For the second straight election, Noozhawk and CalMatters are partnering on a VotingMatters forum — this time focused on the race for governor and other statewide offices on the June 2 primary ballot.
The May 11 event is designed to do something increasingly rare: bring people together for a real conversation about the issues, not the kind of unproductive back-and-forth that dominates social media.
At Noozhawk, we believe civil, substantive dialogue still matters. It’s a core principle behind our work — and a big reason we launched our speaker series with Spotlight Santa Barbara.
On the afternoon of May 9, Hawks Club members will receive an exclusive invitation to the VotingMatters forum at the Montecito Association’s Community Hall, co-sponsored by CalMatters, Spotlight Santa Barbara and The Montecito Village Shopping Center.
Space is limited to the first 45 Hawks Club members to RSVP. Don’t wait.
Click here to join the Hawks Club, and click here for Noozhawk’s latest election coverage.
Despite a heavy news week, our audience was unexpectedly light — 121,514 readers, according to our WordPress analytics.
Here’s a look at the Top 5 stories you were reading over the last seven days, based on our Google analytics.
And a quick reminder: This is my opinion column, not a news story. In my opinion, I suspect you’ll find the first item as revolting as I do. And you should.
1. Orcutt Man Faces Allegations That He ‘Butchered, Cooked’ Family Dog
In one of the most disgusting and depraved animal cruelty cases I can recall, a 37-year-old Orcutt man has been arrested on charges of torturing, killing and mutilating his family’s dog.
As our Janene Scully reported, Justo Alejandro Buenrostro was arrested April 18 after Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies responded to the gruesome scene at a residence in the 500 block of Lakeview Road, just east of Orcutt Road.
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Raquel Zick told Janene that investigators said evidence indicated the family dog — a white and brown pitbull mix named Coco — had been killed, among other things.
Buenrostro was taken into custody without incident while county Animal Services officers took possession of the dog’s remains.
The District Attorney’s Office charged Buenrostro with felony animal cruelty, alleging he “did maliciously and intentionally maim, mutilate, torture and wound a living animal, to wit: Coco the dog.”
The criminal complaint includes a sentencing enhancement for allegedly using a knife.
An emergency protective order also requires Buenrostro to stay away from the home’s residents, children among them, who reported fearing for their safety.
According to the order describing the horrific alleged acts, “the restrained person butchered and cooked the family dog and actively continued to do so when family found out and LE (law enforcement) arrived.”
Buenrostro has pleaded not guilty and is due back in Superior Court on May 21. As of May 8, he remains in the Northern Branch Jail with bail set at $100,000.
2. Not So Fast: New Speed Limits to Hit Santa Barbara County Streets
Speed limits will be lowered on several Santa Barbara County roads following updated traffic and safety reviews approved by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.
As our Daniel Green reported, on a 3-0 vote on May 5, the board approved reductions in Carpinteria, Goleta and Orcutt, citing increased pedestrian activity and roadway conditions.
Supervisors Laura Capps, Steve Lavagnino and Roy Lee voted for the lower limits. Supervisors Joan Hartmann and Bob Nelson were absent.
The most significant change is on Carpinteria’s Santa Claus Lane, where a stretch will drop to 30 mph from 55 mph due to new pedestrian and bicycle improvements tied to ongoing construction. The short business district section will remain at 25 mph.
San Antonio Creek Road above Goleta will be reduced to 35 mph from 40 mph because of safety concerns, including limited sidewalks and blind driveways.
In Orcutt, California Boulevard — between the Orcutt Expressway/Highway 135 and South Blosser Road — will be reclassified as residential, lowering the speed limit to 25 mph from 30 mph.
3. Tree Falls on Highway 101 in Santa Barbara
A fallen tree brought traffic to a standstill on Highway 101 in Santa Barbara the afternoon of May 5. At least one person was injured in the incident and multiple vehicles were damaged.
As our Giana Magnoli reported, the trunk show was reported around 5:25 p.m. near the northbound Las Positas Road exit ramp.
The California Highway Patrol said the tree struck at least one vehicle on its way down, and other drivers were unable to avoid it in the roadway.
Santa Barbara fire Battalion Chief Cory Cloud said one person suffered minor injuries.
Caltrans crews were called in to remove the tree, which blocked the slow lane and caused traffic delays during the afternoon commute.
4. 6 Lawsuits Involving Current, Former UCSB Police Officers Headed to Trial
Years of legal disputes involving the UC Santa Barbara Police Department are set to play out in court this summer, as a series of lawsuits alleging misconduct and retaliation move toward trial.
As our Rebecca Caraway and Evelyn Spence teamed up to report, there are six active cases — filed between 2018 and 2021 by current and former officers — that accuse department leaders and colleagues of wrongdoing.
The allegations range from retaliation for whistleblowing to violations of the California Whistleblower Protection Act.
An additional case was previously settled out of court.
The lawsuits describe overlapping incidents, including disputed internal investigations, allegations of favoritism, and claims of harassment and discrimination within the department.
Plaintiffs include Officers Michael and Tiffany Little, Matthew Stern, Mark Signa and Jonathan Lee Reyes, among others, while several former supervisors are named as defendants.
UCSB spokeswoman Kiki Reyes declined to comment on the pending litigation but said the university holds its police department to high standards.
The first trial, involving former Officer Ryan Smith, is scheduled to begin June 8 in Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
5. Mark Patton: Former Prodigy Known as ‘Lakey Surf Legend’ Now Making Waves as World Surf League Veteran
Santa Barbara’s own Lakey Peterson has ridden her way back to the top of the surfing world, capturing the World Surf League’s Margaret River Pro title in Australia in a dramatic, last-wave comeback.
Our Mark Patton reported — as only he can — that the 31-year-old Montecito native sealed the win with a clutch ride in the final minutes to edge Brazil’s Luana Silva.
The result earned her a second career victory at the iconic event and put her in a tie for the season’s tour lead.
For Peterson, the moment was especially meaningful: Australia is where she first learned to surf at age 5 during a family trip, making the triumph feel like a full-circle return.
A former world tour runner-up in 2018, Peterson was once among the sport’s brightest stars before a string of injuries and a heartbreaking near-miss for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics team slowed her momentum.
In recent years, she’s worked her way back, rebuilding both her health and confidence.
“It’s cool to prove to myself that I can still do this,” Peterson said after the win.
Now, with renewed perspective and experience, Santa Barbara’s greatest female surfer is once again a serious contender on the world stage.
Game recognizes game, and Mark — Santa Barbara’s greatest sports writer — weaves Peterson’s latest success into a fantastic feature on a world-class competitor and human being.
Welcome back, Lakey!
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Good Reads
Don’t miss these six stories before you go:
» Santa Barbara Changing Policy, Fees in Effort to Create More Affordable Housing — Staff writer Rebecca Caraway goes over the City of Santa Barbara’s blueprints to make it easier to build housing.
» Santa Barbara County Moves Forward with $47 Million Workforce Housing Project — Staff writer Daniel Green reports on Santa Barbara County’s plans to spend $47 million to build housing for its own employees on prime real estate in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara.
» Dwindling Reserves Haunt Santa Barbara Budget Discussions — Rebecca watches as it begins to dawn on the profligate Santa Barbara City Council that you eventually run out of money if you keep spending more than you have.
» Community Split Over Proposals to Close Parts of Ocean to Boat Fishing — South County editor Evelyn Spence’s catch of the day is a developing story on plans to expand marine protected areas off Santa Barbara County.
» Kristin Smart Search Warrant Served at SLO County Home of Killer’s Mother — Staff writers Katylyn Leslie and Joan Lynch of the San Luis Obispo Tribune, one of our additive partners, have an update in the ongoing search for the remains of 19-year-old Kristin Smart, who vanished in 1996. Paul Flores was convicted in 2022 of killing the Cal Poly freshman.
» Fire Safe Council’s Mission is Fighting Wildfires Before They Start — Evelyn smokes out a feature on the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council.
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Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Teen Victim of Goleta Stabbing Dies; Deputies Searching for Assailant.
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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.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
HT to my friend and priest, the Rev. Channing Smith, for putting this in my memory bank: Scientists Reverse Brain Aging and Perhaps Dementia, With a Nasal Spray.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
There’s no telling what you’ll uncover when you get a new roof. We thought we had discovered all the corner cutting at our house nearly 30 years ago. It turns out there was quite a gap in our knowledge. You can see the sky for yourself in my Instagram feed this past week.
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Watch It
Teamwork makes the dream work, and there really is no other way. Children AND adults need to learn this.
