Your stated intent admirable, your article enlightening! Common sense escapes CA, and other blue states. Yes, SBPL needs to mirror the IMLS by eliminating jobs like such as the two local high paying ones that proved unnecessary during the two extensive paid leaves. Curiosity remains regarding the $500K NDA payoff to silence.
How I wish all South County secondary, and specific SBUSD school libraries remained open to 6p to give all children a quiet place to read, do homework, and receive adult assistance. Too many SBUSD students — especially at Cleveland, Franklin, Harding, McKinley Elementary Schools — must remain on campus to 5;30-6. They sit in the auditorium/ multipurpose room.
Too many live in crowded conditions (5-6 persons in 450 sf) where it’s impossible to study. I visit some homes. To read, some wear headlights in a dark crowded living room with 3-4 stacked bunk beds while the TV or music plays. Forget a desk to do math. The only small meal table doubles as the pantry stacked high with cases of canned food and water. No one complains, it’s simply reality reminding me again of the purpose and need for libraries.
There’s criticism of dismal student proficiency while we deprive too many students of access to their neighborhood school library. Why?
Prior to school libraries, how many of us grew up with two working parents who instructed us to walk to the nearby public library after school? Libraries, books became part of our daily routine. We were expected to read. Locally, students attending high proficiency K-6 schools are required to learn 15 new vocabulary words a week, and read 20-30 minutes a day with signed parent weekly confirmation. (Reminds me of the Readers Digest increase your word power quiz; then reading a few articles.)
Sadly, too many local school library doors are locked by 2:30-3p and all day Saturday. Let’s help youth make libraries a habit again!
The larger questions is what parts of our local economy support and perhaps even require the family living conditions for their employees that you just described.
We need more information about this "underground" economy and its full costs to the community at large - tangible and intangible. This does not sound like "the better life" those who come across our borders intending to have for their children.
Who and what economic sectors in fact are directly benefiting by turning a blind eye to what is really going on locally?
Agree JL: more factual info is needed. Local economy ground level, cash earners (which could be as high as 40%), SBUSD elementary schools, and on crowded family conditions.
As I posted, not one family I know has ever complained but rather are grateful for shelter (some Section 8) as they work in hospitality, restaurant, caregiving, cleaning and other jobs. $61,000/year isn’t adequate but somehow families manage, satisfied to have plumbing, a roof and floor. Safety net social programs are many except in public elementary specifically for academic instruction — rather than having one FT school employee advise parents on where to access free taxpaid benefits.
Schools represent opportunity to under-academically prepared parents for their children, who they’re unable — not unwilling — to assist academically. That’s where libraries with adult volunteers come in!
As a sidebar: Thursday night, a bag with a decipherable note was left on my front door: ‘😢 we miss u. Mad(e) tamalis to tank u for help.’ Their son in AVID, aspiring to be a draftsman rather than manual labor like his parents. Interest, time, gifts of books, headlights make a difference.
This family is one I met when we held a 6-week course 2-nights a week, at our neighborhood school on ‘How To Be An American Parent: What’s Expected’. About 36 parents enrolled and from the graduation photo, 33 parents graduated with a certificate. Several remain in contact after 6 years.
If we don’t inform newcomers from elsewhere, how do they even know what “proficiency” is? Parents can observe (as my 2nd grade educated mother did) but need others to guide them. PTAs of decades past served a purpose. In our demographically educated town, local PTAs have been headed by students or teachers due to no willing parent leadership.
Reality is what it is: economics, housing, weather… while opportunities for young kids matter. Why do we wait to ‘Promise’ at SBCC AFTER high school?
Should these business models require unlimited tax payer support and housing demands for ......" hospitality, restaurant, caregiving, cleaning and other jobs." ......
Whatever happened to Santa Barbara's Measure E from the 1980s' that required a jobs-housing balance, before there was any more business expansion?
When local taxpayers are required to provide "affordable housing" do these groups get first picks, or do they go to some other employee groups? Who exactly is "affordable housing" supporting. The employee or the employer.
What is the breakdown of benefited businesses. How many are in fact government employees who now get an inside tract on "affordable housing" too.
SBCC Adult Ed once offered how to help your child in school classes. TheSBCC Parent-Child Workshop model needs to be expanded into new neighborhoods as well for early child development and a shared parenting model.
These classes should also include how to help your child pack a nutritious lunch - parents need to recapture their role creating family meals, which is one more area now taken over by "the government". All within the understood constraints of time and money that you describe. Taxing the $60 billion dollars in annual remittences can be put to much better use here, rather than leaving the US economy.
Teaching food prep and making good nutritional choices, starting early, is a life time win-win. One more cradle to gave government takeover.
Excellent Brent, don't listen to the comments that say you should have gotten to the point faster. Your point was beautifully made, and made much more eloquently because you didn't scold the reader.
I personally had a great relationship with the downtown public library when I was a teen. You could take out recordings of music and magazines that had articles about people and things you were interested in.
But I stopped in my twenties. So your column resonated with me as well.
Thank you for relaying your personal journey and why we all need to protect our libraries from this kind of grift.
My favorite find at the SB downtown State Street library was an old book on the Lizzie Borden axe murders in Fall River, MA. It was actually for sale, and I purchased it. What would you rather read, an old book written around the time of the axe murders or a recent version of the axe murders? I'll take the old book's version.
I read this most EXCELLENT Article titled "Wake Up and Read" by Brent E. Zepke, Esq.
BANG, BANG and Triple BANG!!!!!
I have a Supporting Title Just HOW MANY NDA'S did the SB So-Called Leaders
MANUFACTURE TO SILENCE THEIR GOOD EMPLOYEES?" I quote Mr. Zepke >>
"In March 2025, it was reported that someone had approved paying $500,000 of taxpayers’ money under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to Ms. Cadiente so she would go away: why?"
AND >>>
"The only possible reason was to prevent the disclosure of the malfeasance of someone who had the authority to approve the NDA."
So as Mr. Zepke has got the CONNECTION with NDA's & SB So-Called Leaders Concealments
so let's take a walk down the SB Corruption & Concealment Road Shall-We-All ..............
Any NDA's Manufactured by SB County Attorneys for these SB County Departments???
1. Dept of Social Services - Who Exactly Signed the NDA?
2. Dept of Public Health - Who Exactly Signed the NDA?
3. Any Other SB County of City Depts Employees Sign Any NDA's???
4. Just How Many NDAs have been signed to Conceal & Silence SB County & City Employees?
An NDA signed that Conceals Criminal Activity like FRAUD, EMBEZZLEMENT and Civil Rights
Violations is NON-BINDING, PERIOD & FULL-STOP!!!
ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY & CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN OUR LIL OLE BEACH TOWN?
Howard Walther, Member of a Military Family
PS1 - One of the most heinous crimes is the Sexual Abuse of Children & Elders so
is there ANY CONCEALMENT OF THESE CRIMES IN SB, BY THE COUNTY OF SB?
The Answer is there already has been MAJOR CONCEALMENT OF SEXUAL ABUSE COMMON>
Found this included issues of social pressures for publication and "fact(?)"......
Just over 20 years ago "pronouns" and such were creeping into the Am. College of Sports Medicine in presentation papers and poster presentations. When comments were made that this was not a scientific presentation but a feel good social comment by those who did not care about truth. The hammer came down. Is this what has been happening with the City of Santa Barbara Library?
It is clear public works projects have ignored what works for jobs and vitality? Who does this? The anti car and anti mechanization of society in favor of going back to "Lake Woe Begone."
"The only possible reason was to prevent the disclosure of the malfeasance of someone who had the authority to approve the NDA." Uhhh, do you suppose this is why reality of Decades of Failure in Vision Zero (a zero vision of roads), Street Bulbouts failures, and of course the multi decades failure of programs like safe routes to school forget hard stats published in buried government reports that NDA makes sure are hidden.
Read a book? Oh my gosh you might be faced with the truth! Truth, like XX & XY are the reality of definition and the rest are dysfunction.
After Mrs. Martin taught us to read in the second grade (phonics?), the next event was a trip to the local library, which was a mile walk away from our home. The librarian took the time to personally introduce this young new reader to what the library could offer from the children's section.
I still have a vivid memory of that event as a new initiate to the world of reading. She handed me my first library book "Freddy, the Talking Pig" which I loved - Farmer Bean had a curious collection of talking animals. Because this book was part of a series, she hooked me into coming back for more. For that I remain eternally grateful. And that is how my own love affair with reading began. Later it was a trip down the street to the neighbor who had the complete set of Oz books, and again one book led to the next until the cloud cover was drawn over Land of Oz and it was no more.
A few years ago I returned to my hometown library, which had grown into a very modern and well used complex, from the converted down town few room affair when I was a child. Out of curiosity I went to the children's section to see if Freddy the Pig books were still on the shelves. Amazingly I picked up a copy of that first book which that still had the checkout date stamp page pasted on the back cover. There it was, the early dates of my own first Freddy the Pig checkouts still in place.
The OZ books !! I was taught to read with them. A neighbor had a dozen heavily illustrated small versions as well as the full volumes, and I am still influenced in my thinking by the moral code they taught. Surely my choice to make a living as an artist was grounded in my enthusiasm for those books as well. I wanted to grow up to BE the Patchwork Girl of OZ.
Libraries saved my life as a child. There were 3 "Reader's Digest condensed books" volumes in my home, that was the extent of the library shelf. And a TV that was always on. But every Thursday I was allowed to go to the local library and check out books. The world opened to me.
But here in Santa Barbara it has been decades since I went regularly to the downtown library, since it began to reek of the bums sleeping in the chairs, surrounded by their piles of belongings. Since using the bathroom risked seeing disrobed members of the Great Unwashed attempting to rectify their state in the sink.
The people in charge of the SB Library cancelled the participation in the Black Gold System that allows free audio book downloads, right about the same time they provided a "Library of Things" where you could check out a hammer. Gimme a break. Locals wanting audio book access can instead get a card at the Goleta library, a wonderful service they still offer. Kanopy is also a library service that gives you credits for free movies online, so many wonderful classics that far surpass the sociopaths, psychopaths, murders and dread offered on Netflix.
Oh, and the highly praised new courtyard at the downtown branch? Can it really be true there is no seating? On the theory that if you give them a place to congregate the bums will come? Rather like they used to at the Big Fig which is now fenced off to the disappointment of tourists. So, what could have been a welcoming place for downtown workers to meet up and chat, or library patrons to relax in our lovely outdoor climate... like the bulb-outs and street blocking, you just have to wonder who makes these decisions that so negatively effect the quality of life for citizens who pay for things not in their best interests.
We live in a Shangri-La, and yet for whatever reason the Government is not rational. Anyone who pays attention has to be continually baffled by the decisions made by elected officials who do not represent the best interests of the public. Having children have safe quiet places to read, and adults to assist them, could go a long way toward promoting their success in life.
Pat, please forward your posted comment via email to every Santa Barbara City Council Rep: all registered Dems but Mayor Randy Rowse a No-Party-Preference. Rose is the only one elected by all City voters, and is the one who is out voted.
Your post is impactful. I question whether Michael Towbes or his staunch childhood lifelong friend, UCLA dorm mate, and Library advocate Eli Luria would agree to no outside seating at our public library. Knowing exceptional Eli very well for decades, I can see him nodding from above wondering ‘What were they thinking?’ He and his sister Ruth told me many times the importance of their library when growing up in D.C. “I wanted a doll but we went to the library to prepare for our futures.” Raised without money doesn’t limit opportunities when there are libraries, as you point out Pat.
Donor Eli spared no expense building the SBCC Luria Library, talking to hundreds of students, staff, faculty and community members during the planning stages of West Campus, and asking during construction if we forgot anything. The then SBCC Trustees were dedicated, researching, asking questions to ultimately include state of the art technology for student learning. Those were the days when we had visionaries, leadership, and pride in our schools, libraries, museums and public spaces.
Concurrently, at the SBUSD elementary level then Supt Mike Caston and Debbie Flores had common sense, understood local realities, and prioritized essential instruction.
Don’t look back, look forward knowing our history and present reality. Much needs fixing!
Congressional intent changes when congresses change.
I find this interesting in how you painted a picture of your usage of the library lacking until you became much older and want others to not follow in your footsteps, yet found a way to throw politics in it. Why did you feel compelled to include that? Why not just say, "It took me X years to realize the value of libraries, do not be like me."
Why DB? By sharing his path, the author gave his reader insights into how the discovery and significance of libraries differ for different people. While I was told/ forced to go daily to the public library after school rather than be home alone, the author became highly educated without library exposure during his youth. Reminded me of a UG student led tour of Brown University: “Donated by John D Rockefeller we call the library ‘The John’, but it’s not the one we go to.” Neighborhood libraries matter to the poor and working class.
The reasons can be many why someone is both placed on administrative leave and also receives a sizable buy-out compensation.
Not necessarily nefarious, but lack of confidence in leadership or management style, staff rebellions, turf war conflicts with other branch libraries, and/or declining performance benchmarks set by library oversight board. The public is unlikely to know, since these matters are kept confidential by legal privacy requirements
Early terminations of contract, without cause, may require buying out the rest of the contract. Personnel matters for government employees, and the library is a government entity, are thus riddled with as many regulations and job protection provisions as the school systems who also find it is never easy to terminate employment contracts.
A library is a book museum. Its mission to educate and to provide the public with useful information has been usurped by the internet. I state the obvious
Local churches at one time offered "study halls" with member volunteers for after school use. Win-win. They had the unused weekday spaces and talented members with free time, so it was an excellent volunteer community engagement.
Keeping school libraries open after hours is a very expensive proposition, since it requires the presence of a fully credentialed librarian under the Education Code -not just "hall monitors".
JL: Why not cut excessive SBUSD admin staff and $1.3B County Ofc of Ed highly paid ‘educators who are kicked up stairs’ to do nothing, to instead pay for fully credentialed librarians? There’s plenty of money locally! It’s how it’s allocated by school trustees who don’t seem interested in students beyond revenues they provide to the union machine of cronies.
I still contend the numbers of "administrators" is in direct proportion to the numbers of volumes of the Calif Education Code. And the size of the local union war chests, who will immediately sue districts over any and all Calif Ed Code infractions or deviations.
All of which are set out the California Education Code, written by the very same union-supported legislators. Does that meet the definition of a self-licking ice cream cone?
But that is opinion only. If would be interesting to see if this opinion, does sounds in fact. But I recoil whenever I hear constant turf wars between teachers unions and the "administrators", since they are both mutually dependent upon each other. The darker side of the current educational industrial complex.
I have an observation. trump is very, very insecure. You see it and hear it constantly when any of the trump loyalist staffers are asked simple questions. Whatever the question is, the speaker always starts out with a butt kissing, fawning, ego stroking comment about trump. In fact, during a cabinet meeting they went around the table, one by one spewing embarrassing, nauseating drivel. They all do it from the press secretary to his department appointed officials. One day they will see how they demeaned themselves, they sound like Manson cult members, like they think he walks on water, turns water into wine, raises the dead. this is an obscene form of idolatry. They overlook all his bad decisions and mistakes and try to spin the story.
They even have their own “reporters” mixed in with real journalists. Like Brian Glenn, or the ex UFC woman boxer. These fake reporters are thrown in there with pre arranged questions, like Glenn’s comments about Zelenskys suit. Where was he for Kid Rock’s rodeo costume? The ex-boxer, who is part of trumps propaganda network, who asked the press secretary “what did trump do to look so healthy”, the day of his physical exam.
Also didn’t Kid Rock’s mom teach him you don’t wear a hat to the dinner table. This is from a picture taken for dinner with trump, Bill Mahar, Kid Rock, and a couple of other people when they had dinner. Bill Maher stated that Trump had been gracious and measured the whole time. That he wasn’t the man everybody sees on TV, ranting and raving and rambling on about showerheads. This just means trumps a good actor, he’s done it once before when he was roasted.
You can attempt to persecute Trump, but I'm going to wait and see the results of his Presidency. I live in a world where it takes time to produce something, there's no such thing as instant gratification as you seek. Hey, you capitalized the letter "T" in Trump, Julia! You're slipping up <g>.
You must be thinking of trump. He’s the one that’s after instant gratification, saying we need to manufacture when it would take years to build those plants. Thanks I do try to go back and make sure there’s no capital t‘s anywhere but I slipped on that one as you say.
Where there is a demand for something, someone will supply. Even if it requires purchasing Chinese equipment. It's the American way to take something like a sheet of metal and stamp it into something of value. Or pour hot iron and make engine blocks. It has happened before and will happen again. bill russell
Sorry to hear you discovered the joy and significance of libraries late in life. Growing up in Lompoc where both of my parents worked to provide us with food and shelter, but not with a lot of books or a television, my brothers and I spent hours in the old "Carnegie Library" on H Street, devouring the books. All that time spent reading increased my vocabulary, grammar, and spelling skills, along with whatever else the books were "teaching" me. We even read the encyclopedias! Even as a child I was never forced to read a book in the library that I had not selected myself. Reading all those books prepared me for the whitewashed, watered-down "history" I was being "taught" in my approved classroom textbooks! I challenged glaring omissions in class with questions as to why a person or event was not included in the "approved text." Contrarily, why were some events "lifted up" as being significant, whereas other, even more significant, events were ignored or downplayed. The author concludes with... "Wake Up and Read." I couldnot agree more! Once a person "wakes up" that person is WOKE.
In the past, libraries have always interested me for performing research on a variety of subjects. If something strikes my interest, I'm headed to a library. My interests are vast which leads me to a new area of a library. I'm one that can spend a lot of time at the copier. I will hoard information, gathering up as much as possible on a subject. I probably take this seeking out information thing from my dad. My dad was more informative about diabetes than most doctors, stated by his doctor in the 1950's. My dad spent time in the Boston libraries doing his own research. Libraries can turn you into an expert on any subject. Another fun thing about libraries is to just go with nothing in mind to research.
Speaking of diabetes and diverse specialties, a brilliant Raytheon circuit design engineer named Nicholas J. Krilanovich authored and published a book on children's diabetes. He was concerned with kids not eating proper foods. I kept tabs on retired Nick over the years and I'd find him online making corrections to medical journals with regards to various subjects. Nick also had a degree in Chemistry and is now 102 years old living in Mt. Vernon, WA. Nick designed a unit called an Instantaneous Frequency Measurement (IFM) Unit at Raytheon; this hardware measured Gigahertz radar signal frequencies from incoming missiles to aid in transmitting electronic countermeasures. I marveled at his designs. Electronic countermeasures processing time was less than a microsecond to detect and then transmit a countermeasure. Tricky stuff.
Your stated intent admirable, your article enlightening! Common sense escapes CA, and other blue states. Yes, SBPL needs to mirror the IMLS by eliminating jobs like such as the two local high paying ones that proved unnecessary during the two extensive paid leaves. Curiosity remains regarding the $500K NDA payoff to silence.
How I wish all South County secondary, and specific SBUSD school libraries remained open to 6p to give all children a quiet place to read, do homework, and receive adult assistance. Too many SBUSD students — especially at Cleveland, Franklin, Harding, McKinley Elementary Schools — must remain on campus to 5;30-6. They sit in the auditorium/ multipurpose room.
Too many live in crowded conditions (5-6 persons in 450 sf) where it’s impossible to study. I visit some homes. To read, some wear headlights in a dark crowded living room with 3-4 stacked bunk beds while the TV or music plays. Forget a desk to do math. The only small meal table doubles as the pantry stacked high with cases of canned food and water. No one complains, it’s simply reality reminding me again of the purpose and need for libraries.
There’s criticism of dismal student proficiency while we deprive too many students of access to their neighborhood school library. Why?
Prior to school libraries, how many of us grew up with two working parents who instructed us to walk to the nearby public library after school? Libraries, books became part of our daily routine. We were expected to read. Locally, students attending high proficiency K-6 schools are required to learn 15 new vocabulary words a week, and read 20-30 minutes a day with signed parent weekly confirmation. (Reminds me of the Readers Digest increase your word power quiz; then reading a few articles.)
Sadly, too many local school library doors are locked by 2:30-3p and all day Saturday. Let’s help youth make libraries a habit again!
The larger questions is what parts of our local economy support and perhaps even require the family living conditions for their employees that you just described.
We need more information about this "underground" economy and its full costs to the community at large - tangible and intangible. This does not sound like "the better life" those who come across our borders intending to have for their children.
Who and what economic sectors in fact are directly benefiting by turning a blind eye to what is really going on locally?
Agree JL: more factual info is needed. Local economy ground level, cash earners (which could be as high as 40%), SBUSD elementary schools, and on crowded family conditions.
As I posted, not one family I know has ever complained but rather are grateful for shelter (some Section 8) as they work in hospitality, restaurant, caregiving, cleaning and other jobs. $61,000/year isn’t adequate but somehow families manage, satisfied to have plumbing, a roof and floor. Safety net social programs are many except in public elementary specifically for academic instruction — rather than having one FT school employee advise parents on where to access free taxpaid benefits.
Schools represent opportunity to under-academically prepared parents for their children, who they’re unable — not unwilling — to assist academically. That’s where libraries with adult volunteers come in!
As a sidebar: Thursday night, a bag with a decipherable note was left on my front door: ‘😢 we miss u. Mad(e) tamalis to tank u for help.’ Their son in AVID, aspiring to be a draftsman rather than manual labor like his parents. Interest, time, gifts of books, headlights make a difference.
This family is one I met when we held a 6-week course 2-nights a week, at our neighborhood school on ‘How To Be An American Parent: What’s Expected’. About 36 parents enrolled and from the graduation photo, 33 parents graduated with a certificate. Several remain in contact after 6 years.
If we don’t inform newcomers from elsewhere, how do they even know what “proficiency” is? Parents can observe (as my 2nd grade educated mother did) but need others to guide them. PTAs of decades past served a purpose. In our demographically educated town, local PTAs have been headed by students or teachers due to no willing parent leadership.
Reality is what it is: economics, housing, weather… while opportunities for young kids matter. Why do we wait to ‘Promise’ at SBCC AFTER high school?
Should these business models require unlimited tax payer support and housing demands for ......" hospitality, restaurant, caregiving, cleaning and other jobs." ......
Whatever happened to Santa Barbara's Measure E from the 1980s' that required a jobs-housing balance, before there was any more business expansion?
When local taxpayers are required to provide "affordable housing" do these groups get first picks, or do they go to some other employee groups? Who exactly is "affordable housing" supporting. The employee or the employer.
What is the breakdown of benefited businesses. How many are in fact government employees who now get an inside tract on "affordable housing" too.
SBCC Adult Ed once offered how to help your child in school classes. TheSBCC Parent-Child Workshop model needs to be expanded into new neighborhoods as well for early child development and a shared parenting model.
These classes should also include how to help your child pack a nutritious lunch - parents need to recapture their role creating family meals, which is one more area now taken over by "the government". All within the understood constraints of time and money that you describe. Taxing the $60 billion dollars in annual remittences can be put to much better use here, rather than leaving the US economy.
Teaching food prep and making good nutritional choices, starting early, is a life time win-win. One more cradle to gave government takeover.
Personal responsibility, personal integrity is missing from the values of too many citizens.
Excellent Brent, don't listen to the comments that say you should have gotten to the point faster. Your point was beautifully made, and made much more eloquently because you didn't scold the reader.
I personally had a great relationship with the downtown public library when I was a teen. You could take out recordings of music and magazines that had articles about people and things you were interested in.
But I stopped in my twenties. So your column resonated with me as well.
Thank you for relaying your personal journey and why we all need to protect our libraries from this kind of grift.
My favorite find at the SB downtown State Street library was an old book on the Lizzie Borden axe murders in Fall River, MA. It was actually for sale, and I purchased it. What would you rather read, an old book written around the time of the axe murders or a recent version of the axe murders? I'll take the old book's version.
Agree!
I read this most EXCELLENT Article titled "Wake Up and Read" by Brent E. Zepke, Esq.
BANG, BANG and Triple BANG!!!!!
I have a Supporting Title Just HOW MANY NDA'S did the SB So-Called Leaders
MANUFACTURE TO SILENCE THEIR GOOD EMPLOYEES?" I quote Mr. Zepke >>
"In March 2025, it was reported that someone had approved paying $500,000 of taxpayers’ money under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to Ms. Cadiente so she would go away: why?"
AND >>>
"The only possible reason was to prevent the disclosure of the malfeasance of someone who had the authority to approve the NDA."
So as Mr. Zepke has got the CONNECTION with NDA's & SB So-Called Leaders Concealments
so let's take a walk down the SB Corruption & Concealment Road Shall-We-All ..............
Any NDA's Manufactured by SB County Attorneys for these SB County Departments???
1. Dept of Social Services - Who Exactly Signed the NDA?
2. Dept of Public Health - Who Exactly Signed the NDA?
3. Any Other SB County of City Depts Employees Sign Any NDA's???
4. Just How Many NDAs have been signed to Conceal & Silence SB County & City Employees?
An NDA signed that Conceals Criminal Activity like FRAUD, EMBEZZLEMENT and Civil Rights
Violations is NON-BINDING, PERIOD & FULL-STOP!!!
ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY & CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN OUR LIL OLE BEACH TOWN?
Howard Walther, Member of a Military Family
PS1 - One of the most heinous crimes is the Sexual Abuse of Children & Elders so
is there ANY CONCEALMENT OF THESE CRIMES IN SB, BY THE COUNTY OF SB?
The Answer is there already has been MAJOR CONCEALMENT OF SEXUAL ABUSE COMMON>
https://x.com/ShadowofEzra/status/1910758258127880635
https://x.com/Mofobian/status/1910777474742444093
https://x.com/ShadowofEzra/status/1910872154905649382
PS2 - Any SB City or County NDA Signer "FLIPPED" MAY WE ALL ASK? Weblink on FLIPPING>
CAN YOU TRUST A FRAUD-FLIPPER????? ONCE A LIAR ALWAYS A LIAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/how-president-trumps-comments-flipping-witnesses-undermine-law-enforcement
Oh! what a tangled web we weave
When first we practise to deceive!
Found this included issues of social pressures for publication and "fact(?)"......
Just over 20 years ago "pronouns" and such were creeping into the Am. College of Sports Medicine in presentation papers and poster presentations. When comments were made that this was not a scientific presentation but a feel good social comment by those who did not care about truth. The hammer came down. Is this what has been happening with the City of Santa Barbara Library?
It is clear public works projects have ignored what works for jobs and vitality? Who does this? The anti car and anti mechanization of society in favor of going back to "Lake Woe Begone."
"The only possible reason was to prevent the disclosure of the malfeasance of someone who had the authority to approve the NDA." Uhhh, do you suppose this is why reality of Decades of Failure in Vision Zero (a zero vision of roads), Street Bulbouts failures, and of course the multi decades failure of programs like safe routes to school forget hard stats published in buried government reports that NDA makes sure are hidden.
Read a book? Oh my gosh you might be faced with the truth! Truth, like XX & XY are the reality of definition and the rest are dysfunction.
Read a book? It is good for you.
Thanks for this.
After Mrs. Martin taught us to read in the second grade (phonics?), the next event was a trip to the local library, which was a mile walk away from our home. The librarian took the time to personally introduce this young new reader to what the library could offer from the children's section.
I still have a vivid memory of that event as a new initiate to the world of reading. She handed me my first library book "Freddy, the Talking Pig" which I loved - Farmer Bean had a curious collection of talking animals. Because this book was part of a series, she hooked me into coming back for more. For that I remain eternally grateful. And that is how my own love affair with reading began. Later it was a trip down the street to the neighbor who had the complete set of Oz books, and again one book led to the next until the cloud cover was drawn over Land of Oz and it was no more.
A few years ago I returned to my hometown library, which had grown into a very modern and well used complex, from the converted down town few room affair when I was a child. Out of curiosity I went to the children's section to see if Freddy the Pig books were still on the shelves. Amazingly I picked up a copy of that first book which that still had the checkout date stamp page pasted on the back cover. There it was, the early dates of my own first Freddy the Pig checkouts still in place.
The OZ books !! I was taught to read with them. A neighbor had a dozen heavily illustrated small versions as well as the full volumes, and I am still influenced in my thinking by the moral code they taught. Surely my choice to make a living as an artist was grounded in my enthusiasm for those books as well. I wanted to grow up to BE the Patchwork Girl of OZ.
Libraries saved my life as a child. There were 3 "Reader's Digest condensed books" volumes in my home, that was the extent of the library shelf. And a TV that was always on. But every Thursday I was allowed to go to the local library and check out books. The world opened to me.
But here in Santa Barbara it has been decades since I went regularly to the downtown library, since it began to reek of the bums sleeping in the chairs, surrounded by their piles of belongings. Since using the bathroom risked seeing disrobed members of the Great Unwashed attempting to rectify their state in the sink.
The people in charge of the SB Library cancelled the participation in the Black Gold System that allows free audio book downloads, right about the same time they provided a "Library of Things" where you could check out a hammer. Gimme a break. Locals wanting audio book access can instead get a card at the Goleta library, a wonderful service they still offer. Kanopy is also a library service that gives you credits for free movies online, so many wonderful classics that far surpass the sociopaths, psychopaths, murders and dread offered on Netflix.
Oh, and the highly praised new courtyard at the downtown branch? Can it really be true there is no seating? On the theory that if you give them a place to congregate the bums will come? Rather like they used to at the Big Fig which is now fenced off to the disappointment of tourists. So, what could have been a welcoming place for downtown workers to meet up and chat, or library patrons to relax in our lovely outdoor climate... like the bulb-outs and street blocking, you just have to wonder who makes these decisions that so negatively effect the quality of life for citizens who pay for things not in their best interests.
We live in a Shangri-La, and yet for whatever reason the Government is not rational. Anyone who pays attention has to be continually baffled by the decisions made by elected officials who do not represent the best interests of the public. Having children have safe quiet places to read, and adults to assist them, could go a long way toward promoting their success in life.
Pat, please forward your posted comment via email to every Santa Barbara City Council Rep: all registered Dems but Mayor Randy Rowse a No-Party-Preference. Rose is the only one elected by all City voters, and is the one who is out voted.
Your post is impactful. I question whether Michael Towbes or his staunch childhood lifelong friend, UCLA dorm mate, and Library advocate Eli Luria would agree to no outside seating at our public library. Knowing exceptional Eli very well for decades, I can see him nodding from above wondering ‘What were they thinking?’ He and his sister Ruth told me many times the importance of their library when growing up in D.C. “I wanted a doll but we went to the library to prepare for our futures.” Raised without money doesn’t limit opportunities when there are libraries, as you point out Pat.
Donor Eli spared no expense building the SBCC Luria Library, talking to hundreds of students, staff, faculty and community members during the planning stages of West Campus, and asking during construction if we forgot anything. The then SBCC Trustees were dedicated, researching, asking questions to ultimately include state of the art technology for student learning. Those were the days when we had visionaries, leadership, and pride in our schools, libraries, museums and public spaces.
Concurrently, at the SBUSD elementary level then Supt Mike Caston and Debbie Flores had common sense, understood local realities, and prioritized essential instruction.
Don’t look back, look forward knowing our history and present reality. Much needs fixing!
Congressional intent changes when congresses change.
I find this interesting in how you painted a picture of your usage of the library lacking until you became much older and want others to not follow in your footsteps, yet found a way to throw politics in it. Why did you feel compelled to include that? Why not just say, "It took me X years to realize the value of libraries, do not be like me."
Why DB? By sharing his path, the author gave his reader insights into how the discovery and significance of libraries differ for different people. While I was told/ forced to go daily to the public library after school rather than be home alone, the author became highly educated without library exposure during his youth. Reminded me of a UG student led tour of Brown University: “Donated by John D Rockefeller we call the library ‘The John’, but it’s not the one we go to.” Neighborhood libraries matter to the poor and working class.
Yes David I would wish that the article GOT TO THE POINT SO I DID
But Mr. Zepke finally GOT TO THE POINT>>
Read my Post Above about NDA's used to Conceal ...........
The reasons can be many why someone is both placed on administrative leave and also receives a sizable buy-out compensation.
Not necessarily nefarious, but lack of confidence in leadership or management style, staff rebellions, turf war conflicts with other branch libraries, and/or declining performance benchmarks set by library oversight board. The public is unlikely to know, since these matters are kept confidential by legal privacy requirements
Early terminations of contract, without cause, may require buying out the rest of the contract. Personnel matters for government employees, and the library is a government entity, are thus riddled with as many regulations and job protection provisions as the school systems who also find it is never easy to terminate employment contracts.
A library is a book museum. Its mission to educate and to provide the public with useful information has been usurped by the internet. I state the obvious
Local churches at one time offered "study halls" with member volunteers for after school use. Win-win. They had the unused weekday spaces and talented members with free time, so it was an excellent volunteer community engagement.
Keeping school libraries open after hours is a very expensive proposition, since it requires the presence of a fully credentialed librarian under the Education Code -not just "hall monitors".
JL: Why not cut excessive SBUSD admin staff and $1.3B County Ofc of Ed highly paid ‘educators who are kicked up stairs’ to do nothing, to instead pay for fully credentialed librarians? There’s plenty of money locally! It’s how it’s allocated by school trustees who don’t seem interested in students beyond revenues they provide to the union machine of cronies.
I still contend the numbers of "administrators" is in direct proportion to the numbers of volumes of the Calif Education Code. And the size of the local union war chests, who will immediately sue districts over any and all Calif Ed Code infractions or deviations.
All of which are set out the California Education Code, written by the very same union-supported legislators. Does that meet the definition of a self-licking ice cream cone?
But that is opinion only. If would be interesting to see if this opinion, does sounds in fact. But I recoil whenever I hear constant turf wars between teachers unions and the "administrators", since they are both mutually dependent upon each other. The darker side of the current educational industrial complex.
BTW, Libraries are the best.
I have an observation. trump is very, very insecure. You see it and hear it constantly when any of the trump loyalist staffers are asked simple questions. Whatever the question is, the speaker always starts out with a butt kissing, fawning, ego stroking comment about trump. In fact, during a cabinet meeting they went around the table, one by one spewing embarrassing, nauseating drivel. They all do it from the press secretary to his department appointed officials. One day they will see how they demeaned themselves, they sound like Manson cult members, like they think he walks on water, turns water into wine, raises the dead. this is an obscene form of idolatry. They overlook all his bad decisions and mistakes and try to spin the story.
They even have their own “reporters” mixed in with real journalists. Like Brian Glenn, or the ex UFC woman boxer. These fake reporters are thrown in there with pre arranged questions, like Glenn’s comments about Zelenskys suit. Where was he for Kid Rock’s rodeo costume? The ex-boxer, who is part of trumps propaganda network, who asked the press secretary “what did trump do to look so healthy”, the day of his physical exam.
Also didn’t Kid Rock’s mom teach him you don’t wear a hat to the dinner table. This is from a picture taken for dinner with trump, Bill Mahar, Kid Rock, and a couple of other people when they had dinner. Bill Maher stated that Trump had been gracious and measured the whole time. That he wasn’t the man everybody sees on TV, ranting and raving and rambling on about showerheads. This just means trumps a good actor, he’s done it once before when he was roasted.
You can attempt to persecute Trump, but I'm going to wait and see the results of his Presidency. I live in a world where it takes time to produce something, there's no such thing as instant gratification as you seek. Hey, you capitalized the letter "T" in Trump, Julia! You're slipping up <g>.
You must be thinking of trump. He’s the one that’s after instant gratification, saying we need to manufacture when it would take years to build those plants. Thanks I do try to go back and make sure there’s no capital t‘s anywhere but I slipped on that one as you say.
Where there is a demand for something, someone will supply. Even if it requires purchasing Chinese equipment. It's the American way to take something like a sheet of metal and stamp it into something of value. Or pour hot iron and make engine blocks. It has happened before and will happen again. bill russell
Sorry to hear you discovered the joy and significance of libraries late in life. Growing up in Lompoc where both of my parents worked to provide us with food and shelter, but not with a lot of books or a television, my brothers and I spent hours in the old "Carnegie Library" on H Street, devouring the books. All that time spent reading increased my vocabulary, grammar, and spelling skills, along with whatever else the books were "teaching" me. We even read the encyclopedias! Even as a child I was never forced to read a book in the library that I had not selected myself. Reading all those books prepared me for the whitewashed, watered-down "history" I was being "taught" in my approved classroom textbooks! I challenged glaring omissions in class with questions as to why a person or event was not included in the "approved text." Contrarily, why were some events "lifted up" as being significant, whereas other, even more significant, events were ignored or downplayed. The author concludes with... "Wake Up and Read." I couldnot agree more! Once a person "wakes up" that person is WOKE.
In the past, libraries have always interested me for performing research on a variety of subjects. If something strikes my interest, I'm headed to a library. My interests are vast which leads me to a new area of a library. I'm one that can spend a lot of time at the copier. I will hoard information, gathering up as much as possible on a subject. I probably take this seeking out information thing from my dad. My dad was more informative about diabetes than most doctors, stated by his doctor in the 1950's. My dad spent time in the Boston libraries doing his own research. Libraries can turn you into an expert on any subject. Another fun thing about libraries is to just go with nothing in mind to research.
Speaking of diabetes and diverse specialties, a brilliant Raytheon circuit design engineer named Nicholas J. Krilanovich authored and published a book on children's diabetes. He was concerned with kids not eating proper foods. I kept tabs on retired Nick over the years and I'd find him online making corrections to medical journals with regards to various subjects. Nick also had a degree in Chemistry and is now 102 years old living in Mt. Vernon, WA. Nick designed a unit called an Instantaneous Frequency Measurement (IFM) Unit at Raytheon; this hardware measured Gigahertz radar signal frequencies from incoming missiles to aid in transmitting electronic countermeasures. I marveled at his designs. Electronic countermeasures processing time was less than a microsecond to detect and then transmit a countermeasure. Tricky stuff.