Oprah Gives $100K to Sheriff’s Office

OW Management LLC — Oprah Winfrey’s investment managers — recently donated $100,000 to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office substation covering Montecito, Carpinteria, and Summerland. Sheriff Bill Brown can use the money for that area as he wishes. The county supervisors approved the funds this week, prompting a discussion about private money paying for public safety in more affluent neighborhoods.

While 1st District Supervisor Das Williams used the opportunity to make a plea for higher taxes to ensure adequate service for all county residents, his conservative counterparts argued they’d never be able to tax everyone enough to get the level of service some desire. Peter Adam, 4th District supervisor, wondered if the money was solicited or unsolicited. “We ought to think about that,” he said. When asked, Brown said it was not.