It’s rodeo time, Santa Barbara, and I’m excited to introduce two young women who will be part of the inaugural Santa Barbara Rodeo Days.
The first is my friend, Janae Wallace, the 2025 Miss Rodeo California and the first such annual title holder to saddle up in Santa Barbara in a long, long time.
Our Rebecca Caraway managed to catch up with Janae between appearances at Cheyenne Frontier Days — the “World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration,” in Wyoming — and the Days of ’76 rodeo in Deadwood, South Dakota.
You can click here to read Rebecca’s profile of Janae.
While Janae will be riding regally around the Earl Warren Showgrounds arena, carrying flags and gently pushing calves to their exit gates, 5-year-old Charlotte Walcott of Santa Barbara will be getting down, and quite probably dirty, as Noozhawk’s rider in the Aug. 3 mutton bustin’ event.
We drew Charlotte’s name out of nearly 30 entrants for the final mutton bustin’ slot, and her dad, Brian, told me she’s “pumped” about the opportunity.
He says the incoming kindergartner is “full of energy and joy,” and loves to dance and swim along with beach days and family dinner parties.
“She adores animals and never misses a chance to visit the zoo, where she proudly names all her favorites,” Walcott said.
Another favorite is her 3-year-old brother, Luca. She hopes she’s a good role model as a big sister and that he’ll follow in her boots in a year or two, hanging on for dear life as a wooly animal twice his size tries to outrun the weight.
Good luck, Charlotte!
As you know, Santa Barbara escaped a swell of tsunami damage on July 30, primarily because there wasn’t one.
What we couldn’t escape was the trio of prominent deaths that has left many reeling with the news: Peter MacDougall, Bob Emmons and Budd Carr.
I didn’t have the privilege of knowing Carr, but Emmons and MacDougall were good friends of mine and both were integral to Noozhawk’s founding and its early success.
After his 21 years at the helm of Santa Barbara City College, and a lifetime of civic leadership and fundraising, MacDougall had a mental Rolodex that would have been the envy of ChatGPT — especially as a rainmaker for nonprofit capital campaigns.
When I was exploring whether to launch Noozhawk back in 2006, I asked him to help me evaluate the viability of my cockamamie idea. He insisted he knew nothing about running a news organization, I insisted it wasn’t about the business but about the networking.
Once he understood the assignment, he aced the test.
Over about three lunches at the Santa Barbara Club, MacDougall and I — i.e., mostly him — created an “axis of influence” roadmap of relationships that was just remarkable.
The dots connected almost entirely like we planned, and I could not have done it without him. Or I could, but I’d still be working on it today.
Emmons became a Noozhawk fan the instant he heard about it, well before we launched in October 2007.
In 2012, he became an investor when my partners — editor in chief Tom Bolton and business development vice president Kim Clark — and I concluded we needed a larger infusion of cash than the business was generating.
Emmons was among a small group of “Friends of Bill” who provided the crucial capital to expand our operation into Noozhawk 2.0. I’m proud to say we paid back the last promissory note, and all of its interest, by June 2021.
MacDougall and Emmons were two of the smartest and most determined people I’ve ever come across, but they were unfailingly gracious, joyful, kind and optimistic.
I will never forget them. Nor will Noozhawk.
Which brings me to my old friend, Erin Graffy.
As many of you know, Graffy died in January after a brief but fierce battle with ovarian cancer.
In her memory, her family — husband Jim Garcia and siblings Kurt, Neal, Colleen and Kerry — and The Profant Foundation for the Arts established a legacy endowment to promote the things she loved, notably dance, music, history and Fiesta.
The endowment’s first journalism fellowship recipient is Sienna Valentine, a 2025 Dos Pueblos High School graduate and soon-to-be freshman at UC Davis.
Her debut piece, on the Santa Barbara Historical Museum’s Project Fiesta!, would have made Graffy very proud. Click here to read it for yourself.
And speaking of reading, what were you doing this past week?
According to our WordPress analytics, Noozhawk had an audience of 153,188 readers during that span. And according to our Google Analytics, what follows are the Top 5 stories you were reading at the time.
Of course, this is my opinion column so my recap is more my own take on those items.
Thanks for sticking with me so far, but don’t stop now!
1. Santa Barbara County Coast Included in Tsunami Advisory After Huge Russian Quake
Santa Barbara County beaches and waterfront areas reopened July 30 after a tsunami advisory prompted by a massive earthquake off Russia was lifted with no local damage.
As our Janene Scully reported, the magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck at 4:25 p.m. Pacific time July 29 in the North Pacific Ocean, about 80 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka, Russia.
The size of the earthquake triggered a wave of tsunami alerts for almost the entire Pacific Ocean, including the length of the West Coast.
A tsunami advisory — the second highest alert, meaning the possibility of strong currents and dangerous waves — was issued for Santa Barbara County with an estimated arrival time in the Santa Barbara Harbor of 12:45 a.m. July 30.
“There was no discernible wave or rise of the water at the harbor from the tsunami.”
Nathan Alldredge, Santa Barbara Harbor operations
City of Santa Barbara officials took extensive precautions, with Harbor Patrol officers warning beachgoers and Fire Department equipment staged along the waterfront overnight.
The nearly 21 hours of closures affected popular areas like Stearns Wharf and Leadbetter Beach Park, where photographers documented the empty coastline during the advisory period.
The next day, our Tom Bolton reported that the advisory was finally canceled at 2:15 p.m. for the area spanning from Rincon Point to Point Conception.
“There was no discernible wave or rise of the water at the harbor from the tsunami,” harbor operations manager Nathan Alldredge told him.
However, tidal gauges did show about a foot of fluctuation from predicted tides, indicating the distant earthquake’s effects reached local waters.
The earthquake — the largest globally since Japan’s devastating 2011 quake — logged its epicenter at just 28 miles from the epicenter of the 1952 magnitude-9.0 Kamchatka earthquake.
The 1952 quake spawned a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami while this one apparently caused mostly minimal damage.
One place that was not so lucky was Crescent City, in Del Norte County on California’s remote North Coast.
Officials say the 4-foot tsunami waves that battered Crescent City’s harbor ran up damages of nearly $1 million.
2. Parades, Dancing and Rodeos: Your Guide to the 2025 Old Spanish Days Fiesta
Santa Barbara is in the middle of its annual Old Spanish Days, a five-day Fiesta of parades, music, dancing, rodeo and cultural festivities honoring the city’s heritage since 1924.
Also on hand, er, in hand — and in hair — are tens of thousands of colorful cascarones to be smashed into confetti pieces for the occasion.
This year’s Fiesta theme, “Capture the Spirit,” reflects El Presidente Fritz Olenberger’s passion for photographing dancers and the vibrant energy filling the community during the celebration.
Our Nick Forselles has a complete schedule of Fiesta events, times, locations and ticket information in his comprehensive report, so be sure to check it out before you go.
Viva la Fiesta!
3. Fire Damages Office Building in Downtown Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara firefighters quickly extinguished a July 28 fire at a downtown office building, preventing major damage and allowing most occupants to return to work.
As our Tom Bolton reported, fire crews responded shortly after 3:15 p.m. to the blaze at 1421 State St., midblock between Micheltorena and Sola streets.
Battalion Chief Cory Cloud told Tom that the fire started in a large trash pile in back of the two-story building and extended into the first floor.
The building is home to the venerable Reicker Pfau law firm, along with high-tech companies, an insurance agency and other professional services.
“Firefighters were able to quickly knock down the flames and prevent them from extending into the second story,” Cloud told Tom.
Most building occupants returned to their offices after crews doused the flames and cleared smoke from the structure. No injuries were reported in the incident.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
4. Proposed Anthem Church Project in Goleta Draws Concerns From Neighbors
A popular Goleta church’s expansion plans are facing resistance from a handful of neighbors who say the proposed building is too large for the area.
As our Rebecca Caraway reported, Anthem Chapel wants to build a two-story, 22,038-square-foot church at 6595 Covington Way, next to Christ Lutheran Church and the Stow House parking lot.
The church currently meets at Goleta Valley Junior High School.
The project would include a sanctuary for 500 people, day-care classrooms for up to 110 children, youth programs, and a 125-space parking lot to accommodate three Sunday services.
“I would hope that we would be a great community resource,” said Lead Pastor Nate Wagner, who started the church in 2017 after leaving Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara.
Neighbors, however, have created a website opposing the project, citing concerns about traffic, safety and wildfire evacuation risks.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Anthem held outdoor services on the property under a tent, residents complained about increased noise, traffic and parking.
One of the neighbors, Kerri Maxwell, said the building is not appropriate for the location near environmentally sensitive areas and the high fire risk zone.
“I don’t think there’s anything that they could say that would make us feel better, because it’s just too big,” she said.
Maxwell added the age-old caveat:
“We’re not against the church,” she told Rebecca, “just not on this site.”
Wagner said the church is working with traffic and sound engineers to resolve concerns.
“We want to be a blessing, not a burden,” he said.
The project has the support of Christ Lutheran Church, whose pastor, Brooks Schramm, said he is confident legitimate neighborhood issues will be addressed.
Project planner Steve Welton, of SEPPS Land Use Consulting, said the Anthem building is designed to complement the area’s ranch and agricultural feel and it is not expected to have any impacts on the historic Stow House.
The proposal heads to the Goleta Design Review Board on Aug. 12.
5. BizHawk: Vintage Store Thrifty Beaches Brings Cool Vibe to State Street
Adam Kemp made quite an entrance for his new Santa Barbara thrift store opening — riding on horseback down State Street instead of cutting a traditional ribbon.
As our Josh Molina reported, the former Cal Poly wrestling star and his girlfriend, Maria Trott, have opened Thrifty Beaches, a 10,000-square-foot destination for curated vintage clothing and sustainable shopping.
The store, at 710 State St., has certainly made a vintage transformation of the old Restoration Hardware space.
“Our shop is unique because I have a different philosophy when it comes to resell,” Kemp said. “I am not afraid to take risks. I am very creative.”
The June 28 opening brought a new retail concept to downtown, combining shopping with a lounge atmosphere.
Hardwood floors, couches and contemporary music create a hangout space where customers browse everything from vintage Levi’s 501 jeans to luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Prada.
Kemp deliberately avoids online sales, forcing customers to visit in person.
“I think there’s a really cool element to going out and having an actual activity and bringing friends out frequenting cool spaces,” he said.
The Santa Barbara location expands from Kemp’s original San Luis Obispo store, as he hopes to help revitalize the woebegone State Street’s beleaguered retail scene.
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Good Reads
Here are six more stories that are worth your time:
» Dr. Peter MacDougall, a ‘Mount Rushmore’ Leader Who Helped Build Santa Barbara City College, Dies — South County editor Josh Molina breaks the sad news about former Santa Barbara City College President Peter MacDougall.
» ‘Renaissance Man’ Bob Emmons Dies at 92 After Decades of Quiet Community Service — Staff writer Nick Forselles runs back the remarkable life of Bob Emmons, who excelled at pretty much everything in his 92 years.
» Santa Barbara Debates Affordable Housing Mandate for Redeveloped Commercial Buildings — Josh sits in as the Santa Barbara City Council considers getting more creative about affordable housing.
» Residents Report Bear Sightings Near Carpinteria Mobile Home Park — Bear with Nick as he tracks a wildlife story in Carpinteria.
» Tom Modugno: Daniel Hill — The Man Who Named Goleta — Columnist Tom Modugno shares the fascinating history of one of our area’s lesser known but more important community leaders in the early days of Santa Barbara and the Goleta Valley.
» Dan McCaslin: Potrero John Trail and Canyon Perfect for Half-Day Hike — Outdoors columnist Dan McCaslin sets out on his latest adventure. He earns a HT for mentioning my second-favorite Western author, Louis L’Amour. The real challenge will be if he can someday work in my first: Elmer Kelton.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Standoff Ends with Man Arrested for Allegedly Brandishing a Speargun.
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What I’m Up To
Although I’m not looking for a free meal, I occasionally do have free time if you’re looking for a speaker for your club, group or organization and want to hear more about Noozhawk. Email me at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com.
- Aug. 21 — The Cosmopolitan Club of Santa Barbara is looking for an update since my last appearance, some 15 years ago. We’ve come a long way. HT to my friend, Chris Tacelli, for getting me the invitation.
- Aug. 26 — It’s been a minute since I’ve talked with the Rotary Club of Goleta Noontime and we’ll have some exciting news to discuss.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
It’s not my fault that the “really big one” is overdue: The Next One Could Be the Really Big One.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
The @coralcasinobeachclub was the highlight of my Instagram feed this past week, and it was lit.
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Watch It
I’m actually surprised this hasn’t happened to me. Yet.
