Many thanks to the several hundred Noozhawk readers who participated in our annual Hawks Club spring fundraising drive. Your generosity over the last seven days helped us surpass the $10,000 we needed to hit our campaign goal.
Although I can’t share the details yet, we’ll have a couple of exciting announcements early next month, including an additional reporter to complement mainstay North County editor Janene Scully and a new civic engagement opportunity.
It’s never too late to help. Reader support is what allows us to keep our reporting free and available to everyone, 24/7.
Thank you for your contribution, at any amount. No matter the size, it makes a huge difference for us.
According to our WordPress analytics, Noozhawk drew an audience of 154,217 readers this past week.
What follows is my own take on the Top 5 stories you were reading over that seven-day stretch, as tracked by our Google analytics.
Just don’t forget that this is my opinion column, not a news story.
1. 5 Killed in Santa Maria Crash Were Teens; 24-Year-Old Remains Hospitalized
A shockingly violent crash that tore a car in half and claimed the lives of five teenagers has left Santa Maria reeling, with community leaders, schools and grieving families struggling to comprehend the sudden loss of lives filled with promise.
As our Janene Scully and Evelyn Spence reported, the victims — who ranged in age from 16 to 19 — died after the sedan in which they were riding slammed into a traffic signal pole at 1:40 a.m. June 7.
The horrific wreck occurred at the intersection of South Broadway/Highway 135 and South Miller Street, north of Waller Park.
Santa Maria police identified the dead teens as 19-year-old Jennifer “Jenny” Gutierrez, 17-year-old Yusbeli “Ava” Díaz and Nicolas Muñoz-Gautreaux, and 16-year-old Guendi Beatrice Gamez Escalante and Isabella Starr “Bella” Vigil.
The lone survivor, 24-year-old Aurelio Calixtro Matias, remains hospitalized at Marian Regional Medical Center with critical injuries.
Police have not determined who was driving, and no arrests have been made.
Investigators say alcohol may have been a factor and are also examining reports that the car’s driver was speeding before impact, which certainly fits with the severity of the wreckage.
“This collision is a devastating tragedy that has deeply impacted the families of those involved and the Santa Maria community as a whole,” SMPD said in a June 9 statement.
“The loss of so many young lives is difficult to comprehend, and our hearts go out to the victims’ families, friends, classmates, loved ones, and all those affected by this heartbreaking event.”
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District spokesman Kenny Klein said two of the victims were students at Pioneer Valley and Santa Maria high schools, and a third was a former Pioneer Valley student who was enrolled in the Delta High School program.
The Lompoc Unified School District confirmed that Muñoz-Gautreaux, a Lompoc Valley resident, was a student at Maple Continuation High School in Lompoc.
Verified GoFundMe accounts were established to assist the families of the five teenagers.
Ava Díaz’s family said she was rushed by ambulance to Marian Regional Medical Center, where “she fought courageously until the very end.”
“Despite the efforts of her medical team and the prayers of those who loved her, she sadly passed away …,” the family said in a GoFundMe post.
“Ava was a beautiful, loving, and kind-hearted young woman. She cherished her family and friends and had a special way of bringing joy to everyone around her.”
As of June 12, Díaz’s GoFundMe campaign had raised nearly $3,700. Click here to make an online donation.
A cousin of Guendi Escalante said her death has “left our family heartbroken, especially her mother, who is now facing this unimaginable pain alone.”
“Her grief is overwhelming,” she said.
As of June 12, Escalante’s GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $5,200. Click here to make an online donation.
Jenny Gutierrez, who was weeks away from her 20th birthday, was described by her sister, Daniela Silva, as a “sweet girl … full of happiness.”
“She was there for everyone,” Silva posted. “She had the silliest laugh, biggest smiles and gave the best hugs.”
A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. June 12 at Iglesia de Jesucristo de las Américas, 1104 W. Fesler St. in Santa Maria. Burial will follow at the Santa Maria Cemetery, South Lawn, 1651 S. College Drive.
As of June 12, Gutierrez’s GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $11,000. Click here to make an online donation.
A family friend started a GoFundMe campaign for the family of Nicolas Muñoz-Gautreaux.
“There are no words for this kind of heartbreak,” she wrote. “No mother should ever have to say goodbye to her child.”
As of June 12, Muñoz-Gautreaux’s GoFundMe campaign had raised nearly $12,700. Click here to make an online donation.
Bella Vigil’s family described her as “a bright, beautiful soul who brought joy, laughter and love to everyone who knew her. She had a kind heart, a beautiful smile, and a future full of hopes and dreams.”
Visitation is scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m. June 25 at Magner-Maloney Funeral Home, 600 E. Stowell Road in Santa Maria, with funeral services held there at 10 a.m. June 26.
Interment will follow at the Santa Maria Cemetery, South Lawn.
As of June 12, Vigil’s GoFundMe campaign had raised just under $14,000. Click here to make an online donation.
Santa Maria police continue to seek witnesses to the crash and circumstances leading up to it. Anyone with information should contact investigators at 805.928.3781 x1139.
2. Santa Barbara Church Built in 1925 Gets Second Life as Hotel
A century-old Santa Barbara church has found new life as a boutique hotel, blending historic architecture with modern technology and amenities.
As our Rebecca Caraway reported, Casa Iglesia opened last month as a 37-unit hotel at 1915 Chapala St. between West Pedregosa and West Mission streets.
The hotel underwent an extensive renovation that transformed the former First Christian Church of Santa Barbara into a contactless, high-tech lodging destination while preserving many of its defining features.
Owner and developer Arvand Sabetian said converting the building into housing would have required sacrificing the architectural elements that made it unique, so a hotel was the better fit.
The redesign retained the exterior, added guest accommodations within the former sanctuary and attic spaces, and created an open-air atrium by removing part of the roof.
Designed with Spanish and Moroccan influences, the pet-friendly hotel features studios, one- and two-bedroom units with kitchens or kitchenettes, smart technology, solar-powered energy systems, and imported 150-year-old olive trees.
The church, built in 1925, was purchased in 2023 and renovated over the past two years.
3. 3 Charged in Connection with Fatal Shooting of Santa Barbara Man at Bohnett Park
In last week’s Best of Bill column, I shared that three people had been arrested in the Feb. 20 killing of 29-year-old Luis “Louie” Terrazas at Bohnett Park on Santa Barbara’s Westside.
As our Evelyn Spence reported, that trio has now been charged in the suspected gang shooting.
On June 8, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office filed murder and attempted murder charges against 19-year-old Jorge Hurtado of Camarillo, along with gang and firearm enhancements alleging the killing was committed for the benefit of the Eastside criminal street gang.
Not disclosed were the specific charges filed against 18-year-old Jimmy Alexander Mora Jr. of Ventura and an unnamed minor in juvenile court. Mora appears to have been a juvenile when the alleged crimes occurred.
Hurtado is being held in County Jail on $3 million bail.
Santa Barbara police arrested the suspects last week with assistance from Ventura County law enforcement agencies.
Terrazas was found suffering from a gunshot wound around 1:30 a.m. that winter morning and later died at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
I’ve been assured that Santa Barbara doesn’t have a gang problem so it’s probably just a coincidence that Terrazas was one of three men facing charges related to the Aug. 1, 2025, stabbing death of 30-year-old Michael Hartley outside a downtown State Street bar.
4. Major Injuries Reported After Back-to-Back Goleta Traffic Collisions Involving Deer
A chain-reaction crash on Cathedral Oaks Road in Goleta left one woman with major injuries on June 8 after an initial collision with a deer was followed moments later by a second vehicle striking her stopped car.
Our Evelyn Spence reported that emergency crews responded just after 11:30 a.m. to the crash scene between Los Carneros and Storke roads after a vehicle hit a deer.
Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Mike Gray said the deer was killed, but the car’s two occupants were unhurt.
However, as one woman walked to the front of her car to check on the deer and assess damage, a second vehicle slammed into the back. Gray said the impact propelled the parked car into the woman.
The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, was taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with major injuries.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the collision.
5. Bill Macfadyen: Once Again, Santa Barbara’s Gang Murders Dominate the News
I think readers believe Santa Barbara has a gang problem, but what do I know?
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Good Reads
Check out these six stories before you go:
» Board of Supervisors Approves $380,000 Salary for Next County Executive Officer — Staff writer Daniel Green drops by as the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors puts the finishing touches on the compensation package for new County Executive Officer Jana Petersen.
» As Trump Officials Celebrate Sable in Goleta, Environmental Groups Rally in Protest — Daniel tags along as senior officials of President Donald Trump’s administration tour Sable Offshore Corp.’s restarted Santa Ynez Unit on the Gaviota coast.
» Lompoc Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Father’s Fiery Death in 2022 — North County editor Janene Scully has the last chapter in the disturbing 2022 murder of 68-year-old Joe Garcia of Lompoc.
» Massage Therapists, Advocates Argue Against City’s Proposed Ordinance — Staff writer Rebecca Caraway tackles a proposed City of Santa Barbara ordinance that would crack down on legitimate massage practitioners as well as the skanky ones.
» Grand Jury Finds Lack of Oversight, Operating 2 Jails Driving Sheriff’s Overtime Costs — Daniel breaks down the Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury’s blistering report on Sheriff’s Department overtime costs.
» Mark Patton: Coach Used Warning Track Power to Recharge UCSB Baseball This Season — Sports columnist Mark Patton tosses some love at UC Santa Barbara baseball coach Andrew Checketts, who doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves as a master strategist. I had hoped to see the Gauchos — and definitely expected to see the former No. 1 UCLA Bruins — at this year’s College World Series. Instead, I’ll be in Omaha without them. Hook ‘Em Horns and Hotty Toddy!
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? BizHawk: Win~Dow Burgers Makes Smash Opening in Downtown Santa Barbara.
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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.
July 23 — In the second event of a series Noozhawk is hosting with Spotlight Santa Barbara, I’ll be moderating a discussion we’re calling “California’s Problems, Santa Barbara’s Choices.”
Our panelists are Kristen Miller, president and CEO of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce; UCLA economics professor Lee Ohanian; Pete Peterson, dean of Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy; and former Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin.
We’ll be at the Lobero Theatre again so save the date.
Oct. 29 — I don’t recognize who Scouting America — Los Padres Council is describing, but I’m being recognized with the National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award at the annual Salute to Scouting celebration at the Santa Barbara Club, #myhomeawayfromhome.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
You’ll get your kicks out of these delightfully detailed dioramas on Route 66: The Centennial of Route 66.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
My Instagram feed shells out for a misidentified peanut gallery this past week. Go Dodgers!
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Watch It
If you’re like me, you tell yourself you’re just going to watch a few minutes of the monster waves hammering The Wedge at Newport Beach’s Balboa Peninsula. And then you click play …
