On behalf of the board of the nonprofit Get Focused, Stay Focused, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the Lindros family after the Aug. 11 deaths of Jo and Carl Lindros.
Carl was one of the founding members of the Get Focused, Stay Focused National Resource Center, which was formed in 2015 to assist schools implementing the Get Focused, Stay Focused curriculum that is now in schools throughout California.
He served as the treasurer and as a member of the Finance Committee. His generosity was unmatched as he personally funded two animated videos and the trademark of the Get Focused, Stay Focused name and logo.
Those of us who worked closely with Carl knew him not only as a generous and active board member, but as someone with the ability to get straight to the point and heart of every matter. He was a mentor, loyal and loving friend, trusted adviser, and champion of students and their success.
We will miss him greatly.
Dawn O’Bar,
Get Focused, Stay Focused board president
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the Aug. 14 Noozhawk article, “Santa Barbara Council Might Appoint Members, Forgo Election for 2 of 4 Seats,” I find it somewhat amazing that, with all of the people constantly complaining about how bad the Santa Barbara City Council is and what bad things the council is doing to the city, not one person has stepped in to run against two of the incumbents.
Addison Thompson
Santa Barbara
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With all the recent news coverage about Institution Ale, I was compelled to address misconceptions that have been reported about the Santa Barbara Sign Committee. It has been incorrectly reported that the committee has the power to threaten and penalize businesses that break the rules and install signs without review or permits. This is categorically false. Only city zoning enforcement staff can initiate this process.
It is unfortunate that there are individuals and businesses that disobey the rules and beg for forgiveness after the fact. It is standard procedure for them as they have learned how to abuse the system.
What was not reported is the fact that under a conforming process approximately 90 percent of sign applications are approved within a week. The remaining 10 percent generally are more complex or require an exception approval and require review by the full committee.
Our cityscape is the result of a review process that has produced beautiful architecture, landscaping and signage. If there were no sign ordinance or review process, walking down State Street would be a hazardous venture as the sidewalks would be littered with A-frame signboards. You would have to watch your head as signs projecting out from buildings would be oversized and hanging dangerously low.
The colors on the signs would be in sharp contrast to the buildings on which they were mounted. Blinking and rotating signs, LED message boards and brightly illuminated signs would spoil one’s vision as you strolled at night. Your view of the mountains and ocean would be obscured with pole signs and billboards. Our parking lots would be seas of asphalt without landscaping and trees. Have you been to Lincoln Boulevard in Los Angeles lately?
After 43 years of producing and installing signs locally, I volunteered to serve on the Sign Committee. My motivation to volunteer was my belief that it was important for the committee to have an industry representative to bring a business perspective to the review process.
My company, Signs By Ken, and I have received awards for sign design and fabrication from the sign industry, the City of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Beautiful. I have submitted hundreds of sign applications, and I, along with other businesses, benefited from the changes the city has implemented to streamline the design review process.
Ken Sorgman
Santa Barbara
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What is it that attracted the past two challenged superintendents of the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District? The last superintendent promised to relocate to the Santa Ynez Valley from Carpinteria, but instead apparently used his moving allowance (our tax dollars) to pay for his UC Santa Barbara Ph.D. and never moved here.
The current superintendent negotiated his employment contract and receives a $250 stipend payable in advance on the first of each month since 2013.
In lieu of this $250 monthly stipend, the superintendent agreed not to be reimbursed for travel expenses and not to use the district automobile within Santa Barbara County. Public records reveal that he was driving the district automobile within the county while receiving his monthly stipends.
These taxpayer dollars are for the kids. Return the monthly stipends with interest! Keep your hands out of the cookie jar! Stop using tax dollars to hire school district lawyers to help get out of your messes!
Please attend the next school board meeting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Michelle de Werd
Los Olivos
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Thank you for publishing excerpts of Andy Caldwell’s letter in the Aug. 11 article, “COLAB Director Andy Caldwell to Challenge Incumbent Salud Carbajal in Congressional Race.” Caldwell’s characterization of Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, and Democratic Party priorities illustrates his extreme and alarming positions.
To the contrary, I think most Democrats support a woman’s right to chose, a full-throttle clean energy push to save our planet from the adverse effects of climate change, and fair asylum laws that do not criminalize people fleeing violence and oppression.
And I think Democrats believe that the recent deficit-enhancing tax cuts for corporations and wealthy Americans undermine our ability to improve infrastructure and strengthen competitiveness.
We desperately need an “uprising of decency, rooted in our basic values of unity, honesty, pluralism, sympathy and opportunity,” to quote David Brooks. Apparently this is not what Caldwell strives for.
Ken Dunkley
Santa Barbara
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Thank you so much for your article about Andy Caldwell running for Congress against Rep. Salud Carbajal in the 24th District. He will be an informed and strong candidate.
I am fed up with Democrats, including Carbajal, trying to unseat and impeach a fairly elected president. I am terrified of the Democrats’ socialist vision, their open-border policies and their attempts to treat Americans as second-class citizens.
We need a congressman who will put Americans first, secure our borders and solve many of our basic problems. I believe Andy Caldwell is that man.
Diana Thorn
Carpinteria
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Regarding Randy Alcorn’s Aug. 11 column, “Uninfringed Right to Own Machine Guns Spells Doom for America,” are machine guns actually used in many, or any, shootings in America? Let alone any mass killings?
His premise that machine guns are used for personal protection, hunting, varmint control and, laughably, sporting clays betrays his ignorance. Surely Noozhawk can at least find a more informed individual to spread the news media’s anti-gun message.
M.P. Elser
Goleta
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