As 2023 comes to a close, we’re taking a look back on Noozhawk’s top stories of the year. Our most-read stories included January rainstorm coverage, restaurant news, fatal vehicle collisions, and the end of the Santa Barbara News-Press.
The following is a list of the top 10 most-read stories of the year, according to website analytics.
1. Lake Cachuma Fills and Spills in Wake of Major Storms
Noozhawk’s most-viewed story of 2023 reported on Lake Cachuma’s water levels rising and spilling over Bradbury Dam after early January storms.
Executive Editor Tom Bolton reported that in early December 2022, Cachuma was at 30% capacity, and by Jan. 10 the lake was at 78% capacity and 15 feet below spill level.
Matt Young, manager of the Santa Barbara County Water Agency, told Noozhawk that water flowing over the spillway would be good news for communities downstream along the Santa Ynez River because of it recharging groundwater basins in Santa Ynez and Lompoc.
Groundwater basins throughout the county will need several years of good rainfall to fully recover from the drought years when they were over-pumped.
On Feb. 8, water began spilling over at Bradbury Dam, for the first time since 2011. With the lake full, water purveyors that get part of their supply from the reservoir got their full allocations for the year.
2. Oprah Winfrey’s Montecito Neighbors Raise Concerns About Boulder Wall Built Along Creek
A boulder wall installed along San Ysidro Creek became the center of controversy over concerns whether it was properly permitted. The wall was built to protect media mogul and Montecito resident Oprah Winfrey’s home from flooding and creek erosion.
Noozhawk staff writer Josh Molina reported that residents were concerned that the wall could reroute water and affect other properties. Jimenez Nursery, a Carpinteria-based company, applied for a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers using Winfrey’s Montecito address. It was unclear whether Winfrey knew about the wall or authorized the work.
In a video reviewed by Noozhawk, boulders could be seen being lowered by crane into the creek from Winfrey’s property.
Molina reported that Jimenez Nursery obtained the permit on Feb. 1 for a “like-for-like” reconstruction of the creek bank after storms in January.
Property owners are supposed to notify the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region in writing within 14 days after beginning any emergency work, which the agency said did not happen.
Steve Gibson, a senior environmental scientist for CDFW, told Noozhawk that they were working with the property manager to make sure the wall complies with Fish and Game Code requirements.
3. Jan. 9 Winter Storms Cause Major Damage Countywide
Many Central Coast residents will always remember the intense rain and flooding in early January.
Executive Editor Tom Bolton reported that on Jan. 9, several locations in Santa Barbara County reported between 9 and 11 inches of rainfall within 24 hours.
The county is still dealing with the impact of the storms. Officials estimated there was $150 million of damage to public infrastructure, including roadways and parks.
North County Editor Janene Scully reported on the Orcutt sinkhole that damaged several homes and roadways in the neighborhood.
The storm caused widespread evacuations for all of Montecito, some of the Carpinteria Valley and Summerland, Refugio Canyon, parts of the Gaviota Coast and for areas below San Marcos Pass because of flooding and debris flow risks.
Road closures were reported because of flooding and mudslides across the county.
Managing Editor Giana Magnoli reported on several photos and videos of storm impacts from residents.
Staff writer Serena Guentz shared updates on evacuations, resources, flooding and school closures.
Hundreds of Santa Barbara County residents applied for storm-related federal disaster recovery assistance. In February, about $1.2 million had been paid to residents.
4. Civil Lawsuit Accuses Orcutt Financial Adviser of Defrauding Clients of More Than $1 Million
A Minnesota-based company sued Julie Darrah, a Santa Maria Valley business leader, accusing her of stealing more than $1 million from clients while acting as their financial adviser.
Darrah co-founded Vivid Financial Management, which was acquired by Wealth Enhancement Group in late 2021. The lawsuit stated that Darrah fooled sophisticated financial institutions while targeting vulnerable clients and hiding her actions from her colleagues.
In October, four businesses partially owned by Darrah abruptly shut down, North County Editor Janene Scully reported.
The businesses were Cups & Crumbs, a coffee shop and bakery in Old Town Orcutt and Santa Maria, The Homestead, a deli in Old Town Orcutt, and Central Coast Specialty Foods, a deli in Lompoc.
Days later, the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission filed charges against Darrah. The complaint also named Vivid Financial Management as a defendant, although the firm was acquired by another company in 2021. Darrah was accused of defrauding nine victims of more than $2 million.
5. Fatal Injuries in Vehicle Collision on Cathedral Oaks Road in Goleta
A suspected driving-under-the-influence vehicle crash in April killed one man and seriously injured two others — and one later died of his injuries.
In April, a Ford pickup truck slammed into a tree and caught fire on the right shoulder of Cathedral Oaks Road, just west of Kellogg Avenue in Goleta.
The driver, 18-year-old Daniel Velez-Valerio of Santa Barbara, and a 22-year-old passenger, Patrick J. Marasciullo of Isla Vista, had major injuries from the crash.
Christopher James Roulo, 22, of Mountain View and Santa Barbara, who was a rear seat passenger, was killed in the crash.
The driver, Velez-Valerio, later died of his injuries at a Southern California hospital.
6. Santa Barbara News-Press Declares Bankruptcy; Staff Told All Jobs ‘Eliminated’
In July, Ampersand Publishing, the parent company of the Santa Barbara News-Press, filed for bankruptcy and informed staff that the newspaper had stopped publishing and all jobs were eliminated.
“I have some bad news. Wendy (McCaw, the owner) filed for bankruptcy on Friday,” former Managing Editor David Mason wrote to the staff via email. “All of our jobs are eliminated, and the News-Press has stopped publishing. They ran out of money to pay us. They will issue final paychecks to us when the bankruptcy is approved in court.”
It marked the end of Santa Barbara’s longest-running daily newspaper, which was founded in 1868. McCaw, a Hope Ranch billionaire, purchased the News-Press in 2000 from The New York Times Co., which had bought the paper in 1986.
As Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina reported, several high-profile events followed the sale in 2000, beginning with the resignation of then-Executive Editor Jerry Roberts over ethical disagreements he had with McCaw.
“His departure prompted dozens of other newsroom employees to resign or quit with him or soon after. Those who stayed formed a union under the aegis of the Teamsters, which led to a series of legal actions and a debt owed to the union,” Molina reported.
The newspaper had stopped home delivery in October 2022, stopped printing in June, and then published online-only until the bankruptcy filing on July 21.
Molina and Noozhawk Managing Editor Giana Magnoli later reported that McCaw had transferred the newspaper’s historic downtown building and Goleta printing press building to other limited liability corporations that she controls. The properties are not listed as assets in the bankruptcy filing.
In September, bankruptcy attorneys questioned McCaw about the business’ assets and the properties. McCaw said the News-Press had no lease agreements and paid no rent to occupy the buildings, even after Ampersand Publishing no longer owned the properties.
In November, the bankruptcy court approved terminating the company’s retirement plan, since the business no longer exists, and paying the fees out of employees’ accounts. Former staff members can move their money into other accounts.
7. Chick-fil-A to Close Santa Barbara Location for 8-10 Weeks for Renovations
In May, management at the Chick-fil-A restaurant on Upper State Street in Santa Barbara announced that it would be closing for eight to 10 weeks to reconfigure the entrance and exit to prevent cars from backing out onto the street.
Before renovations, the restaurant was under fire because of cars lined up on State Street for the drive-thru, forcing motorists to switch lanes, and pedestrians and bicyclists to move around the cars.
After half a summer without waffle fries, the restaurant reopened in the beginning of August.
8. Fresco Café in Santa Barbara Abruptly Closes for Good
In May, longtime pastries, sandwich and salad restaurant Fresco Cafe abruptly closed its doors after three decades in business.
Owner Mark Brouillard opened Fresco in 1995 at its Five Points Shopping Center location and moved to downtown Santa Barbara in October 2022 after the landlord raised the rent to $21,000 a month.
Brouillard did not give any explanation for why they were closing their doors but encouraged residents to continue to support local small businesses.
9. Montecito’s Coral Casino Gets OK to Open Restaurant to Public, Stop Access for Biltmore Hotel Guests
The private Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club has been closed since March 2020. As part of the reopening and renovation plan, owner Ty Warner wanted to open the second-floor Tydes restaurant to the general public, not just members.
He also wanted to stop club access, including pools and other facilities, for hotel guests from the neighboring Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara.
Some club members were concerned about letting the public into the restaurant, but reached agreement with management and the change of operations was approved by the county Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.
In November, club management announced that they plan to reopen on Jan. 20 with newly renovated facilities and a $2,500 monthly membership fee.
10. Highway 101 Collision Sends 6 People to Hospital in Santa Barbara
In September, six people were injured in a multi-vehicle accident on Highway 101 in Santa Barbara.
The collision involved three vehicles in the southbound lanes just south of the Carrillo Street off-ramp. The debris damaged several more vehicles.
Three American Medical Response ambulances were used to transport six people to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The accident caused the highway to close down to a single lane while emergency crews tended to the injured and cleaned up the wreckage.