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Part Two in a Year of Montecito

Reviewing Montecito from July 2007 Forward


Tuesday, January 1, 2008
By J'Amy Brown (Contact)
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Happy New Year! For your reading pleasure on this first holiday of 2008, here are all the Montage stories from July 2007 until today. To read the full story, just click on the date. Enjoy the trip down memory lane, and I hope 2008 proves eventful for you, which will of course make it newsworthy for me!

J'amy Brown
Click to enlarge photo

J'amy Brown

(Part one of this review, from January through June, was published on Christmas Day, December 25. Click here for that story.)

July 3, 2007

● Extra: Backcountry fire off Paradise Road causes Montecito Fire Dis’t. to open gates at 144 (lower Sycamore Canyon) (6-30-07)

● Caltrans relocks gates at 144 in spite of high fire danger

● A refined Largura project submitted to MBAR, action postponed story poles requested

Closeup on the crash site of the contract helicopter used on the Zaca Fire.
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

Closeup on the crash site of the contract helicopter used on the Zaca Fire.

July 8, 2007

● Extra: Montage goes fishing and Zaca Fire Copter Crashes nearby

July 10, 2007

● San Ysidro pharmacy corner owner Richard Gunner presents new development ideas to MA

● Team Ty (Warner) working hard to open Coral Casino by July 30

● Carbajal hosts conclave to look at Hwy 144 landslide impasse and road closure protocols

Zaca Fire creates huge mushroom clouds of smoke and ash Friday afternoon
Click to enlarge photo

Dan Segan

Zaca Fire creates huge mushroom clouds of smoke and ash Friday afternoon

July 13, 2007

● Extra: Ash spreads into Santa Barbara from, what is today being called a 37 percent contained Zaca Fire

● MERRAG offers Ash-flow tips

July 18, 2007

● Interview with Dr. Gayle Bebee, new president of Westmont

● Christy Todd Whitman and Michael Huffington visit with Montecito GOP supporters

● Montage confirms Tom Cruise did not purchase Rob Loews Picacho Lane home

July 24, 2007

● Author Tony Rafael talks to Channel City Club about his book Mexican Mafia

● Jewelry-Art from Silverhorn on display at Santa Barbara Art Museum “Nights”

● Chainsaw Don joins MERRAG training corps and things get electric

● Jack Maxwell’s lawsuit hits Santa Maria court

● Heal the Ocean gets $300K in state grants

● Coral Casino July 30 opening delayed to August 20

● Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, greets Montecito friends

Developer and hopeful Miramar savior Rick Caruso was all smiles Tuesday night when he presented his new plan for the hotel to the Montecito Association.
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

Developer and hopeful Miramar savior Rick Caruso was all smiles Tuesday night when he presented his new plan for the hotel to the Montecito Association.

July 26, 2007 (also in print)

● Interview with Rick Caruso

August 1, 2007

● Caruso unveils his Miramar plans at MBAR, who says inadequate info

● Largura gets a boomerang from MBAR, asked to make more changes and return on 9-10

August 5, 2007

● Extra: Montecito Fire calls for town hall meeting concerning Zaca Fire emergency planning

August 7, 2007

● As Zaca fire moves south, 500 nervous Montecito residents jam into town hall meeting

● Montage offers list of emergency preparedness tips

MFD Chief Kevin Wallace
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

MFD Chief Kevin Wallace

August 16, 2007

● Q & A with Fire Chief Kevin Wallace about Zaca Fire status

● Tom Green replaces Isaiah Tchobanoff as Montecito’s Community Resource Deputy Sheriff

● Red Flag Alert opens gate at Hyw. 144

August 21, 2007

● Jonathan Winters entertains departing Zaca Fire commanders

● Bob Collector, Andy Arnold and Deanna Wassom resign from MA Board

Winters having fun with J'Amy and Herb McElwee.
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

Winters having fun with J'Amy and Herb McElwee.

● Zaca Fire appear to be backing away from Montecito, says Chief Kevin Wallace

● Caruso submits completed plans to the county, visits MA, where he hears encouragement

● Montecito hostess Lauri Tilson cooks up gourmet party

August 28, 2007

● Oprah’s looks quiet ten days before Obama $2,300-per-person fundraiser

● Nancy Koppleman to host small private lunch for Obama, sans celebrities

● SB Uncensored wraps up campy Channel 17 show

● MERRAG hosts training on psychology of a disaster

● Richard Wilke gives MFD a big Thank-You card

● MPC to hold Aug. 29 briefing on intent of resource management hillside zone

● Demolition has started on the Music Academy of the West’s big remodel

● Coral Casino postpones August 20 opening, hoping for Labor Day

● Montecito Union School gets brand new track field

● Permanent bridge completed between MUS and YMCA

● Clair Gottsdanker’s son, Josh, won the New Zealand National Lottery

● Letter Perfect is Moving down the street

Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

August 30, 2007

● Extra: Romero Canyon brushfire burns three acres and an out-building

August 31, 2007

● Coral Casino opens and Montage snaps the first photos

Plush poolside chairs.
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

Plush poolside chairs.

September 4, 2007

● Miramar Story poles go up over Labor Day

● Stephen Murdoch gets cheers his new book signing party

● Martha Smiglis toasts Montecito artist Virga

● Double pleasure: there are two J. Colins in Montecito

● Rudy Giuliani to return to Montecito on September 27

September 11, 2007

● With story poles and neighbors causing grief, Caruso pulls his Miramar plans

● Coral Casino opens on August 31

● Oprah raises $3million for Obama at her lawn party

● Montage wonders what kind of circus she’s joined

Jimmy Connors and Bill Clinton at the Montecito Country Club on Wednesday afternoon, September 19.
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

Jimmy Connors and Bill Clinton at the Montecito Country Club on Wednesday afternoon, September 19.

September 19, 2007

● Extra: Bill Clinton visits the Montecito County Club and Montage is there

September 21, 2007

● Extra: Prominent Community Volunteer Barry Siegel passes away

September 26, 2007

● Montage’s one-year anniversary, 77 columns competed

● Bob Collector talks about his departure from MA

● Lou Weider appointed to fill out Bob Collectors MA term

● Darlene Bierig appointed to fill out Andy Arnold’s MA term

● A report on Barry Siegel’s memorial service

Kay (standing in tan jacket) and Dave Peterson (standing next to flag) plan to appeal the Largura project.
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

Kay (standing in tan jacket) and Dave Peterson (standing next to flag) plan to appeal the Largura project.

October 3, 2007

● Largura approved by MBAR, action appealed to MPC by Dave and Kay Peterson

● Montecito’s T.C. Boyle receives Ross Macdonald Literary Award

● Roger Durling toasts Brian Barnwell

● Rudy Giuliani’s visit causes less security fuss than Barack Obama’s stay

● Lighthouse restored atop Coral Casino

● MA Prez Bill Palladini goes to Italy to participate in his family’s World War II honor

● Heal the Ocean holds annual fundraiser, sans top donor Rick Caruso

Here's the tacky tacked-up sign telling neighbors what was up.
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

Here's the tacky tacked-up sign telling neighbors what was up.

October 4, 2007 (also in print)

● The story of O-O-O: the correlation between Oprah, Obama and O.J

October 9, 2007

● County Public Works hosting community meetings to unveil safe school routes study

● MPC to review San Ysidro Ranch trail re-alignment

● Montecito Water District holds water pricing and conservation workshop;

● “Americans Who Tell the Truth” art exhibit opens

● Monica Brock Peterson fills Deanna Wassom’s vacant MA Board seat

● Andy Granatelli honored as “Automotive Personality of the Year”

October 10, 2007

● Extra: Largura team makes courtesy presentation to MA; no action taken

October 11, 2007 (also in print)

● Cooking lessons in Montecito with a private chef

Supervisor Salud Carbajal
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

Supervisor Salud Carbajal

October 17, 2007

● Salud Carbajal attends role out of “Montecito Walk to School Project Initial Study”

● James Carville spices up Montecito as Planned Parenthood speaker

● Direct Relief hosts Montecito Fall Friend-Fest

● Judge rules Jack Maxwell can get one more house on his Summit Road property

October 18, 2007 (also in print)

● Former Fire Chief Herb McElwee helps fire agencies south of the border

October 23, 2007

● Montecito Fire District and MERRAG named Montecito’s Citizens of the Year

● Australian astronomer Martin George leads star-search at Westmont ‘s Keck telescope

● Bob Short, Michael Cook, Dave Kent and Dave Carpenter nominated for MA’s 2008 slate

A tombstone gets swallowed by one of the cemetery's trees.
Click to enlarge photo

J'Amy Brown

A tombstone gets swallowed by one of the cemetery's trees.

October 30, 2007

● Author David Petry leads tours at Santa Barbara cemetery

● Coast Village Road Merchant’s Association to host “Great Halloween Walk” on Oct. 31

● Cold Spring School honors Pedro Nava at annual fall festival

● Dana Newquist elected president of Antique Automobile Club of American, SB Region

● “Storytellers: Children’s Book Illustrations” exhibit opens at Westmont’s Gallery

● Montecito residents Carol Burnett and John Cleese perform in Love Letters

November 1 (also in print)

● Chainsaw Don Miller concerned over locked gate at Hyw. 144 and Sycamore Canyon landslide

November 6, 2007

● Caruso gears up for November 13 MBAR reveal of Miramar II

● Michele Gibbs and Anne Almy become P&D’s lead Miramar planning team

● Montecito related P&D changes post June Pujo as new MBAR liaison

● Jason Moore takes over from David Villalobos as MBAR secretary

● Montecito Water District starts conservation message flowing; Bob Roebuck to retire

● Tour bus gets hung up on East Mountain Drive

● Community Kitchens hosts Montecito home tour

● Montecito kids rehearse for Peter Pan performance at SB High

● Marc Chytilo takes home COAST Barry Seigel Award

An overview depiction of the future Miramar.
Click to enlarge photo

An overview depiction of the future Miramar.

November 14, 2007

● Miramar changes unveiled by Rick Caruso at MA monthly meeting

● Water District says Montecito may soon thirst for water

● Community getting interested in proposed development 76 station at Coast Village Road

● La Casa de Maria invites the community to enjoy their Montecito sanctuary

November 15, 2007 (also in print)

● When it comes to dolls, Montecito doesn’t toy around

November 21, 2007

● John Price, owner of the CVR 76 station, considers pulling his development plans

● Lots of “ice” at SBIFF’s tribute to John Travolta

● Carbajal is raising the green for his upcoming political bash

November 27, 2007

● Westmont lights up 150-foot Christmas tree

● Hackers break into Westmont website, in traffic boosting scheme

● Coral Casino beach stairs open after three-year closure, but memberships still closed

● Montecito’s Jill Schulz produces second annual Snoopy on Ice

November 29, 2007 (also in print)

● Montage finds gifts galore in Montecito for under $100

A rendering of the new Westmont campus.
Click to enlarge photo

A rendering of the new Westmont campus.

December 5, 2007

● Undaunted by lawsuit, Westmont moves ahead with MBAR review of expansion plan

● Montecito’s Susan Keller produces holiday show, “Revels”

● Biltmore valet get sporty new garb

● 76 Station’s John Price continues to weigh options for his gateway CVR property

● Surfboards snap in high Montecito surf

● MA Land Use committee support Peterson’s appeal against Largura development

● Coast Village Road businesses deck the halls for December 6 open houses

December 12, 2007:

● MA Supports Largura Appeal

● Winters Wins Award

● Carbajal Raises $300K

● Miramar's New Story Poles

December 13, 2007 (also in print)

● MERRAGE recalls a year of accomplishments and offers free public disaster preparedness course

December 18, 2007

● Westmont development master plan gets favorable ruling from Judge Thomas Anderle

● Rick Caruso arrives at MBAR review with 75 pages of new Miramar plans

● Bill Palladini nominated again as prxy of MA

Andrew Firestone
Click to enlarge photo

Andrew Firestone

December 20, 2007

● Extra: Peterson’s appeal is upheld by MPC and Largura project hits another wall

● Andrew Firestone, the Bachelor and the Supe’s kid, signs on with Team Ty Warner

December 25, 2007

● The Montage Year in Review, from January to June

January 1, 2007

● What you’re reading right now!!

Story Help (Click-ability)
Double-clicking on any word or phrase in this story will open a reference window with definitions and links to other reference material.

Comments

Discussion Guidelines

Andrew Firestone, who did you headshot babe?! I´d buy a membership from you if only you´d tell!!

lovechop (anonymous profile)
January 24, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Is Andrew still single and if so, why when he has so many appealing options in the Santa Barbara area??

HawaiiFemme (anonymous profile)
February 4, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Where have you gone J´Amy Brown?! I miss your column and am in Montage withdrawal!!! (and I´m not refering to Laguna Beach sweetie) Please return SOON!!

lovechop (anonymous profile)
February 9, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

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