Thank you to Noozhawk South County editor Joshua Molina for his April 19 article, “Death at the Dorm: UCSB Student Liz Hamel’s Fall Mired in Mystery.”
I’m surprised that this tragedy has not gotten more attention so thank you for raising it. I’m also disappointed that the authorities have not said much of anything about it either.
Christina Price
Isla Vista
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Regarding the April 17 article, “Superior Court Judge Michael Carrozzo to Resign Amid Misconduct Allegations,” all my experiences with the justice system have given me little confidence that it is effective.
Let’s look at this case. Carrozzo agrees to concede “10 acts of willful misconduct,” among other things, and agrees to resign. But not until six months from now, and the State of California is going to pay him for those months.
I guess we can now allow murders who take a plea bargain to remain on the streets for six months before imposing their sentences.
This country’s crime numbers have been increasing exponentially for years. The justice system is not a deterrent.
I have read X posts that support Carrozzo because of what he has done for veterans. I guess these veterans don’t care what he’s done to other people as long as he has treated them well. I’m a veteran, too, but he doesn’t get a pass from me.
Thank you, Noozhawk and Janene Scully, for bringing this to the public. The public needs to know to start changing their vote for judges to fix this broken system. Don’t vote for incumbents.
Bart Bader
Goleta
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Regarding the April 24 article, “Protesters Gather in Santa Barbara to Oppose Cuts to Social Security,” protests over proposed cuts in staff that may act redundantly doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get your Social Security check.
I’m on Social Security myself and felt a slap in the face when then-President Joe Biden used these funds for illegal immigrants, and then, after allowing and actually causing 9% or more (significantly more in most areas), granting us seniors a miserly 2.5% increase.
Where were you protesters then? Now you protest the unknown like you’re facing hell on a one-way elevator. You are protesting “potential” cuts of staff that “could” cause delays in payments.
Get a life and stop living in a state of mass hysteria. And don’t forget to look under the bed each night for that (also imagined) bogeyman.
Brian Massey
Sonoita, Arizona, and formerly of Santa Barbara
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It’s time for articles informing readers of Social Security realities. The April 24 national and local protests at Social Security offices planned by Indivisible fostered more misconceptions.
President Donald Trump is NOT cutting Social Security; there’s no need because Social Security is forecast to be insolvent by 2037.
Why not help locals address and prepare for Social Security’s pending insolvency?
Social Security is not a right; it’s a benefit like welfare. Will universal basic income replace Social Security for the needy?
Trump is making a mistake to stop taxing Social Security because those taxes help fund the Social Security Trust Fund; he’s expediting its insolvency.
To maintain Social Security benefits, Congress will need to fund it. What is the position of Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, on Congress funding Social Security from general revenues?
In 2024, Social Security cost about $1.5 trillion for 68 million beneficiaries. Our federal debt is $36 trillion-plus, with debt allocation to each taxpayer of more than $323,000.
What’s each political party’s plan to carry on? We need to know.
Denice Spangler Adams
Montecito
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Regarding the April 19 article, “Santa Maria Activists Stage ‘No Kings’ Protest,” the protest unfolded as a paradox in motion: Citizens chanting against imagined tyranny while, knowingly or not, championing policies that eroded American prosperity, national sovereignty and the freedoms they claim to defend.
What exactly are these protesters for?
By opposing President Donald Trump’s economic agenda, they endorse the decades-long hollowing out of American manufacturing, the decline of Middle America, and the elevation of global corporate interests over working-class livelihoods.
Their resistance to border enforcement is an endorsement of chaos: unchecked migration that overwhelms public services, drives down wages and undermines the very communities they purport to support.
Their rejection of Trump’s trade policies amounts to nostalgia for the status quo that shipped millions of jobs overseas and left entire towns across Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan in economic ruin.
They cheer policies that enriched multinational elites while gutting the American middle class.
Perhaps most revealing is what their outrage suggests about their commitment to free speech. In opposing the administration’s efforts to challenge ideological orthodoxy, they defend punishment for dissent.
For example, a 2022 Harvard Crimson faculty survey laid bare the ideological imbalance: more than 80% of professors identified as “liberal” or “very liberal,” while 1% identified as conservative.
When students feel compelled to self-censor to survive the classroom, the marketplace of ideas becomes a one-party state.
The irony could not be starker. Their protest signs may read “No Kings” but in their quest they unwittingly pledge allegiance to the true monarchs of our age — global corporations, unelected bureaucrats and academic gatekeepers who rule from invisible thrones with iron scepters of conformity.
Peter Sadowski
Santa Barbara
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In her April 18 letter to the editor, Jan Lipski wrote about the demonstration in Lompoc two weeks ago. She observed demonstrators “blocking” the four corners of Central Avenue and H Street, and asks, “How Was I Spending My Day?”
I spent my day with about 250 of my Lompoc Valley neighbors encouraging the public to take action to protect our democracy.
We lined the sidewalks of that major intersection. No one was blocking traffic or pedestrians; people of all ages were out there peacefully standing and/or sitting, holding signs to remind the public we are in serious trouble.
Lipski didn’t see a theme? Almost every sign referred to “Hands Off,” the same theme that got millions of Americans out to the thousands of gathering places across the country.
Congratulations to Lompoc Indivisible for organizing a positive and peaceful demonstration. The response from passing motorists was one of the most encouraging I have yet witnessed in Lompoc.
People are concerned about so many issues but the over-arching message was we must protect our democracy.
Marell Brooks
Lompoc Valley
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In his April 18 letter to the letter, Haik Hakobian complains that he bought a Tesla to save the environment but now he can’t take it out in public for fear it will be vandalized over Elon Musk, who he hates “more than anyone.”
Poor guy. What’s a virtue signaler to do?! Thanks for the laughs.
Robert Smith
Goleta
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For such a small community, the April 5 “Hands Off” rally in Santa Barbara had a strong turnout. About 4% of our population congregated for the event, but it is just the beginning.
As the movement grows here and nationally, so, too, will more and more people take to the streets until millions show their resistance to tyranny, hopefully surpassing the numbers of the Vietnam War protesters of the 1970s.
As the rest of the nation, Santa Barbara is affected by President Donald Trump’s policies — civil rights for undocumented workers, academic freedom for our university, free speech for us all.
We need to stand up in solidarity against him. We need to stand up for the rights of others in our community and let our angry voices be heard. We need to be loud and continue other protests here in Santa Barbara such as the Saturday morning protests of Tesla.
I fell in love with Santa Barbara the first time I saw it, and I never left. Sometimes we have to fight for what we love.
Haik Hakobian
Santa Barbara
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The potential impact of any Medicaid cuts on rural communities remains a concern. It is crucial that we continue our advocacy efforts, particularly with our California representatives and members of the Senate Finance Committee, to ensure that any spending reductions do not adversely affect rural health care services.
As the Board of Directors of Lompoc Valley Medical Center, we are pleased to share some encouraging news from Washington, D.C.: Our voices are being heard!
On April 10, the House of Representatives passed a budget resolution with a 216-214 vote. With both the House and Senate now having passed the plan, we are seeing a positive development: a reduction in the previously proposed Medicaid spending cuts.
This is a significant step forward. While it is a positive development, our work is far from over. The plan must pass through 10 committees over the next few months.
The potential impact of any Medicaid cuts on rural communities remains a concern. It is crucial that we continue our advocacy efforts, particularly with our California representatives and members of the Senate Finance Committee, to ensure that any spending reductions do not adversely affect rural health care services.
LVMC is the cornerstone of health care in the Lompoc Valley, serving more than 60,000 residents, including military personnel from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
We operate a 60-bed acute hospital, a 110-bed skilled nursing facility, multispecialty clinics and other specialized services, all of which are crucial to maintaining the health and well-being of everyone in our community.
We also provide emergency services to more than 25,000 patients each year.
The funding we receive through Medicaid is essential for maintaining the breadth and quality of services we provide. A significant reduction in these funds has the potential to limit the range of services we can provide, now and in the future, and could directly impact our ability to provide timely access to all those requiring care.
We must be able to provide high-quality care to our residents, including emergency services, surgery, cancer treatment, and many other essential health care services.
We are actively reaching out to congressional leaders and other key decision-makers to ensure they are fully aware of the critical role LVMC plays in our community.
We are committed to ensuring that the health care services we provide to Lompoc, including those that support our military families, remain protected and fully funded.
These services are indispensable to our entire community, and we want to make sure our voices and those of our community are heard locally, in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C.
We want to assure you that, while no final decisions have been made regarding Medicaid funding, we are doing everything within our power to advocate for the necessary support to continue delivering the quality of care that our community deserves.
The trust and support you have shown LVMC over the years is something we take very seriously, and we are committed to being part of the solution as we continue to work toward ensuring our hospital and services remain sustainable and accessible.
We urge you to stay informed about these potential changes, and to reach out to your elected officials to express your support for preserving Medicaid funding for LVMC.
We are here to provide the highest quality care, and together, we can ensure that our community continues to receive the health care services it relies on.
Thank you for your continued trust and support. We are proud to serve you, and we remain committed to the health and well-being of the Lompoc community.
Leslie Kelly
Elham Novin-Baheran
Mark Cordes
Christopher Lumsdaine
Roger McConnell
Lompoc Valley Medical Center Board of Directors
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For nearly two decades, I’ve had the privilege of leading CASA of Santa Barbara County.
In that time, one truth has remained constant: the children we serve — those who have been abused, neglected or abandoned — have done nothing to deserve the hardships they face.
They have no vote, no voice in policy and no blame in their circumstances. They only have hope, hope that someone will stand up for them.
The Justice Department recently terminated three federal grants to National CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and GAL (Guardian ad Litem), cutting off longstanding support for more than 900 local CASA programs nationwide.
This includes support that helps CASA of Santa Barbara County train and sustain volunteers who advocate for children in foster care.
While National CASA is appealing this decision, the immediate loss is already being felt. Without swift action, more than 200,000 children across the country — including hundreds in our own backyard — may lose a critical voice in court.
Let me be clear: this is not a political issue. I serve in a community where beliefs span the full political spectrum.
And yet our CASA program has always brought people together — left, right and center — because we are united by something more powerful than politics: the shared belief that every child deserves safety, dignity and the chance to thrive.
This is a moment to act, not argue. I urge our community to speak up. Contact your representatives. Let them know that CASA matters.
Or, if you’re able, support your local CASA program directly. Your donation will help ensure that we can continue our mission here at home, regardless of national shifts.
Caring for children isn’t a partisan act. It’s a human one!
Kim Colby Davis
CASA of Santa Barbara County executive director
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Regarding Robert Sulnick’s April 20 commentary, “Earth Day Demands Bold Action Against Climate Change Despite Setbacks,” when he gets rid of all the oil production, what will we use to make the 6,000-plus products made from petroleum?
Only about 35% of oil is used for fuel. Just a question.
John Sween
Santa Barbara
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According to Robert Sulnick, “The Santa Barbara Channel has been producing oil for more than 100 years.” No kidding!
Given that fossil fuels are made from, you know, fossils, it’s actually more like millennia, as the Chumash discovered thousands of years ago.
L. Kelley
Buellton
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Earth Day has come and gone again. What did environmentalists do to save the environment this year?
They continue to perpetuate the global warming myth as the cause for every calamity even though it has been debunked by using facts instead of hyperbole. The notion that “global warming” can be caused by mere humans is laughable.
True students of the environment would not ignore core samples taken from the sea floor off the coast of Santa Barbara, which clearly indicate that temperature spikes of far greater magnitude than those currently being experienced occurred long before hair spray, air conditioning, SUVs and even cooking fires were widely used.
Human activity contributes to but does not change the ratio of gases in the earth’s atmosphere.
A totally naturally occurring event, volcanic eruption, is the largest contributor of ozone on earth. An average of 50 volcanos spew volcanic gasses skyward each year. You may recall Mount St. Helens, which blanketed the northern tier of the United States with ash and changed the climate for half the North American continent.
So, rest easy, we mere humans have a minimal impact on the earth.
Ron Fink
Lompoc
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