So it was a hurriquake and an array of striking rainbows that were the most memorable moments of Santa Barbara County’s latest storm of the century. Because, why not?

Beyond that, Noozhawk had one of the most wide-ranging weeks of news in a long time, but our team is accustomed to expecting the unexpected.

I expect we’ll figure out Google Analytics’ “new and improved” GA4 tracking at some point, but I’m underwhelmed so far.

According to Google, we had an audience of 69,721 readers this past week, which just doesn’t add up.

But enough about that. What follows is my recap of the Top Five most-read stories that at least 69,721 of you were reading over the past seven days.

Just remember that this is my opinion column. It’s not a news story.

1. South Coast Flood Watch Lifted for Tropical Storm Hilary

Tropical storm Hilary may have wreaked havoc elsewhere in Southern California on Aug. 20 but the one-time hurricane was largely a bust in Santa Barbara County.

The truly spectacular double rainbows it left behind late that afternoon were a story worth a thousand pictures, though.

As our Serena Guentz and Giana Magnoli reported, the storm delivered only light, scattered showers here, much to the relief of locals who had been prepared for far worse.

Kelly Hubbard, director of the county’s Office of Emergency Management, told Serena on Aug. 21 that the storm caused no real issues.

“It was as we expected,” she said. “We were pretty confident that our storm systems were ready to receive the rain.”

The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for South Coast foothills and interior mountains, but authorities said no flooding was reported.

San Marcos Pass above Santa Barbara recorded the most rain, at 0.68 inches, according to the county’s rainfall and reservoir summary.

Rain gauges along the South Coast logged about a quarter-inch while the North County was largely bypassed.

When added to the unusually heavy run of winter rain earlier this year, officials say the latest storm pushed the county’s “normal water-year” rainfall percentage to 202%.

HT to Noozhawk readers Thomas Balshaw, Joe Gechter, Dennis Houghton, Julie Olson von Winckelmann, Patricia Tangney and Allen Williams, who joined Team Noozhawk’s Ray Ford and Peter Hartmann in sharing their stunning rainbow and storm photos with us.

2. Bill Macfadyen: Highway 101 Collision in Montecito Takes a Tragic, Deadly Turn

There’s not much new to report about the Aug. 13 suspected DUI collision on Highway 101 in Montecito that killed 77-year-old Louis Hernandez Jr. of Santa Paula.

You’ll recall from last week’s Best of Bill column that Hernandez was ejected from the SUV in which he was riding when the vehicle was struck by an allegedly impaired driver around 3 a.m. He was declared dead at the scene.

Hernandez’s heartbroken family has since opened a GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses.

His eldest daughter, JoAnn Hernandez, said her dad, a construction worker and 47-year member of Laborers Local 585 in Ventura, found himself a young, single parent of seven children at the age of 26 and never remarried.

“He was an advocate to family and friend that fathers take responsibility and custody of their children,” she recalled.

As of Aug. 25, the account had raised $2,125. Click here to make an online donation.

The SUV driver — 67-year-old Virginia Montelongo of Santa Paula — suffered moderate injuries, as did the three women in the other car.

The other driver, 22-year-old Ricki Newton of Port Huenene, was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the circumstances of the wreck.

3. 5.1 Earthquake Near Ojai Gives Santa Barbara a Jolt

While we nervously awaited tropical storm Hilary’s arrival in Santa Barbara County, before we realized she was a no-show, a magnitude-5.1 earthquake rolled through to add to the drama.

As our Giana Magnoli reported, the quake struck at 2:41 p.m., and was centered four miles southeast of Ojai near Sulphur Mountain, about 35 miles east of Santa Barbara.

There were no reports of injuries, but Ventura County authorities discovered minor damage to four buildings in Ojai and the bell tower at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula.

By midnight, nearly 50 aftershocks had been recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey, including several in the range of magnitude-3.2 to 3.9.

4. Santa Maria Planning Commission Approves Betteravia Gas Station, Restaurant, Car Wash Project

A supersized gas station, convenience store, café and car wash won unanimous approval from the Santa Maria Planning Commission on Aug. 16, the latest addition at Betteravia Plaza in southwest Santa Maria.

As our Janene Scully reported, the development includes a 10-pump Chevron gas station, a 6,100-square-foot Chevron ExtraMile convenience store with an upstairs office and storage area, a car wash and a quick-serve, drive-through restaurant.

The project is located on a nearly three-acre site on the northwest corner of West Betteravia Road and Walker Avenue, to the east of Santa Maria police headquarters at 1111 W. Betteravia Road. A 443-apartment complex was approved for the Betteravia Plaza site last year.

Before voting, the planning commissioners asked pointed questions about traffic circulation in the area, drive-through lane backups and noise from the car wash.

City planner Carol Ziesenhenne mentioned Dairy Queen, Del Taco and Panda Express as potential tenants.

“I think it will be a good asset to that stretch of Betteravia as you’re heading out of town …,” commissioner Tom Lopez said, before adding to laughter, “to The Hitching Post” in Casmalia.

The commission approved the project on a 4-0 vote, with commissioner Yasameen Mohajer abstaining.

5. CHP Determines Cause of Fatal Highway 154 2-Vehicle Crash

A Florida man was killed and five members of an Oxnard family were badly injured in a head-on collision on Highway 154 near Santa Barbara in the early morning hours of Aug. 19.

As our Giana Magnoli and Janene Scully reported, the California Highway Patrol said the two-vehicle wreck occurred just before 1:30 a.m. near San Antonio Creek Road, about 1½ miles north of Cathedral Oaks Road.

CHP Officer Michael Fabila said the driver of a Nissan Altima sedan crossed the double-yellow lines and slammed into an oncoming Infiniti QX60 SUV.

The Nissan driver — identified as 22-year-old Robert Michaelius Brown of South Jacksonville, Florida — suffered fatal injuries and was declared dead at the scene, Fabila said.

He said the Infiniti driver was critically injured while the other four passengers in the SUV had less severe injuries.

All five — 57-year-old Maria Estella Suarez Jimenez, 69-year-old Rosa Marie Suarez, 61-year-old Ofelia Vargas Suarez, 75-year-old Maria Suarez Garibay and 53-year-old Jaime Jimenez Suarez, all of Oxnard — were transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment.

A GoFundMe account has been established to help the Suarezes with medical expenses. Click here to make an online donation.

Fabila said the collision circumstances are under investigation, and that it was not yet known whether alcohol or drugs were factors.

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Good Reads

These six stories are also well worth your time:

» Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Receives Largest-Ever Donation of $50 Million — Managing editor Giana Magnoli sits down with Cottage Health president and CEO Ron Werft to find out how the hospital will use a record $50 million gift from Mary and Richard Compton.

» State Street Hotel Proposal Rebuffed by Santa Barbara Planning Commission Pushing for Housing — Staff writer Josh Molina shines a spotlight on the Santa Barbara Planning Commission’s new housing activism. I’m not sure it’s an appropriate role for the commission but nature abhors a vacuum, and the City of Santa Barbara certainly has a leadership vacuum. Speaking of which, will anyone notice when City Administrator Rebecca Bjork retires?

» 4 People Injured in Santa Maria House Explosion Near Marian Regional Medical Center — Giana reports on a frightening explosion in a quiet Santa Maria neighborhood that injured four people but, miraculously, killed no one.

» Joshua Molina: Saying Goodbye to UC Berkeley-Bound Son Hurts, But Also a Reminder of What Fatherhood Means — If you’ve ever sent a child off to college, you can relate to Josh’s dizzying range of emotions as he experiences it for the first time.

» Ray Ford: Jesusita Trail Easement Issues Cloud Restoration Efforts — The Jesusita Trail is one of Santa Barbara County’s most beloved, but trouble may be lurking around the bend. Outdoors columnist Ray Ford hikes up for a closer look.

» Mark Patton: Tim Vom Steeg Gives Gauchos Real Staying Power in College Soccer — Has anyone had more of an impact on soccer locally than UC Santa Barbara coach Tim Vom Steeg? Sports columnist Mark Patton ventures onto the pitch with him.

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Last Year on Noozhawk

What was our most-read story this time last year? Future of Downtown Santa Barbara’s Paseo Nuevo in Question.

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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week

Details of a dying star delivered: James Webb Space Telescope Offers Mesmerizing Look at Ring Nebula.

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Here’s What I’m Up To

• Aug. 31 — I’ll be speaking to Dan Lane’s “News, Politics & Democracy” class at UCSB. We’ll be discussing Noozhawk’s origins, evolution and future, as well as journalism’s overall role in our country and culture.

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Best of Bill’s Instagram

My Instagram feed was all over the map this past week, from the Adirondack Mountains to Montecito.

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Have You Forgotten?

Aug. 26, 2021.

U.S. Marines

» Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas

» Sgt. Nicole Gee, 23, of Sacramento

» Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City

» Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio

» Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming

» Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga

» Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, of Norco

» Cpl. Daegan Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska

» Sgt. Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts

» Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana

» Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri

U.S. Army

» Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee

U.S. Navy

» Corpsman Max Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio

Rest in peace.

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Watch It

Who hasn’t wanted to build a backyard amusement park? HT to Best of Bill reader Andy Ramos, who says his kids are on board but his wife is not yet convinced. Good luck with that.