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Leslie Dinaberg’s Articles

Goleta hatches first general plan

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Goleta Pier, photo by AmaO, pixabay.com.

Goleta Pier, photo by AmaO, pixabay.com.

“The vision thing” was alive and well in Goleta this week, as the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce presented its policy recommendations for the city’s first general plan. What will come of this input — based almost a year’s worth of study and discussions among the chamber’s 500 member businesses representing approximately 25,000 employees — is anyone’s guess at this point.

While business leaders embraced a vision that called for more housing and job growth, Council Members (acting as the Planning Agency) were noncommittal in receiving the report from President/CEO Kristen Amyx and Board Chairman Brian Gregory.

“A general plan is not just a bunch of rules and regulations and a map, a general plan is a tool for shaping the community in which we live and making our own town what we each want it to be,” said Amyx. She outlined how skyrocketing home prices were changing the character of the community and called for “providing for the next generation” as a top priority, focusing on the importance of providing housing for those who already live or work in the immediate vicinity.

“The economy is the easy part,” said Amyx, “the harder part is providing affordable housing.”

Along with recommending the construction of 4,500 new homes over the next 20 years, the chamber provided maps identifying areas to modify zoning and “places for new neighborhoods.” Chief among those was the Bishop Ranch project, a 265-acre, agriculturally- zoned-but-currently-fallow property north of Highway 101 between Glenannie and Los Carneros roads.

Councilwoman Jonny Wallis asked Amyx point blank whether the chamber’s support of the Bishop Ranch development was because of the amenities the conceptual plan calls for — including the preservation of open space, recreation fields and the connection of Calle Real between Glenannie and Los Carneros — or the project itself.

“If, for example, the recreation opportunities were provided elsewhere and the housing numbers, I think 1,200 houses, were provided elsewhere, would you still support this development,” asked Wallis, adding, “I’m trying to see what you’re after.”

I think what we’re after is the sort of next logical place where we can have a real impact on preserving the community character, responded Amyx. “We know we need a variety of housing and a large parcel like that can accommodate single family homes as well as rentals. … The fact that it’s in the northern valley, the fact that it is near services already and that it will actually help us improve our infrastructure by connecting those streets, make all of that important. I think that I get your question, if we can get 1200 houses somewhere else would there be benefits to leaving that as it is, I’m not sure that’s true.”

Councilwoman Margaret Connell was apparently receptive to at least some of the recommendations from the chamber. “The devil is probably in the details in some of this,” she said. “I’m not sure that we’re on entirely different tracks here.”

The city’s next general plan workshop is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 9, with additional workshops scheduled throughout that month. Visit www.cityofgoleta.org for updates.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on September 16, 2004.

Schools offer preliminary headcounts

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With the high cost of housing driving declining school enrollment figures throughout the state, there were a few bright spots in the preliminary local students counts.

Bishop Garcia Diego High School was reportedly up to approximately 270 students this week. In January, the Catholic school announced that it was severing relations with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in order to have more local control. At that time a board of directors was formed and the school began actively marketing to the community, a move that resulted in additional students for the fall.

As of Monday, the Hope School District had 1,415 students enrolled, said Superintendent Les Imel. This is approximately 20 fewer students than the district had budgeted for, but still more than the 2003-2004 year end count of 1,371. Imel stressed that those numbers — of which approximately 30 percent are inter-district transfer students — were not final.

Vieja Valley, for example, took in four new students (not included in the 1,415) that day, said Principal Barbara LaCorte.

Getting a handle on enrollment figures is particularly critical in these times of uncertain state funding, but administrators all stressed that the numbers were still fluctuating.

The Santa Barbara Elementary School District had a very preliminary count of 5,386 students, versus a projected 5,585 students, while the secondary district was over its initial projection of 9,474, with a preliminary headcount of 9,762.

The Goleta Union School District had 3,773 students on the first day, but again, emphasized the count was still preliminary.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on September 16, 2004.

In search of community

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, courtesy Wikipedia Commons.

The rippling waves of the Pacific Ocean beckon South Coast residents to the beach on these warm fall evenings, but there’s another ripple effect going on around town: the effect of the commuter on our community.

As rising real estate values send more and more people to live away from where they work, the hours they spend on the freeways are hours they’re not spending coaching Little League, leading Girl Scout troops and otherwise engaged with their communities.

Is there a ripple effect of commuting on community involvement?

“Absolutely,” said Gracie Huerta of the Santa Barbara Fire Department. “That comes up all the time. We get asked to do some sort of volunteer work, even the firefighters vs. police softball game, that kind of stuff doesn’t happen as much anymore because people have to go home.”

It’s tough to participate in activities after work, agreed most commuters.

“I usually get there late and hungry,” said Joel Russell, who for the past nine years has lived in Oxnard and worked for Hispanic Business Magazine in Goleta.

“That hour and 15 minutes (his average one-way commute) is crucial if you want to participate in things like the PTA or Boy Scouts or those kinds of activities,” said the father of two. “Even like city government-kind of things … you’re kind of behind the starting gate.”

J.R. Frazier, who has commuted from Oxnard to Raytheon in Goleta for the past four and a half years, wishes he had more time to spend at his 7-year-old son’s school.

While Russell and Frazier both said they feel like “Oxnard is home,” others feel their loyalties divided.

“I kind of feel like I don’t have a community,” said Dave Ward, a Santa Barbara firefighter who lives in Santa Maria.

Battalion Chief John Ahlman, who’s been with the Santa Barbara Fire Department for 31 years, lamented the loss of some extracurricular activities.

“I played softball for probably 15 years for the fire department, and pretty soon we just didn’t have the people locally. They’re not going to drive in from Timbuktu to do a ball game, so that all goes kind of by the wayside,” he said. “Aside from retirement barbecues and things like that, where you can spend the night, you don’t have the interest. It’s just different, which is sad.”

“I feel like sometimes I do have a split home,” said Ron Lafrican, a father of two who commutes to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital from Ventura. “I’m involved in so many different things here (in Santa Barbara), I do the pancake flip for the Kiwanis Club … I sometimes wish I could put some more energy into what goes on Ventura.”

Lafrican said he is more fortunate than many commuters, in that he has a supportive employer that gives him the flexibility to be able to do the things he needs to with his children.

He’s also one of a growing number of people who take advantage of the vanpool program offered by Traffic Solutions. His core group of fellow riders has been together for almost a year, and includes employees from Cottage, the Cancer Center, the Rehabilitation Institute at Santa Barbara and Sansum Clinic.

“I would encourage anybody to try it for a month,” he said, “because the traffic isn’t getting any better.”

Both Lafrican and Russell, who drives alone, said they would happily take advantage of a light rail or fast bus option if one existed.

“Light rail would be wonderful,” agreed Frazier.

“I could be a lot more productive,” Russell said.

When Russell started commuting nine years ago he was the exception.

“Now it seems like quite a few others also commute and come from even farther away than I do … Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Van Nuys,” he said.

There’s a lot more traffic, Russell said, “but despite all the drawbacks, it’s a beautiful drive. It’s got to be one of the most beautiful commutes on the planet.”

Frazier was less positive about the experience. “Commuting is commuting, whether you’re by an ocean or by a cement wall. It’s something I don’t want to do but its something I have to do.”

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on September 16, 2004.

Everything’s just perfect

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Photo: Pexels.com.

Photo: Pexels.com.

Jesse Phillips is on a roll, and not just because he bowled a 300 game.

San Marcos High senior Jesse Phillips rolled his way into the history books last month when he bowled a perfect 300 game during the adult/youth summer league at Zodo’s — Bowling & Beyond.

“In the history of Santa Barbara, I’m the only junior bowler to ever shoot a 300,” said the 16-year-old Phillips, who started bowling when he was 13.

Recalling his 300 game, Phillips said: “I took it frame by frame. … Your heart starts beating pretty fast as soon as you’re at about eight strikes. Everybody stops bowling around you and they start watching. All the lanes were silent.

In addition to the thrill of victory, Phillips will receive a $150 scholarship from Zodo’s and a YABA (Young American Bowling Alliance) 300 Ring.

It’s like a Super Bowl ring for bowlers, Phillips explained.

“I seem to excel in tournaments more than practice, just because of the thrill of it,” he said.

Phillips and his partner, KC Ogata, won the state doubles championship last year. Phillips also placed sixth in all events, seventh in Junior Gold and eighth on Team USA.

He won his first title in the majors division last season, competing against top youth bowlers, as well as members of the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and UCSB bowling teams. Phillips was also recently honored as the Junior Amateur Tour Farm Club Rookie of the Year. He hopes to turn professional after his 18th birthday.

“That’s my goal in life, to be a pro bowler,” said the former Pony Baseball all-star pitcher.

Phillips said he tries to bowl at least four times a week, bowling in as many leagues as he can and playing in lots of tournaments.

“My mom’s been very supportive,” said Phillips, who also praised his coaches — Tom Shepard, Toshi Ogata, Dave Koppa and Bob Angulo — and Laura Shepard, Zodo’s youth director.

“There is no greater feeling of pride then watching the youths you mentor achieving success, not only in their bowling accomplishments but also in their lives,” said Shepard, who is working to start bowling clubs at the local high schools and eventually make bowling a CIF sport.

“Teaching athletes to excel in their sport is small in comparison to the life lessons we teach hoping to pass on lifelong skills on the way. These youths are our extended family and knowing that you made a difference in some of their lives is my ‘300’ every day.”

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on September 9, 2004.

Stitching Together Memories of Lost Loved Ones

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The grieving process is not complete without a way to acknowledge the loss.

Saturday’s date — Sept. 11 — is one that will forever send a chill down Americans’ spines, but other anniversaries are equally significant for those who have lost a loved one.

“Anniversaries are about memories, not ‘dates’… we sometimes forget the exact date over time, but the circumstances and feelings linger forever,” said Gail Rink, executive director of Hospice of Santa Barbara.

“Engagements, marriages, births, new house, divorces, graduations … all are ‘anniversaries’ that contribute to the history of family life,” she said. “The most difficult anniversary is the anniversary of a death; all other anniversaries are ‘joyful,’ death is sorrowful. Death is final, an ending, it signals to the grieving survivors that life has permanently changed.”

Dr. Jim Jones recently experienced the first anniversary of the death of his wife, Dianne Riffle, who died in August 2003 after a brief but intense battle with pancreatic cancer. As a physician himself, Jones said that once he saw the results of her CT Scan, “I knew she was a dead duck.” He immediately took a leave of absence from his job at Pacific Oaks Medical Center to spend as much time as he could with his wife.

Jones, himself a survivor of Hodgkin’s disease, has long had a penchant for making things by hand. His Goleta home showcases beautiful handmade tools, lamps, woodwork and other fruits of his creative labors, which he called his “attempt at immortality.”

After his wife’s death, when he couldn’t bear to part with her clothing, Jones decided to make a commemorative quilt out of the fabrics that held special memories of their times together, and essentially retold the story of her life.

“These are the Hawaiian shirts we wore on our honeymoon,” said Jones, pointing out the cotton, flannel and silk squares he had lovingly pieced together.

“Retelling the events leading up to the death also helps the survivor heal. Remembering who was there, final words … even remembering feelings of guilt and regret, can help to bring perspective to a life altering moment,” Rink explained.

Making that quilt, which he sewed with surgical sutures, took up a lot of empty, lonely hours.

“I was transferring some of my attachment from her to our stuff,” he said.

The quilting ritual was addictive. Jones made himself another quilt for snuggling on the sofa, while the first sits on the bed he and his wife once shared. He also made quilts for Riffle’s two grown children.

“Sharing the grief helps to heal the sorrow,” Rink said.

Jones has also been sharing his grief with fellow members of Hospice of Santa Barbara’s young widow/widowers support group.

“The first six months or so I didn’t give a damn about anything,” he said. But it helped to be with others who had lost a spouse and were “at the next stage.”

The group also gave him useful advice on how to deal with the anniversary of Riffle’s death. Have a plan, they advised.

“Do you want to take the day off from work? Who do you want with you? Do you want to visit the burial site? Is there a special food you will prepare?” Rink said.

“Well-meaning family and friends will advise the grieving survivor about what they should do. Our family and friends do this because they care about the survivor’s well being.

“It’s important that you decide what is best for you. Grief is very personal, one strategy does not fit all,” said Rink, who added that this same pre-planning for death anniversaries applies to birthdays, holidays, wedding anniversaries and other occasions when loved ones will most be missed.

Whatever your feelings of grief, Rink advised: “Confront and prepare for them head-on. Trying to avoid the anniversary can compound the renewed sadness. Memories and feelings are always with us. We carry them wherever we go.”

For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara call 563.8820.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on September 9, 2004.

A different view of alcohol use

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Photo courtesy http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Alcohol-Beverages-Bottles-Spirits-Bottle-Collection-295623

Photo courtesy http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Alcohol-Beverages-Bottles-Spirits-Bottle-Collection-295623

A high school film crew documents some troubling answers while exploring accessibility.

You feel a shy tap on your shoulder as you make a quick stop at the mini-mart. A sweet-faced girl looks up at you with those big baby blues and thrusts a $20 bill toward you. “Would you buy me 12-pack of Coors?”

How realistic is this “shoulder tap” scenario? That’s one of the things teenage volunteers at the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Coalition, or ADAP, are trying to find out with their new documentary project about alcohol accessibility.

The video, which began filming last week, asks teens frank questions like, “How easy it is to get a fake ID? Have you ever tried alcohol? How easy it is to get alcohol?” and more.

While filmmakers Nico Constantinedes, Ed Santee and Kevin Spracher, all seniors at San Marcos High, admitted the group of kids being filmed was somewhat self-selecting; they said they still got some frank, and potentially incriminating, answers from teen participants.

The first question asked of everyone was whether they wanted to be anonymous, in which case their face would be obscured in the documentary and their name would not be used. And then there was the other carrot: “Free food and community service hours for doing almost nothing,” as Spracher put it.

Along with being interviewed for the documentary, teens enjoyed a live DJ and tried on “beer goggles” that approximated the effects of drinking varying degrees of alcohol.

“Whoa, I can barely see,” San Marcos senior Sadie Carlin said as she tried on the goggles that approximated a blood-alcohol level of 0.08, the equivalent of two drinks, according to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving volunteer who manned the beer goggle demonstration.

Approximately 40 youth from local senior and junior high schools showed up to participate, said Jeff Hurley, ADAP coordinator. They were partially enticed by raffle prizes donated by places like Magic Mountain, Hurricane Harbor, Subway, In-N-Out, Zodo’s, Fatburger, Pizza Mizza and Jamba Juice; the opportunity to hang out with friends; and, of course, to help make an important statement about alcohol issues in our community.

The ADAP crew will continue to work on its film in collaboration with the city of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department and local law enforcement. The group plans to show the documentary at local schools when it’s complete.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on September 9, 2004.

Moms in Motion go the distance for their cause

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They carpool through the streets of Santa Barbara, they manage our local businesses and they hurry through the aisles at Vons. On Sunday they swam, biked and ran their way through the Gold’s Gym Women’s Sprint Triathlon at East Beach. They are the Moms in Motion, and they truly are unstoppable.

Founded in 2000 by local triathlete and mom Jamie Allison, the group was designed to bring women together in a constructive, meaningful way.

“It’s an awesome, inspiring, eclectic group,” said Allison, who has helped expand Moms in Motion to 10 other teams nationwide, with about 15 more in the works. The foundations of the group are fun, fitness and philanthropy.

In addition to training teams that include triathletes, runners, walkers and hikers, each year the group adopts a different charity. This year’s beneficiary is Domestic Violence Solutions. In addition to donating more than $1,000, Moms in Motion adopted one of the shelters, painting it and buying bed and bath linens and playground equipment, said Allison.

The idea is to pick a different group each session, so participants can learn more about local philanthropic opportunities. Past recipients have included Operation School Bell, the Daniel Bryant Youth & Family Treatment Center, the Barbara Ireland Walk for the Cure, the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and the Susan Love M.D. Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The primary beneficiaries, however, are the participants themselves.

“I love the idea that women need some time for themselves, away from all of their other responsibilities,” said Emma Rollin Moore, who served as head coach for this year’s triathlon team since Allison is pregnant.

Everyone finished the sprint course on Sunday, Moore said.

“It’s a tough duty but somebody’s got to do it,” said Jon Beeson, the group’s only male coach.

While women of all ages and abilities are welcome, including those who aren’t moms, Beeson is the first man to join the team.

“He came as a guest speaker last year,” said Allison. “All the women loved him so much” that she asked him to come on-board as the head swim coach.

“Getting in the ocean is a little frightening for them,” said Beeson.

Even women who are strong swimmers are sometimes intimidated. Beeson said he mostly works with the “back of the pack” people to get their skills and confidence ready to tackle the triathlon.

When Cathy Leyva joined the team last year, she didn’t even know how to swim. Persuasive speakers convinced her to sign up for the triathlon team that night and, “as I was driving home, I realized … I don’t know how to swim!” Days later she was in pool alongside the preschoolers at Wendy Fereday Swim School. By her first team meeting, she had a basic stroke down.

Leyva, who never considered herself an athlete, finished her first triathlon last year.

“It was so exciting, like someone had given me a gift. At that moment I realized why I had joined this group,” said Leyva, who competed again Sunday.

“To these women we were all stars, even if we came in last.”

Fear of coming in last, along with the aforementioned fear of swimming in the ocean, is among the key challenges many of the women on the triathlon team face. Allison helps make at least one of those fears disappear for teammates.

“I always come in last place,” she said.

But clearly, there are no losers in this group.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon

Hope District teachers make progress on contract

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Several key clauses of the Hope District Teacher’s Association contract were agreed to this week, after months of negotiations, said Superintendent Les Imel. “The health and welfare benefits part has been completed,” he said. He added that because there is a retirement agreement that is still active for two more years, the district and the union have elected to not discuss that this year.

Because of the financial situation with the state, Imel explained that the contracts are likely to be renegotiated every year from now on. “To get out there too far and make more than a one-year agreement is risky, for the employer as well as the employees, because of volatility of it. A district would be not be prudent (to negotiate longer terms) because the state is so up and down.”

At Monday night’s closed session board meeting, the school board voted to accept a counterproposal from the HDTA that will allow teachers with class sizes of 28 or higher to have additional aide time and additional release time on a graduated scale.

Accommodations for larger class sizes are of particular concern to upper grade teachers, as class sizes are bulging, especially in the fifth grade. As of Aug. 17, Hope School had 64 fifth graders enrolled, with two teachers planned; Monte Vista had 67 fifth graders enrolled, with two teachers planned; and Vieja Valley had 77 fifth graders enrolled, with 2.5 teachers planned and a fourth/fifth combination classroom.

But these numbers are not final, stressed Imel. “Until that first day of school when you count the bodies … we really don’t know where we are.”

While the state provides incentives for having no more than 20 students per class in the lower grades, there are no such incentives for grades four and above. In addition to the financial consequences associated with hiring additional teachers, the Hope District schools also face some space issues — there simply aren’t enough rooms to add additional classrooms. This issue is likely to cause further challenges for the district in the future, as the nearby 170-unit St. Vincent’s housing project is expected to break ground in late September.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on August 26, 2004.

Parks Dept. shifts softball to major league

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Photo by CherylHolt, pixabay.com.

Photo by CherylHolt, pixabay.com.

On the heels of the U.S. women dominating the diamond in Olympic softball this week, the Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department received approval from the City Council to contract with Major League Softball, Inc. (MLS), for adult softball league services, a shift that will save the city money and also lower fees for participants.

While Councilman Dr. Dan Secord praised the cost efficiency involved in privatizing recreational services, Councilman Das Williams expressed some concern that a trend toward privatization might ultimately take money out of the pockets of local residents. However both men supported the proposal, in a unanimous vote. Councilman Brian Barnwell was absent.

Originally the department proposed increasing league fees to cover a higher percentage of the program costs. However, it received “numerous amounts of public comment that the fee increases would be prohibitive to the players and continue to limit the teams that were participating,” said Sarah Clayton, recreation programs manager. When efforts to find a nonprofit agency to take over the program failed, the city then turned to MLS, which currently serves 27 cities and counties in Southern California and has been in existence since 1986. MLS will provide their services for four softball seasons a year. We’re currently only doing two seasons, said Clayton.

By outsourcing the softball leagues, the city will save a minimum of $37,000 over the next two years, said Acting Parks and Recreation Director Nancy L. Rapp.

In addition, the fees will be reduced for program participants: from $630 to $538 for a nine-week season and from $840 to $654 for a 12-week season. “So it’s a good plus for participants that want to engage in the program,” said Clayton.

“We expect that numbers which have declined in recent years — from 352 teams in Fiscal Year ’03 to 242 teams in Fiscal Year ’04 — Major League Softball says to us that they hope to bring it back up to a level about 480 teams playing per year,” said Clayton. “So we hope to revitalize the softball and do it in a very quality way.”

Santa Barbara’s agreement with MLS will run for two years. League registration will start in mid-September and field renovation will also take place then, said Clayton. “We hope to start leagues in the first week of October.”

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on August 26, 2004.

Elings Park fills in blanks with new capital campaign

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After its impressive conversion from an old city dump to a bucolic multiuse park with one of the best views in town – financed solely by donations from the community — Elings Park is looking to secure its future by appealing to the public once again.

The next time you go to walk your dog, paraglide, jog, ride your bike, picnic, play soccer, paint, attend a wedding, visit the BMX track or softball fields at the park, you’re likely to be greeted by an Elings supporter requesting donations to help the nonprofit foundation raise the $126,700 it needs to maintain its 364 days a year/from 7 a.m. till sunset level of service.

Unrestricted operating capital — as opposed to money for specific projects — is the hardest kind of money to raise, but it’s also the most critical, said executive director Mike Warren.

“We’ve been running at a deficit for three years, so we’re flirting with disaster,” he said. “If 5,000 people gave us just a little over $25, like $27.30, we’d be there.”

In addition to trying to raise money for operations, Warren has his plate full with plans for the third phase of the park, the lower 23 acres on the left as visitors enter off Las Positas Road. The plan — which includes an international size all-weather soccer facility, an 11,500-square-foot community center, a permanent BMX track, basketball, handball and volleyball courts, and permanent park office space with four additional offices to rent — is undergoing city review now and ready to begin the environmental impact report phase, said Warren. He roughly estimated the total project cost would be about $14 million and the development would happen in phases, as did the earlier growth of the park.

“Phase three or the development of the lower plateau will complete the original 97 acres of what we lease from the city,” said Warren.

Also eventually in the works is what is known as “South Park,” the old Jesuit property above Cliff Drive that currently is zoned by the county for residential and light agricultural use. Jeff Elings Drive and a small parking lot were built earlier this year to allow access to the property from Cliff Drive. Right now the plan is just to continue to use the property “as is” for passive recreational uses such as hiking, mountain biking and paragliding, Warren said.

For more information on the “Elings is MY Park!” campaign and upcoming events at the park, call 569.5611 or visit www.elingspark.org.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on August 19, 2004.