Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Meet Me in Old Town Goleta is Back on May 8th

Community Block Party Series Returns to Bigger Location for 2025

The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the City of Goleta, is thrilled for the return of the “Meet Me in Old Town Goleta” block party series. Now in its second year, this free community event is moving to a larger, more accommodating location to welcome even more neighbors, friends, and families.​

The festivities kick off on Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 5 to 8 PM on the front lawn of the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). The series continues on June 5 and July 10, promising evenings filled with live music, delicious food, games, and a vibrant community atmosphere.​

Attendees are encouraged to bring their friends and family to enjoy the expanded space, which will feature seating areas, interactive games, and a variety of food and beverage options. Local businesses will participate by offering specials and unique promotions, encouraging residents and visitors alike to explore and support the heart of Old Town.​

Event Highlights:

What: Free Community Event (food, beverages, and merchandise available for purchase)

When: Thursdays from 5 to 8 PM on May 8, June 5, and July 10, 2025

Where: Goleta Community Center, 5679 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA 93117

Entertainment:

  • Thursday, May 8 – The Goodlanders
  • Thursday, June 5 – East Valley Road
  • Thursday, July 10 – Equipo Elite

Activities: Live music, local business specials, food trucks, refreshments, games, merchandise, community vendors, and a block party atmosphere​

Parking: Parking for the event is available in the lot behind and next to the Goleta Community Center.

Public Works Week Event

Come to Camino Real Marketplace May 21 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

You are invited to celebrate National Public Works Week (May 18 – 24) with the City of Goleta! Join us Wednesday, May 21, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. for a free family-friendly event at the Camino Real Marketplace (7004 Market Place Drive). The kids will love the interactive Touch-A-Truck and other activities we have planned. This is also a great opportunity to get to know the Public Works professionals who are working in your neighborhoods, learn about upcoming projects and ask questions.

The event includes:

  • Interactive activities
  • Equipment show-and-tell including Touch-A-Truck
  • Information tables for the City and our partner agencies
  • Giveaways

Stop by the Public Works table to pick up a Live • Work • Play sticker and use it to get a free cup of coffee at Anna’s Bakery or a free soda from Los Agaves or Mesa Burger. Thank you to our local businesses for partnering with us! #GoodLandGoodShopping

National Public Works Week, sponsored by the American Public Works Association (APWA), is a way to energize and educate the public on the importance of public works to their daily lives: planning, building, managing, and operating at the heart of their local communities to improve everyday quality of life. This year’s theme, “People, Purpose, Presence,” highlights three cornerstone ideals that motivate public works professionals to serve in their communities every day.

We want to thank our Public Works team for always being prepared to respond to natural disasters and emergencies. Their dedication, hard work, and readiness—often under challenging conditions—play a vital role in keeping our community safe and running smoothly. We truly appreciate everything they do, both seen and unseen. Learn more about our Public Works Department here: www.cityofgoleta.org/your-city/public-works.

The Public Works team will also be acknowledged with a proclamation at the May 20 City Council meeting. Please join us in thanking them for all they do by coming to the meeting and joining us for the May 21 event. There’s so much happening in the Goleta Public Works Department. We hope to see you later this month!

National Wildfire Awareness Month

Wildfires are a growing threat across the United States, impacting communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure. National Wildfire Awareness Month, observed every May, serves as a vital reminder of the importance of wildfire prevention and preparedness.

Fires can spark from natural causes like lightning or human activities such as unattended campfires and discarded cigarettes. With climate change extending fire seasons and intensifying drought conditions, the risk of devastating wildfires continues to grow.

Wildfire awareness is not just about understanding the risks—it’s about taking meaningful steps to protect lives, homes, and natural landscapes. Whether by volunteering, attending workshops, or making fire-safe choices, every action contributes to a safer future.

How Communities Like Ours Can Prepare

Preparation is key to reducing wildfire damage. Here are some meaningful mitigation steps we can take as community members:

  • Create Defensible Space: Clear vegetation and debris around our homes to slow fire spread. California defines three categories that can impact and slow the spread of a fire.
    • Zone 0 (0-5 feet from your home): Keep this area clear of combustible materials such as mulch, dead plants, debris.
    • Zone 1 (5-30 feet from your home): Remove dead leaves, pin needles and branches. Keep trees trimmed and spaced apart to prevent fire spread.
    • Zone 2 (30-100 feet from your home): Reduce fuel by cutting grass to a maximum height of 4 inches and maintaining proper spacing between shrubs and trees.
  • Follow Fire-Safe Landscaping Practices: Use native and fire-resistant plants with proper spacing. Local resources such as  UCSB’s Firewise Plant Guide and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s “Living with Fire” Program provide valuable landscaping insights.
  • Stay Informed: Sign up for emergency alerts to receive real-time updates on severe weather and wildfire threats. Register for the County’s alerting system, ReadySBC, today.
  • Support Fire Prevention Efforts: Participate in community fire safety programs and advocate for responsible land management.

By working together, we can reduce wildfire risks and build more resilient communities. Let’s use National Wildfire Awareness Month as a call to action and ensure we’re prepared for whatever lies ahead.

Goleta Valley Library May News

Happy May, library patrons! As our relocation phase continues at Goleta Valley Library, we’re pleased to share a few updates with you on how you can receive library services this month.

Book Drops
Book drops are no longer available at 500 N. Fairview. Two of the book drops are now located at the front of Goleta City Hall (130 Cremona Drive) and the entrance to the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue) – see photos below. Materials are retrieved and checked in daily Monday-Friday.

Zip Books
Zip Books grant funds remain available to request a title not owned in the Black Gold Cooperative Library System to be sent directly to your home at no cost. Visit the Zip Books webpage to learn more and to place a request.

Holds Pick-Up
Materials can be requested from other Black Gold libraries and picked up on the Bookvan. Plan your visit to our rotating locations in Isla Vista and Goleta. Browse, check out what’s new, get help from library staff, and return materials while you are here.

Programs
We’ve pivoted to an outreach model of service to bring our programs to you! See our full online calendar at goletavalleylibrary.org/calendar. Join us at a program this month:

Senior Happy Hour: Kindness Rocks
Goleta Community Center • Thursday, May 1, 2-3:30 pm
Paint a Kindness Rock with the Senior Happy Hour! Bring a rock or use one that we have to write a message of kindness and hope. All of the supplies are provided in this fun and free craft class. No sign up required.

Writers’ Workshop
Goleta Community Center • Saturday, May 3, 12:30-2 pm
The GVL Writers’ Workshop is open to adults and teens who write in any genre, fiction or non-fiction. The workshop meets on the first Saturday of each month to share work, exchange feedback, offer mutual support and discuss the tools of the trade.

Friday Storytimes – check the calendar to find us

Baby & Me
Fridays, 10-10:30 am
Join Miss Kaeley for a relaxed Storytime with happy songs, lap bounces, a short story, fun bubbles, and parachute play.  This calm program has a focus on bonding with your child and building community. 
Best for ages 0-12 months / pre-walkers

Wiggly Storytime
Fridays, 10:30-11 am
Join us for Storytime with Miss Nicole! We’ll do a short story, songs, a dance party and bubbles.
Best for ages 15 months-5 years old

Goodland Yarn Works
Goleta Community Center • Wednesdays, 2-4 pm
This fun group knits and crochets useful items for local and national charities. If you know how to knit or crochet, this group is for you! No registration required. Join us for fun and friendship!

Mystery Book Club
Goleta Community Center • Tuesday, May 27, 5:30-6:30 pm
Join us as we discuss this month’s pick: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, by Jesse Sutanto

Stay up-to-date on what’s happening at the Library by visiting www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org.


Wiggly storytime at a park

Goleta’s Senior Expo is May 21st

Attention all Seniors and caregivers, the City of Goleta is pleased to once again hold a free Senior Expo on Wednesday, May 21st from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). This information packed event is designed to empower seniors, their families and service professionals with valuable resources and information.

“We are excited to host the Senior Expo and provide a vital resource for our community,” said Leonel Mendoza-Diaz, Recreation Supervisor. “Our goal is to connect seniors and their families to opportunities, benefits and resources located throughout the community.”

The Expo will feature a wide variety of organizations and businesses providing informational tables with resources that specialize in senior services. Spanish interpretation will be available throughout the duration of the event. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Connect with local organizations: Speak directly with representatives from various organizations offering essential services for seniors.
  • Discover valuable resources: Explore a wealth of information on topics such home care, recreation programs, transportation services, food programs and more!
  • Attend informative presentations: Stop by one of the Community Center’s classrooms to listen to short presentations led by experts and professionals in this field.
  • Opportunities for networking: Connect with other seniors in the community and their families, build new friendships, relationships and community.

While attending the Senior Expo, stop by and take a look at the new Senior Lounge that re-opened on April 1, 2025. The Senior Lounge is part of the Goleta Community Center’s (GCC) Senior Program (ages 55+) and is open during current program hours: Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and Friday 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. This dedicated space offers members a comfortable and inviting environment to socialize, relax and engage in activities. The Senior Program also includes classes and activities, community resources and information, and a free healthy lunch daily at the GCC (you do not need to be a member of the Senior Program to participate in the nutrition program). For more information go to www.cityofgoleta.org/SeniorProgram.

For questions about the Senior Expo or Senior Program, contact Dori Crolius, Senior Program Technician at dcrolius@cityofgoleta.org.

We hope to see you at the GCC!

 

Community Partners Needed to Help Fund 4th of July Drone Show

City Raising Funds to Put on Free Event at Dos Pueblos High School

The City of Goleta is excited to pilot a free community 4th of July Drone Show at Dos Pueblos High School (7266 Alameda Avenue) and we need your support to help make it a success! Thanks to several community partners who have already stepped up, the City has raised enough funds to hire a drone show vendor but is still fundraising for an additional $25,000 to pay for associated costs (security, audio/visual, custodial, entertainment, etc.).

Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover said, “Goleta has not seen a nighttime event for Fourth of July since 2019 and this is a wonderful opportunity to experience a drone show together. While we have the foundation for a great event, we need more community partners to come forward now and help us fund the rest. With Independence Day just three months away, time is of the essence to get all our funding in place.”

Thanks to the generous groups who jumped in early and gave this concept the momentum it needed to take flight, including the Santa Barbara Unified School District, Yardi Systems, Teledyne FLIR, Deckers, Goleta Valley Historical Society, MarBorg, Community West Bank, and Santa Barbara Air Bus. The City hopes to add and finalize its list of sponsors by May 1st.  All donations made in support of this free community event may be considered a charitable contribution to the City of Goleta and may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

While planning is still in the works, doors will open at 6:00 p.m. at Dos Pueblos High School. There will be food trucks, DJ Darla Bea playing, a dance floor, a stage, and potentially more fun activities for all ages. The drone show will begin at approximately 8:30 p.m. While the choreographed, animated light show will be potentially visible to the surrounding community from up to ten miles away, optimal viewing will be from within the stadium itself. Stay tuned for more details as they become available.

Whether the drone show continues in the future will be based on how well it is received and the level of community support.

For many years, it was a beloved tradition to go to Girsh Park for the Goleta Fireworks Shows put on by the Goleta Rotary Club.  The event went away during the pandemic and never returned for a variety of reasons, including the cost and time required for a volunteer group to put on an event of this magnitude.  There are also concerns surrounding fireworks, including fire hazards, impacts to wildlife, and to people and pets with noise sensitivities. Because of these issues, many cities and jurisdictions across the country are transitioning from fireworks to drone shows.

If you are a community partner, business, or group interested in helping to sponsor the event, or if you know of someone who may be interested, do not hesitate and please reach out via email to pio@cityofgoleta.org.

Senior Lounge Now Open at the Goleta Community Center

Save-the-Date for the Senior Expo on May 21st

The City of Goleta is pleased to announce that the new Senior Lounge has officially opened its doors to members of the Senior Program at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Ave). This dedicated space offers members of the program a comfortable and inviting environment to socialize, relax and engage in activities.

The new lounge has been upgraded to incorporate a dedicated space for reading, games, and activities while also offering a space for relaxation in between program classes. “We are thrilled to open the doors to the Senior Lounge,” said Leonel Mendoza-Diaz, Recreation Supervisor at the City. “The goal is to provide a safe space for members where they can meet new people, engage in different levels of activity, and have access to different resource materials related to senior services.”

The Senior Lounge is open during the current program hours, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday and 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Friday. This is the perfect opportunity for community member 55+ to join the program and take advantage of the different offerings available! Learn more about the Senior Program, including activities and classes, on the City website at www.cityofgoleta.org/SeniorProgram.

The City is also hosting its 3rd Annual Senior Expo on Wednesday, May 21, from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center. This is a FREE community event designed to empower seniors, their families and service professionals with valuable resources and information.

The Senior Expo will feature a wide variety of organizations and businesses providing informational tables with resources that specialize in senior services. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Connect with local organizations: Speak directly with representatives from various organizations offering essential services for seniors.
  • Discover valuable resources: Explore a wealth of information on topics such home care, recreation programs, transportation services, food programs and more!
  • Attend informative presentations: Stop by one of the Community Center’s classrooms to listen to short presentations led by experts and professionals in this field.
  • Opportunities for networking: Connect with other seniors in the community and their families, build new friendships, relationships and community.

For more information about the Senior Program or Senior Expo, please contact Dori Crolius, Senior Program Technician, at seniorprogram@cityofgoleta.org.

Provide Feedback on the City’s Community Development Block Grant Program

Public Review Period Open Now Through May 6th

The City of Goleta looks forward to helping those in need in our community using funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Comments on three draft action plans are being accepted during a 30-day public review period beginning on April 4, 2025, and ending May 6, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. The review period provides an opportunity for the public to offer their views and recommendations to the City on the subject of CDBG funded housing and community development related activities. The draft plans can be viewed here.

The plans under public review for the CDBG Program are:

  • Draft FY 2025-29 Consolidated Plan and Draft FY 2025-26 Annual Action Plan
  • Draft FY 2025-29 Citizen Participation Plan

The Consolidated Plan is a five-year comprehensive document that describes the overall housing and community development needs and outlines a strategy that establishes priorities for meeting those needs.

The Annual Action Plan is the annual update to the Consolidated Plan outlining the City’s strategy for pursuing the overall goals of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide decent housing; to establish and maintain a suitable living environment; and to expand economic revitalization opportunities. The Action Plan also contains identifiable benchmarks for measuring progress through goals, objectives and community development strategies to meet the City’s housing needs and to provide services to the low-income, homeless and special needs populations within the City. The Draft 2025-2026 Action Plan also sets forth funding allocations for the 2025-2026 planning period.

The Citizen Participation Plan provides for and encourages participation from all City residents in the development of the Annual Action Plan and the Consolidated Plan.

The City welcomes and encourages residents, community organizations, and stakeholders to provide written comments on the draft plans. The plans are available at www.CityofGoleta.org/Grants. Comments are due by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6.Comments should be submitted to: City of Goleta, Neighborhood Services Department, Attn: Cassidy Le Air, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117 or emailed to CityGrants@CityofGoleta.org.

About the Community Development Block Grant Program

The City receives funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on an annual basis for the CDBG program, which is intended to assist low-income citizens, people experiencing homelessness, youth, and seniors with essential services such as medical and dental care, food security, counseling, homelessness assistance and prevention, case management, and other needs.

The City also uses the majority of its CDBG allocation on capital projects that will benefit low- to moderate-income people and the disabled. Projects have included renovating City facilities and parks to meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) access standards, installing sidewalks in areas where they are lacking, and adding crosswalks.

Help Shape Future of Ellwood Mesa Butterfly Grove Docent Program

Attend Community Input Session April 30

The City of Goleta, in partnership with Ellwood Friends, invites you to share your ideas and help shape the future of the docent program at Ellwood Mesa Butterfly Grove. You are invited to a community input session on Wednesday, April 30, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). The event is free and open to the public. Spanish interpretation will be available.

“We look forward to engaging with the community to help revitalize the docent program, reflecting the values of those who visit and care for the grove,” said Leonel Mendoza-Diaz, Recreation Supervisor at the City of Goleta. “This session will help us ensure that the program continues to thrive and evolve in a way that benefits the butterfly habitat and the community.”

What to Expect:

  • The evening will begin with an update from George Thomson, City of Goleta Park and Open Space Manager, who will provide information on ongoing projects, including monarch butterfly habitat restoration, wildfire prevention efforts, and improvements aimed at enhancing public access to Ellwood Mesa.
  • The session will be facilitated by LegacyWorks, the City’s consultant, ensuring a collaborative and engaging experience for attendees.

This is an exciting opportunity for residents to provide input on how the butterfly docent program can evolve, ensuring it meets the community’s interests.

RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/2xw9554m.

Ellwood Friends is a community-based organization committed to the preservation and stewardship of Ellwood Mesa.

For more information, contact Melissa Cure in the City’s Neighborhood Services Department at mcure@cityofgoleta.org or (805) 961-7554.

Meet and Greet with Councilmember Jennifer Smith at Coffee & Community Event

Saturday, May 3 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at Home Plate Grill

Get to know our newest Councilmember, Jennifer Smith (District 3), at the next Coffee and Community / Café y Comunidad event on May 3, 2025, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Home Plate Grill located at 7398 Calle Real, Suite C. Come enjoy a hot cup of coffee and mingle with the Mayor, Councilmember Smith, several City staff members and west Goleta neighbors. It’s also a great opportunity to support a local restaurant at the same time. Spanish interpretation will be available.

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “Jennifer Smith is a great new addition to our City Council and I am really excited for people to get to know her better and to provide a casual setting where people feel comfortable asking questions and talking about topics of importance to District 3 in particular.”

Councilmember Smith said, “I am thrilled to invite my fellow neighbors to my first Coffee & Community gathering. Stop by to enjoy some coffee, get the latest updates, and share ideas. I am looking forward to seeing everyone there.”

Home Plate Grill opened its doors in 2016 and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. The family-friendly restaurant is locally owned and has both indoor and outdoor seating areas.

We hope to see you and your family and friends there on May 3!

The City holds a Coffee & Community event in each of its four Districts throughout the year. To find out what district you are in, plug in your address into our interactive Know Your District Map: https://tinyurl.com/GoletaInteractiveMap.

Pictured above: Councilmember Jennifer Smith in front of Home Plate Grill