There’s an exciting new rodeo in Santa Barbara County — Santa Barbara Rodeo Days — and I’m thrilled that Noozhawk will be a major sponsor.
I’ve mentioned before my abiding interest in preserving and enhancing our county’s rich heritage of ranching and agriculture, and the vaqueros and cowboys who came to embody it.
Rodeo is a celebration of those traditions.
The inaugural Santa Barbara Rodeo Days is scheduled for Aug. 1-3 at Earl Warren Showgrounds.
In addition to your standard PRCA rodeo events, my friend, 2025 Miss Rodeo California Janae Wallace, will reign over the parade of performers; the Jenkins family — Josiah and his parents, Karen and Si — will be honored for their long leadership in rodeo and western culture; the Borderline Bar Performance Dance Team will wow the crowd; and a special Carnival & Fiesta will add next-level fun for the entire family.
Of course, no rodeo is complete without the most entertaining contest of them all: mutton bustin’. As we always do with rodeos, Noozhawk will hold a mutton buster drawing for one victim winner to ride for our brand. Watch for more details in an upcoming Best of Bill column.
Click here for more information on Santa Barbara Rodeo Days or to purchase tickets online.
Noozhawk lassoed an audience of 161,493 readers over the last week, according to our WordPress analytics.
What follows is my own take on the Top 5 stories that our Google Analytics says you were reading over that period.
In case you’re new here, or just not paying attention, this is my opinion column and not a news story.
1. Fuel Tanker Crash Shuts Down Highway 101 in Carpinteria; Lanes Reopened
Northbound Highway 101 in Carpinteria was closed for more than six hours July 5 after a gasoline tanker trailer overturned east of Santa Monica Road.
Citing the California Highway Patrol, our Josh Molina reported that the crash occurred just before 7 a.m. when a tanker pulling a trailer went off the side of the highway.
The trailer ended up on its side, blocking the right two of the freeway’s three northbound lanes.
Northbound traffic was diverted at Casitas Pass Road and rerouted to Via Real, creating heavy congestion throughout the area.
“Traffic is ugly at the moment,” Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Marshal Michael LoMonaco told Josh later that morning.
No injuries were reported in the wreck, which brought out hazardous materials crews and Santa Barbara County environmental health inspectors, along with CHP investigators, a cleanup crew and a heavy-duty tow truck.
2. Bill Macfadyen: Goleta Woman Struck, Killed by Car Was a Popular Bartender Walking Home from Work
There have been few developments in the death of Jen Bradshaw, the 42-year-old Goleta woman who was struck by a car and killed early on June 29 as she walked home from work.
Bradshaw was a popular bartender at Chili’s Bar & Grill in Camino Real Marketplace, and a large crowd of family and friends gathered there July 9 for a celebration of her life.
Santa Barbara County sheriff’s officials say a 68-year-old Goleta woman lost control of her car and hit Bradshaw in the 7300 block of Calle Real, west of Glen Annie Road, just before 1 a.m.
The circumstances of the wreck remain under investigation, but authorities say the driver told sheriff’s deputies that she had looked away from the road to avoid bright headlights from an oncoming vehicle.
A GoFundMe account established to assist Bradshaw’s family with funeral expenses has raised more than $24,500 as of July 11. Click here to make an online donation.
3. Operator of Popular Food Truck Named as Lompoc Crash Victim
A week after a rollover crash west of Lompoc killed the operator of a popular North County taco trailer, the circumstances surrounding the wreck are still under investigation.
As our Janene Scully reported and I recapped in last week’s Best of Bill column, the California Highway Patrol said 32-year-old Joe Medina died when he lost control of his 2018 Chevy pickup truck on West Ocean Avenue around 12:30 p.m. and the vehicle flipped over into a dry concrete irrigation canal.
Medina — known as “Big Joe” and the owner of The Birria Boyz food trailer — was ejected from the pickup and pronounced dead at the crash scene, near Douglass Avenue, about two miles west of Lompoc.
The Birria Boyz served tacos throughout the Lompoc, Santa Maria and Santa Ynez valleys, and has an intensely loyal following. Medina, its founder, was considered the operation’s “heart and soul.”
He is survived by two daughters and was described by friends as a “caring bonus dad” to partner Cassie Jennings’ three children.
As of July 11, more than $27,000 had been raised via a GoFundMe account to assist the family with funeral expenses. Click here to make an online donation.
4. Leon and Mary Lewandowski of Santa Barbara in Running for America’s Favorite Couple
Mary and Leon Lewandowski of Santa Barbara are making waves in Variety Magazine’s America’s Favorite Couple competition.
As our Josh Molina reported, the elementary school teachers, married for 33 years, entered the contest after Leon spotted a Facebook ad. Because of course he did.
I’ve never met Leon in person but we’ve corresponded a lot over the decades with his tireless enthusiasm for his students and community causes. He has a huge heart.
The Lewandowskis’ love story began at UC Santa Barbara when Leon, a serial jokester, knocked on Mary’s dorm room claiming to be part of the “UCSB Welcoming Team.”
Though Mary was not instantly smitten, Leon said he “grew on her like moss on a tree” through hours of conversation and laughter.
Their first kiss happened on Valentine’s Day at the old Graduate venue in Isla Vista over a shared glass of Jungle Juice.
Leon — a Franklin School third-grade teacher in the Santa Barbara Unified School District — is known for grand gestures.
For their 25th anniversary, he re-proposed to Mary — a teacher in the Carpinteria Unified School District — with a flash mob dance to MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.”
The couple, parents to two daughters, credit their lasting marriage to giving each other space during disagreements and returning to talk things through.
“He and I are like each other’s best friends,” Mary said.
They see the contest as acknowledgment of their deep commitment and chemistry, and are serious about winning.
“I figured if we got the city of Santa Barbara to back us up, we can’t lose,” Leon said.
They’re currently in second place so they need your help.
Click here to vote and learn more about the America’s Favorite Couple contest.
5. Highway 166 Reopens as Madre Fire Hits 55% Containment
Highway 166 connecting the Central Coast to the Cuyama Valley reopened July 8 after being closed for six days by the Madre Fire, which has grown to 80,786 acres as of July 11.
As our Janene Scully has been reporting, the wildfire started July 2 north of the highway, 40 miles northwest of Santa Maria.
The blaze exhibited extreme behavior as flames raced across dry grass and chaparral amid hot, windy conditions.
Caltrans reopened the highway around 6 p.m. July 8, urging drivers to use caution as firefighters, heavy equipment and support crews remain active along the roadway.
Containment has reached 67% as of July 11, with crews continuing to battle moderate-sized areas of fire growth along the southeastern and northwestern perimeters.
The fire threatened 50 structures with one outbuilding destroyed and one firefighter injured.
Evacuation warnings and orders for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties have been lifted or eased.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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Good Reads
Here are six more stories you should read:
» Federal Agents Raid Carpinteria Cannabis Farm, Deploy Smoke Grenades Near Crowd — Staff writer Rebecca Caraway and photographer Peter Hartmann get a whiff — and more — of smoke grenades deployed by federal authorities when hundreds of protesters tried to stop them from enforcing U.S. immigration laws. Executive editor Giana Magnoli directed the coverage from Noozhawk World HQ.
» Highway 101 Road Changes Ahead in Montecito Starting This Weekend — South County editor Josh Molina follows the signs to the latest phase of the Highway 101 widening project in Montecito.
» Goleta’s Temporary Library Location Opens Wednesday — Rebecca’s shelf-awareness serves her well with her scoop on the Goleta Valley Library.
» NASA Telescope Snaps First Images of Universe After Vandenberg Space Force Base Launch — North County editor Janene Scully catches a glimpse of some photos that are out of this world. Way out and way cool.
» As E-Bike Crashes Rise, Grand Jury Calls for More Enforcement from Santa Barbara Police — Rebecca has been chasing a story on “E-bikes,” which — let’s be honest — actually are electric motorcycles and not bikes.
» Judy Foreman: Magic of African Safari Experience Makes Arduous Journey Disappear — 93108 columnist Judy Foreman has the time of her life on safari in Africa, and has the pictures to prove it.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Evacuation Orders Expanded as Lake Fire Continues to Challenge Firefighters.
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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.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
Field of Dreams, Western Division: People Are Signing Up for This California Wine Club Just to Watch Old Timey Baseball. Fun fact: My family has been to the original Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
Ojai for the Sixth of July is a good place to be in my Instagram feed, but there’s also Amarillo. Yes, you read that right.
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Watch It
The sands of time reclaim the Mojave Desert community of Newberry Springs.
