As a lifelong Los Angeles Dodgers fan, I have no shortage of favorites, like Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Maury Wills, Wes Parker, Tommy Lasorda, Ron Cey, Davey Lopes, Reggie Smith, Rick Monday, Bobby Welch, Fernando Valenzuela, Steve Sax, Orel Hershiser, Kirk Gibson, Mike Piazza, Hideo Nomo, Adrián Beltré, Matt Kemp, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, Will Smith, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani and, of course, from the old days, Jackie Robinson.
But then there’s Clayton Kershaw, truly the greatest Dodger of all time and one of baseball’s best ever.
He’s a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he also may be the last of the breed of old-school grinders, players who could flourish for 18 grueling seasons, including 14 equally grueling post-seasons.
Oh, and he spent his entire career with one team, helping the Dodgers win two World Series championships along the way. He might have won three but the Houston Asterisks are unmitigated cheaters.
What’s even more remarkable is that, at 37 years old and clearly showing his age, he’s pitching some of the best baseball of his life.
In August, he was 5-0 with an insanely low 1.88 earned-run average.
The month before, he became the 20th member of the exclusive 3,000-strikeout club, an achievement that seems inconceivable for today’s upcoming micromanaged pitching specialists.
Kershaw is one of the most respected men in sports, with exemplary character and a heart the size of his native Texas. He’s considered to be the leader of the Dodger clubhouse, although his faith and his family have always come first.
On Sept. 18, he announced that this season — the one winding down to just a few weeks more — would be his last.
In typical fashion, Kershaw revealed his retirement without regret but with overwhelming gratitude and humility for the opportunity that baseball and the Dodgers have given him.
Dodger fans all knew this day was likely to come this year, but we’re still stunned by the news. Because we know — just as we do with Vin Scully — there will never be another Clayton Kershaw.
Thanks for the memories, Two-Two.
According to our WordPress analytics, Noozhawk had an audience of 154,576 readers this past week.
What follows is my own take on the Top Five most-read stories over that period, as tracked by our Google Analytics.
And by “my own take,” I mean this is my opinion column. It is not a news story.
1. Remnants of Tropical Storm May Bring Rain, Thunderstorms to Santa Barbara
What was left of Tropical Storm Mario sure made its presence felt as it moved slowly through Santa Barbara County over the last few days. In fact, the uncomfortable and unusually humid conditions far exceeded our rain tolerance.
Staff writers Pricila Flores and Daniel Green shared the weather-watching beat, with National Weather Service meteorologist Kristan Lund telling Pricila that the county could see an increased chance of showers and even thunderstorms through the morning of Sept. 19.
Up to a half-inch of rain was possible countywide, a flood watch was issued for backcountry mountains, and potential dry lightning and isolated winds were also in the forecast.
“It will feel muggy and tropical by Thursday,” Lund warned.
At the end of the day, that was about it: minimal rainfall, just the humidity.
The unsettled weather also led officials to delay a Sept. 18 launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The launch — for another Starlink satellite deployment mission — was rescheduled for between 8:41 a.m. and 12:41 p.m. Sept. 19.
Daniel reported that Mario, which developed last weekend in lower Baja California, could be followed by Tropical Storm Narda early next week.
“This is a rapidly evolving situation with a range of outcomes,” Lund said.
Click here for the National Weather Service forecast.
2. Santa Barbara’s Pedlets on State Street: A Step Forward or Stumble
Workers have been installing sidewalk extension platforms called “pedlets” along the 500 block of State Street, marking the City of Santa Barbara’s latest throw-spaghetti-on-the wall-and-hope-it-sticks ploy to turn downtown around.
As our Daniel Green reported, the intent is to expand pedestrian space while moving restaurant dining out of the street.
The pedlets represent a compromise solution after years of endless discussion over whether to reopen State Street to vehicles following its closure in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City Council voted last fall to keep State Street permanently closed to vehicles. Other than electric motorcycles, that is.
Daniel found mixed reactions from locals and business owners about the boardwalk-looking structures.
Sandra Hell, a 20-year Santa Barbara resident, called the raised platforms “an accident waiting to happen” and believes the street should reopen to vehicles.
Meanwhile, Alissa Neou of Ventura praised the pedestrian-friendly changes.
“I used to work on State Street,” she said. “I … feel like I would (never) drive down State Street when it was open so I don’t mind that it’s closed now.”
Restaurant owners face uncertainty about new furniture rules and potential flooding concerns, since the city has never gotten around to burying street drainage. As a result, rainfall runoff surges downhill like it’s 1825, not 2025.
Clay Holdren, owner of Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood at 512 State St., said he’s willing to give the platforms a chance, while Niko Heliotis, co-owner of Nick the Greek at 508 State St., expressed confusion over the timeline for removing existing parklets.
City Administrator Kelly McAdoo confirmed no proposal exists to reopen State Street to vehicles.
3. BizHawk: Mesa Burger Sizzles Out in Goleta, Leaving One Location
Two notable Santa Barbara-area businesses are closing their doors, with the venerable Jensen Guitar & Music Co. ending a remarkable 52-year run and Mesa Burger reducing its footprint to a single location.
As our Josh Molina reported, Chris Jensen opened his namesake store in 1973, and built a wide base of all-ages clientele with its guitars, stringed instruments, amplifiers, accessories, music lessons and repairs.
Following up on a reader’s tip, Josh wasn’t able to connect with Jensen, but a voicemail greeting says the full-service musical instrument shop, at 2830 De la Vina St., will close at the end of the month.
“We would like to thank you for 52 years,” the message says while urging customers with consignments or repairs to stop by between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sept. 19 or 26.
Meanwhile, Mesa Burger has already closed its Goleta location in Camino Real Marketplace, at 7010 Marketplace Drive.
The burger chain, known for menu items named after local areas like the Funk Zone and the Goodland, now operates only its original Mesa location at 315 Meigs Road in Santa Barbara.
4. Supporters Rally at Santa Barbara Courthouse to Remember Charlie Kirk
A couple of hundred supporters gathered at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse on Sept. 14 to honor influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was publicly murdered four days earlier while he debated college students in Utah.
As our Josh Molina reported, the crowd celebrated the life and works of the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA with prayers, songs and speeches.
“We must, as Americans — whether you are right, left or center — reject nihilism in all of its forms,” said James Fenkner, a local businessman and Santa Barbara County Republican Party central committee member.
“Reject it in our schools, in our legal system, in our government and, most important, in our souls.”
Mary Hudson, mother of pop superstar Katy Perry, emphasized Kirk’s religious faith, saying he wanted to be remembered for his deep love for Jesus Christ.
She credited him with giving a voice to young people through his example of boldly championing the conservative cause on college campuses through persuasion and civil discourse.
As a result of his death, Hudson predicted, “there will be thousands upon thousands of Charlie Kirks start to rise up with their voices.”
Kirk — a married father of two young children — played a major role in re-electing President Donald Trump last year by motivating younger voters to turn out.
Although Kirk’s ideological opponents relentlessly vilified him for his views and sought to ban him from campuses, he continued his college tours, enthusiastically engaging with students who passionately disagreed with him.
He was doing so on Sept. 10 when he was gunned down while debating students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
A 22-year-old suspect has been charged in the political assassination, with prosecutors providing very specific examples of his far-left politics and deep-seated hatred for Kirk.
If convicted, the defendant could be executed by firing squad.
5. Man Critically Injured in 40-Foot Fall from Isla Vista Bluffs
A man suffered major injuries late on the night of Sept. 13 after falling approximately 40 feet from the Isla Vista bluffs onto the rocky beach, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
As our Janene Scully reported, emergency responders were dispatched just before 11 p.m. to the 6500 block of Del Playa Drive, where they determined the victim had fallen from a bluff-top patio.
Fire Capt. Scott Safechuck said rescue crews secured the man in a litter basket and transported him via beach access stairs to a waiting American Medical Response ambulance, which rushed him to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
The man’s identity and medical condition have not been disclosed.
The incident marks the latest in a troubling pattern of cliff falls that have plagued the Isla Vista community for decades. Since the 1990s, 14 fatalities have resulted from such falls.
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Good Reads
These six stories are worth your time:
» Closure of Santa Barbara ER Vet Clinic Leaves Gap in After-Hours Pet Care — Staff writer Nick Forselles delivers some disappointing news for South Coast pet owners needing after-hours care.
» BizHawk: What’s in Store for Longtime Vacant Commercial Spaces? — We asked South County editor Josh Molina to peruse commercial real estate listings “like a boss.” Now he wants his own office.
» Father of Toddler Who Died Testifies on 2nd Day of Murder Trial — Staff writer Daniel Green shares heartbreaking testimony from the grief-stricken father of a 3-year-old girl whose mother’s boyfriend is charged with her murder.
» Mark Baird: Kitchen Cabinet Makeover Magic Without the Major Renovation — Your Handyman columnist Mark Baird opens the door to a fairly quick and easy upgrade for your kitchen.
» Mark Patton: Taking the Turn for Home on a Long Yuletide Stroll — Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Hall of Fame sports columnist Mark Patton reflects on a career full of life.
» Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Inducts Hall of Fame Class of 2025 — Sports editor Diego Sandoval rounds up the newest local legends in a star-studded SBART Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Postal Inspectors Confirm Mail Theft at San Roque Post Office 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.
Oct. 6 — Thanks to my uncle, Don Macfadyen, I’ll be sharing Noozhawk’s North County expansion plans with the Santa Ynez Valley Men’s Forum. It pays to have connections.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
Now that’s a good boy: Dog Leads Rescuer to Leash During House Fire.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
My Instagram feed is still proudly touting my friend, Mark Patton, the Clayton Kershaw of local sportswriting.
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Watch It
Speed thrills. HT to Best of Bill reader Stefany Gomez. Language warning.
