Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Free Car Seat & Booster Safety Check Sep. 19

Did you know that up to 80% of car seats are installed incorrectly? Ensuring the safety of our children while traveling should always be a top priority, and Cottage Health is here to help with a great free opportunity for our community.

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Trauma Services has partnered with local safety organizations to provide expert assistance at a drive-up car seat inspection. Head on over to the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Ave) on Friday, September 19, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. for a FREE car seat and booster safety check.

  • Vehicle, child and car seat must be present
  • No registration required
  • First-come, first-served
  • No citations issued; no driver’s license or vehicle registration required

For more information, call Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Trauma Services at 805-569-7478 or visit cottagehealth.org/seatcheck.

2025 Out of the Darkness Community Walk

Powerful Community Event Taking Place October 4 at Goleta Beach

The County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness invites the community to come together for the 2025 American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out of the Darkness Community Walk, happening Saturday, October 4 at Goleta Beach Park.

The Out of the Darkness Walk is a powerful and unifying event where friends, families, coworkers, and neighbors join in the fight against suicide. Participants walk to honor loved ones lost, support those who struggle, and raise awareness that hope and help are always available.

Suicide remains a critical public health issue, claiming more than 47,000 lives annually in the United States—including over 4,000 in California and 37 in Santa Barbara County in 2024. National Suicide Prevention Month reminds us that while prevention is a year-round effort, this is a time to connect, raise awareness, and reinforce the message that no one is alone.

The walk provides a safe and inspiring space for individuals to share their stories, connect with others, and build a network of support and resilience.

Event Details

  • Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
  • Location: Goleta Beach Park
  • Check-in: 9:00 a.m. (community resources & information available)
  • Walk begins: 10:00 a.m.

Registration is free and open to all. Whether you walk individually, with a friend, or form a team, your presence makes a difference. Sign up today and be part of bringing mental health out of the darkness and into the light of hope.

Register here today!

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, help is available:

  • The Behavioral Wellness 24/7 Access Line is available at 888-868-1649.
  • Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
  • Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255
  • Text TALK to 741741
  • Visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org

To learn more about County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness, visit countyofsb.org/behavioral-wellness.

Photos below of local Out of the Darkness Walk (credit: courtesy)

“Get Your Small Business Online” Free Course

Wednesdays September 10 – November 12

Attention Small Businesses! Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) is offering a “Get Your Small Business Online” FREE course for Santa Barbara County small business owners. This class is geared towards anyone who is looking for comprehensive knowledge and tools to establish an online presence including a website, e-commerce, and digital marketing to grow and stay competitive.

The class meets for nine weeks on Wednesdays September 10 – November 12, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

This course is taught via Zoom, with some in-person classes held at WEV’s downtown Santa Barbara office.

Learn more and submit an Interest Form here.

For more information on WEV, go to www.wevonline.org.

This program is offered for free through a generous donation from the Mosher Foundation.

Goleta Lemon Festival Sep. 27 & 28

Come Visit the City, Goleta Valley Library and Goleta CERT Booths!

The Goleta Lemon Festival is happening soon on Saturday, September 27 & Sunday, September 28 from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Girsh Park! Here at the City, we are preparing our booth area and excited to see you there! The City is again sharing space with the Goleta Valley Library, and new with us this year will be Ellwood Friends on this 20th Anniversary of community members coming together to protect Ellwood Mesa and ensure its preservation for future generations. Stop by and say hello, pick up a prize, get a library card, and/or purchase a commemorative Ellwood 20-Year T-shirt!

The Goleta Lemon Festival is a special tradition for our city, and on September 2, 2025, the Goleta City Council proclaimed September as Lemon Month in the City. Show your spirit by wearing your vintage Lemon Festival (or yellow) T-shirts throughout the month. View the proclamation at https://tinyurl.com/5n4axt58.

The Goleta Lemon Festival, put on by the South Coast Chamber of Commerce, celebrates the rich history and role lemon harvesting has in the region. 

What started as a small street festival in 1949, The Goleta Lemon Festival has grown to attract more than 40,000 people. The festival is Goleta’s largest community event of the year, featuring over 80 booths packed with local crafts, nonprofits, lemony food, drink, and souvenirs.

There is so much to enjoy throughout the weekend. You can snack, shop, and listen to live music with sounds ranging from Rock and Country to Blues, Funk and more with crowd-favorite Area 51 headlining on Saturday afternoon. You also won’t want to miss the ever-popular pie eating contests each day starting at noon!

Purchase an all-inclusive activity wristband for endless rides and games for the kids including mini golf, inflatable bubbles, and obstacle courses. Save $5 when you pre-purchase your activity wristband at https://lemonfestival.com/activities-entertainment/.

The festival also features the largest interactive display of Fire, Police, and Emergency Services in the County at Safety Street. Meet the people who help keep us safe and get an up-close look at their state-of-the-art vehicles and technologies. Attendees are also invited to meet the Sheriff’s Mounted Enforcement Unit. The Goleta Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will also have a table – come by to learn more.

Saturday only, the festival will feature the 18th Annual Goleta Fall Classic Car Show. Admire an impressive lineup of Corvettes, Camaros, vintage trucks, motorcycles, and more. Have a classic of your own? Register now at https://lemonfestival.com/goleta-fall-classic.

The festival could not happen without the help of amazing volunteers (ages 14 and up). Sign up to help plan the event or help during the weekend at https://lemonfestival.com/get-involved/volunteers/.

For more information, visit LemonFestival.com.

Pictured above: City of Goleta staff at our 2024 Lemon Festival booth


Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber receiving the “Lemon Month” proclamation from Goleta City Council at the September 2 City Council meeting

Creek Week Art Contest Reception on September 25

5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center

The City of Goleta’s Environmental Services Department, Goleta Community Center (GCC), and Goleta Valley Library are pleased to announce an Art Show and Reception for the 4th Annual Creek Week Art Contest on Thursday, September 25 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the GCC (5679 Hollister Avenue). The artwork will be on display at the GCC from September 12 through October 10.

At the Art Reception, Dan Rowell, Project Manager for Environmental Services, will speak on the importance of building awareness of our local oceans, creeks and watersheds and we will also recognize the art show participants and reveal the winning artwork. This event is free and open to the public.

This year, City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte and guest judge Goleta Valley Art Association President Elizabeth Flanagan will have the impossible job of selecting the winners based on relevance to the theme, overall appearance, and originality. 

Come enjoy the creativity from local artists of all ages who created artwork for this year’s theme, “Once Upon a Creek: Bringing the Community Together with Art”.

The final day to drop off artwork for the Creek Week Art Contest is Saturday, September 6 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center. Ask for Sharon Nigh, Library Assistant and Creek Week Art Contest Coordinator.

Thank you to everyone who has submitted artwork so far! We can’t wait to see the artists and community at the Reception on September 25.

Goleta Shines Light on National Preparedness Month

Watch Videos and Act Now to Prepare for Emergencies

September is National Preparedness Month, the perfect time to do a few basic things NOW that can make all the difference LATER when an emergency happens. The City of Goleta has several new videos in English and Spanish to outline steps you can take BEFORE a disaster strikes and how to get involved in emergency preparedness in Goleta. Watch the videos in English with the City’s Emergency Services Coordinator Jason Levy and in Spanish with Emergency Services Program Technician Ana Sofia Aguilar Encinas.  

In one of the videos Jason Levy says, “An emergency can happen at any moment. That’s why we are making sure we are ready here at the City and we want you to be ready as well. Knowing what to do before, during, and after a disaster is the key.”

There are many ways you can get involved in emergency preparedness and response right here in Goleta. The City offers three free options available at various times throughout the year. Sign-up for a class on the City’s webpage at www.CityofGoleta.org/Preparedness.

  • Community Disaster Education (CDE) Courses are a great place to start. They are one-hour workshops that teach introductory lessons on how to become prepared for a disaster. You can request a CDE in English or Spanish to be given at your local community event, work lunch hour, or other gathering with a minimum of 15 people in attendance.

  • LISTOS is a grassroots disaster preparedness program. LISTOS offers 8-hour courses in Spanish and English. The LISTOS course is especially flexible and can be broken up to fit your group’s needs. The course provides easy, actionable steps for you and your family to stay safe before, during, and after disasters. 

  • Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training is a 20-24 hour course that teaches residents how to work together following a disaster. CERT is a high demand program offered nationwide that is designed to empower residents with essential skills and knowledge

to prepare themselves, their families, and the community for emergencies and disasters.

The Goleta City Council proclaimed September 2025 as National Preparedness Month in the City of Goleta at its September 2 Council meeting.  Watch a recording here (item B.1).

For more information, go to the City’s newly updated webpage: www.cityofgoleta.org/preparedness.

Learn more about National Preparedness Month, and how to make sure you and your family are prepared at https://www.ready.gov/september.

Remember, a ready community is a prepared community, and it starts with YOU! 


Watch our “September is National Preparedness Month” video here 


Watch video on emergency preparedness here


City staff receiving the proclamation at the Sep. 2 City Council meeting

Success with Succulents Workshop

October 25 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center

The City of Goleta, in partnership with the UC Master Gardener Program of Santa Barbara County, is excited to provide the community with a new gardening workshop for the fall season, “Success with Succulents”. This gardening workshop will take place on Saturday, October 25 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Ave.). Don’t wait, sign up here!

The workshop will teach participants about a variety of topics related to succulents including, but not limited to:

  • Selecting the right containers and soil for healthy growth
  • Best practices for watering and overall succulent care
  • How to propagate new plants from existing ones
  • Tips for identifying and treating common problems

The highlight of this workshop is the opportunity to create and take home your own succulent bowl!

This workshop includes a $10 material fee for the creation of a succulent bowl. Space is limited and registration is required. If you have any question related to the gardening class, please contact City of Goleta Recreation Supervisor Leonel Mendoza-Diaz at lmendoza-diaz@cityofgoleta.gov.

Kitten Season in Full Swing: Make a Cat Connection ASAP

ASAP Cats has Several Large Litters of Kittens Ready to Find their Forever Homes

Over the past few months, ASAP Cats (ASAP) has received dozens of requests for kitten adoptions – and now with kitten season in full swing, the shelter is regularly intaking litters of adorable, adoptable kittens. Are you one of the dozen weekly callers who’s been excited for kittens to come in? Are you looking to take a goofy, fluffy new friend home? Come meet some cute kittens at ASAP today!

The organization has had an unprecedented number of kittens entering the shelter, and while familiar with large influxes especially during kitten season, ASAP is prioritizing the placement of these small felines as quickly as possible.

Not only is it paramount to help the lives of these kittens and find them a home to go to, but time is of the essence. A kitten’s formative years are meant to be spent in a home, allowing them the freedom to grow beyond a shelter’s walls and properly socialize with humans. These cats deserve a chance to experience life in a loving home, so become an ASAP hero today and give a cat or kitten another chance. You can be the difference in saving a life!

ASAP Cats is an organization dedicated to saving the lives of cats in Santa Barbara County by providing shelter, veterinary care, behavioral support, adoption and foster services, education, and community outreach.

View ASAP Cats’ adoptable cats online or visit the shelter at 5473 Overpass Road, Unit 101, Goleta, CA 93111. Currently open Monday-Friday (1pm — 4pm) and Saturday (11am — 3pm). Other times available by appointment.

Federal EV Tax Credits End on September 30

Thinking about making the switch to an Electric Vehicle (EV)? Act now—federal incentives end September 30, 2025!

3CE’s customers in Goleta can access up to $4,000 in local EV incentives that stack with the federal tax credit. That means you may be eligible to combine federal rebates with 3CE incentives for a new or used EV and a Level 2 home charger.

Applicants are eligible for one EV rebate per household, one Level 2 charger rebate per site address, and one EV readiness rebate per site address.

For more information and how to apply, click here.

As a reminder, electric vehicle drivers can charge up at Goleta City Hall (130 Cremona Drive). There are 17 Level 2 PowerFlex EV Charging Stations for you to use.

Know Before You Go:

  • Open 24 hours a day to the public
  • Provide approximately 25 miles of charging per hour
  • Used for any electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle

How to Charge:

  1. Download and sign-up / login to the PowerFlex charging app
  2. After pulling into a vacant space, initiate the charging process in the app (DO NOT plug the charger into the vehicle before doing this)
  3. Your vehicle will begin charging

Go Green Goleta!


Charge up at Goleta City Hall


Level 2 PowerFlex EV Charging Station at City Hall

Sundays at the Ranch

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Stow House

Sundays at the Ranch is a great way to spend the day! Bring the whole family and enjoy barn animals, tractor rides and outdoor fun. Sundays at the Ranch is FREE and happens every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Stow House (304 N. Los Carneros Road). The first Sunday of the month there is also a free concert from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Visit the website for a list of performances.

While you are there, check out the Museum Store & Visitors Center open Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Limited Dam Dinner T-shirts are still available for purchase along with other Stow House items.