Fostering mutual respect with nature is the answer to saving forests and even solving the climate crisis, according to forest ecologist Suzanne Simard. “It comes down to what we do with this concept of reciprocity,” said Simard, crediting the practice to long-lasting indigenous traditions. “This idea of being one with our land and being in kinship with the trees.” The 64-year-old spearheads a British Columbia-based forest restoration project and recently authored a book, “Finding the Mother Tree,” about forests forging communities of their own — both above and below the ground. “Every tr ..read more

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has awarded $200,000 to the Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SB ACT) to support the new downtown Daytime Navigation & Workforce Development Center for people experiencing homelessness. The grant was awarded at the Women’s Fund 20th Anniversary Celebration, May 7 at the Lobero Theatre. The Daytime Navigation & Workforce Development Center is set to open in June. (Courtesy photo) The center, at 621 Chapala St., is a partnership between the city of Santa Barbara and SB ACT. Center services will include housing navigation, healthcare, b ..read more

Tickets are still available for Basil’s Big Bash, ASAP Cats’ 10th anniversary fundraiser, 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 31 at the Carousel House on the west end of Chase Palm Park in Santa Barbara. Basil’s Big Bash is one of the group’s main sources of funding, bringing in about 20% of ASAP’s annual fundraising income. Ticket purchases go to saving the lives of cats in Santa Barbara County, and help ASAP continue fighting for the welfare of cats everywhere, the group said. For tickets, click here. In addition to dinner and dancing, the Bash will feature both a silent and live auction, offering everyth ..read more

Woods Humane Society is encouraging Central Coast families to “Go Big” with an adoption special that reduces adoption fees for large dogs to $50 (plus license fees). The special runs Friday, May 10 through Sunday, May 19. The promotion applies to dogs weighing 50 pounds or more, and discounts the shelter’s dog adoption fees by as much as 50 percent. Adoption fees typically range from $100-$200. “Shelters across the country are seeing a disproportionately high prevalence of large-breed dogs in need of homes,” said Woods CEO Emily L’Heureux. “At Woods, we have a number of big dogs that have bee ..read more

The Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Women’s Economic Ventures of Santa Barbara (WEV), will host a free Financial Empowerment Class, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, June 1 at Dick DeWees Community & Senior Center, 1120 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc. The class aims to help individuals take control of their personal finances, understand their “money mindset,” and create new financial habits to increase financial confidence and resilience. Attendees will have an opportunity to establish financial goals, learn how to create a budget, pay down debt, manage money effectively, and achiev ..read more

As a New Orleanian, photographer Nell Campbell was well acquainted in the world of Mardi Gras and community celebrations, but when she witnessed the Summer Solstice Celebration in Santa Barbara for the first time, she had never seen anything like it. “It was just the time, it was the mid-70s. (The parade) was really unusual, there was nothing like it,” Campbell said.   Since her discovery of the celebration in 1977, Campbell has photographed almost every Solstice parade.  On Thursday, the Santa Barbara Historical Museum opened its new exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of ..read more

Dear Annie: I am also a parent of a child who lost his battle with addiction in 2022. There are so many of us with difficult stories to share. My son found alcohol and drugs at 15 and battled those demons until his death at the age of 30. I have come to know that there are some types of brains that truly do not know how to turn off that switch. We did all we could do as a family, and as a mother, I was taken into a series of events that I was neither prepared for nor able to combat effectively. I have come to view those years with my son as a time where I examined the fragility of life and the ..read more

Santa Barbara Community Rowing turned in an impressive performance at the Southwest Youth Regionals last weekend in Gold River, CA. Junior racing team members Jacie Dingman, 14, and Elsa Loya, 15, punched their tickets to the USRowing Youth National Championships June 6-9 in Sarasota, FL. They will compete in the U17 double. “I’m incredibly proud of our small group for putting in the work these past eight months,” head coach Grace Barbara said. “These kids are rockstars and their gold medals are proof of their work ethic and patience. It’s easy to think these are individual efforts, but it’s ..read more

May 23, 2024 will mark a significant milestone as Girsh Park proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary. Opened to the public in May 1999, Girsh Park embarked on a revolutionary journey being owned and operated by a private, non-profit foundation, challenging the traditional norms of public park ownership and management. In the face of skepticism, The Foundation for Girsh Park dared to break the mold and crafted a unique business model that has since become a beacon of success. Over the past 25 years, Girsh Park has exceeded the expectations envisioned in 1999 and has emerged as a cornerstone of ..read more

Born on Sept. 14, 1879, in Corning, New York, Sanger dedicated her life to advocating for women’s autonomy over their bodies, challenging societal taboos and revolutionizing access to reproductive health services. Early Life and Career Growing up in a working-class Irish Catholic family, Sanger witnessed firsthand the struggles of women in impoverished communities, particularly the health risks associated with multiple pregnancies and unsafe abortions. She was born sixth of 11 children and her mother also had seven miscarriages. She attended Claverack College in New York where she became inte ..read more