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According to our WordPress analytics, Noozhawk drew an audience of 132,152 readers this past week.
What follows is my own take on the Top 5 stories you were reading over that period, as tracked by our Google Analytics.
While you read on, please remember that this is my opinion column and not a news story.
1. Driver Hospitalized After Rollover Crash Near Downtown Santa Barbara
An SUV driver was hospitalized the night of Nov. 29 after a rollover wreck near downtown Santa Barbara.
As our Tom Bolton reported, the 7 p.m. crash occurred in the 400 block of East Figueroa Street, between Laguna and Olive streets, when the eastbound SUV struck several parked cars before flipping onto its side.
Santa Barbara fire Battalion Chief Cory Close told Tom that firefighters had to extricate both the driver and passenger from the wreckage.
The male driver was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital by American Medical Response ambulance. His identity and details about his injuries were not disclosed.
His female passenger apparently was unhurt.
Santa Barbara police are investigating the circumstances of the crash.
The violence of the impact took some doing, given the narrowness of the dark residential street with vehicles parked on both sides.
2. Authorities Release Name of Motorcyclist Killed in Highway 154 Crash
A 22-year-old Goleta man died in a motorcycle crash on Highway 154 near the top of San Marcos Pass in the pre-dawn hours of Nov. 29
As our Tom Bolton reported, the California Highway Patrol said Otoniel Diaz was traveling westbound when his motorcycle struck a guard rail between East Camino Cielo and Stagecoach Road on the Santa Ynez Valley side of the pass
Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli said emergency responders arrived at the scene around 4:45 a.m., but Diaz was already dead.
The CHP is investigating the circumstances of the wreck.
3. Bill Macfadyen: Dad’s Atrocious Choice Ends in High-Speed Crash, Daughters’ Deaths and Murder Charges
Unfortunately, I have no news to share about the heartbreaking deaths of 3-year-old Stella Aliyah Hernandez and 7-month-old Luna Alani Hernandez.
The GoFundMe account established to assist the girls’ mom, Serena Aguilera of Santa Maria, has raised more than $26,000 as of Dec. 6. Click here to make an online donation.
Rest in peace, Stella and Luna, and continued prayers to Aguilera and her family.
4. Cal State Trying to Save Its Smallest Campus by Merging It with Cal Poly
California State University trustees have unanimously approved the merger of Cal Maritime Academy with Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, a move aimed at saving the financially struggling Bay Area maritime institution.
As CalMatters first reported, the integration will reduce the CSU system to 22 campuses from 23 when it takes effect July 1.
Cal Maritime, which has seen enrollment plummet 31% since 2016 to 761 students, will become part of Cal Poly as two entities:
- Cal Maritime’s land-based academic presence will be called Cal Poly, Solano Campus
- Cal Maritime’s training vessel, the academics for the U.S. Coast Guard-issued Merchant Marine license and related disciplines will be called Cal Poly Maritime Academy
The merger requires approximately $5 million annually for seven years, primarily for financial aid.
The arrangement will place Cal Maritime under Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong’s leadership, with all students enrolled as Cal Poly students starting in fall 2026, pending accreditation approval.
As you know, Noozhawk frequently reposts news articles from the nonprofit CalMatters on state policy issues with local impacts.
The Cal Maritime story was written by CalMatters higher education reporter Mikhail Zinshteyn and Jeremy Garza, a CalMatters College Journalism Network fellow and a data and investigative reporter for Cal Poly’s Mustang News.
5. Falcon Launch Puts SpaceX at 42 and Counting From Vandenberg in 2024
Preceding a thunderous sonic boom, SpaceX successfully launched its 42nd Falcon 9 mission of 2024 from Vandenberg Space Force Base the evening of Dec. 4.
As our Janene Scully reported, the rocket delivered 20 more Starlink telecommunications satellites into low-earth orbit shortly after its 7:05 p.m. launch.
Heralded by a sonic boom that reverberated throughout the South Coast, the Falcon 9’s first stage returned to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff, landing on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Pacific Ocean several hundred miles south of Santa Barbara.
It was the second SpaceX launch since last week’s Best of Bill column.
Just after midnight Nov. 30, another Falcon 9 launched with a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office plus 20 Starlink satellites.
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Good Reads
Don’t miss these six stories before you go:
» No Bursting His Bubble: SB Bubble Guy’s Glow Show Bounces Back — South County editor Josh Molina wraps up the saga of the SB Bubble Guy, an entertainment phenomenon whose extemporaneous show was kicked out of Santa Barbara’s Shoreline Park. You really need to read Josh’s whole story for yourself, but a HT to bubble enthusiast Conrad Metzenberg for my favorite quote: The city, he says, “runs this place like a giant homeowners association and acts as if they are impotent to change the rules.”
» RV Explosion in Santa Barbara Neighborhood Believed to Be Accidental — Staff writer Daniel Green turns up a few more details on last week’s RV explosion, but is still digging to the bottom of the story.
» Ray Ford: Field of Lights, Delights and Lasting Memories in Paso Robles — Outdoors columnist Ray Ford plugs himself in at the Sensorio light show in Paso Robles.
» Vikings of Solvang Delivers Christmas Joy to Special-Needs Students — North County editor Janene Scully tags along on a heartwarming mission.
» Giving Tuesday: One Day with Potential to Fuel a Full Year of Community Impact — Contributing writer Ann Pieramici helps Noozhawk relaunch our annual Good for Santa Barbara section and our 2024 GivingTuesday Guide.
» Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library Opens Its ‘Treasure Chest’ to Public — Contributing writer Julia McHugh tours the Santa Barbara Mission’s now-publicly available artifacts and archives relating to California’s famed 21 missions and their Franciscan stewards.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? 2 People Hurt in Crash on Southbound Highway 101 in 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.
- Dec. 6 — Well, this is awkward. The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce is honoring me as Man of the Year at the annual Goleta’s Finest celebration at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara. See you there.
- Jan. 7 — I’ll be sharing Noozhawk’s story and discussing the future of local news — and local news in Santa Barbara County — with my friends at the Minerva Club of Santa Maria. The Minerva is one of the oldest, continuously operating women’s clubs in California and a community treasure since 1894.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
Or Major League Baseball could fire the idiotic Rob Manfred and everybody wins: MLB Commissioner Proposes ‘Golden At-Bat’ Rule for Good of the Game.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
My Instagram feed was pretty light this past week. But that light was spectacular!
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Watch It
Pool reports from the Dec. 5 magnitude-7 earthquake off Humboldt County.
