The Veterans Day holiday was commemorated in the Santa Ynez Valley this month, with multiple events to honor the people who have served in the armed forces.

A week of celebration culminated in the annual Veterans Day Ceremony held at the aptly named Solvang Veterans Hall on Saturday, Nov. 11.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7139 Commander Alvin Salge (Air Force) welcomed a packed house to the Veterans Hall for the ceremony and directed the crowd outside for the flag raising, led by American Legion Post 160 Commander and Marine Corp Sgt. Jeff McKeone, performed by Legion members Lance Brown (Navy) and Alejandra M. Sanchez (Navy). Bugler Michael Roberts played “To the Colors” and taps during the raising.

After the audience returned to the hall, Salge made his opening remarks, reminding the crowd why they were there.

“Remember that when veterans signed up for military service, they pledged to protect the United States even willing to give their lives if necessary,” he said. “Today we honor and salute all veterans who answered the call to protect us and our freedom.”

Col. Michael Jewell, vice commander of Space Force Launch 30 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, was the keynote speaker.

Noting that the U.S. Military has been an all-volunteer force since 1973, Jewell began by thanking the veterans in attendance “regardless of how long you served: four years, 20 years, or 30 years, thank you.”

“No matter your job, how long you served, if you were guard or reserves, you made an impact,” Jewell continued. “As President Ronald Reagan once said: ‘Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world. A veteran does not have that problem.”

Jewell went on to note the sacrifices veterans make to serve their county, and reminded the audience that their efforts don’t always come in times of war.

“The wartime efforts that our veterans have been a part of are widely known, but our military also answers the calls for help, leading to great feats of humanitarian aid,” he said, citing instance such as the Berlin Airlifts in the late 1940s, and the military delivering aid to Turkey earlier this year after a devastating earthquake.

Later, the attendees hear from the featured speaker, Marine Corps veteran Steven Kester, who told of his experiences in the Vietnam War after enlisting as an 18-year-old in 1968.

“My family includes a long line of warriors,” he said, mentioning his grandfather, father and two uncles who fought in World War II, and two uncles who saw action in Korea. “Military service is what my family did.”

Kesler went on to recount three specific experiences that shaped his time in Vietnam after he was assigned to Lima Company as a radio operator for the artillery unit.

The first incident involved him hitching a ride on a helicopter during a supply run and then unceremoniously getting kicked off the copter, leaving him with a unit didn’t know what to do with him.

“As it turned out, the FO was not in need of a radio operator so it was settled that I would be the radio operator for the Artillery Scout,” Kesler said. “The principal problem with that was the physical location of the artillery scout. He was positioned on a ridgeline with the Point Platoon about 500 meters outside the company perimeter.”

The second incident happened about a month later when his battalion suffered losses in a battle at a valley named Hiep Duc, and he was tabbed to replace the injured artillery scout. The third incident later was when his unit was doing recon patrols and the spotting of people working on a rice paddy became a sudden firefight, one he just barely escaped without injury.

While suffering from a second bout of malaria, Kesler was transferred stateside, to Camp Pendleton in San Diego, where his stint met an ironic end.

“While there I was injured playing basketball. Tore all the ligaments in my right ankle,” he said. “It was operated on, but only partially successfully. After three months in a full leg cast, my time on active duty came to an abrupt end, and I was medically discharged.”

In addition to the speakers, the ceremony also included a proclamation from Solvang Mayor Mark Infanti, invocation and benediction from Bethania Lutheran Church Pastor Chris Brown, and musical performances from the Santa Ynez Valley Chorale, directed by David Torres, and the Santa Ynez Wind Ensemble, led by Sharon Jeskey.

The Veterans Hall Ceremony wasn’t the only event during the week in the Santa Ynez Valley. Seven days earlier (Nov. 4), the Santa Barbara County Veterans Foundation held its third annual Salute to the Vets event, starting with a parade down Sagunto Street in Santa Ynez, and a gathering at the Maverick Saloon on that same street that including live entertainment, the arrival of three skydivers, vendors, and more.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the week, Wednesday, Nov. 8, to be exact, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School welcomed veterans into classrooms, providing students the unique opportunity to engage with local heroes and hear their stories first-hand. Veterans from across the armed services visited classrooms and shared their personal stories, experiences, and valuable insights with students.

SYVUHS Interim Principal Torina expressed his enthusiasm about the event, saying, “We are honored to have our local veterans visit our school and interact with our students. Students gain a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made by those who have served in our armed forces and the values of service, integrity, and dedication that our veterans embody.”

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District Superintendent Andrew Schwab, an Army veteran himself, said, “We are very grateful to be able to connect our students with local veterans and have the opportunity to learn about the importance of Veterans Day in a meaningful way.”

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The fifth annual Buellton Fall Festival returned to the Avenue of the Flags in Buellton the weekend of Nov. 7-9, turning the area north of 246 and west of 101 into a three-day event that was a music festival, street fair, shopping bazaar, and a “restaurant row” all in one. 

And according to Buellton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kathy Vreeland, it was the most successful one yet. 

“I talked to Andres (Nuno) from En Fuego Events, and he said we had our biggest year yet for this event, though we don’t have specific numbers,” Vreeland said. “It really worked out well for us with the weather and the bands we’re just great. Plus, I’m hearing from the city, that the Fall Fest helped outside the event with people spending money at businesses and staying in hotels.” 

The family-friendly, free-admission event featured a carnival with rides and games, over 40 bands on two stages, and over 60 food and merchant vendors. 

This year, each night was split into themes with like-minded bands playing for the crowds. 

On Friday, it was an ’80s and ’90s Dance Party on the Rio Vista Chevrolet Main Stage featuring local favorite, The Molly Ringwald Project, with its renditions of 1980s tunes. Also playing were the 90s Babies, Smelly Cat, and The Last Decade to represent the 1990s.

Saturday brought the “Funk ’n’ Rock the Block Party,” with Nautical Thrust, The New Vibe, and False Puppet, going into Reggae Night on Saturday evening with local band Cornerstone, and reggae legend and icon Pato Banton, a Grammy-nominated reggae legend who has recorded and toured the world with The English Beat, Steel Pulse, UB40, and Sting, among many others. The audience was treated to the headliner a little bit early, as Banton joined Cornerstone for a couple of songs at the end of that band’s set. 

Then Banton took the stage with his own band, giving the crowd the upbeat, positive, energetic, and family-friendly show he’s known for to close out the second evening. 

Sunday started with Fiesta Sunday, featuring Traviesos Jr., Equipo Marcado, and Equipo Elite, whose energetic playing turned the entire lawn in front of them into a huge outdoor dance floor. The fest ended with Country Night, featuring the Jimi Nelson Band, and local favorites Agin Brothers and Territorial Law, and Jayden Secor. 

The event was co-sponsored by the City of Buellton, Discover Buellton, the Buellton Arts and Culture Program, and Rio Vista Chevrolet, and was put on by En Fuego Events, a well-known event organizer in these parts. 

While the music was going on from two stages, there was a lot happening outside of that also. Off to the right was the carnival, featuring midway games and, of course, numerous rides, some with thrilling names like Star Dancer, Kamikaze, and Sea Ray. 

Also, for those clamoring for a bite to eat, several food trucks were parked along the avenue with all sorts of delicacies, whether its burgers, tacos, hot dogs, or noodles. There was even a local vendor from nearby Solvang fixing that town’s signature dish, the aebleskiver.

“I don’t actually have a restaurant there or anything,” said 

Thorn Kinersly, who was working at his first Fall Fest and serving up the “pancake balls.” “I was able to acquire the recipe for this one, and I’ve been serving it for people. I like to bring this around to different places. I’ve taken this as far as Oregon.” 

The Fall Fest was a destination for folks in the Valley, as, in its fifth year now, it’s becoming a bit of a staple in the area. But it has been drawing people from surrounding areas also. 

“We just got here and it’s our first time, but it seems really fun, it’s like a street fair,” said Kalli Brinson, who came with her husband, Shawn, and young son, Zane. “Just thought it would be a great place to hang out and have some fun as a family.” 

Back to the bands, while many of the big names and crowds drifted to the bigger Rio Vista Chevrolet stage on the south end, the smaller stage had its share of young hungry music groups trying to make a dent. 

One of them was a trio called Simeon, Werre, and Matthes played their brand of what guitarist/lead singer Chris Simeon calls “soul rock.” 

“I live in Oxnard, and play around there, but we got a chance to come up here and it’s been great,” said Simeon, whose band- mates are, of course, (Dave) Werre and (Sean) Matthes. “Actually, we haven’t been together that long. I think it’s been just a few weeks ago we were jamming, it felt good, and now we’re giving it a shot. It’s just a matter of getting gigs. 

“But we got a good vibe here from the crowd, and hopefully we’ll be back.” 

And the Fall Fest should be back in 2026, most likely the first or second weekend in November. 

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The Buellton City Council was in a giving mood during its regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 23, as it granted funds to two arts programs in Buellton, and also pledged its share of money toward a new aquatic center on the Santa Ynez High School campus.

In fact, the council upped the ante by passing a motion to increase its pledge on the condition that the City of Solvang matches it. The aquatic center is a joint undertaking involving the cities of Buellton and Solvang, the Santa Ynez Valley Aquatics Foundation, a local nonprofit organization, the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District (SYVUHSD), and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

The item on the aquatic center was heard without Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis, who was recused due to her management position with SYVUHSD.

In introducing the item, City Manager Scott Wolfe explained that the proposed aquatic center would consist of a second pool, to be used as a recreation facility, to add to the current pool, which is used for competition but is currently not up to standards. A stainless steel pool structure was purchased by the Aquatics Foundation several years ago and is currently in storage awaiting a location to be constructed. Fundraising efforts are underway to raise in excess of $13 million needed to make the necessary improvements to the SYHS campus to install the new pool and renovate the existing pool.

The Aquatics Foundation has asked that Buellton and Solvang make pledge for funds at $450,000 to, as Wolfe put it out, “have some skin in the game.” Solvang had approved their $450,000, which would be paid upon the future groundbreaking of the facility, at a council meeting earlier this year.

The proposed facility, and Buellton contribution to it, were universally endorsed by public speakers and councilmembers, citing the benefits of a proper competition pool for local athletes, a place for people to take a dip and cool off on a warm day, and a nearby location where kids could learn to swim.

“When I grew up there was no pool, nothing,” said former Buellton Mayor Judith Dale in public comment. “Growing up, raising kids here, if I wasn’t working at UCSB, my kids wouldn’t have had a place to learn to swim. Please accept this pool.”

Solvang City Manager Randy Murphy was also present, speaking as a member of the fundraising committee for the pool. “We accepted the amount to encourage the Chumash and private entities to make donations. We had given $450,000 to the Solvang Senior Center, and I thought aquatic complex was worth that, too.”

During the discussion, Councilmember John Sanchez was the first to suggest that Buellton raise the amount of their pledge from the suggested $450,000 to $550,000

“It’s big value to have our skin in the game,” Sanchez said. “I would consider going to $550,000 so we would have more than Solvang. It’s a nice message to donors to show if they’re not messing around.”

Mayor David Silva said he would agree to that if Solvang also would, saying that both cities should pledge the same amount. After discussion among Silva, Wolfe, and Murphy, it was agreed that Buellton would pledge $500,000 toward the project to make it an even $1 million between the cities. Murphy said he would bring the increase to the Solvang City Council at a future meeting of theirs.

The motion by Silva to pledge the $500 million, with a provision suggested by Councilmember Carla Mead that Buellton be involved with the management and programming of the aquatic center, passed by a 4-0 vote, with Lewis recused.

Earlier in the meeting, the council passed a motion awarding funds to two Buellton arts programs.

Alison Firey of Buellton Parks and Rec introduced both programs, the first being the Buellton String Project, where local kids signed up to learn the violin or cello through instruction at the Buellton Recreation Center. With the presentation, the council and audience even got to see a brief concert as program instructor Mary Woodruff and 6-year-old Coco, whom Woodruff identified as the “youngest, and best” student in the class, played what Woodruff called the “Pepperoni Pizza version” of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”

While staff recommend a grant of $15,000 for the program, the City Council decided that was too low.

“This is the exact intent of the Arts and Culture Committee,” said Councilmember Hudson Hornick. “I think we should fund their full ask, more than staff recommends.”

With that Lewis moved to award $20,000, the amount request by Firey, and the motion passed 5-0

In the same item, Firey introduced the Buellton Mosaics Project brought by Veronica Medina and Stacy Curry, owners of Community Clayworks.

Medina and Curry, whose mosaic work on the wall of the Buellton Post Office is visible to motorists traveling into the city on Highway 246, proposed the creation of two new large-scale public mosaics celebrating native California wildflowers, continuing their mission to enhance the visual landscape of Buellton with vibrant and meaningful public art. The two requested $30,940, an increase over the $22,060 they received in 2024. One reason the pair gave for the increased amount of the request was that they felt they “lowballed” the worth of their work the previous year, an opinion Silva agreed with.

“We should be thoughtful about paying business a fair amount,” the mayor said. “We would like [the staff] to do the numbers, so we’re paying a business accurately.”

Silva moved to award the $30,940 request with staff directed to work with the applicants for a separate business item to discuss further disparity between the project as funded and the actual cost. The motion passed 5-0.

The City Council will next meet on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m.

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The City of Solvang may be looking for a site to place a new City Hall. 

At the regular City Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 27, City Manager Randy Murphy brought a discussion item asking for direction to find a way to fund a new building to serve as Solvang’s City Hall.

In his staff report, Murphy noted the plaque on the front of the building said the current Solvang Municipal Center (aka City Hall) was completed in 1969. 

“As is often the case with pub- lic buildings, city staff outgrew the available space, and the nearby Masonic Lodge (constructed in 1957) was acquired,” Murphy said. “Only minimal modifications were made to the building prior to commencement of City operations in 2001/02 when Parks & Recreation, Community Development (Planning/ Building), and Public Works were moved across the street into ‘The Annex’. This arrangement continues to this day, which, unfortunately, contributes to multiple inefficiencies between/among staff and the public.” 

Murphy continued to list inadequacies of the building on 1644 Oak St., which the city administration with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Moreover, he was making his case on a night the video system malfunctioned, leaving colorful test patterns on the two video screens above the council dais. 

“Building is older and it suffers from a serious lack of technology, as evidenced tonight,” Murphy said, gesturing up to the screens. “An evaluation shows we need about twice of what we have. We need a new City Hall sooner rather than later.” 

Murphy said staff has evaluated options to moving into existing building, but nothing could be found that was feasible. He supplied council with a primary building design for a proposed new building that could be built on the lot across the street. An evaluation determined that a new City Hall would cost between $8.7 million and $10.3 million, and that price tag would increase 5% or more each year. 

“It’s not an inexpensive proposition, but it could included in a bond offering or other opportunities, like grants,” he said. 

Murphy cited other community benefits, such as the Fire Department taking over the space in the building that would be abandoned by the city, and the Solvang Library moving to The Annex when the city leaves that facility. Murphy said both the Fire Department and the library were open to those scenarios. 

“I’m just hoping to get direction from council whether or not this is worth pursuing,” Murphy concluded. 

At first reaction, councilmembers seemed pleased with the idea. 

“I’m interested about bartering with library,”Mayor ProTem Claudia Orona said. “Everybody needs more space; I would like to go forward.” 

Mayor David Brown wondered if Murphy’s floor design really does take care of the “inefficiencies,” of the current setup, questioned the need for an exercise gym that was on there, but Murphy reminded council that the plan was a primary draft he drew himself and could be modified — and said he envisioned the room as a potential child-care area. 

That seemed to appease Brown, but Councilmember Elizabeth Orona warned about the financial consequences of such a project. 

“I feel we have huge costs coming at us already,” she said. “To put unavoidable expenses on the backs of our residents and businesses, we better be really diligent.” 

Elizabeth Orona asked further about the possibility of moving into an existing building and whether it would be cheaper to retrofit a current building. She also brought up the possibility of moving into the former Rite-Aid space at the Valley Fresh Market shopping center. 

Murphy said a new building would actually be cheaper than a retrofit, which was confirmed by Planning Director Rafael Castillo, who also noted that the Rite-Aid space is not set up for the demands of a City Hall-type office and Murphy added that space doesn’t have enough square footage. 

At the end, council instructed Murphy to pursue the matter, and he said he would have something in the next three to six months. 

The City Council will next meet on Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. 

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Staff Report

Santa Barbara County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato announced on Nov. 7 that Garrett Huff has been selected to be the next fire chief for Santa Barbara County. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to ratify the appointment at the Nov. 18 Board of Supervisors meeting.

Huff is currently the Deputy Chief of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. His first day will be Dec. 8. He will assume the duties from Chief Mark Hartwig, who is retiring on Dec. 7 after six years as the Santa Barbara County Fire Chief.

Huff began his career in firefighting in 1999 and came to Santa Barbara County in 2005. Over the past 20 years with the county, he has worked his way up the ranks from starting as a firefighter/paramedic on an engine to most recently the deputy fire chief. In this position, he oversees the county’s Emergency Medical Services and the Regional Fire Communications Center.  In addition, he has served on the Incident Management Team for numerous fires, the Montecito debris flow, the Conception boat tragedy, and the county’s response to the COVID pandemic.

“I am deeply honored to be chosen as the next fire chief of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department,” Huff said. “Having grown up and spent my career serving within this department and county, this opportunity is both humbling and profoundly meaningful. The men and women of this organization embody the highest standards of professionalism, compassion, and dedication. It is a privilege to lead them as we continue to serve and protect the citizens of Santa Barbara County. I look forward to building upon our department’s proud history and working collaboratively to ensure a safe and resilient future for our communities.”

The County Fire Department operates 24/7 with 320 personnel and an operating budget of $130 million.  There are 16 fire stations, and each is equipped with multiple firefighters, engines, and Primary Advance Life Support (ALS) to directly serve about 172,000 people in the unincorporated areas such as Orcutt, Vandenberg Village, and most of the Santa Ynez Valley, along with acting as the fire agency for the cities of Buellton, Goleta, and Solvang.  In addition to fire-station response, the Fire Department utilizes helicopters, bulldozers, rescue watercraft, and hand crews for various disasters. The department oversees the new Regional Fire Communications Center, which dispatches the closest available resource to fire and emergency medical calls throughout the County.  In addition, the Department oversees the Office of Emergency Management which coordinates emergency preparedness, response, and recovery for the entire county.

“After a nationwide search, I’m confident that Deputy Chief Huff will continue to lead the department in the right direction. He has proven leadership skills, solid fire experience and immense respect from myself, County leadership and the staff of the Fire Department,” Miyasato said. “He knows this department from the bottom to the top and has worked throughout the divisions of the Department to have a full understanding of the work the department does and the responsibilities of a fire chief. I value his expertise in this field and servant heart to protect our community.”

Huff received his B.S. in fire and emergency management from Kaplan University, his A.S. in fire technology from Oxnard College, and is continuing his education with completing his Master’s in public administration this coming summer.  Huff also has several certifications for his field and is involved in professional organizations across the state, including serving as a board member on the California 9-1-1 Advisory Board.  Throughout his career, he received multiple recognitions, including being named the 2016 Firefighter of the Year for the County of Santa Barbara.

“I also want to take the opportunity to thank Chief Mark Hartwig. With a career spanning 33 years, he has been a knowledgeable, dedicated and bold leader, always striving to advance the fire service for the betterment of our community and the entire state. We appreciate that he has shared his immense experience and leadership with us over these last six years,” Miyasato said.

For more information on the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, go to sbcfire.com.

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The Buellton Planning Commission and the Buellton City Council had a rare joint meeting on Thursday, discussing the city’s General Plan 2050 update.

The council members and commissioners, minus Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis, who was absent, met with consultants Jean E. Ward and Adam Pisarkiewicz of Civic Solutions, as well as Aaron Pfannenstiel from Atlas Planning Solutions. Each consultant discussed a separate subject with the combined panel.

Ward described the General Plan as “a roadmap or a blueprint for future growth and development in the city.” 

She went on to explain the plan needed an update becuase some of its elements were done as long as 20 years ago, and needs to update to keep up with changing needs and conditions of the city. She also said it must address state requirements. 

Required elements or topics to be discussed on the document include: Safety, Housing, Conservation, Land Use, Open Space, Mobility, Noise. Subjects discussed on Oct. 30 included Resources and Conservation (led by Pisarkiewicz) and Noise and Safety (led by Pfannenstiel).The meeting followed a format of the consultant introducing the subject, with the Planning Commission, and then City Council asking questions about the topic. 

Pisarkiewicz began his presentation in resource conservation by bringing up two topics he considered as very important in the Santa Ynez Valley. Air and water quality were brought up first as he pointed out wildfire smoke was the biggest threat to the area. That could greatly affect the air quality as well as water. He asked the Buellton officials what they could focus on. 

Planning Vice Chair Marcilo Sarquilla asked if the city was looking at moving some water through town like he pointed out San Luis Obispo does, and Plan- ning Director Andrea Keefer said that staff was work- ing on it. Planning Chair Shannon Reese followed up on that by asking about the paths along the rivers. 

“At our prior meeting, we talked about scenic and biological resources; pedestrian connections and trials,” she said. “I’d like to explore some standards how trails should look by waterways.”Keefer answered by saying staff had talked to SBCAG about getting some preliminary designs looked at. 

Reese then pointed out the wildfire smoke was a problem in many communities and asked how those cities were able to combat it. Pisarkiewicz said there were some filtration systems that were utilized, but said policies in the safety topic would entertwine with that and help them figure out how to combat. 

After Pfannenstiel elaborated on wildfire smoke and how it must be dealt with, City Councilmembers John Sanchez seemed to push back on the idea that wildfire smoke required radical action. 

“As far as the concern about wildfire smoke; it’s something that will happen,” he said. “ We have the requirement to have smoke monitors. I don’t understand making us put in a new system. I don’t see the point.” Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe answered by saying the future policy would mean encouraging new developers to put in filtration systems, rather than replace exisiting homes’ systems. 

Mayor David Silva believed protecting your home from fire was the way to go. 

“Requiring defensible space is appropriate for a plan,” he said. 

“The more we acknowledge wildfire, we can look into landscaping with plants that help with fire mitigation.” 

The discussion then went to noise and safety, with Pfaffenstiel leading the dicussion; first he asked the panel what the biggest source of excessive noise was in Buellton. 

Sarquilla said the big one was Highway 246, with cars going too fast and making noise while they were moving. “The only benefit is it helps the air flow.” 

Commissioner Daniel Contreras pointed to noise standards on construction that aren’t being followed, while fellow Commis- sioner Brian Campbell cited the increased launches from nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base as a problem. On the City Council side, Councilmember Carla Mead said complaints in her District 4 included tractor-trailer trucks driving by apartment complexes on McMurray Road. Silva said landscapers and trash trucks that come by at 7 a.m. 

Councilmember Hudson Hornick said that there were instances of noise, but creative ways to combat the noise, like his proposal to add a number of trees in the city to block the noise, and working with Caltrans to narrow 246. “Careful planning is necessary for 246,” he said. 

At the end of the meeting, Ward said they would take the info collected and add it to the input they gave in the last meeting. Even- tually, she said, they would have a draft plan sometime next year. 

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Residents and visitors to the Santa Ynez Valley took advantage of Halloween to roam the area in their scariest, funniest, and wackiest (or some combination of the three) costumes — or in their regular clothes — to partake in “spooky season” events held in the area.

Chief among those events was the 31st Annual Haunted House and Street Fair in Solvang. For the second straight year, the city’s Parks and Recreation created a scary setup at the Solvang Festival Theater for the week- end of October 24 and 25. 

Reception for the Haunted House was unprecedented as the attraction drew record numbers, with 1,137 people showing up on Friday, and 1,634 on Saturday, when the line to get in went all the way up 2nd Street and around the corner along Copen- hagen Drive. 

“This has been great,” said Candice Libera of Solvang Parks and Rec, who was managing the entrance at the theater. “We had almost 1,200 last night and are expecting more. And everybody’s enjoying the fair we have out here.” 

Yes, the Street Fair. As folks were waiting in line at the theater others were roaming about, many in costumes to check out the street vendors and also grab a bite to eat at the Whiskey and Rye food truck. In addition to delicious dishes, the owners also had a widescreen TV so nobody missed Game 2 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays. 

However, the big attraction to the Fair, other than the Haunted House, was a flash mob of locals performing the Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance. The group gathered at approximately 6:30 in zombie makeup to do the dance to the classic tune from the King of Pop. 

Maria Henning of Santa Barbara was one of the volunteers who took part in the performance. 

“I answered an email asking for dancers, and I thought it would be fun,” she said.“We rehearsed for two weeks at the Maverick Saloon, and I think we pulled it off OK.” 

An old aquaintance of Henning’s, Kylie Tigard of Solvang, also participated in the flash mob. 

“Maria and I went to school together over 40 years ago at Santa Ynez High,” Tigard said.“We’re still out doing crazy stuff.” 

Caroline Howe of Solvang was one of leaders of the mob, helping out Vanessa Robertson, a line-dance instructor at the Maverick, who organizes the event every Halloween. 

“I’m just here helping out Vanessa,” Howe said after the early Saturday performance. “She teaches the line dancing at the Maverick, and we’ve been getting the ‘Thriller’ flash mob together for the last five years. We always seem to draw some people, so it should be going next year, and however many years after.” 

A few days after the Haunted House closed up shop for another year, Solvang Parks and Rec took to Facebook to thank everyone: “THANK YOU for making the 31st Annual Haunted House & Street Fair a TREAT! We had a record-breaking weekend!” 

The department credited Fred Lageman for being the “creative genius behind the theme & design,” Jalen, Jenny,Elisa,Candice,TerriandWendy, for the décor at the front of house; and the Parks & Maintenance crew for setup, cleanup and road closures. 

The department also gave credit to volunteers like Vivi and Ken Zigler, Anne and Val Nicholas, Kasi Magu- ire, Ryan Metzger, Athena McCan- dlish, Terri Harmon, Claudia Orona (for makeup), Chantel Green of the Solvang Festival Theater, Kevin McConnell (music and sound), the guides “walking five miles a night” and monsters and the street fair vendors for adding to the fun! The department added that funds raised at the event go back into community programs — keeping them affordable for all. 

Solvang wasn’t the only community hosting a Halloween event on Saturday, Oct. 24 — the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce was holding its own Halloween celebration on Sagunto Street. 

While there was no haunted house, there was a street busy with activity as attendees and the still-open businesses on the street greeted trick-or- treaters, took part in a costume contest, and some families sat on hay bales in a viewing area to watch the Disney Pixar movie “Coco” on a big-screen TV. 

Linda Small, executive director of the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce, said the organization started this event up again as sort of a trial run after the event was interrupted. 

“We had this going for a number of years, with bounce houses, petting zoos, a lot of things,” Small said. “Then the pandemic hit and we had to discontinue it. This is our first attempt after the pandemic and we thought a movie, the businesses with the trick-or-treat- ing, the restaurants being open, would draw some people. 

“We’re just testing it out now, and we know there are a lot of other things going on tonight. We’ll see how this goes and if we have it again next year, and maybe make it bigger.” 

Among the attendees were the Arias family from Lompoc — Ozzie, Melissa, and their toddler daughter Kaia — who were the winners in the family category of the costume contest. Ozzie wore an inflatable dinosaur on his lower half, making it look like he was riding on top of it, while little Kaia wore a dinosaur onesie and Melissa went with a more understated dinosaur decoration. 

“We heard about this and thought it would be fun; it’s our daughter’s first year that she’s aware of Halloween, so we thought we’d come out here because it’s a little more low-key,” Ozzie said. 

Across the Valley, people had a few more days to vote in the Scarecrow Fest, as businesses’ themed scarecrow display were up for judging, as onlookers were invited to vote for their favorites. 

According to the Scarecrow Fest website (syvscarecrows.com), 52 displays were put up all over the Valley, up from 46 in last year’s contest. A list of winners, as well as the winner of the Harvest Award for the most popular will be shown in a future issue. 

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The Chumash Casino Resort launched its annual Project Pink campaign  on  Oct. 1 to bring attention to Breast Cancer Awareness Month and raise funds for a local nonprofit organization by selling pink-colored sweets, snacks and drinks throughout the resort’s eateries.  

A portion of this year’s proceeds, along with a dollar-for-dollar matching grant from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation, will be donated to the Breast Imaging Center at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, which is supported by the Foundation for Cottage Rehabilitation and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospitals.

“Project Pink has grown into a meaningful annual tradition at the Chumash Casino Resort, thanks to the incredible dedication and passion of our Food and Beverage team,” said Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “We’re honored to continue supporting the Breast Imaging Center at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, whose life-saving work impacts our community every single day.”

Some of this year’s new Project Pink menu items that will be on display throughout October in the resort’s Grains & Grounds dessert case will be cherry blossom coconut cake, raspberry orange panna cotta, cherry limeade cupcake, and chocolate raspberry cookies. The annual campaign’s popular returning standouts include funfetti pound cake, chocolate raspberry cake, red velvet cake, rosewater pistachio mousse, strawberry lemon crunch, and of course the campaign’s staples: chocolate molds of high heel shoes, purses and more. The special month’s featured cocktail will be the Prickly Pear Margarita, a pink-colored concoction described as a blend of watermelon, kiwi and bubblegum.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer risks and the value of screening and early detection, while also raising funds for cancer research.

“We are grateful to be chosen for the second consecutive year as the beneficiary of the Chumash Foundation’s Project Pink campaign,” shared Arie Dejong, vice president for Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital and Therapy Services. “This support will enable our team at the Breast Care Center at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital to continue the early detection of breast cancer that helps save lives in our community. Thank you to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation for this honor and for championing breast health and awareness.”

The Breast Imaging Center at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, located at 351 S. Patterson Ave. in Goleta, offers a variety of services, including 3D digital mammography, soft mammo pad, targeted ultrasound imaging, whole breast ultrasound screening, ultrasound-guided biopsy, stereotactic biopsy, DEXA bone density scanning and more. For more information or to make an appointment, call (805) 681-6459. To donate to the Foundation for Cottage Rehabilitation and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospitals, please visit: https://www.cottagehealth.org/giving/now/#Goleta-Valley

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has donated more than $30 million to hundreds of groups, organizations and schools in the community and across the nation as part of the tribe’s long-standing tradition of giving. To find out more about the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation and its giving programs, visit www.chumash.gov.

Located on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, the Chumash Casino Resort is open 24/7 and is an age 21-and-older facility. For more information on menu items, visit www.chumashcasino.com/dining.

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A local developer’s appeal of approved changes to his project of hotel cottages and a meeting space on the corner of Mission Drive and Alisal Road drew substantial comment from City Councilmembers and the public at the Monday, Oct. 13, regular meeting before council voted to deny the appeal and confirm the changes.

The Item 7.A, Public hearing to consider an appeal of Planning Commission decision approving amendments to facades and building colors for 1704 Mission Drive, concerns the project on the corner at that site, on the corner of Mission and Alisal Road, just west of Mission Santa Ines and across the street from Svensgaard’s Danish Lodge. The applicant, local developer Ed St. George, had been building the project consisting of nine separate cottages ranging in size from 250 to 390 square feet that would serve as one-bedroom hotel rooms and an on-site ancillary building.

Briefly it seemed that there would be no discussion, as St. George requested a continuance to the next meeting on Oct. 27 so he could extend an offer to members of the City Council, Planning Commission, and Design Review Committee to tour the project under construction before making a decision on it.

St. George said his original offer was accepted only by Mayor David Brown, who had mentioned at the onset of the hearing that he had, in fact, toured the building with St. George. City Councilmember Elizabeth Orona said she had toured the site with another person without the presence of St. George.

“This is, I feel, the most important project In last 25 years. I want to give you two more weeks to make one of those appointments [to tour the site],” St. George said. “I feel Solvang is not being represented by the city, since they didn’t show.”

Brown made a motion to continue the item to the next meeting. Councilmember Mark Infanti eventually seconded, but not before saying that he didn’t accept the offer to tour the site because he didn’t think it was necessary, because the item was a policy matter involving the Planning Commission. Infanti then seconded, but then the motion failed when Councilmembers Elizabeth Orona, Claudia Orona, and Louise Smith all voted no to defeat the motion 3-2.

In introducing the item, Community Development Director Rafael Castillo pointed out that St. George appealed the following requirements: Removing some of the half-timbers on Units 2,4,5, and 9 that create additional patterns (in contrast to just straight or diagonal shapes) or that “does not emulate authentic appearance and pattern of historic buildings in Europe,” and remove the colored red and white banding on the roof of one structure.

Before the item went to public comment, Infanti explained his refusal to tour the site, while emphasizing he was in favor of the project.

“I like it, but that’s not important,” he said. “If we approve any of this, aren’t we setting precedent to limit the DRC and Planning Commision in the future. Someone will come along later and say ‘If he can change things, why can’t I?’”

Meanwhile, Brown expressed that he didn’t agree with the amendments and the reasons for them.

“I have seen buildings with half-timbers with curves,” the mayor said, referring to the apparent problem the Planning Commission had with the half-timbers. Roof colors like pin striping on a car, a signature.”

The council gave St. George a chance to speak on his project before Public Comment.

“The reason I did this is I wanted something that was kind of whimsical,” he said. “My inspiration is photos of other buildings in Solvang. I probably could have built a four-story building, or affordable housing, but I wanted to do this, it’s a project from someone with a lot of passion.

“It was important to me that this corner be something Solvang could be proud of, emulate what it was trying to be, more cottage-style, close to mission, and a genesis of community,” he said. “And now some of the features are asked to be removed, and they are on other buildings in Solvang.”

In Public Comment, there were 18 speakers on the subject with approximately half in favor of, or at least complimentary of the project.

Speakers like Jean Simon and Michael Mendoza praised St. George’s artistic vision with the project and thought it would be an excellent site for someone coming into town.

“My imagination takes hold when I see the medieval village,” Simon said. “The Spirit of Hans Christian Anderson takes hold, and he would approve and want St. George to express himself artistically in these buildings.”

Among those opposed to the project, Janice Ziegler cited cultural appropriation as her reason for being against it.

“I strongly oppose those who practice cultural appropriation — it’s exploitive, disrespectful or devoid of context,” she said. “St. George’s project is 3-for-3 in that regard.”

Thorn Kinersley, a resident “on and off” of Solvang, said St. George’s situation is like when Kinersley tried to get a Tivoli wheel in Solvang, which was denied; however, he also said that many Danes’ who have been to Solvang view it as “a caricature, and this project adds to that.”

After getting it back to council, most of the members said the process of the project going through the DRC and Planning Commission must be respected, and they felt those groups did their due diligence.

“We must follow the rules; it’s important any development follow these rules,” Smith said. “Bend rules, would that make city vulnerable to other developers. It would be a slap in the face if we let this go through.”

Brown, however, was the lone holdout, saying he approved of the project and didn’t see it as a “slap in the face,” but just a different design and opinion. However, when he made a motion to uphold the appeal, he did not get a second.

With that, Infanti made a motion to deny the appeal, with Claudia Orona seconding. That motion passed 4-1 with Brown voting against.

The City Council will meet next on Monday, Oct. 27, at 6:30 p.m.

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The City of Solvang, as it approaches its 40th year of incorporation, held its State of the City address on Monday, Oct. 6, at Craft House at Corque, with Mayor David Brown reminding the crowd that while the city relies quite a bit on tourism, it needs to also take care of the people who live and work there year-round.

The afternoon event, which was emceed by Solvang Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tracy Beard, also featured Dr. Mark Schniepp, the Director of the California Economic Forecast in Santa Barbara, as keynote speaker; and Bent Olsen, longtime baker and the event honoree, who led the crowd in a spirited rendition of a Danish folk song.

Before Brown began his address, he played a video he participated in with TikTok creator Wes Leslie, where Leslie would film in front of a few Solvang staples (bakeries, windmills, etc.) with Brown replying the city had many of those, and then when Leslie remarked that there must be many Danish-style towns in California, Brown replied “No there’s just one.”

The mayor began his speech by noting that Solvang was about to turn 40 years old as an incorporated city, an it saw progress on some of its main goals: Securing water independence, supporting tourism, and maintaining financial stability.

“Not only did we accomplish that, but kept our Danish heritage and brand at the center of our story,” Brown said.

He also pointed out how Solvang is a know entity outside of the area, winning the title of “Best Small Town in the West” in a USA Today online survey, and finishing No. 2 in Newsweek’s ranking of the “Best Christmas Towns in the U.S.” Brown said the town even got a shoutout from Oprah Winfrey, calling Solvang “one of the most magical Christmas towns in the world.”

“Not bad for a town that’s know for debating whether we have too many windmills,” Brown said.

Brown noted the good things for business over the past year, with the city issuing 71 new business licenses, and making an additional $2.5 million with the Measure M hotel-tax increase.

However, the mayor said that although Solvang’s name means “sunny fields,” there are “clouds on the horizon.”

Although the city makes two-thirds of it money from tourism, Brown reminded the crowd that “Solvang can’t just be a place to visit; its need to be a place where people can live and work.” He noted that when 750,000 people visit the town in a six-week span, as it happened this past summer, that has an effect on parking and traffic.

Other challenges the city faces, according to Brown, is the high cost of law enforcement, as Solvang contract with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s office, and that won’t be getting smaller. Also, the city is still planning for the necessary upgrade on the town’s wastewater plant to comply with state standards. “If you’re not planning for water, you’re planning for trouble,” he reminded the crowd.

Brown noted the efforts being made to reach residents, like a recently launched newsletter and expanded surveys. He also mentioned the successful partnership Solvang has formed with entities such as VisitSYV, the Chamber of Commerce, Cottage Hospital and local school districts.

In summary, Brown expressed optimism on the path Solvang is taking, despite the aforementioned challenges.

“As we celebrate four decades of incorporation of city status, we can be proud,” he said. “Heritage is our brand, people are our strength in leadership. Let’s raise a toast to the next chapter — preferably with some aebleskiver.”

After Brown’s address, there was a Q-and-A, where questions touched on security, especially during yearly events, way to improve the weekly farmers market, and, of course, ways to improve traffic and parking in the city.

Before Brown, attendees heard the keynote speech from Schniepp, who touched upon the national and state economy and how it might affect Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley.

Nationally, Schiepp said that growth was better than expected in 2025, and that the “hysteria” formed over the controversial tariffs issued by President Donald Trump this year has subsided. In fact, he said the fears over the tariffs are overstated, according to the forecast, though they could possibly affect future growth.

Statewise, Schniepp informed the crowd that the housing market and labor market have both struggled, and, of concern to the Central Coast, wine tourism has been in decline.

Schniepp said he expects more slow growth in 2026, with jobs growth been furthered threatened by the advance of AI.

Finally, Solvang presented a Legacy Award to Bent Olsen, longtime owner and proprietor of Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery. Olsen, who was born in Denmark and immigrated to the U.S. in 1965, came to Solvang in 1970, when he and his wife Susy purchased the bakery and settled into the city.

“I came here in 1965, and I saw this place that was just a little bit of town,” Olsen said after receiving his award and accolades from local representative. “I’ve been here since and 60 years later it’s still a little bit of town.”

Olsen hopes it can stay that “little bit of town.”

“It is different now, but it is still a very nice town. I hope we can keep Solvang as it is,” Olsen said. “As it is, Solvang is special, and it needs to be small, special and quiet.”

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