Today is Noozhawk’s 19th birthday.
When Noozhawk took flight on Oct. 16, 2007, we believed Santa Barbara County deserved a homegrown, independent news organization committed to professional, unbiased journalism.
Nineteen years later, I’m enormously grateful for how far we’ve come from those startup days — and for the talented, dedicated people, past and present, who made it possible.
Most of all, I’m grateful to a community that believed in us, embraced us, encouraged us and continues to support us.
Our advertisers — more than 1,300 of them since 2007 — have kept us sustainable. Our Hawks Club members now provide more than a third of our annual revenue to keep us going and growing.
And we’re about to launch a second investor offering to raise funding for further expansion, employee retention and a modern web platform.
But our future depends on more than major investments. It depends just as much on the everyday support of readers who believe independent local journalism matters.
That’s what makes the Hawks Club so important — and why we’re asking more of our community to join us as we enter our 20th year.
Will you help us celebrate our 19th birthday with a gift of $19 a month?
Whether it’s $19 or $1,900, a new membership or an additional contribution, your support helps us deliver more of the local journalism Santa Barbara County deserves.
Thank you for making these 19 years possible — and for helping us build what comes next.
Speaking of what comes next, our VotingMatters forum with CalMatters has been rescheduled to Oct. 25 at the Grace Fisher Foundation’s interactive arts clubhouse at La Cumbre Plaza.
The forum is focused on the race for state insurance commissioner and the ballot measures on the Nov. 3 ballot. Join our Hawks Club for access.
While the defending back-to-back world champion Los Angeles Codgers — the greatest collection of players ever assembled — were rolling over in a humiliatingly epic collapse for the aged, Noozhawk swept an audience of 138,369 readers this past week, according to our WordPress analytics.
What follows is my own take on the Top 5 stories you were reading over that period, as determined by our Google Analytics.
This is my weekly opinion column, by the way. It is not a news story.
1. Family Identifies Santa Barbara Woman Killed in Hit-Run Crash
A 22-year-old Santa Barbara woman fatally injured by a hit-and-run driver in a Mission Street crosswalk last week has been identified by her grieving family as Mercedes Perez.
As our Evelyn Spence reported, Perez was struck by a speeding car around 10:10 p.m. Oct. 9 while she was walking in the crosswalk at the northbound Highway 101 entrance ramp on Mission Street.
Santa Barbara police said the driver of the car, a white Mercedes-Benz C43 sedan, immediately fled the scene.
Santa Barbara fire Battalion Chief Cory Cloud told Evelyn that the victim suffered critical injuries in the collision.
She was transported by American Medical Response ambulance to nearby Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital but was declared dead there.
According to police, an officer had tried to pull over the same Mercedes-Benz for reckless driving in the 300 block of West Carrillo Street about one minute earlier.
The driver ignored the attempt, however, and instead raced up the northbound Highway 101 entrance ramp after the officer disengaged due to the danger to pedestrians and other vehicles in the area.
About two hours later, the car’s reported owner, 45-year-old Leticia Parra De Gastelum, was arrested at her Lower Eastside home.
As of Oct. 16, however, no charges have been filed in the case.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office said Oct. 15 that Parra De Gastelum had been released from County Jail while the California Highway Patrol continues its investigation of the wreck’s circumstances.
In a GoFundMe appeal posted by her heartbroken family, Perez was described as someone who “had so many dreams, plans and beautiful moments still ahead of her.”
“Her smile, her presence, and the memories we shared with her will remain in our hearts forever,” Alfredo Perez wrote.
Funeral services are pending.
As of Oct. 16, the GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $35,000. Click here to make an online donation.
2. Man Surrenders to Deputies After Standoff at Goleta Valley Home
A 59-year-old man accused of elder abuse and making criminal threats is still in jail as of Oct. 16 following a nearly four-hour standoff with Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies in a Noleta neighborhood.
As our Evelyn Spence reported, deputies went to a house in the 5300 block of University Drive — 1½ blocks west of North Patterson Avenue — for a welfare check just before 3:30 p.m. Oct. 12.
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Raquel Zick told Evelyn the incident escalated into a “barricaded subject with threats” situation, prompting authorities to establish a command post near county Fire Station 12 at 5330 Calle Real.
County firefighters and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the house around 6:20 p.m., and the suspect — identified as Andrew Monroy — surrendered at about 7:15 p.m.
Monroy was arraigned in Superior Court on Oct. 14 and pleaded not guilty to charges of threatening a crime with intent to terrorize, cruelty to an elder/dependent adult, obstructing or resisting an officer, and felony enhancement.
According to the court filing, the incident involved two people, one of whom is identified as an elder and/or dependent adult.
The records also state that Monroy is accused of being armed or having used a weapon.
The filing indicates that the District Attorney’s Office plans to introduce evidence of alleged prior acts of elder abuse.
Monroy remains in County Jail with bail was set at $25,000.
No other details about the incident have been disclosed.
3. Bill Macfadyen: Deadly Car Crash in Santa Barbara Parking Garage Leaves More Questions Than Answers
Despite consistent reader interest, we have nothing new to report in the Oct. 6 fatal car crash in a downtown Santa Barbara parking garage.
The wreck of a Tesla sedan that slammed into a wall inside municipal Lot 10, at the corner of Anacapa and East Ortega streets, killed the passenger and put the driver in Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with undisclosed injuries.
Santa Barbara police are refusing to divulge any information — including the identities of the victims — with SBPD “community accountability” Cmdr. Nathan Beltran incorrectly deflecting Noozhawk’s requests for details “because no arrest was made.”
4. Fans Camp Overnight for Goleta Raising Cane’s Grand Opening
For dozens of Goleta chicken lovers, the promise of free food for a year was worth losing a night’s sleep — and maybe skipping a Monday morning class.
As our Rebecca Caraway and Pricila Flores reported, about 200 people flocked to the Oct. 12 grand opening of Raising Cane’s at 7000 Hollister Ave. in Hollister Village Plaza, with some camping overnight in hopes of winning the restaurant’s chicken giveaway.
Dos Pueblos High School junior Rex Blevins arrived with friends at 9 p.m. Oct. 11, armed with lawn chairs and pillows.
His patience paid off when he became the first of 20 raffle winners awarded free Raising Cane’s for a year.
“First in line, and I win,” Blevins exclaimed. “This is just amazing.”
UC Santa Barbara student Jordan Nicodemus, who arrived at 7 a.m., was another winner. Even before her name was drawn she was celebrating the end of long drives to Santa Maria for her fried chicken fingers fix.
The day’s festivities included music, merchandise giveaways and a $1,000 donation to Dos Pueblos High.
Raising Cane’s is in the space previously occupied by Kyle’s Kitchen, which has moved to 6831 Hollister Ave., Suite D, in the nearby Target shopping center.
5. Goleta Valley High School Students Host Walk-Out in Wake of Blackface Social Media Post
Students from two high schools staged walkouts on Oct. 13 before joining community activists at a Santa Barbara Unified School District board meeting to demand stronger action against racism.
As our Pricila Flores reported, about 100 San Marcos High School students left campus and walked to the Magnolia Shopping Center a mile away while Dos Pueblos High students gathered at Girsh Park near Camino Real Marketplace.
The protests followed a viral social media post of San Marcos High students with artificially darkened skin recreating an internet meme photograph of four black children.
At the school board meeting, our Rebecca Caraway reported that Nahsia Darcus, president of San Marcos High’s Black Student Union, criticized the school district’s response and called for more severe repercussions.
“I’m demanding that there is actual consequences that are going to be placed into the system after today, ones that are strict and don’t allow those who commit racist deeds to leave school knowing that nothing will happen,” she said.
Teacher Abel Gonzalez, in whose History of Africans in America classroom the incident reportedly took place, faulted school administrators for failing to communicate promptly about it.
Gonzalez has hastened to add that he was absent from campus that day.
Schools Superintendent Hilda Maldonado condemned the post and acknowledged broader concerns about racism and exclusion.
District officials previously said the students involved would face established disciplinary procedures but declined to disclose specific consequences, citing privacy laws.
SBUSD trustees will revisit the issue Oct. 27.
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Good Reads
Here are six other stories you should read, too:
» CHP Officer Conducts Purr-fect Kitten Rescue on Highway 101 in Summerland — For the second week in a row, we have a feel-good animal rescue story, this one editor in chief Tom Bolton’s account of an astounding save on Highway 101.
» Washington Elementary Principal Returns from 8-Day Leave for Controversial Student Election — South County editor Evelyn Spence uncovers an election story that confirms the suspicions of every runner-up candidate for student government.
» Santa Ynez Valley Foundation Puts Spotlight on Seven Community Champions — Staff writer Jack Dindia is in the barn as the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation celebrates the 2026 Champions of the Valley.
» Neighborhood Festival to Celebrate Chinese, Japanese History in Santa Barbara — Contributing writer Julia McHugh previews the annual Asian American Neighborhood Festival celebrating an important era in Santa Barbara’s history.
» Santa Barbara Housing Authority Breaks Down Push for Rent-Stabilization Exemptions — Staff writer Rebecca Caraway does a deeper dive on exemptions to the City of Santa Barbara’s new can’t-fail-despite-all-historical-evidence-to-the-contrary rent control rules.
» Mark Patton: Cancer Couldn’t Keep Griffin Arnold Down For Long as Santa Barbara High’s Quarterback — Sports columnist Mark Patton shares the inspiring story of Santa Barbara High School quarterback Griffin Arnold going the whole nine yards in his battle against non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Santa Barbara Man Convicted of Murder, Assault in Toddler’s Death.
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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.
Oct. 29 — I don’t recognize who Scouting America — Los Padres Council is describing, but I’m being honored with the National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award at the annual Salute to Scouting celebration at the Santa Barbara Club, #myhomeawayfromhome.
Nov. 5 — The Santa Barbara County Grand Jury has requested my presence for a discussion with panel members about issues affecting the county and Noozhawk’s role. I’m happy to accept, no subpoena required.
Dec. 10 — Having not learned their lesson from last year, the Channel City Club has invited me back to emcee its Christmas brunch at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. I’m privileged to do this in honor of my close friend, the late Erin Graffy, the club’s longtime host.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
“And on the 17th day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.” — Genesis 8:4. Just sayin’: Noah’s Ark Hunters Build 3D Scale Model As ‘Phase 2’ Underway.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
Between a #latergram wedding of two close friends at the Santa Barbara Club, #myhomeawayfromhome, and the @syvalleyfoundation’s Champions of the Valley awards, my Instagram feed is in a celebratory mood.
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Watch It
Never count on an idiot who can’t keep his pants pulled up — even with a belt. At least this tool wasn’t going commando during his bumbling burglary. HT to the Vacaville Police Department for the clip.
