For five of the last six years, a team of Pedal the Pacific cyclists has rolled through Santa Barbara County on a 1,700-mile trek to San Diego from Seattle.
The riders — all young women — are raising awareness about sex trafficking and raising funds to help its survivors through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
I got involved with Pedal the Pacific quite by chance, but was happy to help because, frankly, I’m offended that sex trafficking is so pervasive in our community.
And it is. Most locals are blissfully unaware of that fact, and are shocked to learn otherwise.
I was one of them before Noozhawk started investigating the issue a couple of years before the nonprofit Pedal the Pacific was founded in 2017.
But just because it’s here doesn’t mean it’s ignored, and Santa Barbara County actually has become a nationally recognized leader in the fight against trafficking — through an extensive collaboration of local agencies, organizations and civic leadership.
On July 21, this year’s Pedal the Pacific team arrived in Lompoc, where Ann McCarty and the North County Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center, along with the Lompoc-Vandenberg Chapter of the American Association of University Women, were hosting the 11 cyclists at the Hilton Garden Inn.
Our Janene Scully has more on their visit, which included presentations from the Vandenberg Space Force Base Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and proclamations from municipal, county, state and federal officials.
Next up is Santa Barbara, where they’ll be meeting with District Attorney Joyce Dudley and Megan Rheinschild, director of the Victim-Witness Assistance Program in the District Attorney’s Office, and the Junior League of Santa Barbara, the catalyst for the S.A.F.E. House, a therapeutic rehabilitative shelter for young sex trafficking survivors.
The team is staying with host families in Santa Barbara with support — and meals — from ExxonMobil, Los Arroyos Mexican Restaurant, Noozhawk, the Santa Barbara Club, the Santa Barbara Yacht Club and Velo Pro Cyclery.
The fight against sex trafficking can always use more soldiers, though. Noozhawk’s reporting this weekend will have more details on how you can help locally, or click here for more information about Pedal the Pacific.
In the meantime, Noozhawk’s work goes on. According to our Google Analytics, we had an audience of 77,014 readers this past week.
What follows is my own take on the Top 5 stories you were reading. As a reminder, this is my opinion column. It is not a news story.
1. Santa Barbara County Moves to ‘High’ COVID-19 Community Transmission Level in CDC Metric
I don’t remember the last time a purely COVID-19 public health story made the weekly Best of Bill Top 5, so I looked it up. It was Nov. 26.
And here we are.
As our Giana Magnoli reported July 15, a recent spurt in coronavirus-related hospital admissions earned Santa Barbara County recognition by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention in its highest community transmission category, according to the CDC data dashboard metric.
COVID-19 may not be as “transitory” as inflation, but most of us are about as prepared as can be to live with the continuing risks from it. Even the president of the United States.
2. Firefighters Battle Blaze in Eucalyptus Grove Along Highway 101 in Goleta
A grove of eucalyptus trees caught fire along southbound Highway 101 in Goleta the afternoon of July 15, slowing freeway traffic near busy Storke Road and halting train service on the nearby Union Pacific railroad tracks.
As our Tom Bolton was first to report, Santa Barbara County firefighters made quick work of the fast-moving blaze, limiting it to about a quarter-acre after it ignited about 3 p.m.
No injuries were reported from the fire, and no structures were threatened.
The cause of the fire has not been disclosed.
In the most surprising of coincidences, however, the grove appeared to have been the site of an illegal and unpermitted homeless encampment. Oh, and the California Highway Patrol reported that a man was seen running away from the area.
3. BizHawk: Kyle Ashby Brings Sandbox Co-Working Space to the Goodland
The Sandbox is getting to be the size of a beach.
Central Coast co-working space entrepreneur Kyle Ashby has just opened his third Sandbox, this one at 69 Santa Felicia Drive in Goleta, near Hollister Village Plaza and Camino Real Marketplace.
“I’m excited to bring The Sandbox to Goleta and offer a space for local businesses and professionals,” he told our Josh Molina. “The dynamic new space will feature great on-site amenities, including outdoor workspace and member perks, as well as events, programs and classes.”
The 24/7 location features 14 office spaces, two large indoor meeting and training rooms, outdoor work and meeting areas, and events space. Networking opportunities are another perk, Ashby says.
Co-working memberships start at $247 a month for the common space, coffee and other benefits. Private offices start at $750 a month. Day passes and hourly rates also are available.
Ashby opened The Sandbox Santa Barbara in 2017 at 414 Olive St. near Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center, and launched The Sandbox Paso Robles last year at 1345 Park St. in Paso Robles.
4. Second Chances a Hallmark of Frann Wageneck’s Career in Santa Barbara School District
Frann Wageneck retired last month after a long career in local public education, most notably as a Santa Barbara Unified School District assistant superintendent and administrator.
The 55-year-old Goleta native and UC Santa Barbara alumna is not one to sit around, and our Josh Molina reports that she plans to pursue education consulting work to capitalize on her 30-year experience and expertise.
That tidbit was part of a compelling news feature Josh wrote on Wageneck, who had an outsized and mostly positive impact on the school district at almost every step of her journey.
I can’t fairly summarize Josh’s work in a few paragraphs, but I will share that I first met Wageneck when she was principal of La Cuesta Continuation High School, the alternative high school next door to district headquarters in downtown Santa Barbara.
La Cuesta exists to provide extra help and guidance to those high school students who are at risk of not graduating. There are a lot more of those young people than there should be, but La Cuesta makes a bigger difference than many of us think.
Wageneck more than did her job in that department, and even a brief visit to campus was enough to see and sense the respect she earned from her students. It was a powerful takeaway that I’ve never forgotten.
But don’t take my word for it.
“Her work leading La Cuesta was among her most notable accomplishments for our school district, students and community,” state Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, and a former school district board member, told Josh.
“She truly believed in second chances, and looked deeply at how we change the vision, opportunities and system in place to give students an alternative or second chance within our schools.”
Read Josh’s story for the full picture.
5. Hiker with Medical Emergency Rescued from Tunnel Trail Above Santa Barbara
A 26-year-old woman was rescued from the Tunnel Trail above Santa Barbara on July 16 after she suffered an apparent medical emergency while hiking.
As our Janene Scully reported, Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Scott Safechuck said firefighters and county Air Support Unit Copter 3 were dispatched about 10:30 a.m. to the incident near Inspiration Point, a couple of miles from the Tunnel Road trailhead.
Safechuck said the woman was experiencing weakness and dehydration and had to be hoisted into the helicopter to be transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
The woman’s identity was not disclosed and her medical condition was not available.
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Good Reads
Here are another six stories I recommend:
» Local Woman and Crew Expect to Break Rowing Record to Hawai‘i by Sunday Night — Santa Barbara residents Adrienne Smith and Sophia “D.J.” Denison-Johnston and their two crew mates are closing in on a record row to Hawai‘i. Our Mark Patton has the latest on their voyage from San Francisco.
» Santa Barbara’s $92 Million Police Station Project Moving Ahead — Plans for Santa Barbara’s new police station are so stunning that Psych would relocate its set from Vancouver — if Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster were still solving crime here and there. Our Josh Molina has the APB.
» Santa Barbara MTD Driver Shortage Will Still Affect Routes as SBCC, UCSB Students Return to Classes — Our Grace Kitayama reports on the labor shortage that’s making us miss the bus. But, hey, at least “the economy is in a better place than it has been historically.”
» Kristin Smart Murder Trial Starts with Opening Statements — More than 26 years after Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo freshman Kristin Smart disappeared, a suspect is finally on trial in her murder. The San Luis Obispo Tribune’s Chloe Jones and Kaytlyn Leslie are covering the proceedings from Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas.
» Goleta Teacher Chris Jones Develops High Five Movement App to Boost Positivity — Josh Molina is positive this story will make you feel better.
» Former Santa Maria Newspaper Publisher Cynthia Schur Remembered — North County editor Janene Scully shares memories of former Santa Maria Times publisher Cynthia Schur, who died abruptly of brain cancer at age 65. Schur and I initially were on opposite sides on an ultimately aborted joint journalism venture a few years ago but, unlike a couple of other local publishers involved, hers was a principled resistance based on concerns for the Santa Maria community. I respect that. Rest in peace.
• • •
Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? 2 Killed, 4 Critically Injured in 6-Vehicle Collision on Highway 101 Near El Capitán State Beach.
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Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
They may not have the allure of the Canal de Bourgogne but, aye, it’s a start: How Scotland Is Reinventing Its Centuries-Old Canals for Paddlers.
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Best of Bill’s Instagram
It was an eclectic mix in my Instagram feed this past week, but I really want to know what’s going on with the @coralcasinobeachandcabanaclub.
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Americans Held Hostage: Day 328
328 days ago, the U.S. government cut and ran from Afghanistan, abandoning thousands of American citizens and green-card holders.
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Watch It
Things sure got dusty at the All-Star Game, didn’t it? But Clayton Kershaw aced the bucket list test.
(@therealjhair 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.