Daily Archives: November 1, 2022

Public Asked to Give Input on Unmet Transit Needs

Informational listening session on December 7 seeks public input on how bus systems, dial-a-ride, and paratransit services can better serve residents in Santa Barbara County.

An unmet transit needs listening session will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, via Zoom Webinar hosted by the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG). The public is encouraged to stop by anytime during the two-hour virtual listening session to share comments or concerns about bus systems, dial-a-ride and paratransit services in Santa Barbara County, or express needs for new or expanded services in the county. Spanish language interpretation services will be available during the listening session.

Those unable to attend the December 7, 2022, listening session can take an online survey in English or Spanish until Friday, December 9, 2022. The public can also submit comments in writing to SBCAG at 260 North San Antonio Road, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, or by email to comment@sbcag.org.

Comments provided at the listening session, on the online survey, or in writing are shared with local decision makers, transit agencies, and the California Department of Transportation to help influence options for transit services and projects. A summary of public input is presented to Santa Barbara County Transit Advisory Committee and SBCAG Board of Directors in early 2023.

WHAT: Unmet Transit Needs Listening Session

WHEN: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday, December 7, 2022 (visit virtually anytime during the two-hour listening session)

WHERE: Zoom Webinar*:

  • Webinar ID: 889 5904 1577; Passcode: 799248; OR
  • Telephone: (669) 900-9128

*Spanish-language interpretation services available

DETAILS: SBCAG is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for this meeting. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, accommodation requests should be made by Monday, December 5 to SBCAG at (805) 961-8900.

Online Survey, www.surveymonkey.com/r/SBCAG_TNA (English); www.surveymonkey.com/r/TNA_ESP (Spanish)

Provide feedback in writing to SBCAG at 260 North San Antonio Road, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, or by email to comment@sbcag.org.

SBCAG will receive comments on transit needs in Santa Barbara County, as required under Section 99401.5 of the Public Utilities Code.

Keep FOG from Going Down the Drain this Holiday Season

The holidays are almost here and it’s important to remember not to put your fats, oils, and greases (also known as FOG) down the drain.

Goleta West Sanitary District (GWSD) supports efforts to keep its wastewater system free of FOG. Fats, oils, and greases are a byproduct of cooking and are found in such things as meat fats, cooking oil, lard, and shortening, butter and margarine. When grease is washed down the drain, it sticks to the inside of sewer pipes (both on your property and in the streets.) Over time, it builds up and can block an entire pipe.

Garbage disposals do not keep grease out of the pipes, they only shred it into smaller pieces. Commercial additives, including detergents that claim to dissolve grease, may pass it down the line and cause problems away from the source. But the results of a grease-blocked sewer pipe can be sewage overflows in your home or neighborhood resulting in expensive and unpleasant cleanups; possible exposure with disease-causing organisms; or an increase in maintenance costs at GWSD.

How to dispose of your FOG:

  • Pour FOG into a covered disposable container—such as glass, plastic or a sturdy plastic bag. Store it in the freezer and then put it in the trash after it has hardened.
  • Use paper towels to wipe greasy dishes before washing. Put the paper towels in the trash.
  • Use sink strainers to catch food waste.
  • Put food scraps in a compost bin or in the trash.
  • FOG waste should only be put in the trash.

‘Tis the Season for GoodLandGoodShopping.com

Goleta Community Encouraged to Shop Local this Holiday Season with our Digital Gift Card Marketplace

The holiday shopping season is just around the corner, and the City of Goleta wants to remind you about GoodLandGoodShopping.com, a digital gift card marketplace designed specifically to promote Goleta businesses. Anyone who goes to the site can purchase gift cards from Goleta businesses, and merchants can sign up for a FREE listing at any time.

What makes GoodLandGoodShopping.com stand apart from other gift cards is that you can customize your digital gift card by sending the recipient a personalized email, text message and/or video creating a memorable virtual gift or care package. Watch our video in English and Spanish to learn more about how it works.

The goal of the GoodLandGoodShopping.com website is to encourage the public to think Goleta when shopping, dining, or purchasing services this holiday season and beyond. The website was created to boost local spending and help our businesses recover from the impacts of the pandemic.

To create the website, the City partnered with Giftbar, a vendor based in San Luis Obispo, with the experience and expertise in gift card commerce. Giftbar hosts businesses on its platform with the technology for businesses to sell and redeem e-gift cards.

The site features more than three dozen unique businesses, some you may know of and some you may be learning about for the first time. Don’t see your favorite Goleta business featured on the site? Let them know about the program, and that they can sign up for a free listing at GoodLandGoodShopping.com/signup. We are also going to be featuring on the City’s social media channels each of our businesses listed on GoodLandGoodShopping.com, which is free promotion and a way to showcase our awesome businesses. So, make sure the Goleta businesses you love are signed up.

Here is how you can participate and support this effort:

  • Go to GoodLandGoodShopping.com and buy a gift card.
  • Spread the news and promote on social media with #GoodLandGoodShopping.
  • Encourage Goleta businesses you frequent to sign up by going to the website.

For questions about Giftbar and how to participate, email websupport@giftbar.com or call 866-989-5580. If you have questions for the City, email Kelly Hoover at PIO@cityofgoleta.org.

More than 200 “Stuffies” Experience Hogwarts Sleepover at the Library

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend the night at Hogwarts? On Friday, October 28th over 200 “stuffies” got to experience the magic of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter firsthand at Goleta Valley Library’s Stuffed Animal Sleepover: Harry Potter edition! The library staff was well prepared for a great turnout and were thrilled to see a total of 219 stuffed animals dropped off this year for a magic-filled “all-nighter.”

“We were so thrilled to be able to host this event again,” said Linda Hori, Library Assistant at Goleta Valley Library. “Before the event officially started, the line was already out the door with families and children eager to drop off their stuffies at Platform 9 ¾.” While in line, many participants entered the “Guess the Pumpkin’s Weight” contest for a chance to win Harry Potter memorabilia.

The sleepover was anything but restful as our animal friends were whisked away on a variety of magical adventures and shenanigans. All stuffies started off their journey with the Sorting Hat to join their official Hogwarts House. With their scarves in hand, they loaded their suitcases onto the Hogwarts Express, then had dinner in the Great Hall, played a round of Quidditch, and even snuck into the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library! A small group of stuffies arrived late but were able to take Mr. Weasley’s flying car through the Forbidden Forest to make it just in time for the celebration. While all the stuffed animal guests were very well-behaved, there were a couple of House Slytherin stuffies that managed to achieve a bit of light-hearted mischief through the night.

The two-day wizarding event culminated on Saturday with a special Harry Potter celebration. Guests were able to take pictures with Dumbledore and Hedwig, find out their House with the Sorting Hat, become the face of Azkaban’s “Most Wanted,” and take home a collection of photographs from their stuffed animals’ visit to Hogwarts.

Every visitor got to enjoy one final surprise: a personalized acceptance letter from Hogwarts! Their letter included a goodie bag with a wand, glasses, and of course, a bookmark.

As a great wizard once said, “When in doubt, go to the library.”

Thank you to the many families who participated in the library’s second Stuffed Animal Sleepover of the year. And a very special thank you to the library staff who made this magical event so memorable, with the help of 23 terrific adult and teen volunteers.

There is always something fun and interesting happening at the Goleta Valley Library. Visit www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org to check out the Events Calendar to see all of the great things planned, including storytimes, book clubs, crafts, and much more!

Pictured: Photos from the sleepover


Stuffed animals receiving their acceptance letters into Hogwarts


Mr. Weasley’s car stuck in a tree


Stuffed animals waiting for their turn with the Sorting Hat


Stuffed animals eating in the Great Hall

New Disaster Emergency Course for Goleta Residents

Sign Up for a One Hour Course with the City’s Emergency Services Coordinator

Preparing for an emergency is difficult, and where do you start? You can create a go-bag for your car, but what do you put in that bag?

The City is now offering a new service to help Goleta residents answer these questions with its Community Disaster Education Course (or CDE). A CDE is a free, one-hour introductory course that teaches residents how to become more prepared in the event of a disaster. Attendees will learn about multiple topics such as what is expected following a disaster, what they can do to prepare their home and workplace, how to build an emergency bag, and more.

City of Goleta’s Emergency Services Coordinator Michael Baris said, “I’m very happy to be bringing CDEs to Goleta! In my experience, the biggest reason I’ve heard for not having a family emergency plan is that people don’t know where to start. A one-hour course will never replace the value of sitting down with family and talking about who has what responsibility when an emergency happens, but a CDE will give you the best first step to learn about emergencies and eventually have that conversation with family.”

A CDE can be held anywhere and during most hours; during a lunch break, after hours at a Homeowners Association (HOA) meeting, or at a weekend community gathering. Residents can request a CDE by using the form on our website at www.CityofGoleta.org/CDE and a City representative will get in touch to schedule the CDE presentation.

Presentations will be done on a first-come, first-serve basis, and a limited number of CDEs will be available each month. A minimum of 10 people are requested per CDE course. In the future, CDE’s will also be available in Spanish – stay tuned for details. For any additional questions regarding CDEs, please reach out to the City’s Emergency Services Coordinator at CERT@cityofgoleta.org.

Pictured: Michael Baris, City of Goleta Emergency Services Coordinator, with items from his “Go Bag”

Goleta November 2022 Election is Here

The November 2022 election is here! There is a lot for Goleta voters to consider, so let’s go Goleta! Make sure your voice is heard. 

Ballot drop boxes are open 24 hours a day through 8:00 p.m. on November 8, election night. In Goleta, there are two secure official ballot box locations: one at Goleta City Hall (130 Cremona Drive) and one at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue) at the end of parking lot in front of the building. To find official secure Ballot Drop Box locations throughout the County, visit the interactive map here­­­ or view a list of locations here.

In addition to the secure official drop boxes, ballots can also be returned by mail (postmarked by Election Day, November 8), returned in-person to one of three Santa Barbara County Election Offices (locations listed below) or to any polling place on Election Day. 

This is an historic election for Goleta as it is our first ever By-District Election. The City is now divided into four districts and registered voters in Districts 1 and 2 will have the opportunity to elect a City Councilmember from the District in which they live. If you live in Goleta, make sure to find out what district you are in. Watch our quick #KnowYourDistrict video in English here: https://youtu.be/ehCrMXI-zQI and in Spanish here: https://youtu.be/LueKsftkhD0. Go to our interactive map and plug in your address at https://tinyurl.com/GoletaInteractiveMap.

Goleta voters city-wide will vote for Measures B2022 and C2022.

For helpful information on the Goleta November election, go to our website at www.cityofgoleta.org/elections. 

Voters can sign-up to track their ballot at https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/.

Santa Barbara County Elections Offices are located at:

  • Santa Barbara Elections Main Office: 4440-A Calle Real, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Santa Maria Elections Branch Office: 511 Lakeside Parkway, Ste. 134, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
  • Lompoc Elections Branch Office: 401 East Cypress Avenue, Rm 102, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.)

Voters can check their registration status, look up their polling place, and find their ballot’s status by using the look-up tool at https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/ or calling the Santa Barbara County Elections Office at 1-800-722-8683.

For more information, visit the County of Santa Barbara’s election webpage at https://www.countyofsb.org/164/Elections.