Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Recreational Opportunities Now Open

As California has opened, so have many recreational opportunities in the City of Goleta.  In May, the City of Goleta re-opened the sand volleyball courts, basketball courts, and bank shot basketball systems, and group picnic reservations have resumed.  In addition to the three reservable picnic areas at Stow Grove Park, the two covered group picnic shelter areas at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park are now available to reserve.  The City is in the process of creating a fourth reservable location at Stow Grove Park – one of the smaller areas, located next to the playground, will be able to be reserved for parties by August 1st. Stay tuned.

If you have any questions, or you would like to reserve a group picnic area, go to http://cityofgoleta.org/grouppicnic. You can also send an email to parkreservations@cityofgoleta.org.

Pictured Stow Grove Park Area 1

Playground Improvements Coming to Neighborhood Parks

The City is pleased to announce that the playground equipment will be upgraded at six neighborhood parks in two phases: Berkeley, Andamar, and Winchester I & II are in Phase 1, followed by San Miguel and Santa Barbara Shores in Phase 2. We appreciate the patience of the community as this project has taken longer than anticipated due to surveys, various design configurations and studies; but we can now say that the project is moving forward.

Earlier this year the project went out to a competitive construction bid and the lowest qualified bidder, R.E. Schultz Construction, was chosen to do the work.  The project team is excited to get started and work will begin in early July.  The new playgrounds have been designed specifically for their local neighborhoods, and staff will continue work on the improvement and/or renovations of playgrounds at other City Parks. The work being done at each of the park locations is listed below.

Andamar Park
The existing equipment, including the swings and slide, will be replaced with new swings, play structure with climbing, monkey bars and sliding for both toddlers and school age children, as well as a merry-go-round, benches and shade. The area will be expanded to accommodate the additional equipment, with a new walkway from the sidewalk to the play features.

Berkeley Park
The existing toddler equipment will be removed and the new toddler area will have one dual bouncer and a large climbable Monarch Butterfly feature.  The other space will have a climbing apparatus designed for children 5 – 12 years old.

Winchester I Park
Fitness equipment for the community to enjoy will be installed at this park. Four different features will be installed along the north east side of the park to allow for maximum green space and to allow for ADA accessibility without excessive grading and/or the installation of a retaining wall.

Winchester II Park
This location will have the play area expanded to include climbers, slides, spinners, swings, and more for both 2 – 5 year-olds and 5 – 12 year-olds. The park will also receive new fencing and an ADA walkway to Calle Real.

For more information, and renderings of the new playgrounds, please click here.

Join our Team – Job Openings at the City

We’re hiring! The City of Goleta is looking for amazing people to join our team. There are positions available in a variety of departments, including Planning, Public Works, and City Manager’s Office. The City of Goleta is a great place to work and offers excellent benefits, competitive salaries, and a unique array of experiences on the central coast of California. Our diverse group of employees are dedicated to serving our community and enhancing the functions of public administration through innovation and partnerships. If you’re interested, or know of someone who is, please click here to see open positions. #JOINTEAMGOLETA!

 

New City Spanish Contact Information / Nueva información de contacto en español para la ciudad

We are pleased to announce that we now have a dedicated City of Goleta phone number and email address for our Spanish speaking community to reach out to City staff. You can contact us directly at (805) 562-5500, Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. to speak with a staff person in Spanish or send an email to espanol@cityofgoleta.org and someone will respond in a timely manner. We also encourage you to sign up here for email and/or text updates in Spanish from the City.

Nuevo número de teléfono y dirección de correo electrónico en español de la Ciudad

Estamos felices de anunciar que ahora tenemos un número de teléfono y una dirección de correo electrónico de la Ciudad de Goleta exclusivamente en español para que nuestra comunidad hispanohablante se pueda comunicar con el personal de la Ciudad. Puede contactarnos directamente al (805) 562-5500, de lunes a jueves, de 8:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m. para hablar con un miembro del personal en español o enviar un correo electrónico a espanol@cityofgoleta.org y alguien le responderá de manera oportuna. También le recomendamos que se registre aquí para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico y / o mensajes de texto en español de la ciudad.

Library Summer Reading Program Progress Report

The 2021 Online Summer Reading Program is happening now at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries! Since it launched on June 5, community members of all ages have been reading book after book. So far, over 700 readers have registered for this free online program and logged a total of 4,158 books, with one month still left in the program.

This year’s Summer Reading Program is held completely online through Beanstack, a website and app that makes tracking your reading easy and fun. To encourage participants of all ages to set and reach their reading goals for the summer, many local businesses and organizations have donated exciting prizes that readers can earn at various milestones throughout the program.

Readers in the Youth category (grades 6 and under) will earn prizes after logging 5 books, 10 books, and 15 books, and readers in the Teen category (grades 7-12) will earn prizes after logging 1 book, 2 books and 3 books. Adult participants will be automatically entered into weekly prize drawings every week that they log at least one book. Prizes will be mailed to patrons of Goleta Valley Library, and they will be available for in-person pickup at the Santa Ynez Valley Libraries.

To sign up, visit goletavalleylibrary.beanstack.org to create a free account and start logging your books today! Registration remains open through the last day of the program on July 31st.

In addition to celebrating reading all summer long, the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries are hosting six fantastic online shows that viewers can enjoy from the comfort of their homes. July’s performers include a children’s concert with Ukulele Jim on July 10th at 10:00 a.m., a puppet show with Luce Puppet Co. on July 14th at 10:30 a.m., and an animal presentation from Conservation Ambassadors: Zoo to You on July 28th at 1:00 p.m. Details and links to attend can be found on the library Events Calendar.

For full program details and a list of our very generous local sponsors, visit the Summer Reading Program page of the library website to learn more.

Happy reading!

Fourth of July graphic

Fourth of July Safety Reminders

As we approach the Fourth of July, we want to remind our community members that fireworks are illegal to possess and use in the City of Goleta and throughout Santa Barbara County. (The exception is in the cities of Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Guadalupe, which allow only designated “Safe and Sane” fireworks to be purchased and used within the city limits.)

Considering our current drought conditions, the use of fireworks poses an extreme fire danger in our community. Deputies will be actively enforcing laws pertaining to the possession or use of illegal fireworks. Depending on the type and amount of fireworks, violators could be subject to citation or arrest.

Residents can report firework violations in Sheriff’s jurisdictions by calling the non-emergency dispatch center at 805-683-2724, or 9-1-1 in an emergency situation.

Besides the fire danger they pose, illegal fireworks and fireworks in general also are frightening to many pets. Santa Barbara County Animal Services (SBCAS) reminds pet owners of the following:

  • Make sure your dog is wearing a current license tag and update its microchip information.
  • Keep pets inside.
  • Leave the TV or radio on to distract pets.
  • Walk your dog before the fireworks start.
  • Do not bring your pet to a fireworks display.
  • If your dog or cat is especially noise sensitive, consider having someone stay home with them, taking them to a boarding facility, or discuss sedatives with your veterinarian.

While there won’t be the traditional fireworks show at Girsh Park in Goleta this year, we wish you a safe and wonderful Independence Day spent with family and friends. Thank you for doing your part to keep Goleta safe this Fourth of July.

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Update

Partial service restoration for Pacific Surfliner trains increases options for customers traveling between San Diego and Los Angeles

The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner will offer expanded service for trains that travel between San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties. Service modifications include the partial restoration of the schedule along busier portions of the corridor as well as measures to manage capacity.   

Pacific Surfliner trains have been operating on a reduced schedule since March 2020 due to a pandemic-related drop in travel demand. The upcoming schedule change is the first step toward service restoration.

Effective June 28, three roundtrips will be added to the Pacific Surfliner schedule, serving stations between San Diego and Los Angeles. These additional trips fill gaps in the current schedule to provide more options to travelers.

  • Southbound Train 562 will depart Los Angeles at 6:05 a.m. and arrive in San Diego at 8:58 a.m. 
  • Southbound Train 572 will depart Los Angeles at 10:54 a.m. and arrive in San Diego at 1:52 p.m. On weekends and holidays, this train will operate as Train 1572, departing Los Angeles at 11:20 a.m. and arriving in San Diego at 2:13 p.m. 
  • Southbound Train 590 will depart Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. and arrive in San Diego at 10:25 p.m. 
  • Northbound Train 569 will depart San Diego at 9:43 a.m. and arrive in Los Angeles at 12:38 p.m. 
  • Northbound Train 583 will depart San Diego at 2:50 p.m. and arrive in Los Angeles at 5:54 p.m. 
  • Northbound Train 595 will depart San Diego at 8:57 p.m. and arrive in Los Angeles at 11:50 p.m. 

A bus connection will also be retimed to space out departure options from stations between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. As additional train equipment becomes available, and as travel demand increases, the LOSSAN Agency will evaluate opportunities to increase service on the north end of the corridor. 

In addition to expanding the Pacific Surfliner schedule, the LOSSAN Agency is planning for the busy travel season by making temporary adjustments to manage capacity. There will be periods this summer when reservations will be required to ride Pacific Surfliner trains, including holiday weekends and special event dates.

Passengers are encouraged to follow safety measures and any important public health orders in place during their trip and at their destination. Per federal law and Amtrak policy, face coverings must still be worn while onboard trains and in stations.   

For the latest information, please visit www.pacificsurfliner.com/schedules.  

Pictured: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner (courtesy of LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency)

UCSB Summer Cinema poster

Movies Under the Stars in Your Cars

UCSB Arts & Lectures’ FREE summer cinema takes a trip back to the drive-in (and back in time!) with a series of nostalgic comedy and adventure flicks from the ’80s and ’90s. Party on, dudes! Films play Thursdays this summer, July 1 – August 12, at 8:30 p.m. at the West Wind Drive-In (907 S. Kellogg Avenue).

Movie Line-Up

  • July 1: T. the Extra-Terrestrial
  • July 8: The Goonies and Stand by Me
  • July 15: Clueless
  • July 22: The NeverEnding Story
  • July 29: Men in Black and Galaxy Quest
  • August 5: Rush Hour
  • August 12: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Wayne’s World

Click here for more information on each film. Some films include themes and attitudes that are representative of a different era and include content that parents may wish to discuss with their children.

Come early for food trucks, concessions, entertainment, and prize drawings. Gates open at 7:00 p.m.; first-come, first-served.

Premier Sponsor: Montecito Bank & Trust. Presented in association with the City of Goleta, UCSB Athletics, Carpinteria Movies in the Park, Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture and UCSB Summer Culture and Community Grant Program.

Teen Bookmark Contest Winners Announced

Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries’ contest celebrated equity, diversity, and inclusion

This spring, local teens were invited to submit a design for a bookmark based on the theme, “Equity, Diversity, Inclusion: what does it mean to you?” The contest was part of the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries’ 2021 Book to Action community reading program, which uses the graphic novel memoir by George Takei, They Called Us Enemy, to explore topics of racial justice, social inclusion, and equality.

The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries received many wonderful entries that were beautiful, empathetic, and thought-provoking. We are excited to announce the winners of the contest, who have each received a certificate and a gift card for a free smoothie from our generous sponsor, Blenders in the Grass!

Winners from the Goleta Valley Library are: Dulce Perez, Eva Worthey, Lauren Hubbs and Natalie Myers-Johansing. Honorable Mentions go to: Annabelle Aslanian, Lauren Doyle, Junior Duran, Tera El-Aaidi, Roxane Martinez, Sophia Regan, Devon Robinson, Aliyah Stiles, Nora Tatjes and Jaden Van Wingerden.

Winners from the Santa Ynez Valley Libraries are: for best Interpretation of Theme: Jessica Xu, Gabriela Navarro, and Reiner Zhang; for best Artwork, Nolan Waters, Adam Marmorstein, and Helen Pruitt-Kennett; for Message Impact, Charlotte Hecker, Brandon Williams, and Gray Arredondo; and Honorable Mentions go to Alex Gorski, Miu Ono, and Addison Osta Smith. All of the winning entries were submitted by Dunn School students.

The winning designs can be viewed in an online gallery on the library website, and printed copies of the bookmarks will be available to library patrons through the end of July.

“We thank all the teens who took the time to participate in the contest, and to share their responses to the issues, which are both global and personal. The designs are hopeful, arresting, beautiful,” said Solvang Library branch supervisor Carey McKinnon.

Book to Action continues at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries with guest speakers, crafts, and films through July 31st. Information on all programs at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries can be found at GoletaValleyLibrary.org. 

Teen bookmark Contest winners from Goleta Valley Library
Contest winners from Goleta Valley Library

Contest winners from Santa Ynez Valley Libraries
Contest winners from the Santa Ynez Valley Libraries

Stem with aphids and ants

Our Water Our World: Controlling Aphids in your Garden

Learn how to control aphids in your garden with these tips from the City of Goleta Environmental Services Division.

Are those aphids on your plants?

Aphids are very small insects with soft, pear-shaped bodies, often found on young buds, stems, and the underside of leaves. If you look closely you’ll see that they have long legs and antennae. Some have wings. A large infestation can stunt plant growth or distort leaves and flowers.

Aphids aren’t all bad

A few aphids on your plants can actually make your garden healthier because they attract beneficial insects—good bugs that eat pests and pollinate your garden. Many helpful spiders and bugs (like ladybugs, green lacewings, and tiny non-stinging parasitoid wasps) will stay in your garden if there are aphids to eat. Aphid problems often start early in the spring. As the beneficial insects arrive and reproduce in your garden, the aphid population shrinks.

Controlling aphids

Aphids (and other plant pests including whiteflies and scale) produce a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew that attracts ants. Seeing a lot of ants on plant stems is a sure sign of a pest infestation. Since ants will actually protect honeydew-producers from natural predators, it’s important to keep ants away when you’re trying to get rid of aphids.

  • Wipe off or prune away large numbers of aphids from leaves and buds.
  • Use a strong stream of water to wash off both aphids and honeydew. Do this early in the day so that the plants will dry before hot sun hits and burns the leaves.
  • Bring on the ladybugs! Purchase lady beetles (ladybugs) or green lacewings and release them onto your infested plants.
  • If all else fails, spray with a horticultural oil spray to smother the aphids.

Table with information on controlling aphids in your garden with eco-friendly products

Find more information on controlling aphids with eco-friendly pesticide alternatives in our OWOW brochures in English and Spanish. 

The City of Goleta along with the Cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and the County of Santa Barbara have partnered with the OWOW organization to promote the use of less-toxic products in an effort to reduce pesticide pollution in our communities. By reducing pesticide use and the use of less-toxic products around the home, you can help reduce pesticides and other pollutants such as herbicides and fertilizers from being picked up while watering or when it rains and transported to the nearest storm drain inlet and into our waterways. The OWOW website is user-friendly and a great resource for finding less-toxic products to use around your home or garden.