Thank you for all of the heartfelt responses and condolences as a result of my Jan. 6 tribute to Riley the Wonder Malamute. She was a special dog, and it makes me happy to know you thought so, too. Besides, Riley had too big of a personality to keep to myself!
I’m also truly grateful for all the stories you shared with me about your own lost pets. Reading about your favorite dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, alpacas, and even a goat, a cow and an orphaned fox kit really made my day. I hope writing those notes was as cathartic for you as my own attempt was for me.
Several hundred of you emailed or messaged me, and please know that I will respond to each of you, but it may take me a week or two. In the meantime, thank you again.
In non-Riley news, Noozhawk had an audience of 128,821 readers this past week, according to our Google Analytics.
What follows is my take on your Top 5 most-read stories. As a reminder, this is my opinion column and not a news story.
1. Delta IV Heavy Rocket’s Next Launch Date Still Pending at Vandenberg Air Force Base
The oft-delayed liftoff of a Delta IV Heavy rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base is still delayed, disappointing locals who have grown accustomed to and excited by the regular rounds of launches that have been soaring away from Santa Barbara County.
United Launch Alliance, which is waiting to pull the trigger on the rocket carrying a top-secret national security payload, is conducting additional testing after a couple of previous countdowns were called off. Officials have not yet set a new launch date.
While the ULA mission is pending, SpaceX had been encountering some delays of its own as it looked to launch a Falcon 9 rocket with the latest batch of Iridium Next satellites.
At 7:31 a.m. Jan. 11, the rocket finally launched without a glitch from Space Launch Complex-4 on South Base.
2. Potent Storm Expected to Soak Santa Barbara County Friday Night
A series of storms has drenched Santa Barbara County over the last several days, but the week is expected to end with the heaviest rain yet — along with possible thunderstorms, winds of 15-25 mph and gusts as high as 40 mph.
Forecasters are expecting as much as 3 inches of rain to fall on the South Coast as the latest storm moves through the region Jan. 11. The North County likely will get 1-2 inches.
Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, told our Tom Bolton that rain is likely to start falling in the North County by midafternoon, before rolling on to the South Coast that evening.
“It’s going to be a potent little storm,” he said.
So far, no flood advisories or warnings have been issued.
A Jan. 10 announcement through the county Aware & Prepare Initiative said rainfall rates are expected to be “below the thresholds for debris flows in and near recent burn areas. However, thunderstorm activity could produce rainfall rates that exceed debris flow thresholds. Residents are encouraged to stay alert to changing conditions.”
The rain should be gone by early Jan. 12, but several weaker storms are forecast for next week.
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3. High Surf Prompts Multiple Water Rescues at Isla Vista, Goleta Beaches
High surf with 6- to 9-foot waves drew hordes of surfers to South Coast beaches on Jan. 9. Many of the board bros turned out to be not as experienced as they thought they were, and several had to be rescued — one of them via a dramatic helicopter hoist.
Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Mike Eliason told our Giana Magnoli that three surfers were rescued after they got trapped by high tide against the cliffs below Isla Vista. With scores of bystanders watching and videotaping from nearby balconies, one of the surfers was plucked from the water by a helicopter while emergency personnel used personal watercraft to get the others to safety.
County fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni said one surfer who had paddled out near Campus Point was swept all the way to Goleta Beach, about 1½ miles to the east, before he was rescued.
None of the surfers seemed to be injured but Zaniboni said one, a man in his 60s, complained of hypothermia.
“Inexperienced surfers should not be in the water today,” he said.
4. Crews Respond to Head-On Collision on Highway 154 Near Santa Barbara
A head-on collision on rain-slickened Highway 154 above Santa Barbara demolished the front of a Mini Cooper and rolled a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck on its roof. Somehow, only one person was injured in the Jan. 9 wreck.
According to county Fire Department spokesman Mike Eliason, the crash was reported at 2:40 p.m. about 1½ miles north of San Antonio Creek Road. He said the impact of the collision left the eastbound pickup truck upside down.
Neither occupant of the pickup was injured, Eliason said, but the driver of the westbound Mini Cooper suffered minor to moderate injuries and was transported by American Medical Response ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. No other details were immediately available.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the wreck.
5. Santa Barbara Picks Newport Beach Company to Run Restaurant at Cabrillo Pavilion
On Jan. 8, the Santa Barbara City Council approved a 10-year contract with a Newport Beach company that will be opening a restaurant in the landmark Cabrillo Pavilion, at 1118 E. Cabrillo Blvd. at East Beach.
The city-owned property — which includes the historic bathhouse and locker rooms, recreation facilities, a public meeting room and gallery, and the space formerly occupied by East Beach Grill — has been undergoing a nearly $21 million renovation.
The company that operates The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove, a surf-themed café in the history-rich beach enclave just north of Laguna Beach, won the restaurant contract.
“We are literally thrilled for the opportunity in Santa Barbara,” said Doug Cavanaugh, the owner of The Beachcomber and a former CEO of the Ruby’s Diner chain.
Unless I’m missing something, the opportunity includes literally zero street visibility at a location that is virtually deserted once the sun starts setting, except for the nearby volleyball courts.
As our Josh Molina first reported, the company will be forking over $216,000 a year in base rent to start, with typical planned increases over the life of the lease. Next, it will be dishing out around $1.5 million in interior tenant improvements for a kitchen, the dining area and storage.
That’s a lot of $13 Coconut-Macadamia Pancakes and $39 Lobster Linguini Pasta to sell, but you know me, I’ll bite. And then Instagram it if it earns a #bestofbillrecommendation.
The as-yet-unnamed café expects to open in the fall and will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. It was not reported whether liquor’s in the mix, but The Beachcomber does have a vibrant bar.
And what about the popular East Beach Grill? That sun has set.
Jill Zachary, director of the Parks & Recreation Department, said owner Francisco Aguilera did not submit a proposal for the space.
That’s not terribly surprising since he’s been shut down for more than a year during the rehab project and it was evident to just about everyone — especially his clientele of loyal locals — that the city was looking for an upgrade from the 32-year-old, come-as-you-are family favorite.
Thanks for the memories, Francisco. And the sourdough cheeseburgers.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? At Least 8 Dead as Massive Flooding, Mud Flows Swamp Montecito and Carpinteria.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
Boy, I’m old. Tic Tac, anyone? 50 Things Turning 50 in 2019.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
My Instagram feed finally got around to my #best9 posts of 2018, which was followed by the Top 16 and then the Top 25.
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Watch It
This was me watching most of the college football bowl season. But not the Clemson game! Congrats to the national champion Tigers. #allin
(Rumble Viral video)
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— Bill Macfadyen is Noozhawk’s founder and publisher. Contact him at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com, follow him on Twitter: @noozhawk and Instagram: @bill.macfadyen, or click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
