High school sports are back in Santa Barbara County and, for the ninth year, Noozhawk is proud to partner with the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table to highlight every touchdown, goal, run and basket.
Among the many ways the venerable SBART supports local student athletes is through its annual Hall of Fame ceremony, which on Sept. 16 will usher in the 56th class of athletes, coaches and heroes.
Noozhawk sports editor Diego Sandoval has begun sharing the stories of this year’s inductees, with features on Russ Hafferkamp and Sari Small so far.
I’m especially grateful that my friend, the late Dave Loveton, is among the honorees. Dave and I worked together for decades at the local newspaper, and he was instrumental in helping now-retired sports editor Barry Punzal establish Noozhawk as the powerhouse of local sports.
Look for Diego’s lineup of stars over the next couple of weeks, and click here to purchase tickets to attend the event at the Cabrillo Pavilion.
If you would like to help Noozhawk continue to expand our sports coverage, I would ask you to please join our Hawks Club with a financial contribution.
Any amount goes a long way. Thank you for your support.
Noozhawk had an audience of 176,792 readers over the past week, according to our WordPress analytics.
What follows is my own take on the Top 5 stories you were reading during that period.
Please note that this is my opinion column, which I write in my civic capacity as Noozhawk’s publisher. It is not a news story, and I am not a reporter.
1. Bidens May Be Headed to Santa Ynez Valley to Vacation This Week
Several days after rumors began swirling around Santa Barbara County, President Joe Biden and his family arrived for a vacation at a Santa Ynez Valley estate owned by one of his biggest donors.
Our Janene Scully was assigned the Biden beat and, in her Aug. 18 story, noted that all signs pointed to the Kiani Preserve near Los Olivos as his latest vacation destination.
The $37 million, 8,000-acre vineyard and ranch is owned by billionaire Joe Kiani, CEO of Masimo, an Irvine-based medical technology company.
A major Democratic Party donor, Kiani is a longtime supporter of Biden’s political campaigns and family foundation. In 2021, Biden appointed him to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
In the wee hours of Aug. 20, Biden flew into the Santa Barbara Airport aboard Air Force One, arriving around 2:20 a.m.
Janene and our Giana Magnoli reported that he and his entourage were then whisked up to the valley in a caravan of Chevy Suburbans, arriving at, yes, the Kiani estate sometime after 3 a.m.
Late the night before, Biden gave his swan song speech on the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
The speech capped a remarkable 53 days for the 81-year-old Biden, who as recently as a month ago was expecting to be renominated at the convention and repeatedly asserted that he would be.
But after a disastrous June 27 debate performance for the ages and following the mid-July Republican National Convention at which former President Donald Trump was himself renominated for a rematch of the 2020 election, Biden abruptly dropped out.
Democratic Party leaders quickly rallied around Vice President Kamala Harris and, with Biden figuratively put out to pasture in the Santa Ynez Valley, she officially accepted the nomination on Aug. 22.
But that’s east of here. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, many valley residents — but by no means all — are on the lookout for any Biden viewings.
Although Biden himself has remained elusively out of sight, Janene reported Aug. 22 that his wife, Jill, and a handful of family members made an excursion to Solvang.
Among the stops were The Book Loft, the Solvang Farmers Market and Santa Ynez General.
Shelby Sim, president and CEO of Visit the Santa Ynez Valley, called Biden’s visit “a great boost to our economy.”
“Most of our hotels are full with support staff, and they are doing a lot of takeout,” he said. “It’s also been great recognition and exposure for the Santa Ynez Valley worldwide.”
Biden is expected to depart Aug. 25.
The White House has declined to disclose whether Biden is renting the Kiani property or whether it will be reported as a gift.
2. Karim Kaderali, Formerly of Santa Barbara, 1975-2024
Karim Kaderali, founder of the former Santa Barbara Axxess discount membership program and a popular and once-ubiquitous community figure, died unexpectedly earlier this month.
He was just 49.
According to his obituary, the married father of two died Aug. 5 from bacterial meningitis in Costa Rica, where he had moved his family during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Known for his infectious smile, generous spirit and visionary entrepreneurialism, Kaderali was a champion for small businesses and philanthropy, raising nearly $4 million for local schools and nonprofit organizations through sales of the Axxess book.
A UC Santa Barbara graduate, Kaderali grew Axxess from a startup to a thriving business supporting 1,500 merchants and 75,000 members.
He also played a key role in expanding his family’s company, Mommy’s Bliss, which was started by his mom and is now run by his sister.
After relocating to Costa Rica, Kaderali fully embraced the “pura vida” lifestyle and, in 2023, Axxess was acquired by Twism, a Santa Barbara all-in-one loyalty marketing program.
He is survived by his heartbroken wife, Monica, and their children, Devin and Sierra. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Karim and I were friendly competitors over the years, and he was unfailingly gracious, kind and ever the optimist.
Rest in peace, my friend.
3. Injured Driver Flees on Skateboard After Crash on Riviera in Santa Barbara
A Mercedes-Benz driver crashed on the Riviera in Santa Barbara the morning of Aug. 18, resulting in a bizarre hit-and-run incident.
As our Janene Scully reported, emergency responders were called to the 800 block of Alameda Padre Serra near Loma Media Road about 8:30 a.m.
A witness told Noozhawk that the driver apparently lost control and his sedan crossed into the opposing lane, sheared off a fire hydrant, struck a parked car and plunged off the road, ending up on its side 30 feet down a private driveway.
The driver, reportedly injured, managed to escape the wreckage and fled the scene … on a skateboard.
No one else was injured in the crash, which is being investigated by Santa Barbara police.
Additional details were not available.
4. Firefighters Respond to Blaze Sparked by ‘Hope Ranch Volcano’
The “Hope Ranch Volcano,” a unique geological phenomenon near Santa Barbara, flared up again Aug. 18, igniting a small brush fire and sending black smoke billowing into the sky.
As our Janene Scully reported, Santa Barbara County firefighters were dispatched around 12:35 p.m. to the 4200 block of Marina Drive, just west of Santa Barbara, where a small fire was burning in a plastic drainage pipe and surrounding vegetation on a bluff above the beach.
No structures were threatened and no injuries were reported.
Fire Capt. Scott Safechuck noted that the recurring flare-ups are caused by oil shale in sedimentary rocks heating up and spontaneously combusting when exposed to oxygen, not by actual volcanic activity.
The bluffs — between Arroyo Burro and Hope Ranch beaches — periodically ignite, sometimes requiring firefighter intervention to ensure safety.
5. Moody Sister Cottages Demolition, Renovations Stir Up Frustration in Montecito
Moody Sisters cottages are locally famous in Montecito and beloved for their fairy tale-inspired charm. Understandably, Montecitans are very protective and proud of these relatively rare structures.
As our Daniel Green reported, two of the cottages — one debased and the other demolished — are at the center of heated disputes, highlighting the struggle to balance preservation with property rights.
In the most egregious case, Santa Barbara County has sued homeowners Laurie and Charles Corson for razing a landmark-designated Moody cottage at 170 Middle Road.
The county alleges that the couple destroyed the structure without proper permits, violating California Coastal Zone regulations and landmark protections.
According to the civil suit, Laurie Corson drove the bulldozer herself.
The cottage “was deemed a contribution to the county’s architectural history and declared a landmark for the edification of future generations,” attorneys wrote in the complaint.
County administrators declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation.
“We’re not malicious homeowners; we’re actually looking out for the neighborhood,” Laurie Corson said, claiming the cottage was in severe disrepair and a fire hazard.
The Board of Supervisors had designated the cottage as a landmark in 2014 with the approval of the previous owners.
The Corsons bought the property later that year and, according to the county suit, they were aware of and did not challenge its landmark status.
“The actions of the board demonstrate that we expect laws on historic preservation to be respected for the benefit of the community,” First District Supervisor Das Williams told Daniel.
Meanwhile, at 539 Periwinkle Lane, off East Valley Road east of San Ysidro Road, a Moody cottage renovation is mired in a controversy that has been going on for nearly 1½ years.
The owner — contractor and real estate agent Richard Scibird — has faced backlash from neighbors after installing a black metallic roof and altering the home’s color, ditching the traditional Moody style for a knockoff modern farmhouse look.
After months of reviews by various committees and dogged appeals from a neighbor, Scibird has agreed to revert to a more traditional shingle roof and neutral color palette.
The Montecito Board of Architectural Review recently granted final approval for the modifications.
The four Moody Sisters were known for their whimsical, English cottage-style homes that they built in the 1930s and ’40s. In all, they created three dozen such homes in Montecito and Santa Barbara.
Harriet Moody, the eldest sister, led the family property development team, with each sister contributing her skills in design and engineering, planning, interior design, real estate and even finance.
Although most of the cottages are tucked away down obscure, winding lanes, Coastal Properties has converted one into its real estate office at 1086 Coast Village Road.
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Good Reads
Here are six more stories worth your time:
» Santa Barbara Wants More Affordable Housing in La Cumbre Plaza Project — South County editor Josh Molina has the City of Santa Barbara’s shopping list for a housing development project proposed for La Cumbre Plaza.
» L.A. Developer Proposes 255-Unit, 8-Story Apartment Project Next to Santa Barbara Mission — I’ll believe the project when I see it, but Josh is following a multistory proposal that will bring a ginormous change to Santa Barbara’s Upper Eastside.
» AirTag Leads Deputies to Pair of Los Alamos Mail Theft Suspects — North County editor Janene Scully delivers a first-class account of one woman’s clever victory over alleged mail thieves.
» Revamped Schools, Classrooms Greet Goleta Elementary Students — Staff writer Daniel Green goes back to school — for a back-to-school feature, not a second diploma.
» Santa Barbara’s Seaside Band Shell is Back — Contributing writer Sydnie Bierma says we may soon hear the sound of music again at Plaza del Mar.
» SBART Hall of Fame: Russ Hafferkamp Made a Splash in Santa Barbara — Sports editor Diego Sandoval begins sharing the stories of this year’s Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Hall of Fame inductees.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Hurricane Bringing Flood Watch, Possible Heavy Rain to Santa Barbara County.
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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.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
Anyone dreaming of a white August? California’s First Snow of Season Coming to Sierra Nevada from Rare August Storm.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
My Instagram feed has been on a mission this past week, specifically @oldmissionsb.
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Watch It
Here’s to a Jaws-dropping rescue.
