Los Alamos resident Ray Williams has been chosen as one of the participants of Butchers of America’s Team USA, joining with five other members to compete in the World Butcher Challenge (WBC) in France at the end of March. For those unfamiliar, the World Butchers Challenge is known to many as “The Olympics of Meat.”

Butchers of America is a team of butchers that was assembled primarily to compete in the WBC, which started approximately 20 years ago, between Australia and New Zealand. Over the years, the competition grew to incorporate teams from many other countries. This year’s challenge will be held in Paris and will have 18 countries participating.

“I became involved in the WBC in 2022 when the competition was held at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento,” said Williams. “I reached out to the team, and they needed help. I assisted with a couple of practices, and I was the floor manager for the WBC.

“Having been given the opportunity to hang carcasses in an NBA arena was an opportunity of a lifetime. I thought I knew a lot about butchery, but with my experience in the ’22 event, I realized there are so many ways other countries do things that it was a great learning experience for me.” 

Williams began his long career in butchery at the age of 14 when he was invited to a local custom-exempt butchery in Lompoc with a bunch of other Future Farmers of America (FFA) kids to help process chickens for the Santa Barbara County Fair. 

“I was the only one who showed up,” he said. “I spent the weekend with the butcher, Steve Greco, and his family, and at the end he liked the way I worked and offered me a job.”

A custom-exempt butchery is an establishment where you take animals you’ve either raised or purchased to be slaughtered and processed.

“I worked for Steve every summer until I was 18, and then I worked for him full-time,” Williams said. “When I was 19, I started working at the Vandenberg Commissary and worked there for 12 years, ending up being the meat manager. From there I went to work at the Federal Correctional Complex in Lompoc. I was a cook foreman for two years and then moved on to be the vocational training instructor, teaching butchery to out-custody inmates, where I still work. I have been there for 10 years.”

Williams has considered the job very rewarding. 

“I consider this a dream job because I have the opportunity to teach inmates a skill they would not normally have the opportunity to acquire. It is a very fulfilling career,” he said. “In my classes I teach slaughter, carcass breakdown, retail cuts, sausages, and further processing like curing hams and bacon. It is the last meat program in the Bureau of Prisons.”

Because of his experience and the fact that a number of the participants in the 2022 challenge weren’t returning for this year’s competition, Williams decided to try out for the team.

“It was a nationwide tryout, and the winners were narrowed down to 40,” he said. “Initially I had to submit a video and a bio, and then there were additional videos and questions to be answered, and the number was whittled down to 10. The last 10 of us had to go to Sacramento and compete on stage in front of an audience at the Farm to Fork Festival. Historically, butchers don’t like to reveal their methodology in public. From those final 10 contestants, they chose five of us to be on Team USA to join the one remaining team member.” 

However, with that position earned comes the responsibility to raise money.

“The final team of six has to raise $10,000 each to cover costs. As the old saying goes, ‘The cutting is the easy part – the fundraising is the hard part,’” Williams said in jest. “The Los Alamos Men’s Club donated to my efforts for fundraising and I was able to reach my goal.

“Brad and Debra Vidro held a fundraiser at Maker’s Son in Los Alamos, and the community came out in full force to support my efforts. My mother, Shirley Williams, has also helped at every turn, along with my wife, Wendy, and our three children, Anna (age 17), Adam (age 16), and Miranda (age 12). And as co-owner of Whisky Bent BBQ, a catering service, I would like to thank the Rice guys for all their help fundraising. The entire community of Los Alamos has really backed me up, and I am most grateful for all their support.”

Butchers of America’s Team USA will be competing on March 30 and 31 with teams from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, New Zealand, Romania, and Spain.

“It’s going to be pretty wild,” said Williams. “We have three hours and 30 minutes to break down half a cow, half a pig, a whole lamb, and five chickens. Every item is to be processed and displayed with a detailed recipe on how to cook it. The cuts you see in a grocery store are totally unlike what you will see in this competition because they are very innovative. The final display has to also include visually artistic features in the presentation, which you wouldn’t find in any grocery store.”

Williams said the competitors will be working in front of some watchful eyes.

“During the competition, judges walk around checking for safety, sanitation, teamwork, proper use of the equipment, and final display,” he continued. “The judges then pick one item of each protein from each country, which will be cooked according to the attached recipe by French chefs and ultimately judged.”

Williams said the winning team in the competition will get a trophy and bragging rights, but many more will gain benefits from the event.

“On April 1 everyone will attend a gala dinner put on by the WBC. All the meat from the competition is donated by WBC to be distributed to local food banks,” he said.

“Participating in this event is beyond my wildest dreams; being in Paris, butchering in front of a crowd, I know it will be an amazing experience, one to remember for a lifetime.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the Williams and the team can visit www.butchersofamerica.org to purchase merchandise and knives that are used exclusively in the competition. Just mention in the comments section, “Ray sent me.”

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What can be better than a good reason to visit the Santa Ynez Valley? Try two great reasons to visit in the new year. 

The popular Midweek Membership Club (Jan. 12 to April 30) presents a limited opportunity to take advantage of a once-a-year deal to stay at the region’s best hotels, wine country inns, and more. Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks(Jan. 19 to Feb. 1), presents a tantalizing exploration of the Valley’s culinary culture at a special price. Together, Midweek Membership Club and Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks give reason to celebrate the new year with an unforgettable trip to the heart of California’s Central Coast wine country. 

“Planning a New Year’s trip to the Santa Ynez Valley is the perfect way to cure the post-holiday doldrums,” says Shelby Sim, president and CEO of Visit the Santa Ynez Valley. “The Valley’s mild, sunny weather makes for a perfect winter escape all by itself. But the Midweek Membership Club and Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks — two special, once-a-year chances to experience our top dining, wine, and lodging options at affordable prices for nearly everyone — make a winter or early spring visit impossible to resist.”

The Midweek Membership Club

Weekend trips to the Santa Ynez Valley are heavenly. But a midweek visit to the Santa Ynez Valley is a truly special experience, with easy access to the region’s many wine, culinary, cultural, and outdoor experiences. The Midweek Membership Club makes a weekday trip all the sweeter. 

Beginning Dec. 20, anyone who books an eligible consecutive two-night, Sunday-Thursday Midweek Membership Club stay at a qualifying lodging property — from Jan. 12 through April 30 — receives a $100 voucher upon check-in at a participating hotel. The $100 can then be used for wine tastings, dining, shopping, activities, and other experiences during the trip. 

With only 100 Midweek Membership Club packages available, the popular promotion sells out quickly.

Here’s how the Midweek Membership Club works:

• Through April 30, or until all 100 Midweek Membership Club packages are sold, visitors must book at least one two-night consecutive stay, Sunday through Thursday between Jan. 12 and April 30. The stay must be bookeddirectly with one of the Santa Ynez Valley’s qualified lodging properties. Any booking made before the promotion start date or through a third party will not qualify.
• Once booked, forward the original confirmation email to info@visitsyv.com at least 48 hours before check-in. Late entries will not be accepted.
• Receive your $100 at check-in at your qualified hotel, and use your cash to pay for wine tastings, meals, shopping, activities, and more throughout the valley.
• Only one $100 promo may be redeemed per reservation.  

For more information, complete rules and regulations, and a complete list of qualified lodging properties, or to plan and book your Midweek Membership Club visit to the Santa Ynez Valley, visit visitsyv.com/midweek/. For questions about this offer, email info@visitsyv.com.

Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks

Celebrating its 15th year, Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks has become a favorite tradition in the Valley. And why not? 

The Santa Ynez Valley’s reputation as a culinary-driven destination — with imaginative chefs, deep agricultural roots, collaborative culinary culture, and cuisine that ranges from contemporary, innovative farm-to-table fare to traditional Scandinavian feasts — is as well-earned as its reputation for making world-class wines. And for two weeks, the valley’srestaurants offer the best of the region’s cuisine at an unbeatable price.

From Jan. 19 to Feb. 1, Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks will showcase the region’s culinary bounty — and being that this is the Santa Ynez Valley, the perfect wine pairings — with a variety of special three-course prix fixe price menus. Dozens of restaurants will participate, each offering curated, chef-driven, three-course menus at prices of $30, $40, or $50, plus tax and gratuity. More than two dozen of the region’s wineries and tasting rooms will also participate at various levels, offering two-for-one tastings, special tasting flights, and discounts on bottle purchases. 

Restaurant Weeks will offer a menu for every taste, from MICHELIN-starred Bell’s Los Alamos and MICHELIN-rated Coast Range to familiar wine-country favorites such as Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café and Trattoria Grappolo. Try a hot new restaurant such as Na Na Thai, The Victor Restaurant and Bar, and Whiskey ’N Rye, or celebrate the triumphant return of a legendary culinary experience at the recently reopened The Gathering Table. Dine in the vineyards at Petros Winery and Restaurant and Vega Vineyard & Farm, or turn wine country into beer country at Firestone Walker Brewing Company. 

For the latest updates on Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks, including menus and participating restaurants, wineries, and tasting rooms, visit www.DineSYV.com or follow Visit the Santa Ynez Valley on Instagram,Facebook, and Twitter.

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By Mike Chaldu

michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — Fire crews have been making steady progress on the Lake Fire, which has burned for nearly two weeks on the northern edge of the Santa Ynez Valley.

The blaze, first reported Friday, July 5, is at 38,664 acres, but growth has been minimal and containment is up to 66 percent, according to the latest incident update by Cal Fire (fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/5/lake-fire) at 6:04 p.m. Thursday, July 18. That update also reports that firefighters continue to mop up and pull hose off the fire line.

Several evacuation orders were issued since the fire began, mostly in remote areas, but most have been canceled as of July 17. Those remaining include:

EVACUATION ORDER:

• The area between the western fire perimeter and the Los Padres National Forest Fire Area Closure.
• Area east of La Brea Creek and Forest Route 10N06, south of the Los Padres National Forest boundary, and north of the Sisquoc River. 

EVACUATION WARNING:

• Area east of Kelly Canyon, north of Sisquoc River, west of La Brea Creek and Forest Route 10N06, and south of the Los Padres National Forest.

Road closures include:

• Forest Road 10N06/Rancho Sisquoc closed east of Foxen Canyon Road. (Not open to the public.). Foxen Canyon Road is open (not a county road and not listed on the county road closure map).
• Zaca Lake Road east of Foxen Canyon at/near burn zone.
• Figueroa Mountain Road east of Midland School at the forest boundary.
• Happy Canyon Road at the Forest Service Boundary.
• 5 closures within USFS Fire Area Closures – 11N909, 11N01, 10N10, 9N11, 9N11 north of 9N11B all at forest boundaries.

After growing from its starting point near Zaca Lake, the fire was split into a North and South Zone for crews as it expanded in acreage and personnel. The fire remains under Unified Command, with two fire camps to support firefighting efforts, with 2,368 personnel currently assigned to fight the fire. In addition to the personnel, multiple agencies have a total of 11 helicopters, 118 engines, 54 dozers 43 water tenders, and 58 crews assigned to the blaze as of Thursday.

A cause for the fire has not yet been determined, but the investigation continues.

The area the fire originated from is approximately 15 miles north of Los Olivos and approximately 20 miles east of Los Alamos. Highway 154, which ends at Highway 101 near Los Alamos is still open, and there were no indications it was threatened by the fire. The blaze had also gotten close to the former Neverland Ranch, which was Michael Jackson’s residence, and the Midland and SYV Family schools nearby, but none were believed to be in danger.

More information on the fire and evacuations can be found at fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/5/lake-fire or by calling the Santa Barbara County Call Center at (833) 688-5551.

The post UPDATE (July 18): Progress made on Santa Ynez Valley’s Lake Fire appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

By Mike Chaldu

michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

The Lake Fire, which was first reported Friday, July 5, is now grown to 26,986 acres and is at 16 percent containment, according to the latest incident update by Cal Fire (www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/5/lake-fire) at 5:57 p.m. Tuesday, July 9.

At 12 p.m. on July 9, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office issued an Evacuation Orders for the Woodstock and Goat Rock areas the SB Ranger area (remote forest area east of Goat Rock). Anyone occupying the area has been toldto leave the area immediately.

Areas under evacuation orders as of Tuesday evening were: 

• Woodstock and Goat Rock Areas
• SB Ranger area (remote forest area east of Goat Rock)
• Parts of the Figueroa Mountain area as follows: south of Tunnel House at Sisquoc River, east of Figueroa Creek, north of the southern end of Cachuma Mountain, and west of Los Padres National Forest areas
• All areas from Figueroa Mountain Road at Junction Camp (including Tunnel Rd) to Chamberlin Ranch and all areas from Zaca Lake Rd at Foxen Canyon Road north to the Sisquoc River including east of Foxen Canyon Road to the 9000 block.

Those area under an Evacuation Warning are:

• Area east and north of Alisos Rd (L-shaped road), west of Cachuma Creek, and south of the US Forest Service entrance at Happy Canyon Road.
• Area east of Highway 154, north of Armour Ranch Road/Secretariate St, west of Alisos Rd, and south of the Woodstock area.
• Area east of Figueroa Mountain Road, north of Highway 154, west of Calzada Ave/W Oak Trail Rd and south of Woodstock Rd.
• Area of Goat Rock, east of Figueroa Creek, north of the US Forest Service entrance at Happy Canyon Road, and south of Cachuma Mountain
• Areas north of Calzada Ave, east of E. Oak Trail Rd., west of Happy Canyon, and south of the Sisquoc River

A shelter has been set up at the Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall at 1745 Mission Drive in Solvang.

The fire is burning on Los Padres National Forest’s Santa Lucia Ranger District and adjacent state land. Forest officials reported Sunday that there were approximately 1,000 firefighters assigned to the blaze, along with a full complement of air resources. A cause for the fire has not yet been determined, but the investigation continues.

The firefighting efforts are under the Unified Command with California Complex Incident Management Team 13, led by Incident Commander Joshua Boehm, and including USFS Los Padres National Forest, Santa Barbara County Fire and Cal Fire, according to LPNF officials. Cooperators working on this incident include Santa Barbara County Sheriff’sDepartment, Santa Barbara Office of Emergency Management, Santa Barbara County Department of Public Works, the Chumash Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol, and California Office of Emergency Services.

“Significant fire activity was in the wilderness area on the east side of the fire footprint,” the Los Padres National Forest has stated in a Tuesday, July 9, release. “It resulted in significant smoke and expanded evacuation orders for remote areas. The main priority is to prevent the fire from moving toward communities to the south.

LPNF reported a Red Flag Warning has been issued for the fire area with strong winds, potential for longer fire spotting distances along with hot, dry conditions. Damage assessments are ongoing as crews locate any structures impacted by the fire. 

The area the fire originated from is approximately 15 miles north of Los Olivos and approximately 20 miles east of Los Alamos. The blaze was also getting closer to the former Neverland Ranch, which was Michael Jackson’s residence, and the Midland and SYV Family schools.

More information on the fire and evacuations can be found at www.countyofsb.org/4275/Lake-Fire-Incident—July-5-2024 or by calling the Santa Barbara County Call Center at (833) 688-5551.

The fire was first reported Friday, July 5, at 3:48 p.m., and flames were visible from parts of the Santa Ynez Valley overnight.

Santa Barbara County Public Information Officer Capt. Scott Safechuck reported on July 6 that temperatures in the area were in the high 90s with a relative humidity of 11 percent. According to the Western Fire Chiefs Association website (wfca.com), “when relative humidity decreases, fire behavior increases because fine fuels like grass and pine needles become drier quickly,” and “low humidity levels dry out vegetation fuels on a short-term basis, and they can also cause a short-term spike in fire danger.” The National Weather Service considers low humidity to be anything equal to or less than 55 percent.

Meanwhile, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District issued an Air Quality Watch for Santa Barbara County to be in effect until conditions improve. 

“The Lake Fire is producing significant smoke that is aloft in the skies, currently ground level conditions are good to moderate countywide,” the agencies’ joint press releases says. “This is a dynamic situation, and local air quality conditions can change quickly. All Santa Barbara County residents are encouraged to stay alert to local conditions by visiting www.ourair.org/todays-air-quality or fire.airnow.gov.”

The Santa Ynez Valley Star will continue to update this story.

The post Lake Fire nears 27,000 acres; containment at 16 percent appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

Jen Curtis, a resident of Los Alamos, has had a heart for animals in need since childhood. As a child growing up in Maine, she said she used to pick up neighborhood cats that she thought were homeless and bring them home.

“So, when I brought the cats home, my mother would say that they probably had homes of their own and that I needed to find out where they lived,” said Curtis. “From childhood, I was always wanting to help sick cats in need. Turns out I’m allergic to cats, so I went without any animal in my life until a friend of mine gifted me with a dachshund named Greta.” 

In 2014, Curtis said she recognized the plight of homeless dogs in need of rescuing. So, she started fostering rescues. At first she focused on dachshunds and dachshund mixes.

“Shortly after bringing in a friend for Greta, I began fostering dachshunds who were looking for forever homes,” she said. “I began with dachshunds and it slowly developed into fostering all breeds of dogs.

“I fostered and then adopted Hudson who was going to be euthanized because he had kennel cough. Then I started doing more. I adopted a cocker spaniel who a delivery guy in Bakersfield had seen someone throw out of a truck and it just went on from there.” 

At present Curtis is an independent dog rescuer, but she is in the process of filing for a 501(c)3 nonprofit status. The name of her rescue will be LE WOOF, but for now she is doing this work as an independent dog lover. 

“The word got out that I am interested in rescuing dogs, so people started calling me about animals in trouble,” said Curtis. “My journey is to find every dog a forever home.”

A board member from the Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society and Dog Adoption Welfare Group (DAWG) asked Curtis to help with some fundraising and shortly after that, she was asked to join the Board of Directors and she said that she pretty much spearheaded fundraising for them.

“After two years of helping raise funds for the Humane Society I realized that I preferred to focus on things I could control and make a bigger impact,” she said.

When COVID hit, Curtis started doing more fostering and pulling dogs out of high-kill shelters in Los Angeles County and helping Santa Barbara County find homes for their dogs in need while at the same time continuing to foster. 

“I formed a relationship with a rescue group in Oregon who agreed to take 12-15 dogs a month from overcrowded shelters in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. On a monthly basis I have to raise $2,500 to pay for their transport to Oregon alone,” she explained. “Between pulling dogs for the Oregon transport, raising funds for their transport, pulling dogs that I foster myself along with finding them homes and networking with a team of fosters who help with this work, well, I have to say, it is more than a handful. I host fundraisers, GoFundMes, adoption events to get dogs adopted, and continue to pay for spay and neutering, vaccines, and medical care. I also drive to wherever a dog needs rescuing. This weekend I am off to Ventura to rescue a dog in need. This is a lot to handle on top of having a full-time job in software sales, but it’s worth it.”

Although Curtis began by focusing on a particular breed, she has widened here efforts considerably.

“Currently I focus on all dogs in need, not breed or age specific, but I have a soft spot for senior dogs and medical dogs including hospice dogs,” she said. “I have pulled a few end-of-life dogs from shelters and gave them love and medical support until they passed including my very social boy Ziggy who I had for 7 months before he passed away. 

“In my opinion, shelters are no place for a dog long-term, let alone for a senior dog. Currently we have small, medium, and large dogs of all ages available for adoption.”

Curtis said that shelters are overflowing with adoptable dogs, some of them even pure breed.

“People are dumping their dogs in record numbers in shelters, in deserts, in fields, wherever,” she said. “The number of homeless dogs is the worst it has ever been due to backyard breeders and not spaying or neutering animals or people who find their animals inconvenient and dump them because they don’t want them anymore.

“I will continue to do foster care and rescue and ask people to foster, raise money and find loving homes for as many of these deserving dogs that I can. The community of Los Alamos and the Valley and Santa Barbara County residences have been so supportive of the work I do along with help from friends, volunteers, and fosters. I am grateful to the businesses that have allowed me to host adoption events such as Forage Floral, Full of Life Flat Bread, The Well, Priedite Barbecue, and Bell’s, to name a few.”

Curtis is always looking for fosters, volunteers to walk dogs, weekend puppy or dog foster flings, puppy socializers and people willing to transport. 

“Fostering is easier than you think, long-term or short term,” she said. “Volunteering to walk a dog daily helps the primary caregiver take a break and is a big help or raising money to care for these animals; truly, every little bit helps. I know fostering can be a little heart-breaking when you have to say goodbye to an animal you’ve cared for, but you just have to overcome that feeling and be happy that this animal has found a new forever home and you’ve helped make that happen. I will have over 12 puppies available for adoption by the time this article goes to press, so, if you are looking for a puppy to adopt or want to foster one or more of them, give me a call.”

To enquire about helping in any way including fostering and volunteering, email beaheroforadog@gmail.com or call (781) 640-2926.

If you can’t adopt them by the bunch, how about taking this little fellow home.

The post Local woman has a huge heart for dogs in need appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Staff Report

The annual Los Alamos Town-Wide Rummage Sale returns on May 6, from from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The sale is coordinated by Cathy Christoferson and other volunteer members of the Los Alamos Valley Senior Center. The annual event is a way for the nonprofit to raise funds from the sale of donated items that go to benefit the programs, services, and social events the center offers to local seniors.

A list of garage sale addresses and a town map will be released soon. For more information or to sign-up, call Cathy Christoferson at (805) 344-1931 or (805) 878-7909.

The post Los Alamos to Hold Town-Wide Garage Sale appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Staff Report

A barbecue fundraiser has been scheduled for three families left homeless by a fire at Rancho Alamo Mobile Home Park in Los Alamos.

The fire broke out on Thursday, July 21, around 12:50 p.m. Two homes were completely destroyed and the third sustained 50 percent damage, making it unlivable. All the occupants were able to evacuate safely. 

A barbecue fundraiser featuring pork tacos, hamburgers and hot dogs will be held for all three families from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 31, at the Los Alamos Men’s Club, 429 Leslie St., in Los Alamos. Dinner is $20 for adults and $12 for children. All are welcome to attend.

To purchase tickets online, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/391221452897 or email ticketsforlosalamosfire22@gmail.com

Anyone wishing to donate money to help these families rebuild their lives can go to their Go Fund Me pages listed below.

Fundraiser for Kim #1 and #2: https://www.gofundme.com/f/f22dv-lost-everything-to-a-house-fire?utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

https://www.gofundme.com/f/home-of-30-plus-years-destoryed-in-house-fire?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

Fundraiser for Kris: 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/my-families-new-trailer-fund?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

Fundraiser for Laura: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ubwznt-lost-everything-due-to-house-fire?member=20825887&utm_campaign=p_cp%20share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

The post Fundraiser For Victims of Los Alamos Fire Scheduled for Sunday, July 31 appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

The recent passing of football icon John Madden impacts not only the National Football League but also on the Central Coast. Some may not realize Madden played offensive tackle at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and was the head football coach at Allan Hancock College for several years.

His wife Virgina (Fields) Madden is from Los Alamos and the couple were married in Santa Maria in 1959, according to their wedding announcement in the Santa Maria Times. 

Madden started as assistant coach at AHC during their 1960 football season. During that season, Hancock football had a perfect season and won the state title. He spent a total of four years at AHC before going to San Diego State as their defensive coordinator, and eventually onto the Oakland Raiders.

“Coach Madden was a very special part of Hancock football history which players and coaches remember fondly,” said AHC Athletic Director Kim Ensing. “Our hearts are heavy, and we express our sincere condolences to his family.”

Madden passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, Dec. 28, at the age of 85, according to the NFL. 

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a statement. 

Madden was head coach of the Oakland Raiders for 10 seasons and lead them to their first championship in Super Bowl XI. He was the youngest coach in NFL history to eclipse the 100-win mark when he achieved the feat at the age of 42, and Madden remains the winningest coach in Raiders history. He also holds the best winning percentage by an NFL head coach (minimum of 10 seasons) at .759, according to the NFL. 

After he retired from coaching in 1979, he spent another career as a broadcaster as his voice was equal to that of Vin Scully’s, synonymous with the game. He retired from broadcasting in 2009. 

Aside from coaching and broadcasting, Madden is also known in the gaming world for his Madden NFL video game series which started in 1988. Electronic Arts has sold more than 250 million copies of the Madden NFL series, according to the NFL. 

The post Legendary NFL coach and commentator had ties to SYV, Central Coast appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

It is an issue that will have health and safety consequences for our town, especially because of a one-lane section of Private Road to which the developer has been given access. With all the additional traffic generated by 12 homes, only six of which would have garages, P&D chose not to do a traffic study, and yet, they fault our more realistic estimates of traffic hazards because we did not perform a formal study.

Next, P&D found a way, on technical grounds, to keep our local Los Alamos Planning Advisory Committee from meeting on this issue. Until now, LAPAC had customarily met with townsfolk to vote on significant developments here.

Lastly, although not required to recuse on purely legal grounds, wouldn’t it have been morally and ethically preferable if two planning commissioners had done so, as one admitted to years of financial connections with the developer and the other told of having a house built by him?

Over 200 Los Alamos residents signed a petition to have Mr. Ruffino’s development reconsidered to make it safer. His agent, from TW Land Planning, disdained and dismissed our community’s concerns by saying that people usually sign petitions without understanding the issues. This lack of appreciation and respect for our town is, regrettably, typical also of the developer and of P&D.

Seth Steiner

Los Alamos

The post LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Is county fair and balanced? Definitely not appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

By Janene Scully

Noozhawk North County Editor

A proposal to divide a 1.5-acre parcel into four lots in Los Alamos drew support from the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission on Wednesday despite objections from neighbors.

Commissioners unanimously voted to deny an appeal of the zoning administrator’s approval and allow developer Stephan Ruffino to split the lot at 774 Main St.

“I haven’t seen anything really in the project that’s glaring other than it’s ultimately an improvement,” said chairman Larry Ferrini, who represents the Fourth District. “It helps the county accomplish more goals by getting needed housing. He’s not stuffing them in there. They’re large lot sizes. To me, it’s a great project.”

Commissioner Laura Bridley noted that the application involved a lot split, not a development plan, conditional use permit or one of the “bigger juicier cases that we normally wrestle with.”

“It’s a parcel map, and it’s here because it’s an appeal, so it’s an order of magnitude to keep in mind,” Bridley said.

Ruffino applied to divide the parcel into four lots ranging from 12,415 to 19,305 square feet, receiving approval from the zoning administrator for the split.

However, Seth Steiner and the Shaw Street Maintenance Association filed an appeal, citing a number of traffic and other concerns to send the project before the Planning Commission.

The proposed lot split would require use of what Steiner contends, and county counsel disagrees, is a private section of Shaw Street between Wickenden Street and Foxen Lane.

The possibility for as many as 11 new residences on the property — duplexes plus accessory dwelling units — sparked traffic volume and parking concerns on Shaw Street, which narrows and could cause a bottleneck, Steiner said.

“We’re neither against new development in Los Alamos nor are we opposed to affordable housing,” Steiner said. “However, our safety, our home values and our quality of life need to be respected by the county and not undermined.”

Ruffino has agreed to a condition that would require widening Shaw before any development occurs, county staff said.

His representative, Frances Romero, a planning consultant from TW Land Planning and Development, said Ruffino agreed to create an egress to Main Street for the new lots to reduce the traffic on Shaw.

“I’d like to emphasize that the project before you is a lot split,” Romero said. “We are moving lines on paper to create three additional parcels that are consistent with the existing zoning on the site and are actually larger than the minimum requirement of 10,000-square-foot lots.”

Commissioners briefly discussed delaying action to refer the topic to the Los Alamos Planning Committee, although there were questions about whether the LAPAC remained active and should have a role.

The Los Alamos community weighed in on the project earlier this year when Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann and planning staff hosted a virtual community meeting on the lot split. 

The Planning Commission’s denial can be appealed to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com.

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