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According to our Google Analytics, Noozhawk had an audience of 92,227 readers this past week. What follows is my own take on the Top 5 stories you were reading.
Just to be clear, this is my opinion column and not a news story. And I’m Noozhawk’s publisher, not a reporter.
1. Chick-fil-A Wants to Add 3rd Lane, Remove 15 Parking Spaces to Solve Traffic Problems
With the Santa Barbara City Council threatening to declare Chick-fil-A a “public nuisance” over traffic congestion, representatives of the restaurant at 3707 State St. presented a proposed fix that includes adding a third drive-through lane and a canopy while removing 15 parking spaces and five trees.
The Architectural Board of Review, whose only purview is the proposal’s aesthetics, didn’t like anything about the conceptual plan and shot it down on a 5-0 vote on May 2. As our Josh Molina reported, Chick-fil-A can revise its proposal and come back for seconds.
“It seems like what is happening here is we are bringing a lot of cars onto the site, more cars onto the site, and making that allowable, but we’re not opening it up to let them out of the site,” board member Leon Olson said.
“I think that is making some sort of congestion that I don’t know meets all of the rules.”
The revised project still must win approval from the Planning Commission and the City Council before anything can be done.
City officials — and a handful of area residents — have been grilling Chick-fil-A over drive-through lane backups caused by customers flocking to Santa Barbara’s most popular restaurant. From time to time, cars are lined up in eastbound State Street’s right lane while waiting to turn in to the parking lot.
Although the business has hired additional employees to take orders, added security guards to direct traffic, and posted signs warning that it’s illegal to block sidewalks or stop on the street, the city has turned up the heat.
If Chick-fil-A cannot divine an acceptable remedy by June 7, the City Council has warned, the city will issue a “public nuisance” declaration that could terminate the drive-through operation the city itself approved nearly 10 years ago.
2. Man Dies After Fall From Isla Vista Cliff
A Santa Monica man — a UC Santa Barbara alumnus — died the night of April 29 after falling from the oceanside bluffs in Isla Vista.
As our Janene Scully reported, emergency personnel were dispatched around 11:40 p.m. to the beach below the 6600 block of Del Playa Drive.
Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli said the man was found at the base of the bluffs but firefighters’ efforts to resusciate him were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
On May 2, Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Raquel Zick identified the dead man as 25-year-old Chasen Michael “Chase” Alibrando.
“The death appears accidental, however, final determination is pending toxicology,” she told our Tom Bolton.
No other details were available.
Alibrando, an investment associate at JP Morgan in Los Angeles, graduated from UCSB in 2018. The All Gaucho Reunion 2022 was being held last weekend but it was not known if he was in town for those festivities.
A funeral service is scheduled for 2 p.m. May 7 at Pacific View Mortuary & Memorial Park, 3500 Pacific View Drive in Corona del Mar.
In a tribute posted on the mortuary site, Katie Flattum, a classmate at University High School in Irvine, called Alibrando “a light — happy, smart, funny and a great friend.”
3. BizHawk: Hummus Republic Restaurant Humming Into Isla Vista in Late May
A new entry in the Isla Vista food scene is betting big that hummus is yummy enough to pull in patrons left wanting by current fast-food options. I don’t know if hummus would do it for me but the concept of Mediterranean food sure would.
As our Josh Molina reported, Hummus Republic is opening at 6546 Pardall Road, just west of the legendary Freebirds, as soon as it receives final permits from Santa Barbara County. That green light is expected later this month.
The Mediterranean-inspired menu includes pitas, wraps, bowls and a variety of vegan, vegetarian and chicken options. Most of the meals are accompanied by kale, couscous, spinach, garbanzo beans or salad, combined with a flavor of hummus and a protein. A vegan earth burger is made of falafel.
Fortunately for people like me, there’s also dessert, with brownies, cookies and marshmallow treats competing for my attention.
Hummus Republic is a fast-growing, West Hills-based national chain of restaurants committed to serving “healthy food for happy people.” The Isla Vista location is one of nearly a dozen under construction in California and around the country.
4. Bill Macfadyen: Montecito Trailhead Parking Plan Escalates to Much More Than Its Space Face
A civil complaint filed against Santa Barbara County by a group of Montecito homeowners gets a hearing May 6 in Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
The four plaintiffs live near the Hot Springs Trailhead that has been a flashpoint of tensions over parking congestion caused by visitors flocking to the popular hot springs about 1½ miles up the canyon from East Mountain Drive.
The complaint, filed by attorney David Cousineau, a partner with Cappello & Noël, accuses the county of ignoring environmental and emergency evacuation impacts of a plan that could place more than 60 public parking spaces in the utility rights of way along streets near the trailhead.
Cousineau is seeking an injunction to force the county to follow the same onerous process as the rest of us and to at least wait to see the results of the Montecito Fire Protection District’s pending comprehensive wildfire evacuation report that is due this summer.
While my Best of Bill column finished at No. 4, Josh Molina’s follow-up on the story I was recapping ended up as No. 5. Given the undeniable connection, I’m pulling rank and combining his “Tensions Flare Over Chronic Parking Pressures at Montecito’s Hot Springs Trailhead” with this one. Regardless, his is an excellent report.
5. 1 Dead, 2 Injured in Crash Involving Truck, Sedan in Santa Maria Valley
A Santa Maria man was killed May 2 in an awful collision with a tractor-trailer east of the city.
As our Janene Scully reported, the California Highway Patrol said the crash occured at 6:30 a.m. at the intersection of East Betteravia and Philbric roads, 2½ miles east of Highway 101.
According to the CHP, 32-year-old Domingo Perez Lopez of Santa Maria was driving a Honda Civic south on Philbric and, after stopping at the East Betteravia Road stop sign, proceeded to turn left onto Betteravia.
Tragically, the CHP continued, he turned into the path of an oncoming westbound big rig driven by 64-year-old Fidel Gomes Reyes.
Too late to turn, the truck slammed into the sedan, then struck a power pole as it careered off the roadway. The big rig’s trailer, carrying a full load of dirt, overturned as the truck hurtled through a fence.
A passenger in the car — identified by Santa Barbara County sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau spokeswoman Raquel Zick as 44-year-old Alberto Gonzalez-Lopez — was declared dead at the scene by Santa Barbara County firefighters.
The two drivers were transported to Marian Regional Medical Center for treatment of their injuries, as was a second passenger in the car.
The circumstances of the wreck are under investigation. It was not known what the relationship was between Lopez, Gonzalez-Lopez and the third occupant.
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Good Reads
A half-dozen stories that are well worth your time:
» NASA Extends Mars Mission That Launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base — As North County editor Janene Scully explains, NASA’s InSight Mars Lander is providing extremely useful weather and seismic measurements from the Red Planet. The problem is its Goleta-made solar panels need to be dusted.
» Santa Barbara’s Historic Courthouse Reopening to Public for Tourism, Weddings — After more than two years, the majestic Santa Barbara County Courthouse has reopened to the public. Managing editor Giana Magnoli provides a tour — with a truly outstanding photo to go with it.
» UCSB Economic Forecast Project Offers Snapshot of South Coast Markets — Also after two years, the UCSB Economic Forecast Project was back with an in-person economic summit at The Granada Theatre. Our Serena Guentz was there as EFP executive director Peter Rupert and a team of presenters covered commercial and residential real estate, the labor market, rent control and a dicey investment outlook.
» San Marcos Battles Back from 0-2 Deficit, Beats Long Beach Wilson in 5 Sets to Reach CIF Semifinals — The San Marcos High School boys volleyball team was down, but far from out in the CIF playoffs. Now they’re moving on to play Orange County Tesoro on May 7 in their first semifinals appearance since 2014. Sports editor Barry Punzal has the details.
» Mark Patton: UC Santa Barbara Celebrates Its Wonder Years During All-Gaucho Roundup — Our Mark Patton reports on UCSB alumni Jennifer Borcich, Tom Harris, Damon Jones and Chad Peshke, along with the 1988 men’s volleyball team, being inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame.
» Judy Foreman: Home Crush Brings Fresh Perspective to Summerland’s Lifestyle Lineup — Our Judy Foreman crushes on Home Crush, designer Aimee Miller’s new lifestyle and outdoor store in Summerland.
• • •
Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Santa Barbara Man Killed in Head-On Crash on Highway 101 Near Gaviota.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
Here’s a merger and acquisition that’s way out of this world: Hubble Telescope Captures Heavenly Image of Merging Galaxies Forming an ‘Angel’ in Space.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
You know my love for Los(t) Alamos(t), where @picolosalamos and @plentyonbell are my go-to places. Now add @themakersson to my #bestofbillrecommendation lineup. The evidence is in my Instagram feed.
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Americans Held Hostage: Day 248
A Riverside man, who legally immigrated from Afghanistan in 2012, has finally returned to California after nearly a year of battling State Department indifference while trying to bring his wife to the United States. After the U.S. government fled from the Taliban 248 days ago, the couple managed to elude capture for nearly two months before they were able to escape the country. They’ve spent the last 6½ months in a United Arab Emirates refugee compound that was more like a prison, still battling State Department indifference. Welcome home.
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Watch It
Now just over 2 months old, a spirited Spirit is starting to do more than stretch its wings and legs for the Big Bear Bald Eagle Cam.
(Friends of Big Bear Valley video)
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— Bill Macfadyen is Noozhawk’s founder and publisher. Contact him at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com, follow him on Instagram: @bill.macfadyen, or click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.