I found the Oct. 1 article, “Enrollment in Santa Barbara Unified School District Continues 10-Year Decline, alarming.
I know the younger generation numbers are indeed declining, but I would love to see comparison numbers with the growth/decline in our Santa Barbara private and homeschool programs.
Are the private schools following this same decline, or are families choosing more private and homeschool options?
If so, the Santa Barbara Unified School District analysts would do the public a great service and begin researching why this is happening.
What is it in the public schools that is prompting families to move to other options? The evidence could influence choices the district is making.
Janet Spencer
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the Oct. 6 article, “Goleta Council Delays Decision on Old Town Plan to Reduce Road Lanes, Add Angled Parking,” to be clear this also includes resurfacing, not just paint, and changing out the one-hour parking signs the city never enforced.
But one has to ask, “How could a project that was estimated at $1.1 million balloon to $5.144 million?”
It would seem the city staff has an inability to calculate costs effectively and a greater failure to deliver.
What happened with Cortona Point and Hollister Village? These were developments the council voted for because we desperately needed workforce housing but which are not affordable at $4,900 for a two-bedroom unit at Cortona or $6,913 for a three-bedroom at Hollister Village.
What happened to the Highway 101 pedestrian crossing at Calaveras Avenue? That morphed into the full vehicle overcrossing at Brandon Drive, one that city staffer Rosemarie Gaglione said was essential for development in the city 10 years ago?
What happened to the splash pad in Old Town?
Why is the Hollister Avenue slide area near Winchester Canyon still a fenced-off mess after almost seven years?
Why does the foot bridge at Lake Los Carneros Park remain closed and not replaced?
Why are our roads a mess and disintegrating faster than they are repaired?
Where is Fire Station 10? Twelve years ago it was estimated at $4 million, now it is projected to be $22 million and still nothing has been built.
How did the San José Creek bike path start out at $22 million, rise to $27 million, and the latest number is $33 million and the finished project is years away.
One has to ask, “Why did the city council squander a decade of low inflation on vanity projects and not on maintaining infrastructure? Why do they propose new projects when they have failed to take care of existing structures?
We have a problem at City Hall!
Richard Foster
Goleta
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I have lived in Santa Barbara for 33 years, and moved up to Buellton almost five years ago, for a more family friendly environment. But here is my vision for State Street, as I come to Santa Barbara quite frequently.
I believe that both cars and e-bikes should not be allowed on Lower State Street. Cars “cruising” up and down State Street, that have to start and stop frequently are emitting toxic fumes that pedestrians and bicyclists inhale.
E-bikes, which can be modified to go up to 30 mph, pose a threat to pedestrians in the street. But, so do some youth on regular bikes who like to show off doing wheelies, swinging back and forth at fast speeds with the potential to run into a pedestrian.
My vision for State Street would be to allow restaurants and storefronts to have space outside for eating and drinking, and stores displaying their wares within a designated area, if they so choose.
I am in agreement with having small electric shuttles running up and down from Cabrillo Boulevard to Victoria Street for locals, tourists and those with disabilities to experience what can again become a vibrant area of Santa Barbara.
Gary Allan Colman
Buellton
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I’ve expressed my views about previous Santa Barbara City Council meetings and I’m reluctant to repeat these thoughts, which the council has all heard and rejected.
The Sept. 26 City Council meeting, as reported in “Santa Barbara Council Again Votes Against Opening State Street to Cars,” was just too much, though.
The thought of “kicking the can” down the road for another year or more, while our city declines, makes it impossible to be quiet.
It’s depressing to hear the reasons why retailers are leaving State Street and the best we can offer is to suggest that landlords lower their rents. This makes as much sense as solving the loss in parking revenues by raising the fees for parking.
Also the suggestion that “this is not about cost” does not take into account that the city does not have the money to invest in most of these ideas that may or may not work out.
State Street was a mecca for tourists and locals before the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s hard to understand why we don’t return State Street to its original condition, give it a good cleaning, and then consider some of the improvements that have been suggested.
Upgrading the landscaping and negotiating with restaurants that want to build outdoor seating areas that are attractive and add to the charm and beauty of the city are a few good ideas.
George Lilly
Santa Barbara
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Santa Barbara City Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon, referring to the downtown “promenade,” crows that “Right now, I think we are really creating a space that people want to come visit.”
No, actually, you’re not. I work on State Street, and most of the time it’s a step up from dead — even at lunch time.
I’ll bet not many of Sneddon’s own constituents want to come visit there. If I wasn’t paid to go, I wouldn’t.
P. Roberts
Santa Barbara
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As a longtime colleague and friend, I wish Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal the best in his well-earned retirement.
I sincerely hope the community understands and appreciates how much he has given personally and professionally over the years to keep the flame lit for Santa Barbara’s sports community, particularly in light of the darkness that overtook and extinguished other media outlets.
Barry’s passion and commitment to the athletes and teams, and the people who care about them, is second to none, and I say that as someone who also spent several decades immersed in local sports and connected with the people who wrote about them.
His insights and writing speak for themselves but what most people do not realize is how skilled he is at the nuts-and-bolts desk work that holds a newsroom together and brings out the best from his co-workers.
Dan Shiells
Santa Barbara
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I was intrigued to learn that it was Barry Punzal’s goal to make Noozhawk the “go-to” for local sports. He most certainly did!
A year or two ago, my 80-year-old father was lamenting the decline of the Santa Barbara News-Press (to which he subscribed until its very last day). He said what he missed the most was local high school and college sports coverage. To which I responded “Noozhawk!” He’s been a faithful daily reader of your sports section ever since.
As a parent of local high schoolers, I have very much enjoyed reading highlights about my children’s teams and those of their friends. Without fail, Punzal seemed to cover just about every sports contest on any given day! He’s brought both information and joy to our lives. Can’t thank him enough!
Definitely glad to hear he’ll still be in the mix a bit. Thank you again for all his wonderful coverage!
Emily Diaz
Santa Barbara
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Thank you to Barry Punzal and Noozhawk for the comprehensive coverage of Goleta and Santa Barbara sports, and congratulations to new sports editor Diego Sandoval. He has big shoes to fill.
Those of us with children playing local sports know how important it is to have the news media there to cover their games. We really appreciate what Noozhawk has accomplished.
Thank you.
Valerie Rodriguez
Goleta
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Regarding Mark Patton’s Oct. 1 column, “UCSB Alumnus Jeff Henley’s Deep-Seated Devotion Transforms Thunderdome,” that “cute gym” was sold to UC Santa Barbara students in the 1960s as a student gym.
The funds raised were meant for that purpose. The administration bullied the school into giving up the student gym and transferring it to the athletic department.
Many of us were so angered by the moves that when the vote came for giving up football, our vote was a no-brainer.
Edith Ogella
Santa Barbara
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Karen Telleen-Lawton’s Oct. 2 commentary, “Fossil Fuel Divestment is Working,” cracks me up.
Just like the soil in drought conditions begins to develop fissures, the economic condition of our country is stressing. This past week, the stock market skewed, with energy stocks the only sector that increased in value. Consumer discretionary stocks were all on the losing side.
Inflation caused by unaffordable energy and billowing transportation costs is squeezing consumers’ wallets. So as the energy sector suctions up the lion’s share of America’s GDP, the rest of the economy withers on the vine.
Double-whammied by reduced consumption and crippled by ballooning operating expenses, the prediction by socialists that “You will own nothing and be happier” should be paired with “You will buy nothing because there will be nothing to buy.”
As a cautionary reminder, historical pictures of breadlines and soup kitchens during the Great Depression or the collapse of communist regimes should be prominently displayed on the internet and the few publications left on the newsstands.
Fossil fuel divestment is too much, too soon, which equals too crazy for reality. The need to put coal-fired power plants back online so battery manufacturing plants can continue to operate is evidence.
Is Walter Lantz writing the economic policy for the globalists? If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Stop watching Looney Tunes. Read Atlas Shrugged.
Jan Lipski
Vandenberg Village
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Regarding the Sept. 29 news release, “During Banned Books Week, Santa Barbara Public Library Cheers the Freedom to Read,” I think it is disingenuous of the Santa Barbara Public Library to claim there are banned books.
The books that the author speaks of are books that have been deemed to be age inappropriate for our SCHOOLS’ libraries. This does not amount to a “ban“ of any sort.
If this topic is so important, why does the author feel the need to be so deceitful by claiming that the books are targeted for removal from “libraries”? While I realize the wording is in effect, correct, it shows a deceitful premise in the writing, due to the fact that it does not state that these books have been targeted for removal from school libraries, because of their age in appropriateness.
Any child can go to the public library and read these books as well as any adult willing to take them there and teach them things that they probably should not know at that age.
Hopefully, most parents have better sense than to take their children to a library to read a book about sexual exploits while in elementary school.
I realize the left wants to normalize everything from bestiality to man-on-boy sex but the rest of us feel much different about how to raise our children.
Brian MacIsaac
Santa Barbara
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I am electing to drop my subscription to Noozhawk’s A.M. Report. I find D.C. Collier’s proselytizing offensive and Frank Sanitate’s commentaries infantile.
If I want to learn about the Bible, I’ll go to church. That’s not what I subscribe to “news” services for.
But it’s your publication and if you want to publish drivel like this, so be it.
Paul Portney
Santa Barbara
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Stay alert, women of America. October is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
It is very important that women get screened for breast cancer, which includes a yearly mammogram. I should know; I am a breast cancer survivor and my yearly mammogram exposed my breast cancer early.
Recently, my identical twin sister was diagnosed with stage one (very early) breast cancer after her yearly mammogram. So mammograms save lives.
Santa Barbara County’s October newsletter highlighted breast cancer. Bravo. This was very important because breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer in women, according to the American Cancer Society’s 2023 report.
It is estimated that 297,790 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed this year. Age and gender remain key factors. Although women do get breast cancer after 40, the majority of women get it in their 60s and older.
Going forward, I encourage women and men, if needed, to stay alert and get screened. Your life may depend on it.
Diana Thorn
Carpinteria
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