It looks like we’ll be getting a break in our squally weather for a while, although I’d welcome some global warming right about now. I feel like I’ve been cold for six months.
Noozhawk’s traffic sure has been sizzling, thanks to our stock-in-trade drama and inconvenience. This week’s run of news even introduced some twists to mix things up.
According to our Google Analytics, we had an audience of 108,803 readers over the past seven days.
What follows is my weekly recap of the Top 5 stories you were reading over that period.
Just to be clear, this is my opinion column and not a news story. And I’m Noozhawk’s publisher, not a reporter.
1. Snow Lures Visitors Despite Closure of Los Padres National Forest
The rare sight of snow on the Santa Ynez Mountains on Feb. 25 was enough to send curious and excited locals streaming up to San Marcos Pass.
Once there, they found plenty of the white stuff but also quite a bit of red — from the brake lights in front of them as they crawled along East Camino Cielo.
I had the same idea when I woke up that morning, but then thought to myself, “What if I get up there and find myself stuck in a traffic jam for seven hours?”
So I rolled over and went back to sleep.
Our Ray Ford had more of a sense of adventure than I did, and he duly ventured up to be part of the crowd. He got some great photos for our Janene Scully’s report, which was supplemented by pictures submitted by Noozhawk readers.
Although every square inch of Los Padres National Forest’s 3,000 square miles is still closed to the public as a result of the deluge back on Jan. 9, the public was not to be denied.
Authorities had warned that people defying the closure could be cited for doing so, but officials wisely kept a mostly low profile.
As congested as things were at the top of the mountain, things were even worse at the bottom.
Ice and snow forced the closure of Interstate 5 over the Grapevine on the Tejon Pass north of Los Angeles. Most of that traffic — including thousands of tractor-trailers — were diverted to Highways 101 and 166, which resulted in an hours-long crawl throughout Santa Barbara County.
2. Highway 101 Traffic Halted in Santa Barbara After Tree Falls Across Lanes
March sure rolled in like a lion, blowing down trees throughout Santa Barbara County.
One of those trees, a towering eucalyptus, toppled over onto Highway 101 near Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara about 9:15 a.m. March 1.
The tree blocked all three of the northbound lanes just north of the Las Positas Road entrance ramp.
As our Tom Bolton reported, no one was injured in the incident and no vehicles were damaged.
The California Highway Patrol said the traffic backup stretched for miles, and lasted for hours.
Our Kim Clark was on Calle Real on her way to Noozhawk World HQ when she watched the tree fall in front of her. She said some drivers were even making U-turns to get off the freeway.
Santa Barbara firefighters and Caltrans personnel cut up the tree and used a skip loader to clear the debris.
3. Powerful Storm Soaks County, Brings Fallen Trees, Closed Roads, Rare Tornado Warning
Santa Barbara County’s wild winter continued Feb. 24 when it was walloped by another powerful storm.
As our Serena Guentz and Janene Scully reported, the day was marked by heavy rain, strong winds, fallen trees, road closures, diverted and delayed flights at the Santa Barbara Airport, and even a tornado warning.
Snow also was reported to be falling in the mountains but the heavy, low cloud cover prevented anyone from seeing it. Until the next morning, as noted above.
4. BizHawk: Five Points Shopping Center Getting Mattress Firm Takeover
Santa Barbara’s once-sleepy Outer State Street is firmly embedding itself as the new shopping center of town, which is good news for locals dreaming of a cleaner, safer, more plentiful free parking option than whatever is up with downtown.
Our Josh Molina reported on a lot of comings and goings in last week’s BizHawk column, starting with the imminent arrival of Mattress Firm at Five Points Shopping Center at 3943 State St.
According to Hayes Commercial Group, the Houston-based company is setting up shop in the two spaces formerly home to La Salsa and Saigon restaurants.
Also moving in is Little Alex’s, the former mainstay of Montecito with the magic soup, which will soon occupy the site vacated by Fresco Café when the restaurant departed for 23 E. Canon Perdido.
Mattress Firm is not the only mattress company bunking down in the neighborhood. Mattress Mike’s took over part of the old Sears building in nearby La Cumbre Plaza.
In other notable news:
- Channel City Lumber will be opening a 6,000-square-foot hardware store at 3888 State St.
- Lama Dog Tap Room + Bottle Shop is taking over the La Rumba Bar & Grill location at 3435 State St.
- Restoration Hardware is ditching downtown for Montecito’s landmark Old Firehouse at 1486 East Valley Road, where there is less vagrancy and open drug use.
5. Goleta Council Castigates Santa Barbara County over Plan to Rezone Ag Lands for Housing
The Goleta City Council, frustrated by Santa Barbara County’s proposed rezones to comply with state housing mandates, is telling the Board of Supervisors to pound ag.
As our Josh Molina has been reporting, about two-thirds of the 4,500 potential housing units that Sacramento has decided the South Coast must build, have ended up in and around Goleta city limits.
In many cases, it’s because the land is currently being used for agriculture or is largely open.
Goleta says that’s not fair, and that other places — namely unincorporated Hope Ranch and Montecito — should see some multifamily development, too.
On a 5-0 vote taken Feb. 27, the council authorized a refreshingly direct letter to the supervisors.
“Should rezones be required, new sites in more affluent, white, and larger-lot/underutilized sites in Montecito and Hope Ranch, for example, will expand housing equity opportunities and protect the disadvantaged community located in Old Town,” the letter states.
I’ve got to give the council credit for not just huffing and bluffing, but leading with its face cards. It’ll be interesting to see if division can solve a math problem.
“The county’s approach acts like an exclusionary housing policy, benefiting wealthy and well-connected areas,” City Councilman James Kyriaco said. “No sites are proposed in Montecito, Summerland or Hope Ranch.
“Meanwhile, the Goleta planning area is expected to accommodate 89% of the total rezones.”
Among other complaints, Goleta wants the county to rezone agricultural land as a last resort rather than starting, apparently, with sites that property owners already want to develop. The City Council would be wise to keep that incentive part in mind.
Two of those locations are Glen Annie Golf Club at 405 Glen Annie Road, across Cathedral Oaks Road from Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, and two San Marcos Growers parcels on the north side of Hollister Avenue west of Turnpike Road in Noleta.
Like most Californians, Noozhawk readers are keenly interested in the state’s housing crisis. And, of course, Sacramento’s top-down, one-size-fits-all solution has already unearthed a slew of unintended consequences — like the position Goleta is staking out.
Josh and managing editor Giana Magnoli have been digging deeper into the issue, and you can expect our coverage to continue.
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Good Reads
Check out these six stories before you go:
» 4 Santa Barbara Men Plead Not Guilty in Stearns Wharf Murder Case — It’s crystal-clear to everyone but Santa Barbara city officials that said officials hope the tourist murder story will just go away. Managing editor Giana Magnoli explains why it won’t.
» Feds Give OK for Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant to Operate Past 2025 — So I’m not the only one who thinks California needs an actual reliable source of electricity? Executive editor Tom Bolton plugs in the details.
» SpaceX Rocket Launch Attempt at Vandenberg Now Shooting for Friday — North County editor Janene Scully has been tracking a week’s worth of delays for the latest SpaceX rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. By the time you read this, you may have heard it blast off.
» Santa Barbara Nonprofit Delivers Vital Telehealth Care to Front Lines in War-Torn Ukraine — Contributing writer Karin Hill outlines the telehealth connection between the Santa Barbara-based World Telehealth Initiative and desperate doctors in Ukraine.
» Hope Village Plan in Santa Maria for Homeless Residents Gains Approval of County Board of Supervisors — Janene checks in on a temporary supportive housing project to help the homeless in Santa Maria.
» Rob Raede: Consistency Key to Bouchon’s Quarter-Century Success — My friend, Rob Raede, has been writing a new restaurant column, Let’s Go Eat. His latest feature is on one of my favorites, Bouchon.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Vehicle Engulfed by Flames Along Highway 101 in Santa Barbara.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
Talk about seeing the big picture: The World’s Largest Photo Returns Home to California.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
Branch manager @sadiethealaskanmalamute logs an appearance in my Instagram feed, which also includes snow on Montecito Peak and a #bestofbillrecommendation for @localmontecito’s delish fish and chips in hot Nashville oil.
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Watch It
Recognize anyone in this relationship?
