montecito

This weekend marks a tough anniversary in Santa Barbara County.  January 9th marks three years since the Montecito debris flow tore through the community.  It will be commemorated with a ceremony Saturday night.

23 people died, more than 160 were injured, and hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged by the torrent of mud, boulders, debris, and water.

FEMA has awarded Santa Barbara County more than $13 million dollars towards building a new debris basin to try to prevent more disastrous mud and debris flows in Montecito.

In January of 2018, the community was devastated by an avalanche of rock, mud, water, and debris which swept through the community after nearby mountain slopes were stripped bare by the Thomas wildfire.  23 people died.

A new documentary directed by one of the South Coast’s most famous residents looks at the deadly 2018 Montecito debris flow, which killed 23 people.

Actor Rob Lowe’s film “Madness In The Hills” tells the story of the disaster largely through the eyes of survivors and first responders.  Lowe is a Montecito resident.  The film examines factors which led to the debris flow, which Lowe says includes climate change.

It’s been a controversial issue in one coastal community.  Parking has been an issue for beachgoers and residents in parts of Montecito.

Now, there’s a new wrinkle to the situation.  The Montecito Fire Department says increased traffic and parking on Miramar Avenue, and Humphrey’s Road has impacted their emergency access to the area.

Detectives say the Santa Barbara County home of television talk show host Ellen DeGeneres was burglarized.

Investigators say the Montecito home owned by DeGeneres and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, was hit on the Fourth of July.

An internationally known music program which attracts aspiring young musicians from around the world to the South Coast is going to take its annual summer music festival completely online.

The Music Academy of the West had already announced it was going to take part of its summer program online, but officials now say all events this June, July, and August will be on the web.

An Academy Award nominated actor whose movie and television career spanned more than a half century has died at his Santa Barbara County home. Stuart Whitman appeared in classic movies like “Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines” and the World War Two epic “The Longest Day.”

An economic and market research company reports at the current pace, it could be 2029 before rebuilding is complete in Montecito from the deadly debris flow which devastated parts of the community.

Santa Barbara-based Robert Niehaus, Incorporated reviewed building permits and other documents related to recovery efforts.

The winter storm which brought some heavy rain, snow, and even a tornado warning to parts of the Central and South Coasts is moving out of our area. Rainfall amounts topped two inches on parts of the South Coast. San Marcos Pass had 1.6” of rain, and Carpinteria 1.5”. There was some street flooding in Santa Barbara Wednesday night, but no major problems were reported in the region’s brush fire burn zones.

The second wave of a big storm system is hitting the Central and South Coasts Thursday morning. It could drop one to two inches of rain in coastal and inland areas. The foothills and mountains could top four inches. There are no evacuation orders for the region, but the National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for Santa Barbara County, including the Thomas, Whittier, and Sherpa brush fire burn areas.

The first wave of what’s expected to be a two part storm has arrived on the Central and South Coast, with the biggest punch expected in the second part. Part one of the storm has been pretty unimpressive, with rainfall amounts of less than a half inch for much of the Central and South Coasts. But, there’s a big plume of subtropical moisture streaming into California.