Daily Archives: March 4, 2024

Senior Expo on April 4

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Goleta Community Center

Calling all seniors! The City of Goleta is hosting its 2nd Annual Senior Expo, a FREE community event designed specifically for seniors in our community! This is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn, connect, and discover various resources available to enhance your health, well-being, and overall quality of life.
The Senior Expo will take place on Thursday, April 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). Whether you’re a long-time resident or new to Goleta, we welcome you to join us for a day filled with valuable information and engaging activities.

At the event, community members will have the opportunity to interact with representatives from various organizations specializing in health and wellness, social services and more. Whether you’re looking for support groups, transportation options, or recreational activities, you’ll find valuable resources to help you stay connected, engaged, and fulfilled. This is your chance to ask questions, gather information, and explore the services and programs that could benefit you or your loved ones.

For more information about the Senior Expo, please contact JoAnne Plummer at jplummer@cityofgoleta.org or 805-562-5505.

Also happening at the same time is the Goleta Community Center Reopening Ribbon Cutting. Join us on the footsteps of the historic building at 10:00 a.m. as we commemorate the reopening of the beloved gathering spot.

We’ll see you there!

 

Goleta Community Center Reopening Ribbon Cutting

Join Us on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

Goleta’s favorite gathering spot is opening once again and we want you to be a part of celebrating this joyful occasion. Join us on Thursday, April 4 at 10:00 a.m. for a ribbon cutting to commemorate the reopening of the Goleta Community Center (GCC) which has been closed for more than a year to seismically retrofit the facility. The auditorium and dining room have been closed since 2021. The ceremony will take place on the footsteps of this historic building which is nearing one-hundred years of age.

The event will be attended by U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal, Santa Barbara County Supervisors Laura Capps and Joan Hartmann, City of Goleta Mayor Perotte, Goleta City Councilmembers and other community leaders and stakeholders.

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We hope anyone and everyone who has a connection to our beloved Goleta Community Center and understands the important role it plays in keeping our community connected will come celebrate with us.”

Following comments from those associated with the project, there will be a ceremonial ribbon cutting and then a time to tour the facility and learn more about forthcoming programming and rental opportunities. There will also be some free giveaways with the new GCC logo for those who attend while supplies last.

While there is still work to be done to prepare the building to be fully open, the City will be accepting applications from groups looking to book the facility after April 1, 2024.  Go to www.CityofGoleta.org/GCC.

The City is grateful to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for funding 75% of the Seismic Retrofit Project. Thanks to federal Community Project Funding secured by Congressman Carbajal, additional Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades are planned in the coming years to make the building accessible for all users.

Background:

Originally built in 1927, the building located at 5679 Hollister Avenue was once a schoolhouse. The City acquired the building from the Goleta Union School District in 2013. The Goleta Community Center was managed by the non-profit group the Goleta Valley Community Center (GVCC) for decades. When it was determined that the building needed seismic and accessibility upgrades, the City assumed management of the building in January 2023 and used the construction time to gather input from the community and put together a Strategic Plan for the GCC. You can view the plan here.

The City is excited to see this beloved community hub fully open soon and bustling with activity. We hope to see you on April 4th for the ribbon cutting.

Owl Rescue

Goleta Public Works Maintenance Workers are accustomed to being called out on the weekend for various issues, especially during storms, but this is the first time Jorge Flores and Joel Rubio were involved in an animal rescue.

Susie Clothier, a photographer and Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network volunteer, happened to be at Lake Los Carneros taking photos on Saturday morning, February 17, when she witnessed visitors talking about a barn owl who was dangling from a fishing line in a palm tree at Stow House approximately 60 feet off the ground.  Clothier sprung into action and notified Santa Barbara County firefighters at Fire Station 14 next to the Stow House. Unfortunately, their fire truck ladder was not able to reach the bird but as luck would have it, the City of Goleta had just purchased and received a Boom Lift which could.

That’s when Santa Barbara County Firefighters called Flores and Rubio who responded to the scene in a City truck with the Boom Lift. While muddy conditions near the owl’s location posed a challenge causing the City truck to get stuck, the collaborative team of SB County Fire, Goleta Public Works, and SB Wildlife Care Network worked together to push the truck back on solid ground.

With Joel Rubio operating the Boom Lift from the ground, Jorge Flores and Santa Barbara County Firefighter Shaun Bahne were elevated to reach the owl. Carefully and with patience, they were able to cover the owl with a blanket and remove the fishing line that had entangled the owl.

While they never expected such a call, Flores and Rubio were grateful for the opportunity to respond and provide assistance in this unique situation.

“The Public Works guys are really the heroes,” Firefighter Shaun Bahne said. “Without that lift, we wouldn’t have been able to reach the owl.”

Clothier drove the owl to the Ojai Raptor Center where it is currently being cared for. While it survived the ordeal, it is being treated for capture myopathy.  This occurs from stress enzymes that attack the bird’s muscles. We really hope this beautiful creature makes a full recovery and is able to take flight again soon.


SB County Firefighter Shaun Bahne with the owl


Group photo of those involved in the owl’s rescue

Winter Reading Program Wrap-Up

The Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries would like to congratulate our community on a successful 2024 Winter Reading Program! Over the course of seven weeks, a total of 1,525 books were read by children, teens, and adults: participants in grades 6 and under read 920 books, while the teen category in grades 7-12 logged 58 titles, and adults finished 547 altogether.

This fun annual program celebrates starting your new year off strong with some great books and brings with it the many important benefits of reading, from expanding vocabulary to encouraging relaxation to fostering empathy. Participants share a brief review of each book they read in order to be entered into the program’s weekly prize drawings. You can check out some of our favorite reviews from this year here.

Our sincere gratitude goes to the generous community sponsors whose prize donations provided incentives to keep our patrons reading strong throughout the program! Thank you to Beauty Salon V, Blenders in the Grass, The Book Loft, Brick Barn Winery, Enjoy Cupcakes, Fairview Barbers, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Friends of the Goleta Valley Library, Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley, The Habit, Miner’s Ace Hardware, ONEder Child, Peasant’s Deli & Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Trader Joe’s.

Although the Winter Reading Program has ended, there are many fantastic titles that await on the library shelves! We look forward to seeing you all year long at the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries.

Watch Video Invite to Goleta Community State of the City

Join Us on Wednesday, April 10th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Preparations are underway for the City of Goleta’s biggest night of the year coming up next month on Wednesday, April 10, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). The City released a video invite for the Goleta Community State of the City with Mayor Paula Perotte with details on what to expect at this memorable and informative event. The City also released the video invite in Spanish with Mayor Pro-Tempore Luz Reyes-Martín (1st District). Please watch and share the videos, and plan to attend this special night for Goleta.

Making the 7th Annual Goleta Community State of the City even more grand is the return of the event to the Goleta Community Center which has been closed due to seismic renovations. It’s a great opportunity to hear about the City’s accomplishments, challenges and exciting plans for the future.  The event is free to the public and Spanish interpretation is available.

The full evening includes:

  • 4:00 p.m. – New! Dos Pueblos High School Jazz Band performs in the gazebo outside of the Goleta Community Center.
  • 5:00 p.m. – Come early to check out our City information tables featuring current and upcoming projects and programs. Mingle informally with the Goleta City Council, stakeholders, City staff, and fellow Goletans. Submit a question to be answered during the Q&A portion of the program, take photos and enjoy light refreshments.
  • Program begins promptly at 6:00 p.m.:
    • Mayor Perotte gives the 2024 State of the City Address
    • City Manager Robert Nisbet provides an update on the City’s Finances
    • Q&A session with Mayor Perotte and Department Directors

If you love Goleta, this is a night you won’t want to miss. Bring your family and friends!

We hope to see you at the 2024 Goleta Community State of the City!