Tyler Hayden

The High Bar | Credit: Courtesy We were ambitious ― some might say naive ― to willingly travel with a two-year-old, especially one who's just discovering the power of “no.” But thanks to the comfortable and classy accommodations of Hotel San Luis Obispo ― with spacious rooms for some light romping; a Michelin-recognized steakhouse for adult dining; and a downtown location perfect for exploring the very walkable city ― we not only survived our two-day getaway but enjoyed it so much we already made plans to go back. (Though we did make one major blunder. More on that later.) What sweetened the pot and tipped the scales for us in favor of a trip to San Luis Obispo specifically was the hotel's “Midweekend” special that saves you 20 percent on rooms and suites. As part of the deal and with proof of your stay, you also get $100 in cold, hard cash from the Visitor Center around the corner. A little extra spending money never hurt anybody, especially a family on a budget. Our third-floor room with a sitting balcony looked directly on the trademark white “M” of Madonna Mountain, freshly green from the rain. Its floor-to-ceiling windows let in the breeze and the sunset, while its oak flooring, handmade rugs, and original paintings by local artists reflected the ranch-beach feel SLO is known for. With the kid occupied with toys on one bed, and my wife and I splayed out in robes and slippers on the other, we enjoyed the 50-inch TV and Vifa Bluetooth speakers, which pack a punch. The Nespresso machine and sparkling water on tap were nice touches, and the walk-in glass shower and tub brought home the “ahh…vacation…” feeling we'd been craving. For dinner the first night we loaded the stroller and walked to Finney's , where we ordered a caesar wrap and chicken quesadilla to-go and headed to Mission Plaza. We ate by the fountain under towering eucalyptus trees and explored the Creek Trail that runs along and below the downtown core. The weather was perfect. The next day took us a couple blocks further to The San Luis Obispo Children's Museum , an absolute wonderland of learning-through-play exhibits and activities. There was a neon and bubble “underwater” area, a space capsule with working buttons and switches, mock kitchen and doctor's office, fire truck with helmets and hoses, a stage with racks of costumes, etc. More than two hours flew by. During nap time I took the stairs to the hotel's rooftop bar, which perches you above almost everything else in town. Next to terrace's bocce ball court and lounge area that would fill up that evening, I sipped a gem of an old fashioned and watched a hawk glide by, and I had one of those moments where you feel lucky just to be where you are. Below us was the hotel's crystal-clear garden pool and jacuzzi with poolside service. A major highlight was dinner that night. My wife and I stole away to Ox + Anchor , which is led by acclaimed Executive Chef Ryan Fancher and new Restaurant Manager Lannon Rust, a certified sommelier and well-known figure in Central Coast hospitality. Like the rest of the hotel, the restaurant ― a modern spin on the classic steakhouse ― is upscale and welcoming, its menu inspired by the hills and sea surrounding San Luis Obispo. We started with the grilled artichoke with drawn butter and lemon, though the bone marrow tater tots and goat cheese croquettes were certainly tempting. We wanted to stay hungry for the main course. I went with the 12-ounce Prime New York steak with classic bearnaise on the side ― impeccably seasoned, perfectly cooked, utterly delicious. She opted for the carbonara ravioli, its pockets filled with velvety egg yolk that spilled between healthy morsels of pork belly. Amazing. In the shared-dessert battle, the carrot cake with creme fraiche ice cream and an almond florentine cookie won out. We lingered over glasses of Rusak, enjoying the time with just the two of us. The following morning was filled with walking and shopping downtown ― Blackwater Boo Boo Records Tom's Toys ― veggie breakfast burritos and banana bread lattes at Linnaea's Cafe , and a meltdown. We'd been lucky so far, and it didn't last long. Before we hit the road home we drove 10 minutes up the coast to Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa and rented a pair of bikes, plus a trailer for the young one. We made the two mile ride to Avila Beach along a golf course and over a creek, arriving with enough time to dig a hole, chat with a family from Bakersfield, and lay in the sun. On the way back to the car, I looked over my shoulder to see that nap time had arrived early. It had been a busy couple days. I avoided as many bumps as I could, but I don't think it mattered ― he was out. So out that the delicate transfer to the car seat was successful, and we all had a mellow drive home. It was only the following day at the office that I realized we had made a mistake. We didn't make time for the hotel's Sol Spa . A coworker, who knows about these kinds of things, said her time there was almost transcendent. She said, and I quote: “Oh my god, it was one of the best massages I've ever had. I don't think I've ever been more relaxed in my life.” Next time. By Leslie Dinaberg | Fri Feb 02, 2024 By Chuck Graham | Mon Jan 29, 2024 Sat, Mar 09 8:00 AM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 09 3:00 PM Santa Barbara Sun, Mar 10 6:00 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 09 11:00 AM Santa Barbara Fri, Mar 08 6:00 PM Santa Barbara Fri, Mar 08 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 09 8:00 AM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 09 3:00 PM Santa Barbara Sun, Mar 10 6:00 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 09 11:00 AM Santa Barbara Fri, Mar 08 6:00 PM Santa Barbara Fri, Mar 08 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 09 8:00 AM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 09 3:00 PM Santa Barbara Sun, Mar 10 6:00 PM Santa Barbara Tyler Hayden Senior Editor

The Rosewood Miramar Resort's main entrance off Jameson Lane in Montecito | Credit: Paul Wellman File Five years after opening, the Rosewood Miramar Resort has submitted a plan to replace its western parking lot with new housing and a collection of retail shops. The original proposal, presented last October to the Montecito Board of Architectural Review, received significant pushback from boardmembers and neighbors alike, who balked at the project's three stories and dozen boutiques. More than one critic used the term “mini-mall.” Since then, in response to the board's feedback and following discussions with neighbors, Miramar executives have scaled back their plan by eliminating the addition's third floor and reducing its retail footprint. They also agreed to remove a driveway from Eucalyptus Lane. Some residents, however, remain concerned about traffic congestion, blocked views, and other impacts to their beachside neighborhood. As it stands now, the plan includes 16 units of employee housing, approximately 20,000 square feet of retail space, an undisclosed number of luxury market-rate apartments, and a café. An underground parking garage would be built below the addition, which would add around 60 new parking spaces to the Miramar's current total. Utilities would be relocated. The numbers remain in flux as discussions continue with county regulators and neighbors, said Bryce Ross, a vice president of acquisitions for Miramar owner and Los Angeles shopping center developer Rick Caruso. “We're talking to anyone who will talk to us,” Ross said during a presentation to the Montecito Association last week. “We're having coffee, meeting in living rooms.” Ross told the Association's Land Use Committee that the architecture and elevation of the new structures would “blend in” with the rest of the property. And he said all operations would be “interior-facing,” with the only access point along Jameson Lane, down the block from the hotel's main entrance. Ross insisted the employee housing ― a mix of studios and one-bedroom apartments ― would target the Miramar's local workforce, not out-of-town managers, as some have feared. “Just so I can make this as clear as I possibly can,” he said. “That housing is going to be for employees who work at the Miramar and who have the greatest need,” he said. “Meaning the housekeepers, the cooks, the maintenance people. The people who are commuting from Ventura and Carpinteria and Goleta to Montecito because they can't afford to live here.” How the rent rates break down among very-low-, low-, and moderate-income units has yet to be determined, Ross said. “We need input from the county on that,” he said. Ross said he hopes as many as possible will qualify as “affordable.” “That's our mission,” he stated, citing the region's extreme housing shortage. When asked if the Miramar would consider scrapping the retail side of the proposal, and instead only build more of the housing it admits the area desperately needs, Ross said the project is only financially feasible if both elements are included. “You can't have one without the other,” he said about offsetting the high cost of residential construction with retail revenue. “They can't be decoupled.” Some neighbors said they're less worried now that the project has been scaled down. “Many of my concerns have been alleviated and, in some cases, eliminated,” said part-time resident Tom Butler at the meeting. “This is a family-owned business,” he said of Caruso, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes at $5.3 billion. “It's a rich family, but nonetheless it's a family.” Others remain unconvinced. They harbor doubts the employee housing will go to those who truly need it, and they still believe the size and scale of the project is out of step with the area. “I'm terribly dedicated to the semi-rural character of the neighborhood,” said fifth-generation resident Sally Bromfield. John Agoglia said he represented “about a dozen other neighbors” who shared concerns about “commercialization.” “We're not opposed to you developing the land,” he said. “We just want to see some guardrails.” Agoglia grew up in Pacific Palisades, he said, “and I saw what happened there. I don't want that to happen here.” Caruso opened the Miramar, his first hotel, in 2019 after a lengthy and difficult development process. The 16-acre property along one of Southern California's most desirable beaches had sat vacant and half-demolished for nearly 20 years after two previous attempts to revive it by two different owners both failed.Ross told the Montecito Association the addition's plan would continue to evolve. It will be back again before the Board of Architectural Review at a later date.

Bicyclist Ronald Wilmot was hit from behind as he crossed Arroyo Quemada Bridge along its narrow 12-inch shoulder. | Photo: Caltrans Ronald Wilmot wasn't exactly “scared” of the Arroyo Quemada Bridge. “But very aware,” he said. “That's the word.” Whenever the retired elementary school principal and his friends would cross the narrow stretch of Highway 101 on their regular bike rides between Santa Barbara and Gaviota, he said, “we would look in our mirrors to make sure an 18-wheeler wasn't coming, wave our left arms, and ride like hell.” On January 3, 2021, Wilmot ― the last in a line of four cyclists ― was hit from behind by a motorist who said she felt squeezed by another car and veered into their bike lane, which merges into the slow lane of traffic on the bridge and shrinks to a 12-inch shoulder. The driver said she never even saw the group. Wilmot, 84 years old at the time, suffered a serious compound break of his left leg above the ankle, seven busted ribs, a punctured lung, and compression fracture to his spine. “But no head injuries,” he said, thanking his helmet. He spent weeks in the hospital, and though he can walk again with hardware in his leg, Wilmot has given up riding, a major part of his life since he was 19. On March 20, a Santa Barbara jury unanimously awarded Wilmot $3.8 million in a negligence lawsuit against Caltrans, owner and operator of Arroyo Quemada Bridge, and the driver, a 68-year-old Buellton resident. How the payment is divided between the two parties will be decided at a later hearing. Most significantly, the jury found that the 400-foot bridge ― part of the state's official Pacific Coast Bike Route ― constituted “a dangerous condition of public property,” and that Caltrans had failed to properly warn motorists of this “concealed trap.” While Caltrans has installed a “clutter” of signage around the bridge, the jury also said, none of it notifies drivers that bicyclists may occupy the slow lane. During the two-week trial, Wilmot's attorneys introduced evidence that the state transportation agency knew the bridge was dangerous as far back as 1999, when representatives of its District 5 office in San Luis Obispo met with Santa Barbara County officials to discuss possible safety improvements. Another sit-down took place in 2011, but Caltrans never followed through on its plan for a new cantilevered bike lane along the bridge that would separate cyclists from motorists. A key witness for Wilmot's legal team was Wilson Hubbell, a former county transportation planner who attended that 1999 meeting. Hubbell testified Caltrans was well aware of the issues at the time and promised to address them with the new lane but, for reasons unclear, never started construction. “The potential for problems out there are so apparent,” Hubbell said in an interview. “The bridge was built in 1917 for 1917 vehicles,” he noted. “They were slower, and there were fewer of them.” Now, approximately 16,000 cars traveling between 55 and 70 mph cross it each day. “What amazes me is that it took this long for an accident like this to happen,” he said. Hubbell said he and his colleagues felt “shined on” by Caltrans during their meeting, and he lamented he retired before any changes to the bridge could be made. But he was glad to testify on Wilmot's behalf. “These guys knew this was a problem 25 years ago,” he said. “And they did nothing.” Hubbell, also a cyclist who's made the trip up to Gaviota, agreed the crossing is “spooky, to say the least. It's about the longest 20 seconds of your life.” Through a spokesperson, Caltrans ― which denied throughout the trial that Arroyo Quemada Bridge constituted a “dangerous condition” ― declined to address the case. “Caltrans has no comment on this matter at this time,” said Public Information Officer Genelle Padilla. As a legal matter, the verdict doesn't compel Caltrans to make any safety improvements to the bridge, explained Wilmot attorney Lawrence Marks. “But I hope they do,” he said. “Something needs to happen,” said co-counsel Bradford Brown. “This was less about collecting for Ron than getting Caltrans to act.” Wilmot, now 87, said the money is nice, but he's also more concerned that no one else gets hurt. “The big thing is something is finally going to get done about that bridge,” he said. “Maybe not in my lifetime, but soon.” Wilmot said he misses cycling but still gets his exercise on a spin bike set up in the garage. He also gardens and cares for his wife. Wilmot had hoped to remain on the road into his nineties to set an example for his friends and adult children to stay active. “Now,” he said, “I'll just have to model it in different ways.” “While I did get hurt, and it certainly did change my life, I'm the type of person who can roll with that,” Wilmot continued. “You can't hold grudges, and you can't look over your shoulder. I feel good about the whole thing.” Sat, Mar 30 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Mon, Apr 01 4:30 PM Santa Barbara Sun, Mar 31 9:00 AM Santa Barbara Sun, Mar 31 10:00 AM Santa Barbara Sat, Apr 06 12:00 PM Los Olivos Wed, Mar 27 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Thu, Mar 28 7:00 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 30 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 30 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Mon, Apr 01 4:30 PM Santa Barbara Sun, Mar 31 9:00 AM Santa Barbara Sun, Mar 31 10:00 AM Santa Barbara Sat, Apr 06 12:00 PM Los Olivos Wed, Mar 27 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Thu, Mar 28 7:00 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 30 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Mar 30 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Mon, Apr 01 4:30 PM Santa Barbara

Credit: Mark DeSaulnier/WikiCommons The two Santa Ynez Valley men each charged with petty theft and a hate crime for stealing two pride flags and burning one on Snapchat have been ordered to attend a year-long diversion program. The terms of the program include 80 hours of community service with a nonprofit that serves the LGBTQ community, as well as one-to-one anti-bias education through the Museum of Tolerance The two men ― Avi Williams and Joshua Eligino, recent graduates of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School ― must also write letters of apology to St. Mark's-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church , where the flags were stolen. The pair had no prior criminal history and will not serve any jail time. The incident took place in the summer of 2022, shortly after the inaugural SYV Pride Parade & Festival was held. “Today felt like a small step toward justice,” said the organization Santa Ynez Valley Pride in a statement after the recent hearing. The group had consulted with the District Attorney's Office about the terms of the sentence, it said. “At SYV Pride, we believe in accountability, justice, education, and repair, and hope that the sentencing will reflect a layered approach of these values,” the organization said. “We believe that hate is taught and that it is up to each of us to dismantle systems that seek to ‘other' people different than ourselves, that weaponize religion in order to judge and condemn others, and that attempt to build walls instead of bridges.” Nearly seven months passed between the incident and when Williams and Eligino were formally charged. Rev. Randall Day, rector of St. Mark's-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, said at the time that while some people “may wish the matter had been swept under the rug,” he saw the announcement of criminal charges as one “for all of us to get more clear about public accountability.” “It is incredibly important for them to understand that there are consequences to damaging actions,” Day said of the pair. “Their actions negatively impacted other individuals and whole communities of people, families, children — their neighbors. … I hope this is an experience of growth for these young men that helps them realize more constructive paths of living and self-expression in the future.” The announcement coincided with the disclosure last March that a sitting member of the Solvang City Council had referred to LGBTQ residents and their supporters as “clowns,” “assholes,” and “woke poison,” among other names. Also that month, administrators at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School broke an agreement with a campus pride group by painting over rainbow crosswalks , calling them too “politicized” and part of an “outside agenda.” Williams and Eligino are scheduled for a hearing in July on the progress of their diversion program.

Credit: Courtesy | Credit: Kimberly Citro Photography Roy Eugene Stephenson Jr., a San Roque man who fired a gun at three teen boys he believed were trespassing on his property, is facing prison time and a lawsuit as he and his attorney argue that during the incident last fall he “strategically” fired a warning shot near the group in self-defense. At a recent hearing, Judge Jean Dandona ruled 83-year-old Stephenson must answer to felony assault charges, denying a motion from his attorney that the counts be reduced to misdemeanors. The court has also issued a five-year “Gun Violence Restraining Order” against Stephenson, which allowed police to confiscate six firearms from his home after the shooting and prevents him from owning one until 2028. At around 3:30 p.m. on September 4, a Monday, officers were dispatched to Stevens Park for reports of an “adult male firing a handgun in the area.” They learned from bystanders the teens had been walking along the creek bed, which runs through the park and into the San Roque neighborhood, when Stephenson confronted them from above on a small bridge on his property. An argument ensued, after which “Stephenson retrieved a handgun and fired the weapon in the direction of the three subjects in an attempt to scare them away,” the police report states. The park at the time was busy with families and children. Stephenson was arrested and booked in County Jail on multiple felonies, including criminal threats and assault with a deadly weapon. He posted bail the following day. No further details were released, but a negligence lawsuit filed by the teens' families claims “Stephenson pointed his gun at John Doe 3's head, fired and missed, sending Plaintiffs running for their lives.” The lawsuit remains in its early stages with a hearing scheduled for later next month. In her unsuccessful effort to reduce Stephenson's criminal charges, defense attorney Anne Hayes argued her client felt “very much scared and concerned” during his confrontation with the teens. “He knew that he could be held liable for the conduct of the minors on his property, but more importantly, he felt physically threatened by their presence,” Hayes said in court documents, claiming the teens used “foul” and “aggressive” language and hurled glass bottles in his direction. Stephenon has lived at the Canon Drive property for more than 50 years, Hayes said, and is “constantly concerned” about trespassers in “his creek.” Not long ago, she claimed, Stephenson was the victim of a “physical attack” by one. However, she said, he had never previously “used a firearm or other form of violence in these encounters.” When Stephenson went to retrieve his gun during his standoff with the teens, Hayes continued, he loaded only one round in the chamber and “strategically” fired into the creek bed's dirt embankment where he “knew that there was no possibility of anyone getting hurt.” With Judge Dandona's ruling upholding the felony charges, Stephenson faces as much as 14 years in state prison, though it is unlikely he would receive such a lengthy sentence, given his age and lack of criminal history. He has pleaded not guilty and will be back in court April 10. Civil court records show Stephenson embroiled in a number of small claims actions in recent years. He was also fined $5,000 by the city for refusing to clear his property, located in a high-fire zone, of brush and other debris.

The Rosewood Miramar Resort's main entrance off Jameson Lane in Montecito | Credit: Paul Wellman File Rosewood Miramar Beach developer and owner Rick Caruso got his ear bent at a recent Montecito Association meeting, where neighbors voiced concern that his planned expansion of the five-star resort would increase traffic, block views, and generally commercialize their beachside community. Caruso has proposed building 10-12 new boutiques, 10 luxury apartments, and a café on the Miramar's western parking lot, as well as 24 units of affordable employee housing on its eastern lot. The plan remains in its early stages of approval, but nearby residents are already mounting steady pressure against it. Caruso and his team argue the project was spurred entirely by Santa Barbara County's need for affordable housing, and that the retail component is a necessary “economic engine” to get the studio and one-bedroom units built. “This process started with the goal of providing additional affordable housing for our employees in one of the most expensive housing markets in California,” said Miramar representative Bryce Ross in a statement to the Independent . “For over a year, we've been talking with our neighbors and the Montecito community to understand their priorities, as well as those of our employees and guests.” As Caruso hovered just outside the doorway of the standing-room-only hearing, Page Robinson accused the Los Angeles billionaire-developer of being motivated not by the construction of badly needed housing, but by profit. “It's about money,” she said. “It's about the erosion of what makes Montecito, Montecito.” Robinson, who lives on the corner of Eucalyptus and South Jameson lanes, directly across from the resort, said her great-grandparents arrived in Montecito at the turn of the 20th century. Her home was designed and built by her mother in 1949. “Bryce likes to say we plan to be here for 100 years,” said Robinson. “Well, for those of us who already have, I cannot quite articulate what a heartbreak this is.” Cliff Gherson, one the project's loudest critics, asked the Montecito Association to uphold its mission to “protect the community.” “We would like to maintain the character of our neighborhood,” he said. Then Gherson addressed Caruso directly. “I have been doing some research on you, and you have been very generous with your family foundation,” he said. “You do right with a lot of schools, with kids who don't have health care. And I am asking you, personally, to do right by this community, to leave us the way we are.” Another speaker asked Caruso how he would feel if a “shopping mall” was built right next to his home. Caruso responded that “if it was done to the quality of the surrounding neighborhood,” he would support it. A fourth speaker called the promise to create affordable housing “a ruse to build a shopping center.” “Don't do this to us!” he pleaded. Wade “Chip” Nichols, a representative of All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church located next to the Miramar, said the church and the hotel have enjoyed positive relations since 2014, when Caruso first floated the idea of reviving the long-vacant property. At that time, Nichols said, Caruso's team agreed to relocate a section of rooms in their plans to avoid blocking the church's sightline of the Santa Ynez Mountains. The church recently completed a $10 million renovation that included a memorial chapel with a picture window that faces the mountains, Nichols went on. The new luxury apartments would eliminate that view. The church and Caruso representatives had met that morning, Nichols said, and while “we truly agreed to work hard to find a solution, we want this organization to know that All Saints very much has an issue.” In his statement, Ross said such conversations have “guided and shaped” the Miramar's plans. Since the project was first aired last fall, and after receiving feedback from residents and design boards, it has been scaled back, with a third story removed and its retail footprint significantly reduced. At the same time, the number of employee housing units went up from 16 to 24. “We continue to welcome input,” Ross said. The project certainly has its supporters, as well. In a recent op-ed , neighbor Diana “Dee Dee” Wicks stated: “The Miramar is a beautiful, well-run facility, a considerate neighbor, and a genuine asset for our community. We enthusiastically favor their plans to add employee housing, apartments, and shops to the Miramar.” In her own letter , Marni Blau said: “The fact is, I live here, and like a lot of us I am excited to visit the shops planned for the Miramar. The stores can support affordable housing for hotel employees, without any public financing, which makes the plan even better. Who else is willing to do that?” Another neighbor , Ben Curtis, said he appreciated “the proactive and genuine interest” of the Miramar team in seeking input from neighbors. “I welcome these changes, and know when it is all said and done, it will be beautiful,” he said. Meanwhile, Gherson and fellow resident Valerie Aroyan ― who emphasize they support the housing aspect of the project, but not the retail ― have formed a group called Neighbors of the Miramar that's mustering a more formal opposition. “Our goal is to preserve the character of our neighborhood in this coastal enclave,” they said in a recent mailer, “and to stop the Miramar from bringing us a slice of Rodeo Drive.” Thu, Apr 25 4:00 PM Santa Barbara Tue, Apr 16 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Thu, Apr 18 5:30 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Apr 20 12:00 AM Los Olivos Sat, Apr 20 11:00 AM Santa Barbara Wed, Apr 17 11:30 AM Santa Barbara Thu, Apr 18 10:00 AM Santa Barbara Thu, Apr 18 5:30 PM Santa Barbara Fri, Apr 19 9:00 PM Santa Barbara Sun, Apr 21 10:00 AM Santa Barbara Thu, Apr 25 4:00 PM Santa Barbara Tue, Apr 16 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Thu, Apr 18 5:30 PM Santa Barbara Sat, Apr 20 12:00 AM Los Olivos Sat, Apr 20 11:00 AM Santa Barbara Wed, Apr 17 11:30 AM Santa Barbara Thu, Apr 18 10:00 AM Santa Barbara Thu, Apr 18 5:30 PM Santa Barbara Fri, Apr 19 9:00 PM Santa Barbara Sun, Apr 21 10:00 AM Santa Barbara Thu, Apr 25 4:00 PM Santa Barbara

How Santa Barbara Protects and Beautifies Its Patch of Planet

Hope Ranch | Dave's Travel Corner It's not often that the victims of white-collar crimes get paid back in full. Plus interest. But that was the case on April 18 when a Santa Barbara judge ordered Adam Pirozzi, a former property manager convicted of embezzlement , to pay $1.3 million in restitution to his victims. He'd stolen approximately half that amount, just over $650,000, from the owners of the properties he supervised. Pirozzi, 42, was also ordered to pay $1.1 million in fines to the court, serve five years of probation, and spend 30 days in jail. He had previously pleaded no contest to two felony counts of “embezzlement by a real estate broker” and surrendered his real estate license. The rare, full recovery of funds was owed to prosecutors freezing Pirozzi's assets the moment they filed criminal charges against him in 2021. Those assets included multiple bank accounts, his house in Hope Ranch, and an apartment complex on De la Vina Street. Oftentimes, explained lead prosecutor Casey Nelson, white-collar criminals facing charges will quickly liquidate everything they own to avoid paying back victims and the hefty penalties. The California law he utilized to put Pirozzi's money and properties on ice is an “invaluable tool to recover funds,” he said, a tool the District Attorney's Office uses often. Prosecutors recently cited it to secure $1.4 million in restitution for the embezzlement victims of Manuel “Ed” Torres , a former deputy probation officer who oversaw the department's union accounts. They also used it in the ongoing matter of Craig Case , a private investigator and TV personality accused of grand theft and fraud. According to Nelson, Pirozzi started amassing his stolen wealth in 2019 by diverting money from his clients' trust accounts ― which held rent payments, security deposits, and owner contributions ― to a fund only he controlled. He then used the money for his own investments, including the Hidden Oaks golf course that closed last year amid his legal troubles. Pirozzi unlawfully kept deposits and other payments from people who had booked the Hidden Oaks event space for weddings, Nelson said. “That's how petty it got,” he said. “A lot of these white-collar guys are predators all the way.” As part of a civil settlement with former business partners ― one being major Santa Barbara landholder Ed St. George ― Pirozzi is in the process of moving out of his Hope Ranch home. He will begin serving his jail sentence next month. Nelson thanked DA investigator Kristen Shamordola for her legwork in the case, including definitively linking Pirozzi to the property, which he had hidden behind a maze of LLCs. His management company, AMP Core, Inc., operated under several fictitious business names. Nelson said his office would continue acting quickly when necessary to freeze assets so defendants don't dodge responsibility. “It speaks to the DA's Office being able to conduct its own investigations and get on the ground early,” he said. In large cities like Los Angeles, he explained, suspects are often able to purge their assets in the time it takes police detectives to submit their report and prosecutors to formally file charges.

Las Cumbres Observatory marks a decade of achievements and discoveries.

Ten years ago, Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) flipped the switch on its global network of robotic telescopes.