J'amy Brown
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Happy New Year! For your reading pleasure on this first holiday of 2008, here are all the Montage stories from July 2007 until today. To read the full story, just click on the date. Enjoy the trip down memory lane, and I hope 2008 proves eventful for you, which will of course make it newsworthy for me!
J'amy Brown
(Part one of this review, from January through June, was published on Christmas Day, December 25. Click here for that story.)
● Extra: Backcountry fire off Paradise Road causes Montecito Fire Dis’t. to open gates at 144 (lower Sycamore Canyon) (6-30-07)
● Caltrans relocks gates at 144 in spite of high fire danger
● A refined Largura project submitted to MBAR, action postponed story poles requested
J'Amy Brown
Closeup on the crash site of the contract helicopter used on the Zaca Fire.
● Extra: Montage goes fishing and Zaca Fire Copter Crashes nearby
● San Ysidro pharmacy corner owner Richard Gunner presents new development ideas to MA
● Team Ty (Warner) working hard to open Coral Casino by July 30
● Carbajal hosts conclave to look at Hwy 144 landslide impasse and road closure protocols
Dan Segan
Zaca Fire creates huge mushroom clouds of smoke and ash Friday afternoon
● Extra: Ash spreads into Santa Barbara from, what is today being called a 37 percent contained Zaca Fire
● MERRAG offers Ash-flow tips
● Interview with Dr. Gayle Bebee, new president of Westmont
● Christy Todd Whitman and Michael Huffington visit with Montecito GOP supporters
● Montage confirms Tom Cruise did not purchase Rob Loews Picacho Lane home
● Author Tony Rafael talks to Channel City Club about his book Mexican Mafia
● Jewelry-Art from Silverhorn on display at Santa Barbara Art Museum “Nights”
● Chainsaw Don joins MERRAG training corps and things get electric
● Jack Maxwell’s lawsuit hits Santa Maria court
● Heal the Ocean gets $300K in state grants
● Coral Casino July 30 opening delayed to August 20
● Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, greets Montecito friends
J'Amy Brown
Developer and hopeful Miramar savior Rick Caruso was all smiles Tuesday night when he presented his new plan for the hotel to the Montecito Association.
July 26, 2007 (also in print)
● Interview with Rick Caruso
● Caruso unveils his Miramar plans at MBAR, who says inadequate info
● Largura gets a boomerang from MBAR, asked to make more changes and return on 9-10
● Extra: Montecito Fire calls for town hall meeting concerning Zaca Fire emergency planning
● As Zaca fire moves south, 500 nervous Montecito residents jam into town hall meeting
● Montage offers list of emergency preparedness tips
J'Amy Brown
MFD Chief Kevin Wallace
● Q & A with Fire Chief Kevin Wallace about Zaca Fire status
● Tom Green replaces Isaiah Tchobanoff as Montecito’s Community Resource Deputy Sheriff
● Red Flag Alert opens gate at Hyw. 144
● Jonathan Winters entertains departing Zaca Fire commanders
● Bob Collector, Andy Arnold and Deanna Wassom resign from MA Board
J'Amy Brown
Winters having fun with J'Amy and Herb McElwee.
● Zaca Fire appear to be backing away from Montecito, says Chief Kevin Wallace
● Caruso submits completed plans to the county, visits MA, where he hears encouragement
● Montecito hostess Lauri Tilson cooks up gourmet party
● Oprah’s looks quiet ten days before Obama $2,300-per-person fundraiser
● Nancy Koppleman to host small private lunch for Obama, sans celebrities
● SB Uncensored wraps up campy Channel 17 show
● MERRAG hosts training on psychology of a disaster
● Richard Wilke gives MFD a big Thank-You card
● MPC to hold Aug. 29 briefing on intent of resource management hillside zone
● Demolition has started on the Music Academy of the West’s big remodel
● Coral Casino postpones August 20 opening, hoping for Labor Day
● Montecito Union School gets brand new track field
● Permanent bridge completed between MUS and YMCA
● Clair Gottsdanker’s son, Josh, won the New Zealand National Lottery
● Letter Perfect is Moving down the street
J'Amy Brown
● Extra: Romero Canyon brushfire burns three acres and an out-building
● Coral Casino opens and Montage snaps the first photos
J'Amy Brown
Plush poolside chairs.
● Miramar Story poles go up over Labor Day
● Stephen Murdoch gets cheers his new book signing party
● Martha Smiglis toasts Montecito artist Virga
● Double pleasure: there are two J. Colins in Montecito
● Rudy Giuliani to return to Montecito on September 27
● With story poles and neighbors causing grief, Caruso pulls his Miramar plans
● Coral Casino opens on August 31
● Oprah raises $3million for Obama at her lawn party
● Montage wonders what kind of circus she’s joined
J'Amy Brown
Jimmy Connors and Bill Clinton at the Montecito Country Club on Wednesday afternoon, September 19.
● Extra: Bill Clinton visits the Montecito County Club and Montage is there
● Extra: Prominent Community Volunteer Barry Siegel passes away
● Montage’s one-year anniversary, 77 columns competed
● Bob Collector talks about his departure from MA
● Lou Weider appointed to fill out Bob Collectors MA term
● Darlene Bierig appointed to fill out Andy Arnold’s MA term
● A report on Barry Siegel’s memorial service
J'Amy Brown
Kay (standing in tan jacket) and Dave Peterson (standing next to flag) plan to appeal the Largura project.
● Largura approved by MBAR, action appealed to MPC by Dave and Kay Peterson
● Montecito’s T.C. Boyle receives Ross Macdonald Literary Award
● Roger Durling toasts Brian Barnwell
● Rudy Giuliani’s visit causes less security fuss than Barack Obama’s stay
● Lighthouse restored atop Coral Casino
● MA Prez Bill Palladini goes to Italy to participate in his family’s World War II honor
● Heal the Ocean holds annual fundraiser, sans top donor Rick Caruso
J'Amy Brown
Here's the tacky tacked-up sign telling neighbors what was up.
October 4, 2007 (also in print)
● The story of O-O-O: the correlation between Oprah, Obama and O.J
● County Public Works hosting community meetings to unveil safe school routes study
● MPC to review San Ysidro Ranch trail re-alignment
● Montecito Water District holds water pricing and conservation workshop;
● “Americans Who Tell the Truth” art exhibit opens
● Monica Brock Peterson fills Deanna Wassom’s vacant MA Board seat
● Andy Granatelli honored as “Automotive Personality of the Year”
● Extra: Largura team makes courtesy presentation to MA; no action taken
October 11, 2007 (also in print)
● Cooking lessons in Montecito with a private chef
J'Amy Brown
Supervisor Salud Carbajal
● Salud Carbajal attends role out of “Montecito Walk to School Project Initial Study”
● James Carville spices up Montecito as Planned Parenthood speaker
● Direct Relief hosts Montecito Fall Friend-Fest
● Judge rules Jack Maxwell can get one more house on his Summit Road property
October 18, 2007 (also in print)
● Former Fire Chief Herb McElwee helps fire agencies south of the border
● Montecito Fire District and MERRAG named Montecito’s Citizens of the Year
● Australian astronomer Martin George leads star-search at Westmont ‘s Keck telescope
● Bob Short, Michael Cook, Dave Kent and Dave Carpenter nominated for MA’s 2008 slate
J'Amy Brown
A tombstone gets swallowed by one of the cemetery's trees.
● Author David Petry leads tours at Santa Barbara cemetery
● Coast Village Road Merchant’s Association to host “Great Halloween Walk” on Oct. 31
● Cold Spring School honors Pedro Nava at annual fall festival
● Dana Newquist elected president of Antique Automobile Club of American, SB Region
● “Storytellers: Children’s Book Illustrations” exhibit opens at Westmont’s Gallery
● Montecito residents Carol Burnett and John Cleese perform in Love Letters
November 1 (also in print)
● Chainsaw Don Miller concerned over locked gate at Hyw. 144 and Sycamore Canyon landslide
● Caruso gears up for November 13 MBAR reveal of Miramar II
● Michele Gibbs and Anne Almy become P&D’s lead Miramar planning team
● Montecito related P&D changes post June Pujo as new MBAR liaison
● Jason Moore takes over from David Villalobos as MBAR secretary
● Montecito Water District starts conservation message flowing; Bob Roebuck to retire
● Tour bus gets hung up on East Mountain Drive
● Community Kitchens hosts Montecito home tour
● Montecito kids rehearse for Peter Pan performance at SB High
● Marc Chytilo takes home COAST Barry Seigel Award
An overview depiction of the future Miramar.
● Miramar changes unveiled by Rick Caruso at MA monthly meeting
● Water District says Montecito may soon thirst for water
● Community getting interested in proposed development 76 station at Coast Village Road
● La Casa de Maria invites the community to enjoy their Montecito sanctuary
November 15, 2007 (also in print)
● When it comes to dolls, Montecito doesn’t toy around
● John Price, owner of the CVR 76 station, considers pulling his development plans
● Lots of “ice” at SBIFF’s tribute to John Travolta
● Carbajal is raising the green for his upcoming political bash
● Westmont lights up 150-foot Christmas tree
● Hackers break into Westmont website, in traffic boosting scheme
● Coral Casino beach stairs open after three-year closure, but memberships still closed
● Montecito’s Jill Schulz produces second annual Snoopy on Ice
November 29, 2007 (also in print)
● Montage finds gifts galore in Montecito for under $100
A rendering of the new Westmont campus.
● Undaunted by lawsuit, Westmont moves ahead with MBAR review of expansion plan
● Montecito’s Susan Keller produces holiday show, “Revels”
● Biltmore valet get sporty new garb
● 76 Station’s John Price continues to weigh options for his gateway CVR property
● Surfboards snap in high Montecito surf
● MA Land Use committee support Peterson’s appeal against Largura development
● Coast Village Road businesses deck the halls for December 6 open houses
● MA Supports Largura Appeal
● Winters Wins Award
● Carbajal Raises $300K
● Miramar's New Story Poles
December 13, 2007 (also in print)
● MERRAGE recalls a year of accomplishments and offers free public disaster preparedness course
● Westmont development master plan gets favorable ruling from Judge Thomas Anderle
● Rick Caruso arrives at MBAR review with 75 pages of new Miramar plans
● Bill Palladini nominated again as prxy of MA
Andrew Firestone
● Extra: Peterson’s appeal is upheld by MPC and Largura project hits another wall
● Andrew Firestone, the Bachelor and the Supe’s kid, signs on with Team Ty Warner
● The Montage Year in Review, from January to June
● What you’re reading right now!!