Congratulations to the Class of 2022, and all the brand-new alumni who have begun receiving their diplomas. Noozhawk reporters are out and about with commencement coverage, most of which can be found in our School Zone section.
A special shoutout is due one of our former interns, San Marcos High School’s Ethan Rivas, who will be pursuing a business and economics degree at CSU Northridge in the fall, and a current one, Carolyn French, who graduates from UC Santa Barbara next week.
If you have a new graduate of your own, I invite you to celebrate his or her achievement with an announcement in Noozhawk’s Class of 2022 Graduation Section. Announcements are free, and they’re easy to submit. Click here for the instructions.
According to our Google Analytics, Noozhawk had an audience of 129,229 readers this past week. What follows is my own recap of our Top 5 most-read stories of the past seven days.
This is my opinion column as Noozhawk’s publisher. It is not a news story.
1. 3 People Killed, 5 Injured in Multivehicle Collision in Isla Vista
A monstrous three-car collision near Isla Vista left three people dead — including a UC Santa Barbara student — and five others seriously injured the afternoon of May 28.
As our Tom Bolton first reported, the wreck occurred just before 5 p.m. at the intersection of El Colegio and Stadium roads on the northwest side of the UCSB campus.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver of a Nissan sedan was driving recklessly, blew through a red light, slammed into the other vehicles — a BMW coupe and a Toyota SUV — and then hit a grove of eucalyptus trees.
From what I can glean from our Ryan Cullom’s photos of the scene, it appears that the Nissan may have struck the median curb and gone airborne, flattening the tops of the other vehicles as it spun out of control.
Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli told Tom that several victims were trapped in the wreckage and heavy extrication was required to get them out.
The injured victims were transported by American Medical Response ambulances to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment. Their identities and medical conditions were not disclosed.
Raquel Zick, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau, on May 31 identified the dead as 28-year-old José Luis Hernández and 20-year-old Sebastian “Sebas” Gil, both of Santa Barbara, and 20-year-old Daniel Razo of Yorba Linda.
Gil was a second-year UCSB student.
UCSB police are investigating the circumstances of the collision and the department has yet to respond to our repeated requests for details.
Right about now you may be wondering why the CHP or the Sheriff’s Department are not in charge of the investigation, given their considerable experience in such situations. Because the wreck was entirely on the UCSB campus, they have no jurisdiction. That’s unfortunate because the victims, their families and the public deserve prompt answers.
Richard Vasquez, who established a GoFundMe account to help Gil’s family with funeral expenses, described him as fun, hardworking and loving, and said he had created his own apparel company called Oath.
“Sebastian will be missed tremendously by the hundreds and hundreds of lives he touched,” Vasquez wrote in a post on the site.
Funeral services are pending, but nearly $24,000 had been raised as of June 3. Click here to make an online donation.
A separate GoFundMe account was established for Razo. Maria Bonilla, the organizer, said the political science student “strived to make an impact in this world” and wanted to go into politics.
“He was loved by all he came across and had such a bright future ahead of him,” she wrote.
As of June 3, his account had raised nearly $21,000. Click here to make an online donation.
A GoFundMe account also was opened for Hernández, who is survived by his partner, Daniela Lorenzano, and three daughters: 2-year-old Janae, 1-year-old Lailani and 5-month-old Delilah. Click here to make an online donation.
2. One Owner of Pacaso Home Pushes Back on Controversy: ‘We Love Santa Barbara’
Our Josh Molina has been following the developing controversy over the South Coast arrival of Pacaso, the San Francisco-based fractional luxury home ownership company that has been shaking up higher-end communities around the country.
A couple of weeks ago, he reported on the Pacaso purchase of a $7.2 million, 5,100-square-foot house at 1131 Las Alturas Road in Santa Barbara, and the protestations of Riviera neighbors that the residence in their midst actually would have eight separate owners.
One of those investors reached out to Josh to explain his side of the story, pointing out that the Pacaso concept is often mischaracterized and misunderstood.
“We love Santa Barbara,” owner and Oakland resident Doug Brien told him. “We’ve talked about moving there one day.”
Brien and his wife, Shanti, bought an eighth of the property because their two daughters attend UC Santa Barbara and the family has been thwarted in past attempts to buy into this white-hot real estate climate on their own.
He maintains that the fractional model benefits a tight housing market.
“In theory, all eight of those, in a world that doesn’t have a Pacaso, might have bought a vacation home and taken eight houses off the market,” Brien said. “The way we are doing it is a more responsible way.”
A neighboring couple has been pushing back, organizing an unwelcome committee that has caught the attention of local homeowners associations and government officials.
Josh has all the details, so consider this a fractional report and click here to read his part of it.
3. Santa Barbara Cyclist Dies After Being Found Unconscious on Goleta Street
An 80-year-old Santa Barbara bicyclist died May 31 after he was found unconscious on Cathedral Oaks Road in Goleta.
As our Tom Bolton was first to report, the cyclist — identified by Santa Barbara County sheriff’s spokeswoman Raquel Zick as William Poehler — was discovered just before 11 a.m. in the 6200 block of Cathedral Oaks, near the intersection of Carlo Drive west of Goleta Valley Junior High School.
“The injured cyclist was immediately transported to an area hospital by ambulance where he succumbed to his injuries,” Zick said.
“This was a solo accident and did not involve any other vehicles.”
Funeral arrangements are pending.
4. ‘Senior Prank Gone Wrong’ Causes Significant Damage at Santa Barbara High School
High school senior pranks usually are not malicious and often sound more exciting in their conspiratorial planning stages than they end up appearing in the cold light of morning.
Mainly, they’re more work than thought by teenagers with one foot out the door. Or so I’m told.
The night of May 30, Santa Barbara High School was the setting for what Santa Barbara police are charitably calling a “senior prank gone wrong” — an epic failure that left a major mess and extensive damage throughout the campus at 700 E. Anapamu St.
Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale told our Tom Bolton that 9-1-1 calls started rolling in around 10:30 p.m. with reports of breaking glass and loud, unusual noises.
“When officers arrived on scene, approximately 50 to 60 high school-aged individuals fled the high school’s main building and ran toward East Canon Perdido,” he said.
Officers were able to corral more than a dozen of the teens, all of them Dons gone wrong.
Ragsdale said it appeared that “students were attempting to perform a ‘senior prank’ that involved gallons of baby oil, Vaseline, raw fish and oysters being placed all over the floors and door handles.”
Yuck. Also not the least bit amusing.
Outside, Ragsdale said, “toilet paper and streamers were strewn in trees” while the vandalism inside included broken windows and spray paint all over the place.
Damage and cleanup costs were still being compiled.
Ragsdale would not disclose whether any of the alleged pernicious pranksters had been arrested or cited, but it sure sounds like textbook criminal mischief, which can be either a felony or a misdemeanor charge under the California Penal Code.
School officials would not say if any of those involved were barred from the June 2 commencement ceremony at Peabody Stadium, but I suspect the entire campus community will be watching closely to see if there are any consequences. Or a lack of consequences.
5. Highway 101 Reopens After Suspicious Object Investigation in Los Alamos
Whether a bomb or a dud, the discovery of a suspicious object along Highway 101 near Los Alamos shut down traffic in both directions for more than four hours on May 27, getaway day for the Memorial Day weekend.
As our Tom Bolton first reported, a Caltrans crew member “found something that may or may not be a bomb,” according to California Highway Patrol Officer Maria Barriga.
Whatever it was was discovered near Cat Canyon Road just north of Los Alamos around 1 p.m. Both north- and southbound traffic was diverted around the area until 5:30 p.m.
The sheriff’s bomb squad was dispatched to the scene, but no information was ever released on the nature of the mysterious threat.
• • •
Good Reads
Check out these stories before you go:
» Santa Barbara School Board Shifts Tone, Acknowledges Teachers’ Concerns on Leadership, Policy — Our Josh Molina earns extra credit for his dogged coverage of the beleaguered Santa Barbara Unified School District. His reporting is getting results.
» Noozhawk Elections Section — The California primary election is June 7, and our reporters have been working overtime to provide a range of candidate Q&As and other coverage.
» Westmont Baseball Coach Robert Ruiz Steps Down to Take Athletic Director Position — Although the Westmont College baseball team made an early exit from the school’s first-ever NAIA World Series, sports editor Barry Punzal keeps score on exciting changes underway with the athletics program.
» Mark Patton: Gauchos’ 2022 Baseball Season Is One for the Books … and Buckets — Our Mark Patton follows the UC Santa Barbara baseball team on its own post-season quest. The Gauchos open play against Texas State University on June 3 in their bid for a second College World Series appearance.
» Check out our new pet project, our Four-Legged Friends & More section.
• • •
Last Year on Noozhawk
What was our most-read story this time last year? Iconic Hotel Santa Barbara On the Market for $49 Million.
• • •
Bill Macfadyen’s Story of the Week
I’m all shook up: Elvis Presley Estate Bans Impersonators at Las Vegas Weddings.
• • •
Best of Bill’s Instagram
My Instagram feed ended up hosting @noozhawk #intern appreciation week, and two of our finest ever were Gaby Kepinski and Ethan Rivas.
• • •
Americans Held Hostage: Day 276
America abandoned Americans in Afghanistan now 276 days ago. At least the Taliban’s burqa mandate should make it easier to hide.
• • •
Watch It
Catchin’ a ride with Mom to pick up dinner. HT to Best of Bill reader Sarah Lewis.
(@advance_wildlife_education 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.