Kudos to Ray Ford for his June 22 column, “Los Padres Forest in the Crosshairs,” informing Noozhawk readers about the myriad of problems relating to the upkeep and safety of Hot Springs and other trails that face the management of Los Padres National Forest, the City of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County and other administrative bodies, as well as nearby residents.
He has managed to make clear how complicated the situation is in terms of assigning responsibility, and has explained that our local forest service ranger is eager to get help to resolve these problems.
Thank you, Ray.
Susan Shields
Santa Barbara
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The June 24 article, “25-Unit Studio Housing Project Proposed Near Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital,” states that no parking is proposed for the development.
“My expectation is that it is not going to be a problem because residents are not likely to own or operate vehicles,” developer Steve Johnson told Noozhawk.
And he plans 29 units on less than 13,000 square feet.
I don’t know what Johnson is using, but give me some.
Robert Riggs
Santa Barbara
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Thank you for publishing Cass Ensberg’s June 24 commentary, “A Practical Solution to Restore and Promote State Street.”
Once again, her suggestions are to the point, creative and fit with our El Pueblo Viejo District guidelines. I don’t understand why we can’t just try them for a few months and see if there’s a difference.
Anyone with common sense can see the advantages — and can see that the current free-for-all is not working for the larger community. Ensberg’s designs would bring back the locals.
Fernanda Gallegos
Santa Barbara
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I’ve lived in Santa Barbara since 1973 and used to love going downtown. My wife and I stopped doing that about five years ago. It’s not clean, it’s not welcoming, and it’s not a place we want to be.
But I 100% support Cass Ensberg’s proposals. Do them now!
Mike Reed
Santa Barbara
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Regarding Clay Holdren’s June 25 commentary, “Benefits of Santa Barbara’s Pedestrian Promenade Are Clear,” as far I can see the pedestrians have stayed on the sidewalks and the E-bikes have taken over the “promenade!”
John Bair
Santa Barbara
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Regarding Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Kristen Miller’s June 23 commentary, “Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber Unveils Vision for Revitalized State Street,” what are “Experiential and hospitality” and “Innovative retail and vertically integrated entrepreneurs”? Plain English, please.
D. Marley
Santa Barbara
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Thank you to Ronald Hays for his June 21 letter to the editor and his insightful common sense about the close relationship between more free parking and more time shopping in downtown Santa Barbara.
Of course, that translates into more income for businesses and more tax revenue to the city, creating a virtuous cycle of downtown activity, shopping satisfaction, smiling shop and restaurant owners, and a better funded city budget.
I hope some city leaders are listening.
J.W. Burk
Santa Barbara
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I just want to remind everyone that our local downtown businesses need your support.
If you want to see a true promenade, as most community members have said they do, you need to tell our mayor and City Council.
The ongoing conversation needs to change about what is happening to our downtown. We keep hearing it’s failing and that we have to bring back cars and that speeding and reckless bikes have taken over.
The truth is our downtown is beautiful. I walk the street/promenade almost daily from my work and see people meandering around, shopping, eating and drinking outside. I don’t see a lot of homeless and feel very safe. The shade of the trees is nice, too.
I spent the last two weekends in two very different downtown areas, Westwood in Los Angeles (blocks away from UCLA) and Ventura’s Main Street promenade.
Westwood is doing its best but it has lost most of its retail and the sidewalks are dirty with plenty of homeless roaming around screaming or making film deals very loudly and constantly. Ironically, there are plenty of cars and people so that has not helped the situation.
On the other hand, Ventura has done an amazing job of creating a promenade by eliminating cars and bikes (sorry bikes, I like you but you are too hard to control in a pedestrian area) and having small creative retail stores, art shows and art sellers out on the promenade.
Ventura had music the day I was there and it was very busy. People were definitely having a good time and spending money.
Let’s do the same here and go forward with new concepts of community and energy for our downtown. There is housing coming and I believe the State Street Master Plan is also being unveiled and, hopefully, it will have some fun concepts that all of us can enjoy.
If you are interested and care to give your opinion, now is the time! Email your comments to sbcitycouncil@santabarbaraca.gov and come downtown and enjoy our promenade.
Dawn Manolakos
Santa Barbara
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COVID-19 was a tragedy that affected many facets of our lives. Prior to COVID-19, State Street was one the most desirable destinations in the country.
Locals and tourists alike flocked to State Street with its easy access via auto, bike or electric trolley and its attractions, drawing hundreds of thousands, such as the Fiesta Parade, Solstice Parade and Farmers Market to name a few.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes that were made to State Street made it unrecognizable. Barriers went up that have the look of a war zone, parklets went up that remind one of a Third World country, and our street is noticeably dirty and rodent infested.
Tourists and locals alike avoid State Street. Businesses are closing, parking lot use is down and many are suffering.
Concerned officials looked for solutions and came up with so many ideas that inaction won the day and now Santa Barbara is in a race to the bottom.
While it is reasonable to consider options, it’s not rational to watch our city spiral in decline. The problem is severe and the need for action is now.
The first step should be to return State Street to its pre-COVID-19 status as soon as possible. Take down the barriers and the parklets and give State Street a good cleaning until it sparkles. Bring back the electric trolleys, cars, bikes and do so in time for the Aug. 2 Fiesta Parade.
Once these initial restorative steps are taken, the master plan work can continue to study the many ideas that might further improve our city, such as sidewalk simplifications to make them more functional for pedestrians and to better accommodate outside dining.
We can always close off the street or portions of the street for the Farmers Market and other special events as we did in the past.
We only need to look at the success of Coast Village Road to know this can be done in a timely and cost-effective manner.
George Lilly
Santa Barbara
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On June 26, the Goleta Valley South 10U All-Star Little League team played Fillmore All-Stars in a first-round game of the tournament being hosted at Goleta Valley South Little League.
To cut to the chase, the final score, after being called due to the “Little League Mercy Rule” (a lead of 15 or more runs after three innings) was 41-0.
Yes, you read that correctly. In a Little League baseball game. In a word, disgraceful.
Unfortunately, that’s not all. After being up by more than 20 runs, the GVSLL squad, led by manager Rich Hollowell, continued to steal bases at will, bunt, and even squeeze kids home for more runs.
The worst of it, the parents and fans reveled in the humiliation of 12 10-year-old boys, their fans and their coaches. The GVSLL coaches never once even attempted to take their foot off the gas.
This disgrace begs more questions than time allows. No. 1 in my mind is, what, if any, consequences will be meted out to these, and I’m reluctant to use the word, coaches.
I have been a high school and junior college coach for 30-plus years and a youth sports coach now for five. I have never witnessed such an embarrassment to the coaching brotherhood.
The sad part is that I have no doubt at least one of the GVSLL players likely saw the WRONG in what they were doing and was likely too fearful to express his feelings of empathy. If I had coaches like that, I would probably fear such as well.
Where are we in youth sports that this is allowed to occur? And where are we as parents that cheer it on?
Just plain disgraceful.
Bill Boshakus
Ventura
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I liked Dan McCaslin’s June 21 column, “Bench, Signpost Unwelcome Additions to Rattlesnake Canyon Trail,” but the “peace symbol” in one of the accompanying photographs is actually the Mercedes-Benz logo, not the peace sign. Good article, though.
Jerry Wilson
Goleta
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I saw in the news that some deranged man was bent on occupying one of the women’s restrooms on Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara.
I understand a woman who was rightfully upset called the police. Unfortunately, no help there — possibly due to “defund the police” a few years ago.
I guess what is needed now is good, upright men who wish to protect and defend the women and girls in our community by having a potentially brusque “conversation” with the interloper.
Oh, but wait, that would require toxic masculinity. I’m sorry ladies, I truly am!
Jeff Havlik
Santa Barbara
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Regarding Robert Sulnick’s June 26 commentary, “Denying Climate Change Is Proof a Dark Age Is Descending,” there is no such thing as climate change or global warming, it’s just liberal Democrats trying to scare you. They use it as a money grab. It’s false.
I am a longtime local surfer. I have been studying our ocean and weather for 55 years. Nothing is changing, just the yearly seasons. So please stop with this fake news.
Brad Blue
Goleta
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Again with the overwrought doom and gloom. Didn’t someone declare that the Arctic would be ice-free by the summer of 2013? And that was after a new Ice Age was supposed to freeze over the Earth by the year 2000. Where are John Kerry and Newsweek magazine these days?
Michael Gutierrez
Lompoc
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Regarding Paul Gowler’s June 21 letter to the editor, I quote Glenn Dorfman’s letter, which is about “the question of objectivity” and “how to identify ‘misinformation’ in the media.” As I understood him, he claims this is not possible.
I maintain it is possible and crucial that we do so, and I cited two recent examples when real facts overrode the lies of misinformation to the benefit of all Americans.
If Gowler believes this issue is not of local interest, I politely suggest he re-examine his opinion. If a real threat to our democracy does not affect our “local” lives, I again politely state, he is grossly mistaken.
Nancy Freeman
Goleta
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