Daily Archives: December 12, 2022

Inspiring Goleta Resident Roke Fukumura Turns 100!

An inspiring Goleta recently turned one hundred years old. Ryiokio “Roke” Fukumura celebrated his centennial birthday with a big 100th Birthday Bash at the Tri-County Produce warehouse. At the celebration, City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte presented the long-time Goleta Resident with a proclamation to acknowledge this special milestone.

Roke has called Goleta “home” since 1963 – nearly 60 years ago! Roke was literally born in the produce business, delivered by a midwife on a farm on the Santa Barbara Mesa in 1922, and was one of six children. A lifelong sports aficionado, as a student at Santa Barbara High School, he set records in track and starred in baseball as a shortstop for the Dons in the 1941 CIF Championship year.  

“I was 5-foot-2½ inches — but as short as I was, I was pretty fast” “They said, ‘Hey, they brought a water boy in here!’” Roke recalled. “I thought to myself, ‘Let me go out there and show them a little bit.’”

Life changed abruptly for Roke, when less than seven months later Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. He and his family wound up spending the last three years of World War II at an internment camp in Poston, Arizona. He tried to enlist in the U.S. Army but didn’t pass the physical exam. Santa Barbara High’s record holder in the 50-yard dash was rejected, ironically enough, because of a congenital bone growth in his leg. After the war, Roke’s family returned to Santa Barbara and in 1950 was hired by Tri-County Produce. 

Amazingly, Roke STILL clocks 30 hours a week at Tri-County Produce! “He unloads the trucks, he stocks the shelves … He can still lift a 50-pound sack of onions,” said John Dixon, Tri-County’s general manager. “He’s obviously not as fast as he was 10 years ago, but just the fact that he’s here is amazing in itself. They don’t make them like him anymore.” 

“I’ve enjoyed serving the public” says Roke, “I’ve met many wonderful people that commend us. Tri-County Produce is a very wonderful place to be and I love it.” 

Happy Birthday Roke! We wish you health and joy. Thank you for making Goleta your home and for your love and passion for making your community a better place! ✨️

To read more about Roke’s incredible life, you can read his story on Noozhawk.

#goodlandgoodpeople

Goleta’s Finest 2022 Winners Announced

Awards Gala will be held December 17 at 5:30pm

The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, from Goleta to Carpinteria, is excited to announce the 2022 Goleta’s Finest Award Winners. Goleta’s Finest is a 72-year-old tradition honoring remarkable individuals whose contributions have enhanced the Goleta community.

“The Goleta community has a rich history of volunteerism and philanthropy, and we are eager to honor those individuals and organizations who have made such remarkable impacts in the community,” said Kristen Miller, President & CEO of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce.

The 2022 award recipients will be honored at a formal celebration on December 17, 5:30-9:00 PM, at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Bacara (8301 Hollister Avenue). The evening will include dinner followed by the awards ceremony.

The 2022 Goleta’s Finest Award Recipients are:

Woman of the Year: Sachi Thompson is a woman leader in tech, a community champion, an empathetic and effective manager, and an inspiration to her team of professionals.

Man of the Year: Brian Borgatello and his family have lived in Goleta for decades. Brian is President of MarBorg Industries, a multi-generational family business on the South Coast since 1937, with nearly 500 employees.

Lifetime Achievement Recognition: Jean Blois has spent a lifetime giving back to her community. Endless hours, expertise, advocacy, investment, volunteerism, philanthropy, and her big heart, have made Goleta a better place.

Educator of the Year: Dare Holdren, a San Marcos High School graduate and member of its Athletics Hall of Fame, has spent more than 20 years in different capacities within the Santa Barbara Unified School district.

Students of the Year: Founders of the Youth Makers Market, sisters Aaliyah and Bella Rubio identified a unique way for youth to learn about working and being an entrepreneur.

Volunteer of the Year: Jack Turney is a member of the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital (GVCH) Foundation Board and has been involved with Cottage Health for 18 years serving over 5,111 hours of service as a volunteer.

Innovator of the Year: Santa Barbara County Co-Response Team; Two local agencies have come together to solve an intense community problem and their innovation and dedication have made a big difference in the Goleta community. The Sheriff’s department partnered with the County Behavioral Sciences Unit to create what is called “co-response” so that when an emergency call is made for assistance from someone in the community, and there is evidence of a mental health crisis involved, a specially trained deputy and a mental health case worker respond together on the scene to address the situation.

Non-Profit Organization of the Year: For more than 30 years, the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network has been saving and helping wild animals from all over Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Special Recognition Award: The Goleta Lemon Festival’s successful return this past September for its 29th year would not have been possible without the return of the Lemon Festival Volunteer Committee.

Way to go Goleta! #GoodLandGoodPeople

Purchase your ticket to the event https://sbscchamber.com/event/goletas-finest/.

This is it: Take Our Stow Grove Park Master Plan Final Survey

Survey Open till December 18

The City of Goleta is continuing the process on the Stow Grove Park Master Plan, and we need your input! Stow Grove Park, located at 580 N. La Patera Lane, is a beloved destination for local residents and visitors to Goleta. Take the survey now in English OR Spanish. The survey will remain open through Sunday, December 18.

We’re excited about the community’s involvement with the Stow Grove Master Plan so far. Your input is important to us as we continue this amazing journey to re-envision how the park can better serve the community while protecting and enhancing the natural resources and the character of the park that the community treasures.

This survey is designed for those who were not able to participate in the public workshop held this past Saturday, December 3rd at La Patera School. The information presented in this survey consists of all materials presented at that workshop including draft alternatives, maps and image boards featuring desired amenities, features, and general ideas to help the project team navigate through the master planning process.

The project team will use the data collected from this survey, former surveys, and the workshops to develop a final draft master plan to be presented at the final public workshop in January 2023. This workshop is currently scheduled to take place in collaboration with the Parks and Recreation Commission on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. The workshop will be a hybrid meeting, allowing people to participate in-person or virtually.

If you have questions about the project, please contact the Project Manager, JoAnne Plummer, at 805-562-5505 or jplummer@cityofgoleta.org. Learn more about the project at www.CityofGoleta.org/StowGrovePark.

Santa Barbara Airport Presentation at Special Goleta City Council Meeting

The Goleta City Council and community members now have a better understanding of upcoming Santa Barbara Airport projects and how the airport plans to address aircraft noise complaints. There was a great turnout for a Special Goleta City Council Meeting with the Santa Barbara Airport on Wednesday, December 7. It was a great opportunity for the Council and community members to hear about plans to expand the terminal, the parking structure project, the Southfield redevelopment project, and an update to the 2017 Master Plan. In addition to the updates, community members packed the room to hear about the Airport’s aircraft noise program.

The conversation was led by new Airport Director, Christ Hastert and 20 people signed up to speak and provide feedback to the Council and Airport staff.

Mayor Perotte and Councilmembers inquired as to what real solutions can be applied to the noise problem and respond to community concerns. Some of the requests made to the Airport include: 

  • Add a Goleta City Council-appointed voting member to the Airport Commission. 
  • Develop and implement a concrete plan addressing noise complaints.  
  • Inform the Goleta City Council and public about progress. 
  • Incentivize airline flight path compliance. 
  • Get all 4 airlines serving SBA on a proprietary approach (now only 3). 
  • Address noise issues and compliance at the time SBA negotiates with new airlines.  
  • Discourage flying older, louder planes early in the morning. 
  • Gathering data on particulate emissions. 
  • SBA should prepare a document that outlines plan and show actions being taken.  
  • Make sure all decisionmakers are in the room.  Consider a Joint City of Goleta and City of SB Council meeting. 

Hastert recently moved his family to the area and is happy to call Goleta home. We appreciate the Santa Barbara Airport’s willingness to listen and be  attentive to Goleta’s needs. We look forward to future collaboration and partnership with SBA.

If you missed it, you can watch the meeting here.


Airport Director, Christ Hastert


Airport Meeting December 7, 2022

Goleta 20-Year Merchandise Makes a Great Holiday Gift

Are you looking for a unique gift for family and friends this holiday season? Consider picking up a limited-edition City of Goleta 20-Year logo t-shirt and/or coffee mug while supplies last. This specialty merchandise was custom made to commemorate the City of Goleta’s 20th birthday.

Thanks to the Goleta Valley Historical Society (GVHS) for selling the 20-year gear at its Museum Store located at 304 N. Los Carneros Road. Store hours are Saturday and Sunday 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. and by appointment. T-Shirts are $25 and mugs are $10. 

Once the merchandise is sold, there are no plans to purchase more, so we encourage you to get your gear before its gone.  

If you are looking for other local gifts, check out www.GoodLandGoodShopping.com to purchase a digital gift card from one of Goleta’s many awesome businesses.

Pictured above and below: 20-year mugs and t-shirts

Thank You Councilmember Aceves

Aceves Presented with City Tile and Photo Memory Book

Our hearts are full of gratitude for Councilmember Roger S. Aceves, the longest serving councilmember in the history of Goleta. At the December 6, 2022, City Council meeting he was honored in a memorable way for 16 years of distinguished service to the City of Goleta. Those who have worked with Councilmember Aceves over the years, including former Mayors, stakeholders, staff and community members packed Council Chambers to show their heartfelt appreciation to all Councilmember Aceves has done for Goleta during his long and impactful tenure. Aceves was presented with a City Tile, photo memory book and gratefully listened as the Council and speakers lined up to share their favorite memories of what they appreciated most about him. He received a standing ovation followed by time for photos, sparkling apple cider and his favorite dessert, carrot cake. The presentation and remarks are available on our website here. Look for photos on the City’s Facebook page.

At the meeting, Councilmember Aceves thanked the community for the honor of serving them, for the ability to work alongside outstanding Goleta staff, and to his family for supporting a long career in public service. He stressed the importance of hearing “both sides of the coin”/different viewpoints in order to make the best decisions. He also expressed his optimism for the future of Goleta. He said, “I think that great things will come. We are a small city, but we do things in a big way and every time we do something we raise the Goleta flag.”

Councilmember Aceves was first elected to the Council in 2006, and was reelected in 2010, 2014 and 2018. He served as Mayor in 2009 and again in 2012. During his tenure, Aceves never missed a City Council meeting. He was the City’s first Latino Councilmember and Mayor.

Goleta City Manager Robert Nisbet said, “When you have had a career like Roger’s it is nearly impossible to capture and recognize all he has done to leave a positive impact on Goleta. We are so grateful for his countless hours of service and steady leadership during the vast majority of the City’s first 20 years of existence.”

During his tenure, Aceves has been most passionate about public safety and prioritizing city infrastructure while maintaining a strong financial position. While he has accomplished so much during his years of service to Goleta, some of the highlights include:

  • Approving and codifying the first City of Goleta Municipal Code in 2009
  • Purchasing a permanent building for City Hall
  • Acquiring a site for and initiating design of Fire Station 10 in Western Goleta
  • Forming an independent municipal library
  • Creating the Beautify Goleta program
  • Creating the Motor Unit for the Goleta Police Department
  • Establishing a Public Engagement Commission
  • Developing a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) plan and establishing and serving on a DEI committee
  • Hiring of a bi-lingual and bi-cultural community engagement specialist
  • Renovating the Goleta Community Center and initiating construction of the Goleta Train Depot
  • Establishing a Parks and Recreation Commission
  • Constructing Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park
  • Completing a Parks Master Plan
  • Adopting the Ellwood Mesa/Sperling Preserve Open Space Monarch Butterfly Habitat Management Plan
  • Completing Phase I of the San Jose Creek Flood Capacity and Fish Passage Project
  • Adopting a Historic Preservation Ordinance
  • Approving a new Zoning Ordinance
  • Adopting a Strategic Energy Plan
  • Maintaining Goleta’s status as one of the safest cities in California

Aceves has also given back to his community for years through his work with the United Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County. As the former 2001 El Presidente for Old Spanish Days he created Goleta’s “Fiesta Ranchera” event which is now a cherished Goleta tradition. He also served as the President of the Board of the Earl Warren Showgrounds for four years. He was selected for the Goleta’s Finest “Man of the Year” award in 2017.

Prior to serving on the Council, Aceves worked in law enforcement for over 32 years and retired in May of 2007. He began his career at the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and finished his law enforcement career at the Police Department for the City of Santa Barbara. Aceves is a graduate of the prestigious Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Aceves has lived in Goleta for 40 years and has been married to his wife Debby for 46 years. He is most recently enjoying being a first-time grandpa. We wish him a great retirement and chapter ahead in all of his future endeavors.

If you would like to send Councilmember Aceves a note of appreciation, you can send him an email until December 20th to raceves@cityofgoleta.org.

Pictured above: Councilmember Aceves holding the photo memory book he received from staff as a gift


Councilmember Aceves with former Goleta Councilmembers (left-right) Tony Vallejo, Michael Bennett and Eric Onnen


Group photo from December 6, 2022, City Council Meeting Honoring Councilmember Aceves


Councilmember Aceves accepting his Goleta’s Finest Award for Man of the Year (2017)


Councilmember Aceves visiting the State Capitol to meet with Senators Feinstein and Boxer (2013)


Councilmember Aceves taking over duties as Mayor of Goleta (2012)