Happy Valentine’s Day!
I’m excited to announce Noozhawk’s new Senior Life section, a guide for “living well and aging wisely.”
I don’t know why we didn’t pursue this idea before but — and I’m not naming names — a few of us at Noozhawk are reaching Senior Life-adjacent so maybe we’re just more cognizant of our own milestones.
But this is not a pity party or zoo exhibit. Whether you’re retiring, relocating or choosing to age in place, Santa Barbara County seniors have no shortage of options for making the most of your golden years.
From luxury continuing care communities nestled in the foothills to innovative aging-in-place programs that help older adults maintain independence at home, the Central Coast offers diverse choices to match different lifestyles and needs.
As with our other special sections, we’ll be adding content and updating information throughout the year.
And if you, or your favorite Senior Life-centric facility, organization or service are not listed or advertising, please contact sales manager Sheridan Taphorn at staphorn@noozhawk.com for more information.
Not just driven by the rain, meanwhile, a deluge of 162,785 readers swamped Noozhawk this past week, according to our WordPress analytics.
What follows is my own take on the Top 5 stories you were reading during the period, as tracked by our Google Analytics.
Just don’t forget that this is my opinion column, not a news story. Thank you for reading on.
1. What to Expect in This Week’s Rain Storm
Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms prompted multiple weather alerts across Santa Barbara County on Feb. 13, with parts of the South Coast and Santa Ynez Mountain areas recording rainfall rates of up to an inch an hour.
The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory through 8 p.m. countywide, along with warnings for possible thunderstorms and hail.
Our Rebecca Caraway and Daniel Green teamed up on storm coverage this week, with Rebecca leading off with a comprehensive account of when to expect the latest “atmospheric river” to hit the county and what might happen when it did.
The forecast wasn’t that far off.
By 3 p.m. Feb. 13, San Marcos Pass above Santa Barbara had recorded 4.9 inches of rain in the previous 24 hours, while Santa Barbara received 2.7 inches, Solvang 1.9 inches, Goleta 1.8 inches, Lompoc 1.7 inches and Santa Maria 1.1 inches.
The storm was expected to begin moving out around 6 p.m., with a 20%-30% chance of thunderstorms, according to weather service meteorologist Devin Black.
By 10 a.m. Feb. 14, it should be gone for good.
County officials issued evacuation warnings for Santa Ynez Valley residents in the Lake Fire burn area due to concerns about potential debris flows and mudslides.
Additional alerts warned of high surf with waves up to 8 feet on Feb. 13 and possibly reaching 12 feet on Feb. 14, along with flooding risks in low-lying areas.
The weather is expected to clear up going into the weekend with daytime temperatures in the mid-60s.
2. Santa Barbara Housing Authority to Build 48 Low-Income Apartments
The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara broke ground Feb. 7 on a 48-unit affordable housing development aimed at helping low-income families secure stable housing.
As our Josh Molina reported, the $51.5 million — that’s right, $51.5 million — Bella Vista apartments project at 220 N. La Cumbre Road will offer below-market-rate units for residents making less than 60% of Santa Barbara’s $110,000 median income.
Tenants will use Section 8 vouchers to rent the mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, which will range from 627 to 1,050 square feet.
“This will help to fulfill a great and growing need in Santa Barbara for affordable family housing and will help us uplift these families out of poverty,” said Rob Fredericks, the Housing Authority’s executive director and CEO, and a self-proclaimed “devout poverty abolitionist.”
“When the development is complete, it will be something we all cherish,” he added.
The Housing Authority purchased the 1.3-acre property, a block north of State Street, in 2019 for $5.9 million. Construction costs are estimated at $38 million, with additional developer fees of $2.5 million and “soft” costs of $4.83 million — whatever that means.
Now, I’m but a simple journalist, but does this math add up?!
While I’m all for assisting those in our community who so desperately need housing, am I the only one thinking it insane to pay more than $1 million per unit of “affordable” housing?
Not making it any easier to swallow, the project is funded through federal tax credits and a $5 million contribution from the City of Santa Barbara.
3. Orcutt Woman, 83, Charged in Fatal Crash with Teen Motorcyclist
An 83-year-old Orcutt woman is facing misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charges in connection with an October collision that killed a teenage motorcyclist in Santa Maria.
As our Janene Scully reported, Lana Olivia Knor was charged in Santa Barbara County Superior Court for the crash that claimed the life of 18-year-old Mason Rohwedder, a popular former Orcutt Academy High School baseball player.
The Oct. 24 collision occurred when Knor allegedly failed to yield while making a left turn at College Drive and Bradley Road, in front of Santa Maria Fire Station 4, at 2673 S. College Drive.
According to Santa Maria police, Rohwedder was riding northbound on College Drive when Knor turned into his path.
He was rushed to Marian Regional Medical Center with major injuries, but did not survive.
Rohwedder, a recent Orcutt Academy graduate and former catcher with the Santa Maria Indians summer ball team, was attending Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo at the time of his death and had started the process of enlisting in the U.S. Army.
Days after the crash, family and friends gathered at Elks Field, his home away from home, to remember him.
Knor is scheduled for arraignment Feb. 20 at the Santa Maria Courthouse complex.
4. BizHawk: Santa Barbara’s State Street Loses 2 Retail Stores
Two iconic surf-wear retailers, Billabong and Volcom, are closing their downtown Santa Barbara locations this month amid parent company Liberated Brands’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
As our Josh Molina reported, the stores — located at 631 and 625 State St., respectively — are holding liquidation sales with discounts up to 40%.
The closures are part of a larger shutdown of 120 retail stores nationwide, including Quiksilver outlets, that will affect approximately 1,400 employees.
Liberated Brands blamed economic volatility, changing consumer habits and rising costs of living for the closures. CEO Todd Hymel cited competition from fast-fashion retailers as a key factor in the company’s struggles.
The closures come as retail leasing on State Street faces continued challenges. According to Radius Commercial Real Estate’s fourth-quarter report for 2024, only eight new retail leases were signed, with larger retail spaces particularly difficult to fill.
5. Noozhawk Seeks Passengers Whose Flights Were Diverted from Santa Barbara Airport
Our Tom Bolton is working on a story on airline flight diversions from the Santa Barbara Airport and he needs your help. Email him at tbolton@noozhawk.com if you’re willing to be interviewed .
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Good Reads
Check out these six stories before you go:
» Cliff Maurer Exiting as Public Works Director for City of Santa Barbara — South County editor Josh Molina breaks the story of a shakeup at the Santa Barbara Public Works Department. Now we wait for the real story.
» Ambulance Rates Rise 35% in Santa Barbara County’s New American Medical Response Contract — We thought executive editor Giana Magnoli might have been nearing the end of her time writing about Santa Barbara County’s ambulance contract saga. We were wrong.
» SpaceX Rocket Delivers Twilight Show After Liftoff From Vandenberg Space Force Base — North County editor Janene Scully launches the latest SpaceX rocket story, with the help of spectacular photos from Noozhawk readers Frank DiMarco, Ryan Doordan, Bob Gnibus, Peter Hartmann and Karl Sonkin.
» Board of Supervisors Approves Creating Wine District — Staff writer Daniel Green uncorks a report on Santa Barbara County wineries finally getting organized with their marketing.
» Woman Eludes Capture After Robbing Eastside Santa Barbara Bank — Editor in chief Tom Bolton sounds the alarm on an apparently successful bank heist. Speaking of which, is this the most-robbed bank in Santa Barbara County? Asking for a friend.
» Boys Basketball CIF Playoffs: Santa Barbara, Cate Advance to Second Round — Sports editor Diego Sandoval takes the opening shot at the first round of CIF playoffs, but boys basketball isn’t the only post-season play he’s got covered.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Fed Up with Regulations, Miller Family Wine Co. Moving Operations Out of 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.
- March 31 — The Santa Barbara Yacht Club invited me to talk about the state of news media — and Noozhawk — at its Monday Forum.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
Smart way to read the room: Artificial Intelligence Is Decoding Oxford’s Mysterious Herculaneum Scroll.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
I gotta go with @thesantabarbaraclub, #myhomeawayfromhome, in my Instagram feed this past week.
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Watch It
This is oddly relaxing. And freezing.
