Regarding the Aug. 5 article, “DA Charges 2 Men With Murder in Downtown Santa Barbara Stabbing,” why does the 500 block of State Street not have a solid police presence on weekend nights and special occasions like Fiesta?

The place is packed with bars and inebriated tough guys itching for a fight. It appears that Anthony Bisquera Hartley stumbled into one and paid with his life.

Instead of compensating groups for assisting illegal immigrants, hiring one more cop might have saved a life the other night. Shameful.

Casey Williamson
Santa Barbara

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What was the immigration status of the three arrested men involved with the murder of Anthony Bisquera Hartley?

Does Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown’s department not communicate to the news media the citizenship or immigration status of those it arrests? We need to know.

Denice Spangler Adams
Montecito

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Institutional concerns about Fiesta — as presented in the Aug. 1 article, “Santa Barbara City College Pulls Out of Fiesta Historical Parade” — bring up a topic discussed by us locals of all ethnicities at a recent Fiesta event.

The emphasis on Flamenco, and a certain Colonial period, miss a lot of the history of Santa Barbara.

Perhaps we should look at our history more closely, and more fairly celebrate all eras, from the Chumash to the present day. It would probably be more fun, inclusive, and reflect more closely our community’s real past and present.

Annie Linn
Goleta

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Fiesta boycotters are just demonstrating their ignorance. Fiesta is not a political celebration.

The genesis for our modern fiesta was the fiesta that Richard Henry Dana attended in the mid-1830s at the De la Guerra adobe in Santa Barbara.

Dana, of course, had a great time at the local fiesta and publicized it to the world via his 1840 book, Two Years Before the Mast. The fiesta tradition was further publicized and romanticized in the late 1800s by the Ramona books and in paintings.

So basically what we’re celebrating is simply the partying of the fiestas that were held on local ranchos during the time of Spanish, Mexican and American California.

The groups and nonprofit organizations that are turning fiesta into a political event are ridiculous.

Bob Reynolds
Moab, Utah, and formerly of Santa Barbara

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Thank you to Cheri-Ann Leon for her beautiful and courageous Aug. 2 commentary, “‘We Were Fiesta’ — A Love Letter and Reckoning with What’s Been Lost.” I’m inspired to join her in advocating for change.

As a white male raised Catholic and living in Santa Barbara for the past 20 years, I’ve grown increasingly uncomfortable with Fiesta.

It romanticizes a colonial past while sidelining the people and cultures who shape this place today. Fiesta is part of our identity — and for better or worse, it reflects our community’s values.

It’s time for Old Spanish Days to evolve into a true celebration of Santa Barbara — not just Spanish nostalgia, but a reflection of the land, the Chumash people, and the multicultural richness of our community.

What people love most — Fiesta Pequeña, parades, music, dancing and cascarones — can and should remain.

But it’s time to broaden the circle, invite more Indigenous and immigrant stories, and ensure we’re celebrating with our whole community, not just a sliver of our past.

Reimagining Fiesta wouldn’t erase history. It would honor more of it, while better celebrating where we live and who we are.

It’s time for a new name that reflects the spirit of this city, today.

The Old Spanish Days are long gone.

Daniel Gullett
Santa Barbara

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Thank you for publishing Mayor Randy Rowse’s Aug. 7 commentary, “Fiesta Joy Reminds Us What Matters While City Council Faces Hard Budget Choices.”

With his background in business and finance, Rowse brings valuable experience and knowledge to his position as mayor. He also is sincere in his effort to educate the community about aspects of the city’s finances that many of us are not aware of.

People tend to discount his opinions, but his words of wisdom need to be heard and considered.

Susan Shields
Santa Barbara

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On July 31, the Santa Barbara City Council held a special meeting to discuss providing assistance to illegal immigrants and their families.

As a transportation organization, Cars Are Basic asks where the money will come from?  The Measure C sales tax?

Regardless of how you feel about ICE immigration enforcement, you should be concerned with the way the council is planning to give $500,000 in taxpayer dollars to “immigration support” nongovernmental organizations.

Certain NGOs are demanding immediate payment of the $500,000.

In order to facilitate the rapid payment, Councilwomen Meagan Harmon and Kristen Sneddon are proposing that the money be taken out of the city’s “flexible housing fund,”  with that fund to be repaid by “amending” Measure C and then taking $500,000 currently earmarked for infrastructure repair to repay the flexible housing fund.

The vote to give the money to the NGOs is tentatively scheduled to take place at the Aug. 12 City Council meeting.

If this kind of money movement was done by a corporation, and discovered, a criminal investigation would be initiated.

In a legal opinion provided to the City Council, the city attorney warned that providing money to NGOs that engage in conduct that could be interpreted as interfering with federal law enforcement operations may expose the city and city employees to criminal liability.

In a heated election debate, the voters put specific guard rails on Measure C, and it was approved by the electorate.

CAB questions how a voter-approved tax can be amended without the city placing a measure on the next election ballot.

Is it ethical for the council to amend — without voter approval — a change to this tax revenue that is designated for street maintenance and a new police station? Is it legal?

Scott Wenz
Cars Are Basic president

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When the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors votes to divert tax dollars for “rapid-response hotlines” every time ICE is spotted at a red light, they congratulate themselves on moral courage.

Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse, for his part, assures us the police will stay out of federal immigration business — because apparently the uniform comes with a detachable spine.

And in Washington, Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, sells the “Dignity Act,” as if law were something optional, like paper straws.

Meanwhile, a knife fight in the 500 block of State Street left one man dead and two others bleeding on the sidewalk while Fiesta banners flapped uselessly overhead.

City Halls of our communities keep greasing the skids for mammoth “affordable” blocks, including concrete middle fingers to neighbors who thought they bought into a low-rise hometown.

And the Santa Barbara City Council’s Ordinance Committee advanced a rule forcing every adaptive-reuse project to sprinkle in subsidized units, regardless of cost, parking or common sense.

A reminder: The first, foremost, and — as our oath-bound representatives — non-negotiable duty of government is to safeguard its citizens from crime and catastrophe.

Article I, Section 1 of the California Constitution doesn’t mention housing quotas or sanctuary resolutions. It begins with the inalienable right to property and safety.

That means police officers and sheriff’s deputies on the streets, brush cleared before August winds, and evacuation corridors that don’t bottleneck behind a brand-new apartment block.

Do that first, then we can wrangle over how many subsidized shoeboxes fit on the head of a bureaucrat’s pin.

Peter Sadowski
Santa Barbara

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So what about all the other causes/needs of our community? What about nonimmigrants the Santa Barbara City Council just took the money from?

The council has shown its weakness and instead of planning and organizing to support a cause or need, it will raid a current funded need and take away from an informed and planned program.

I have an idea: Let’s take all the city’s money and put it in one account, and weekly we can decide what bills and causes to write checks to.

Since it’s our money, we need a better accountability that reflects the people whose money the council is spending.

Bart Bader
Goleta

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On Aug. 5, the Lompoc City Council did something that governments rarely do: It returned $200 to every utility customer!

The cash came from a “Greenhouse Gas Allowance Revenue rebate. That’s the good news.

Now for the bad news: During the discussion, staff recommended using the rebate to build more vehicle charging stations.

Mayor Jim Mosby asked how much each user paid to use the charging stations at Lompoc Valley Community Medical Center; the utility director said “nothing, they are free.”

Then Mosby asked, “How much did it cost to install them?” About $170,000 was the response.

Then, what if the users had to pay the going rate for the electricity they use? How long would it take to recover the installation costs? Several decades was the answer.

I don’t know about you, but I must pay for driving my car. How come people who drive electric cars get to “fuel up” for free?

Thanks for the rebate but now start charging EV drivers for the electricity they use, plus a prorated fee for the cost to install chargers.

Ron Fink
Lompoc

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Christy Lozano’s Aug. 1 letter to the editor quotes the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement statement claiming “the arrests of 300+ illegal aliens, including 13 criminals convicted of such crimes as RAPE, KIDNAPPING, … WILLFUL CHILD CRUELTY …”

I’m wondering what the other 287-plus aliens were guilty of (besides being here illegally). SUPPORTING THEIR FAMILIES? PAYING SALES TAXES? WORKING HARD FOR LOW PAY AT TOUGH JOBS?

I’m also wondering if the 14 unaccompanied children were “rescued” because their parents were detained. Should I feel good about the fact that one worker jumped to his death? That a citizen was detained? Does this work require a military approach?

Lozano mischaracterized the letter by 29 local elected officials to Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, in which they stated that they are “horrified by the violent and militarized mass deportation campaign.”

They did NOT say that they would be horrified by the old policy, which prioritized national security and violent crime concerns over nonviolent and petty offenses.

Michael Fay
Santa Barbara

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Regarding the July 28 article, “Proposed Anthem Church Project in Goleta Draws Concerns From Neighbors,” there has been a lot of speculation about what our new church will be like. We hope to clarify some things with this letter.

Better Than Outdoor Church During COVID-19 

• During COVID-19, church was held under a tent at the property, which had limitations on what we could do to shield our amplified sound coming out of the tent.
• There were times when our dirt parking lot was insufficient and some parked on Covington Way and neighborhood streets.
• We had no real solution without an enclosed building and improved parking lot.

Allowed and Enforced by Minor Use Permit Design 

• Yes, this property is zoned residential. Churches are allowed with a minor use permit.
• Enforcement of specific activities is through the conditions of the municipal permit.

Real Size and Seating

• The MUP includes a 5,542-square-foot sanctuary for indoor church services (less for just seating) with a total of 500 seats. This is the maximum seating but rarely would reach full capacity.
• We determined it would be better to limit the size of the sanctuary and, if ever needed, offer additional services. That way, the number of people at church would fit the size of the church.
• No, the total 22,000 square feet cannot, and will not, be used for church sanctuary seating.
• No, there are not 1,800-2,200 seats possible, or even the potential for this many. The sanctuary is only large enough for 500 seats. Most of the space is for classrooms, offices and common area.
• Two of our special events include broader public attendance and we will continue to use Stow Park and Dos Pueblos High School, not our church.
• Of note, this vacant lot area was originally approved for the expansion of Christ Lutheran Church.

125 On-Site Parking Spaces

• Yes, 125 parking spaces are provided, which meets and exceeds City of Santa Barbara requirements for on-site parking.
• Our parking lot will essentially be empty during the majority of week and used mostly on Sunday.
• We will have parking patrol staff for all our activities, as well as Stow House staff for their events.

No Meaningful Increase in Outdoor Noise 

• The church building has been carefully located and designed to shield neighboring properties from amplified sound, particularly, away from Covington Way.
• Church services will be held indoors in order to meet the Community Noise Equivalent Level 65 dBA criteria/threshold.
• There will no meaningful increase in noise levels at Covington Way during services.
• We “heard you” and have eliminated project-planned outdoor events that include amplified sound.

Total New Los Carneros Traffic is Minimal

• Yes, there are two driveways on Los Carneros Road because we chose not to use Covington Way.
• Total auto trips for church are mostly on Sunday morning when traffic volumes are low.
• Total added auto trips are still at traffic service levels required by the City of Goleta.
• The preschool/day care would add to weekday morning and midday traffic, but we hope this would also serve local families who would be traveling to similar facilities elsewhere.
• Los Carneros has substantial excess capacity for this project and future traffic from Goleta.

County Fire Review

• The Santa Barbara County Fire Department and the City of Goleta have reviewed our proposed plans at several stages and concluded we are consistent with traffic circulation and public safety requirements.
• Any project on this property would be reviewed in the same manner.

Mutual Benefit for River City Grill and Neighbors

• Anthem Chapel and Christ Lutheran Church have been good neighbors to Stow House for many years.
• We give specific permission for Stow House to use our lot for supervised parking during events.
• We also enjoy using Stow House public facilities for a few of our own special events.
• This is a mutually beneficial relationship, not an adverse one.
• We consulted a historian to ensure the design of our building would be consistent with the agrarian heritage of Stow Park and the orchard ranches in the region.
• Without our church parking lot, there will be no overflow parking lot for Stow House events.

Buffer Protected and Restored

• We know the environmentally sensitive habitat area in Stow Park is important to you.  It is to us also, and we are contributing to make it better.
• Our property is only covered by the ESHA buffer. The 50- and 100-foot buffers partially overlap a small part of our southeast corner, the dirt parking/storage area next to the public parking lot.
• We are not building any structures within that 100-foot buffer boundary.
• We are fully restoring the 50-foot buffer that will add to and enhance the actual biological resources.
• Careful design and restoration in the buffer has been recommended and supported by several biology specialists as an improvement to this edge of the ESHA.

Benefits of the Project

• Anthem Chapel currently provides church and youth services to more than 300 people, children and families, mostly local Goleta residents, who need and want it.
• Anthem Chapel has historically given permission to Stow House to use our lot for its event parking. This will not be the case if a different project has to be developed on the site.
• Anthem Chapel will provide a much-needed preschool and day-care center open to the public.
• Anthem Chapel will pay to restore 50-feet of the ESHA buffer and convert it from a dirt parking lot to a valuable extension of the ESHA.
• If not Anthem Chapel, there will be another project that could have greater impacts.

We want to acknowledge that a church on the edge of your neighborhood may cause some occasional disruption and minor inconvenience. However, we hope there is room for us and appreciation of the benefits that we want to offer back to the community.

Courtney Javier
Anthem Chapel

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