Local Politics · Santa Barbara County
The U.S. Department of Justice sent letters to 57 of California's 58 elected elections officers, including Santa Barbara County Registrar Joe Holland, demanding they purge allegedly noncitizen voters within 48 hours. Holland, who has been absent from the county Elections offices for over two years due to health challenges, did not respond to contact attempts by county supervisors or CEO Jana Petersen before the deadline passed. A Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel rejected the DOJ's emergency filing, with judges questioning both the reliability of the alleged noncitizen-voter numbers and federal authority over state election jurisdiction. The letter listed 180 specific names for Santa Barbara County, though those figures remain unverified.
Transportation · Carpinteria, CA
The northbound US 101 on-ramp at Linden Ave in Carpinteria will be fully closed Wednesday, Oct. 28 for sewer pipe lining work by Caltrans crews. Northbound travelers will be detoured to enter US 101 at Casitas Pass Rd, with expected delays of up to 5 minutes. The closure is anticipated to be completed by Thursday, Oct. 29.
Local Politics · Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County has selected Maria Gardner as the next director of its Department of Social Services, with a start date of Nov. 10 pending formal approval by the Board of Supervisors. Gardner brings approximately 30 years of experience with the department, having advanced from a frontline Child Welfare Services social worker to assistant director and most recently chief financial and administrative officer. She succeeds Daniel Nielson, who announced his retirement earlier this year after 13 years leading the county's largest public service agency through events including the Montecito Debris Flow and the COVID-19 response.
Public Safety · Carpinteria, CA
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is preparing rooms to serve as an emergency shelter with capacity for up to 500 residents if El Niño storms bring severe weather, Executive Director Jamie Collins said. Staff members are receiving American Red Cross training in shelter operations including bed setup, check-in procedures, resident tracking, and trauma-informed support. The preparations build on the organization's experience during the December 2017 Thomas Fire, when its facility was used as a firefighter staging area and children's programs were shut down.
