City 10-9
Santa Barbara Rental Housing Mediation Task Force reports a decline in services following staff reductions that resulted from City Hall-initiated budget cuts a year ago. The service- which aims to give landlords and tenants a non-litigious means of settling disputes-has seen a 50 percent drop in the number of mediations it was able to provide. City Council is looking into ways to increase the service’s funding. (/mediation1009)
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The Santa Barbara City Council denied an appeal of cab driver Julio Maganda, owner of the 777 Taxi Company, whose permit was revoked after he’d incurred four moving violations in the past year. Maganda explained the revocation would cause a serious financial hardship for his family and noted that none of the violations occurred while he was carrying a passenger. Councilmembers noted that the five cabs Maganda’s company owns can still generate income. (/cabbie1009)
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The Vons supermarket located at 34 W. Victoria St. is scheduled to close this December. A new mixed-use development-including high-density condos and commercial space-called Arlington Village will replace the existing structure, but is not scheduled to do so for at least two years, pending city approval. The Vons building will be leased to a new tenant until that time.
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Having completed a $1.8 million renovation of its building at 1000 San Antonio Creek Road, Santa Barbara’s largest synagogue-the 81-year-old Congregation B’nai B’rith-opened its doors just in time for the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Services are scheduled for 8 p.m. on 10/8 and 10 a.m. on 10/9.
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The A.C. Postel Memorial Rose Garden-more commonly known as the Mission Rose Garden and located just across from the Santa Barbara Mission-earned the All-American Rose Selections Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding Rose Garden Maintenance, it was announced on 9/7. The garden is nurtured by a dedicated brigade of garden volunteers and Parks Division staff and contains 240 varieties of roses.
