It’s that time of the year when our thoughts turn to gratitude, and we at Noozhawk are enormously grateful for your loyal readership and support for our mission. Whether you’ve been with us from the start 15 years ago or just discovered us last week, thank you.
Our professional reporters and editors work tirelessly to produce thoughtful, in-depth, trustworthy journalism — because you deserve nothing less.
Without reliable local news sources, how can any of us make informed decisions about our community? How can we know what’s happening with the issues that matter most? How can we effectively participate in the democratic process?
What we do is essential work, but it truly would not be possible without the support of our Hawks Club members, those readers who provide vital financial commitments to keep us in business.
In this Thanksgiving week, as we reflect on all that our community has helped us accomplish this year — and think ahead to all we still want to do — we’ve launched our year-end fundraiser.
We’re aiming to raise $90,000 by Dec. 31, which will go a long way toward helping Noozhawk meet our 2023 goals and objectives. We have big plans, including projects on the fentanyl epidemic, child safety, the housing and water crises, and what to do about downtown Santa Barbara.
Equally important is the day-to-day, 24/7 reporting you rely on for breaking news, sports and more.
Will you do your part to keep our independent newsroom strong?
Thank you for your support at any amount.
According to our Google Analytics, Noozhawk had an audience of 89,955 readers this past week. What follows is my take of the Top 5 stories you were reading.
As a reminder, this is my opinion column. It is not a news story.
1. Highway 154 Driver Nabbed Traveling More than 150 mph in Lamborghini
A Lamborghini driver — from Los Angeles — was caught doing nearly 100 mph over the speed limit on Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley on Nov. 20. Fortunately, a California Highway Patrol officer managed to stop the dumbass before he killed someone.
Officer Michael Griffith told our Janene Scully that the driver — whose identity was not released — was pulled over by a colleague, Officer Joel Asmussen, near Meadowvale Road, less than a mile west of the roundabout at Highway 246 in Santa Ynez.
Griffith said radar recorded the car’s speed at 152 mph. The speed limit on that stretch of roadway is posted at 55 mph.
In a Facebook post, the CHP’s Buellton office called out the excessive speeder:
“SLOW DOWN!!!” the CHP admonished. “154 is the state route NOT the speed limit.”
Griffith said he once pulled over a Tesla driver who was clocked at 127 mph on Highway 217 in Santa Barbara, but Asmussen left him in the dust.
“I think this is the highest one that I’ve seen,” he said. “152 is pretty darn fast.”
The driver was let off with a reckless driving citation but his car was not impounded. Griffith blamed low CHP staffing levels and the time it would take to get a tow truck to the scene — as well as the guy’s apparent contrition.
Given all the catastrophic carnage on Highway 154 — with more of it just several hours later and only a few miles away — I’m not sure Valley residents would be so indulgent.
2. Santa Barbara Officials, Business Owners Dispute Rat Tales and Say Outdoor Dining Should Remain
There are no rats on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara.
That’s the message that City of Santa Barbara officials, the executive director of Downtown Santa Barbara, and many State Street restaurant and store owners shared with our Josh Molina in response to reports of vermin sightings under some of the parklets.
I’m glad we cleared that up.
3. Major Injuries Reported in Collision at Highway 154, Foxen Canyon Road in Los Olivos
A few hours after the aforementioned Lamborghini speed flap, four people were injured — two of them critically — in a collision at the intersection of Highway 154 and Foxen Canyon Road in Los Olivos.
Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Scott Safechuck told our Tom Bolton that two women suffered major injuries in the 6:30 p.m. wreck, and had to be extricated. Two men suffered minor injuries.
Safechuck said one woman was airlifted by a county helicopter to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The others were taken by American Medical Response ambulances to Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria.
Details of the collision and the identities of those involved were not available.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the circumstances of the crash.
On Nov. 17, the driver of a Ford F-250 suffered severe burns and injuries after he lost control of the pickup truck and it rolled over and caught fire on Highway 154 east of Paradise Road.
Safechuck told Tom that the vehicle was engulfed in flames when firefighters and other emergency personnel arrived at the scene of the 6:30 p.m. crash, just west of the vista point overlooking the valley.
He said the driver suffered severe burns and was rushed by AMR ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
A woman who stopped to pull the victim from the burning wreckage suffered burns and smoke inhalation, and also was transported to Cottage Hospital, Safechuck said.
Flames from the destroyed truck spread to nearby brush, but firefighters quickly put out both fires.
Information on identities and medical conditions were not available.
The CHP is investigating the circumstances of the wreck.
4. BizHawk: L’antica Pizzeria da Michele Brings Italian Cuisine to Downtown Santa Barbara
L’antica Pizzeria da Michele may be new to Santa Barbara but the restaurant hopes its 1½-century lineage will help it fit right in in a community that prides itself on its heritage.
As our Josh Molina reported, Italian entrepreneur and restaurateur Francesco Zimone opened his first L’antica Pizzeria in Hollywood in 2019, and has just added a second location at 1031 State St. downtown. He says the restaurant dates back to Naples in 1870.
“We are thrilled to expand our Naples footprint … in Santa Barbara, a city we are proud to embrace as our new home,” Zimone said in a statement. “Our cozy new location is equally on par with the authentic flavors diners could expect while eating in Italy, without having to leave this beautiful beach town.”
The menu includes gnocco fritto, a deep-fried pizza dough stuffed with burrata, prosciutto and arugula; skewered shrimp, mashed potato and Arrabbiata sauce; spaghetti nerano featuring housemade spaghetti, fresh zucchini, parmigiana, pecorino and basil; and maccheroncini carbonara with macherroncini, guanciale, egg and pecorino.
As if my coveted #bestofbillrecommendation weren’t already looking like a tough choice for me to make, a gelato cart is joining the lineup.
L’antica Pizzeria da Michele is open Tuesday through Saturday.
Josh also gave a shout-out to my friends, Louise and Lou Fontana, who have opened a second Oat Bakery, this one at 231 Magnolia Ave. in Old Town Goleta, across from Anne Pazier’s Santa Barbara Gift Baskets.
After starting out with a “superfood” bread truck, the couple debuted their first Oat Bakery at 5 W. Haley St. in downtown Santa Barbara. The Scandinavian bakery quickly developed a loyal following.
For now, the Goleta store will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, with a similar menu to the Santa Barbara bakery. It’s a larger location, however, and the Fontanas have plans to expand the breakfast and lunch offerings.
5. Fire Department Files Protest After County Panel Picks AMR for Ambulance Services Contract
The contentious contract competition between American Medical Response and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department has been decided in favor of AMR, the current provider of ambulance services in the county, but the Fire Department is not giving up without a fight.
As our Giana Magnoli was first to report, a county review panel chose AMR’s proposal for the exclusive arrangement over SBCFD’s. It was the first open bidding process the county has held for the contract, which has been AMR’s for more than 50 years.
The contract is supposed to be approved by the Board of Supervisors in early 2023, and take effect in March 2024.
That’s not gonna happen if fire Chief Mark Hartwig can help it. He filed a protest asking for a second look.
Hartwig, backed by municipal fire chiefs throughout the county, maintains that SBCFD is the better match since about 80% of its service calls are medical. The department also has upgraded life support services at each of its 16 stations.
• • •
Good Reads
Don’t miss these six stories:
» Santa Barbara County Won’t Meet State Deadline to Complete Housing Element Update — Staff writer Josh Molina has the latest on Santa Barbara County’s state housing deadline maneuvering. I may not know what the answer is, but I do know that nothing good will come of it if Sacramento is calling the shots locally.
» Montecito Bank & Trust Doubles 20th Annual Community Dividends Awards to $2 Million — Staff writer Grace Kitayama has the story of Montecito Bank & Trust doubling down in this season of giving and gratitude.
» Solvang Pays Former City Manager Xenia Bradford $250,000 After Resignation — Is it me or does the City of Solvang do a lot of tilting at windmills? The chain of events in North County editor Janene Scully’s latest story makes my head spin.
» Junior CEOs Pitch Berry-Themed, Other Products at Santa Maria Mall — Janene talks shopping with young entrepreneurs in a Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce program.
» Santa Barbara Rescue Mission Serves Thanksgiving Feast for People in Need — Staff writer Serena Guentz stops by the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, where feeding and sheltering the less fortunate are not limited to Thanksgiving.
» Early Mistakes Prove Costly to Bishop Diego in 17-7 Semifinal Loss at Upland — Congratulations to Bishop Diego High School on another terrific football season. Unfortunately, it came to a downer of an end in Upland, as sports editor Barry Punzal reports.
• • •
Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Santa Barbara Unified Teachers Blast Superintendent Hilda Maldonado in Internal Survey.
• • •
Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
My Nov. 11 Story of the Week on the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald jogged the memory of Best of Bill reader and retired merchant mariner Drew Renfrow, who shared another long-running seafaring mystery: What Happened to the USS Cyclops?
• • •
Best of Bill’s Instagram
Food — of course — and Friday feels in my Instagram feed this past week.
• • •
Watch It
I thought this was hilarious earlier this year, even if I had no idea what FTX was at the time. As it turns out, no one else did either — but Larry David is never wrong about this stuff. Never.
(The World’s Best Ads video)
• • •
How You Can Help Noozhawk
Noozhawk is proud to be the go-to source of news for locals like yourself. You trust and rely on us to provide timely, relevant and thorough coverage of the issues that shape Santa Barbara County.
And we get up early — and stay up late — excited to report what’s going on in our community so we can keep you informed and engaged.
While most of Noozhawk’s revenue comes from advertising and sponsorships, we believe that reader contributions are a vital source of support — financially and fundamentally. We believe that if we ask our readers to contribute what you think we’re worth, we can build a sustainable business model for local news.
Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today!
Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today!
Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today!
Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today!
Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today!
Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today!
Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today!
Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today!
Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today! Yes, I’ll set up a monthly donation today!
Your loyalty membership helps us continue to provide you with unmatched local news and in-depth reporting on the issues that you care about.
Please note that personal contributions to Noozhawk are not deductible as charitable donations.
Thank you for your support.
— 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.