Bill Macfadyen: Santa Barbara neighbors take action after house collapse | Local news

Well, this debate was a blast.

While Americans bemoan the slow-moving train wreck they wish they never saw, Noozhawk was the clear winner last week for an audience of 170,041 readers, according to our WordPress analysis.

What follows is my own interpretation of the top 5 stories you have read – as far as I know.

Full disclosure: This is my opinion column and not a news post.

Thank you for reading.

1. Community collects donations for the owner of a collapsed house in Santa Barbara

Months after a devastating landslide destroyed Jan Luc’s home on the Santa Barbara Riviera, community efforts to support the displaced family continue.

As our Daniel Green reported, city officials in April declared the house at 1037 Las Alturas Road, built in the 1970s by Luc’s late husband, dilapidated.

Neighbor Jan Campbell, a former colleague of Luc, started a GoFundMe campaign to help with moving and living expenses.

“When I saw what had happened to her house, I was shocked,” she told Daniel.

Campbell, who initially had difficulty locating Luc after the incident, was impressed by the 80-year-old’s resilience and positive attitude despite the circumstances.

“When something like that happens to you when you’re in your late 80s, it’s pretty devastating, but she always had a really good sense of humor,” Campbell said.

As of June 28, the campaign has already raised more than $23,000 of its $25,000 goal.

Campbell, who herself suffered property damage in the 2008 Tea Fire, can understand Luc’s situation.

According to chief engineer Laura Yanez, the affected area, including the collapsed section of road, is currently stable but is being monitored.

No one was injured in the landslide and there is no information about its cause.

Click here to make an online donation.

2. Bill Macfadyen: Birthday party in Montecito Beach ends in horror on train tracks

I have nothing new to report on the tragic death of 15-year-old Ryan Chapman. A rising sophomore at Santa Barbara High School, he was struck and killed by an Amtrak train on June 19 as he and his friends were walking on the train tracks near Fernald Point in Montecito.

The funeral ceremonies are still pending.

3. After years of hurdles, the Ellwood Restaurant is set to open in Goleta Beach this fall

The Ellwood at Goleta Beach, a new restaurant replacing the former Beachside Bar-Café in Goleta Beach Park east of UC Santa Barbara, is scheduled to open this fall after numerous delays.

The project was approved by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors in 2021, but suffered setbacks due to extensive renovations required for the 1930s-era building and damage from winter storms in 2023.

Despite the challenges, our Daniel Green reports that co-owner Omar Khashen told him that construction was progressing well and that an opening was expected in early fall after renovations were completed and staff training had been completed.

Khashen added that there are plans to renovate the local food stand that serves beach and park visitors.

Oh, and don’t be confused by a restaurant called The Ellwood, located a few miles from the actual Ellwood neighborhood. Khashen says the place is named after Ellwood Cooper, one of the Goleta Valley’s first settlers.

4. Ray Ford: Los Padres Forest in the crosshairs

Few people know Santa Barbara County’s beloved and wonderful trail system better than our own Ray Ford. And his latest column, laying out the details of the entire controversy surrounding the Hot Springs Trail in Montecito, hits the nail on the head.

Ray was able to delve deeper into some of the legal challenges surrounding the historic hot springs, as well as several critical issues that have not been fully addressed to date.

I can’t do Ray’s analysis justice and I certainly can’t convey his expertise and perspective, so you’ll have to read his column for yourself. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

5. No time yet for reopening of Highway 154 closure as emergency crews continue emergency work

To the growing frustration of motorists on both sides of the Santa Ynez Mountains, Highway 154 remains closed after Caltrans officials discovered what the agency called a “slip-up” more than a week ago.

Our Daniel Green, Janene Scully and Rebecca Caraway have been closely following the highway hell, which centers on a section between San Antonio Creek and Painted Cave Road, about 2.5 kilometers north of Cathedral Oaks Road in Santa Barbara.

As a result, Caltrans has closed the highway to through traffic between Cathedral Oaks and the Highway 246 roundabout in Santa Ynez.

Genelle Padilla, spokeswoman for Caltrans’ 5th District, said crews were conducting emergency construction work on June 20 to repair a slide on the southbound shoulder near San Antonio Creek Road when stress cracks appeared in the roadway.

She said crews were working 12-hour shifts to install 30-foot-long stabilizing anchors into the road and slope.

“It is unknown when Highway 154 will be fully open,” said Caltrans spokesman Jim Shivers.

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Good reading

Here are six more stories you should read:

» Property owners in downtown Santa Barbara agree to cover the cost of services themselves — As Santa Barbara tackles its downtown problem with the speed of a herd of turtles, property owners have taken it upon themselves to pay for basic improvements. South County editor Josh Molina has the details.

» County Planning Commission calls for carbon scrubbers for Island Breeze cannabis farm — Editor Daniel Green sees a welcome change in the wind that has been blowing in Carpinteria for far too long.

» Police arrest 17-year-old in Santa Barbara after weekend shooting that left 1 dead and 1 injured in Santa Maria – North County editor Janene Scully is following a Santa Maria murder case and the 17-year-old alleged gang member arrested as a suspect.

» Summer solstice parade and celebration attract thousands – Josh attends the 50th Annual Summer Solstice Celebration and his report includes a slideshow of Fritz Olenberger’s amazing photos from the festivities.

» Man sentenced to over 16 years in prison for investment fraud – Editor-in-chief Tom Bolton closes the case of a cowardly criminal convicted of a “large-scale investment scheme” targeting the elderly.

» Ajay Mitchell of UCSB was selected 38th in the 2024 NBA Draft by Oklahoma City Thunder – Sports editor Diego Sandoval begins writing the next chapter of the basketball adventures of UC Santa Barbara star Ajay Mitchell.

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Last year on Noozhawk

What was our most read story this time last year? Building destroyed in Santa Barbara warehouse fire.

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Bill Macfadyen’s story of the week

The boundaries are blurring: The historic landmark made of palm trees and pines in central California is to be removed in 2025.

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The best of Bill’s Instagram

My Instagram feed for the past week included my beautiful niece, @caseygaylord, wedding at our family’s beloved Adirondack League Club and my adventures #exploringbrooklyn.

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look at it

Holy Mola Mola! Click through the videos on slides 4 and 5. Thanks to Best of Bill reader Joe Villa for this story about the bighead fish.