Gangs and Prison Life: A 15-year-old Santa Barbara boy is dead. His life is over. A 14-year-old is accused of his murder. If convicted, his life will never be the same. Police have also charged four other suspects in connection with the older boy’s death: two 16-year-olds, one 14-year-old, and a 13-year-old.
GAIN BUT NO PAIN: Let’s see, rob a bank and, if the gendarmes collar you, do they just let you hand back the bucks and walk?
No punishment, no fines? Sneak out of a jewelry shop with a fistful of diamonds and Rolexes? Same thing. Hand them back and all is forgiven?
The most expensive residential real estate deal in Santa Barbara area history-nearly $80 million-just took place at 2781 Padaro Lane.
The $35 million sale, announced Sunday by Realtor Suzanne Perkins, is just part of the deal. Perkins wouldn’t confirm the rest of it due to confidentiality agreements, but according to word on the street, the same person also bought two adjacent lots, one with a home under construction.
Look for the Union Label: It’s been a long, hard struggle since embattled News-Press journalists were forced to protect themselves and newsroom ethics by forming a union last summer.
Granada’s 5 million: Contrary to rumors in the blogosphere, Wendy McCaw has not notified the Granada Theatre Renovation Project that she’s reneging on her $5 million pledge, according to Granada executive director Peter Frisch.
At this rate, all the fired News-Press journalists will be on Social Security before the National Labor Relations (NLRB) Board finally hears their case.
Whenever the feds schedule a hearing, the News-Press commits a whole new raft of alleged unfair labor practices, the union files complaints and the NLRB postpones its hearing.
Metro Monopoly? “How come Metropolitan Theatres has a monopoly on the South Coast?” a reader asked. She’s heard from others that the Santa Barbara City Council and county had adopted some kind of ordinance bestowing Metro with a monopoly, allowing no other chain in.
The Internet revolution has “flattened” the world from India, China, and Russia to the U.S. and we’d all better pay attention or be left behind, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman (pictured) told Santa Barbarans today. And there’s “one iron rule” about this, the Pulitzer Prize-winner warned more than 900 locals who attended Westmont College’s annual President’s Breakfast at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort: “When the world is flat, what can be done will be done and the only question is whether it will be done by you or to you.”
Barney walks the walk in the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, admiring the California poppies that have just bloomed (pictured), the old dam, and the towering redwoods on a recent, unseasonably gorgeous “spring” day.
Get out of the rain and into whatever Barney tells you to. Barney’s Weekend Picks once again direct you to the brightest and best that Santa Barbara has to offer you for these drizzly days.
