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Our 167th Year
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20 years with Unity Shoppe Before retiring, Executive Director Tom Reed talks to the News-Press about his tenure with the unique Santa Barbara nonprofit By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Officials report progress on State St.
It all started with an introduction to Barbara Tellefson. When Tom Reed met the enthusiastic woman, he knew he wanted to join her effort to help people in need. And that was the start of Mr. Reed’s association with Unity Shoppe, a unique Santa Barbara nonprofit that has inspired similar efforts elsewhere in the nation. Today, 20 years later, Mr. Reed is preparing to hand his baton to a new leader. At the end of the year, he’s retiring as the Unity Shoppe executive director. Angela Miller-Bevan will be assuming the position as executive director and has been training on site for her new position since July. Mr. Reed talked to the NewsPress about his long career with a nonprofit that has helped many residents. “I was introduced to Barabara Tellefson by my now wife Marcia, and Steve Cushman, executive director of Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce. Marcia and Steve had their fingers on the pulse of the city,” Mr. Reed told the News-Press. “Ms. Tellefson was looking for help, and the board was looking for a new building and depth of leadership. I vibrated with Ms. Tellefson’s vision of what she wanted to do,” Mr. Reed said. The News-Press asked Mr. Reed what he has accomplished that he is most proud of. “I had lost two houses as a result of major natural disasters and had a spiritual awakening doing music and men’s conferences for 15 years as part of a spiritual Please see REED on A4
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
More and more downtown Santa Barbara restaurants with outdoor dining parklets are making the adjustments necessary to comply with the city’s new stormwater runoff requirements, city officials said. The changes, required as of Dec. 1, are needed to allow rainwater to flow uninterrupted down the street instead of being allowed to accumulate and flood storefronts and sidewalks on lower State Street. A first round of inspections showed only 17 out of the 50 outdoor parklets between the 400 and 1300 blocks of State Street were compliant with the new stormwater requirements, while 33 were not. They were
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
“The way Unity Shoppe takes care of struggling people is a total gift,” retiring Executive Director Tom Reed told the News-Press. “This is something I have grown to understand and value over the years.”
New Cuyama Airport reopens; Blue Sky Center is helping By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
Unity Shoppe Executive Director Tom Reed speaks with movie star Jeff Bridges and his wife, Susan Geston, who have lived in Montecito, during a Unity Shoppe telethon. Local celebrities have supported Unity Shoppe and its unique way of helping people in need.
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The New Cuyama Airport has reopened and is operating with help from the Blue Sky Center. A ribbon cutting took place Oct. 13 on the airport and its popular L88 airstrip, which is managed and maintained by Blue Sky Center, a local nonprofit. Those attending the ribbon cutting included representatives of Santa Barbara County, airport commissioners from San Luis Obispo County and 80 supporters from both the local communities as well as regional aviation enthusiasts. With a donation from the San Simeon Fund and more than $20,000 raised through individual contributions, the airstrip was resurfaced over the summer, allowing for its permit to be reinstated in October. New Cuyama’s airstrip is known for being critical to emergency support for Cuyama communities. It also serves as a portal for travelers visiting the
area. “As pilots, we are keenly aware of how few destination-worthy airstrips remain open, and how many are at risk of being closed. L88 has always been a premier destination due to its proximity to many local flight schools, and since its recent reopening, has grown into a true jewel,” Katerina Barilov & John Kurtz of the Recreational Aviation Foundation said in a news release. On Nov. 12, 15 kids from the Cuyama Valley received free Young Eagle introductory flights at L88. L88 volunteers are transitioning their focus to support airport maintenance and planned improvements, which are designed to improve safety and boost airport use. Those efforts are relying significantly on donations and volunteers, according to the news release. To learn more about L88, go to www.visitcuyama.com/l88. email: kzehnder@newspress.com
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given written correction notices with a five-day deadline to correct the violations. A second round of inspections last week showed the number of delinquent parklets has been cut dramatically. “Twelve facilities remain non-compliant, with four additional facilities due for inspections tomorrow,” Sarah Clark, downtown plaza parking manager, told the News-Press Monday. So it’s possible there could be 16 parklets out of compliance with the new requirements, even though that still cuts the number of delinquent parklets in half. All restaurants with unaltered parklets that could impede stormwater runoff will be sent a second administrative citation Please see PARKLETS on A2
Richard Yates, who owns Opal Restaurant, shows a trapdoor of his parklet to Sarah Clark during her recent inspections on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara.
FYI For more information, visit unityshoppe.org.
More restaurants comply with city’s parklet rules
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