Pedal the Pacific is a 9-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to combating sex trafficking through powerful awareness campaigns and vital funding for survivor support.
Its flagship fundraising effort is a 1,700-mile bike ride from Seattle to San Diego with a team of young women cyclists.
Each summer, the riders spend nearly a week in Santa Barbara County, sharing their mission and inspiring local communities along the way.
The nine-member team has been in Lompoc and Santa Barbara most of this past week, meeting with local anti-trafficking leaders, including District Attorney John Savrnoch and the county’s Human Trafficking Task Force; Olive Crest’s remote Hope Refuge Campus for survivors; the Junior League of Santa Barbara, which helped create the S.A.F.E. House shelter for young survivors; and the North County Rape Crisis Center & Child Protection Center.
The cyclists stay with host families, with additional support from local businesses and organizations, including All Saints By-the-Sea Episcopal Church, the Lompoc-Vandenberg Branch of the American Association of University Women, Noozhawk, the Santa Barbara Club, Vandenberg Space Force Base, and Sondra Weiss and the Lost Art of Love Letters.
Look for our Daniel Green’s Noozhawk story over the weekend as well as an upcoming report on Pedal the Pacific by Emmy Award-winning KSBY News journalist Juliet Lemar.
Click here for more information about Pedal the Pacific, or click here to make an online donation.
The fight against sex trafficking is truly one of good versus evil, but it can always use more soldiers. Please help.
While you’re contemplating enlisting, let’s recount the Top 5 stories of the last week that 146,912 of you were reading, according to WordPress and our Google Analytics.
I must remind you that this is an opinion column, not a news story.
1. 4 People Rescued Off Sinking Boat by NOAA Crew, Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol
A dramatic July 11 rescue of four people — including a child — from a sinking boat off Santa Barbara turned dreadful with the news that two of the victims had died.
As our Giana Magnoli reported, the Harbor Patrol and the NOAA Shearwater research vessel quickly responded to a frantic, 7:49 a.m. mayday call from a 24-foot motor boat 1½ miles out in the Santa Barbara Channel.
The Shearwater was first on the scene, and found three adults and a child in the water with their vessel already mostly submerged.
A Shearwater crew member grabbed fins and a life vest and immediately dove in.
Sean Hastings, a spokesman for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary NOAA office, said the rescuer first swam the child to the Shearwater and then went back to get the adults.
Two of the adults, both men, were unconscious when pulled from the water, he said.
Harbor Patrol Lt. Ryan Kelly said crew members performed CPR on both rescue vessels as they returned to the Santa Barbara Harbor, where American Medical Response ambulances rushed the four to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Despite the valiant efforts, one man was pronounced dead at the hospital while authorities told Noozhawk the second man was in critical condition in the intensive-care unit.
The child and the third adult were treated and released.
On July 17, the Santa Barbara County sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau disclosed that the second man had died not long after the first. The discrepancy in the timeline was not explained.
Coroner’s Bureau spokeswoman Raquel Zick identified the two men as 69-year-old Robert Hirami Johnson of Azusa and 65-year-old David Edgar Holmes of Apple Valley.
The other victims’ identities were not disclosed.
The sinking boat — an unnamed Skipjack motor boat registered in Azusa — was captured on harbor video launching from the boat ramp between 5 and 6 a.m.
It has since vanished, with weekend helicopter searches unable to locate the vessel in the 150-foot-deep waters.
So far, the circumstances of the sinking are unclear, and Kelly told Giana on July 17 that there are “no plans to try to locate the boat as it is in too deep.”
“The response time was pretty quick,” he said. “It’s 10 minutes from where we are to that location, and for the boat to be completely submerged at that point, it’s most likely something catastrophic happened.”
Kelly emphasized the importance of life jackets, noting that one saved the child’s life. None of the adults was wearing one.
2. Santa Barbara County to Offer Pre-Approved Plans for ADUs
Santa Barbara County will begin offering homeowners pre-approved accessory dwelling unit designs in mid-August as part of an effort to increase housing options.
As our Daniel Green reported, the Board of Supervisors recently approved a $150,000 contract with RRM Design Group to develop the streamlined plans.
Planning & Development Department director Lisa Plowman estimates residents could save up to $25,000 compared to custom designs while expediting the permitting process.
When it goes through, it’s already pre-approved,” she explained, noting this will significantly speed up permitting.
“All those construction documents are already reviewed.”
The pre-approved plans will range from studio apartments to three-bedroom units, featuring architectural styles like California Ranch, Farmhouse and Mediterranean.
Applicants can choose designs based on square footage and room requirements.
The county is required to offer pre-approved ADU plans by December under state housing regulations.
The City of Carpinteria pioneered local pre-approved designs in mid-2023, with several other cities following its lead or talking about it.
ADUs are small housing units that can be attached to existing homes or built as separate structures, helping address California’s chronic housing shortage.
3. Federal Agents Raid Carpinteria Cannabis Farm, Deploy Smoke Grenades Near Protesters
U.S. immigration and homeland security officers reportedly served federal criminal warrants on a Carpinteria cannabis operation on July 5, detaining 10 workers while facing off with a crowd of protesters a couple of hundred strong.
As our Rebecca Caraway, Giana Magnoli and Peter Hartmann reported, the raid began around 11 a.m. at Glass House Farms, at 5601 Casitas Pass Road near Foothill Road.
Two hours later, body armor-clad federal agents, including Homeland Security Investigations personnel, deployed smoke grenades to disperse increasingly aggressive protesters.
Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, criticized the immigration law enforcement as “military theater” and “overkill,” calling the use of militarized agents “ridiculous.”
Federal authorities denied his request to access the property.
A simultaneous raid occurred at Glass House Farms’ processing operation in Camarillo, where confrontations between protesters and federal law enforcement officers turned violent.
According to the Homeland Security Department, Glass House Brands is under investigation for child labor violations.
Officials said at least 14 children — eight of whom illegally entered the country unaccompanied by family members — were among the more than 350 people detained in Camarillo.
In a statement, Glass House Brands said it “has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors.”
4. 1 Motorcycle Rider Killed, Another Critically Injured in Lompoc Collision
A motorcyclist died and a second rider — a 17-year-old male — was critically injured the night of July 14 in a collision with a car in western Lompoc.
As our Janene Scully reported, the crash occurred around 9:20 p.m. in the 1800 block of West Central Avenue, just past Bailey Avenue.
Lompoc police and firefighters, along with an American Medical Response ambulance, responded to the scene.
First responders administered CPR to at least one rider before transporting both to area hospitals with major injuries.
Fire Capt. David Boeken told Janene that the adult male rider later died from his injuries at Lompoc Valley Medical Center, while the teenager remains in critical condition at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria.
On July 18, the motorcyclist was identified as 40-year-old Joshua Joseph Poynter of Lompoc.
The car’s driver was not injured and remained at the scene, cooperating with investigators, police Sgt. Scott Morgan said.
He said a preliminary investigation indicated that alcohol and/or drugs were not factors in the wreck.
5. Police Nab Suspect in Ulta Beauty Store Thefts in Lompoc, Goleta
A Van Nuys woman suspected of stealing from Ulta Beauty stores in multiple cities has been arrested by Lompoc police officers, who recovered more than $7,600 in allegedly pilfered merchandise.
As our Janene Scully reported, Sgt. Scott Morgan said 29-year-old Jennifer Hurtado was arrested around 6 p.m. July 10 after she allegedly stole more than $1,600 worth of items from the Ulta Beauty store at 615 N. H St.
Store managers called police while Hurtado was leaving, providing officers with her vehicle description and license plate.
Police conducted a traffic stop and discovered merchandise stolen from the Lompoc store, plus items taken earlier from Ulta locations at Camino Real Marketplace in Goleta and in Oxnard.
During police interviews, Hurtado allegedly confessed to thefts from all three stores. However, the scope may be much larger.
Ulta Beauty management identified Hurtado as a suspect in multiple thefts across different cities and states, with total losses reaching approximately $152,000.
Hurtado was booked into Lompoc City Jail on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property.
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Good Reads
These are six other stories that are worth your time:
» UCSB’s Tyler Bremner Drafted No. 2 Overall by Los Angeles Angels in MLB Draft — Sports editor Diego Sandoval catches up with the highest UC Santa Barbara Gaucho ever drafted.
» California Schools Face Avalanche of Sex Abuse Claims, Including Carpinteria, Montecito Districts — CalMatters K-12 education reporter Carolyn Jones has done her homework on a 2020 state sex abuse law that is testing the limits of school districts’ ability to pay, or even survive.
» County Supervisors OK Ordinances Protecting Senior Home Parks — Staff writer Daniel Green checks in with an important development for age-restricted mobile home parks.
» Dan McCaslin: Tips for Staying Safe While Hiking in Hot Weather — Outdoors writer Dan McCaslin is on the trail with some timely advice.
» BizHawk: Organic Meads, Ciders on Tap in Funk Zone at High Seas Taproom — South County editor Josh Molina takes to the High Seas — mead that is, a honey brew created by friends of mine, Austin Corrigan and his wife, Anne.
» Earthcomb Founder Combines Trash Pickup with Homeless Outreach — Staff writer Rebecca Caraway follows the charismatic Andrew Velikanje, who has built a cleanup empire employing those he once lived beside.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Young Couple From Santa Maria Valley Die During Vacation in Mexico.
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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
2028 presidential candidate — oops, I mean governor — Gavin Newsom misses the big picture, as usual: Nevada Beach Flushes Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Response in “Shithole” Snafu.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
My Instagram feed thoroughly explores Amarillo, the Yellow Rose of Texas, and I didn’t even make it to the places I was determined to visit.
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Watch It
HT to Best of Bill reader Margaret Benson, who is back with more refreshing bear witnessing.
