21, of Santa Barbara, is not charged with murder in the Dec. 9 slaying of Robert Dion Gutierrez, 52, of Camarillo. But he is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, criminal street gang conspiracy and being an accessory after the fact, with the special allegation of committing the crime for the benefit of a criminal street gang. He is the first of the four defendants to appear in court following their initial arraignment on Monday. None of the four entered pleas at that time. Like the others, Mr. Rosborough was ordered held without bail, which is why he came to court Wednesday: to have a dollar bail set. But he failed, prosecutors said. “The judge denied release and denied bail, and Rosborough will remain in custody without bail,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McCallister told
the News-Press Wednesday. “He set his case for 2/17 in Dept. 8 for continued arraignment.” Prosecutors allege Mr. Rosborough and his codefendants — Jiram Jhunue Tenorio Ramon, Ricardo Tomas Jauregui-Moreno Jr. and Christopher Dave Miranda, all of Santa Barbara — verbally challenged a group of pedestrians while driving on Stearns Wharf on Dec. 9; stopped their vehicle for the purpose of deploying two of their party to attack the group of pedestrians with a firearm; and discharged a firearm at the group of pedestrians, killing Mr. Gutierrez. The complaint filed against the four defendants accuses them of fleeing the location of the shooting, two on foot and two by vehicle, and then traveling back to the shooting location in vehicles to extract those who fled on foot to avoid apprehension. Santa Barbara police responded Dec. 9 to a report of the shooting and found Mr. Gutierrez suffering from a single gunshot wound. He received medical attention at the scene, then was taken by ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment. He was pronounced dead on Dec. 20. email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com
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KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
A pair of homeless men occupy a bench on Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara. The city has approved a contract providing for a homeless outreach team along the waterfront and in the downtown area.
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