Elizabeth Léka

Noozhawk • 6th August 2024

Santa Barbara Zoo Visitors Get Hands-On Conservation Lessons at New Hub

The Santa Barbara Zoo’s new conservation hub is home to immersive experiences, combining hands-on education with entertainment. 

The zoo celebrated the opening of the Richard Block Conservation Hub on July 25.

Cast members went through 40 hours of training to guide guests through activities such as packing a backpack for a day in the field, checking Channel Island foxes for microchips, and examining California condor egg development.

Noozhawk • 30th July 2024

Santa Barbara Finishes Trails Project at Parma Park

Parma Park, almost 200 acres of open space in Santa Barbara’s foothills, is open again after an extensive renovation project for its existing trails, and is now home to three new ones. 

The new Historic Olive Grove Loop and Plateau Trail and renovated Coyote Creek Trail add 3 miles to the trail network. The Plateau Trail is easily accessible through the El Cielito or South Mountain Drive entrances, while the other two can be found deeper into the park.

Noozhawk • 14th July 2024

Students, Local Artist Unite for San Marcos High School Mural

San Marcos High School’s new mural, a collaboration between students and local artist Michael Matheson, celebrates the community.  

Taking about two weeks to complete, this art piece spans the 16-by-185-foot wall of the upper basketball court on campus.

Noozhawk • 30th June 2024

Refugio State Beach Set to Reopen Summer of 2024

Refugio State Beach, which has been closed for months after storm damage, is expected to reopen later this summer. 

El Capitán State Beach and Gaviota State Park were also damaged in February storms but managed to reopen by April.

11th April 2024

Emma Jane: Back in the Spotlight

From the age of seven, Emma-Jane Huerta knew exactly what she wanted to be.
“I remember saying, ‘I want to be an actor,’ and the grownups rolling their eyes like ‘Yeah, typical’. But I did,” Huerta said.

18th February 2024

How to (Accidentally) Become a Tech Mogul

“I did not intend to be any of the things that I am now. I wanted to be either an astronaut, a fighter pilot, or a journalist,” Wendy Pfeiffer said. Pfeiffer, an accomplished technology professional, businesswoman, and public speaker, never imagined the trajectory her life would take.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

28th January 2024

An Open Mic and Open Hearts

Every Tuesday at 9 p.m. a line wraps around the block at the Greenway Court Theatre, home to Da Poetry Lounge. Jan. 23, the fourth Tuesday of the month, was an Open Mic night, so poets from all over Los Angeles gathered to share their work and bask in the support from the community.

5th December 2023

Chelsea Brown: Cookies, Spirituality, and Pickleball

Every Wednesday night in Whelan Hall, a door opens and the smell of freshly baked cookies begins to waft through the air. Chelsea Brown, the resident minister in Whelan bakes cookies to foster community in the building, an event that keeps people coming back. As one of the few adults in a building of budding adults, she thinks it is important to keep her door open and actively engage with residents.

Photo by Joseph Russo on Pexels

21st September 2023

Community Concerns over E-Scooters Cause Conflict

Sidewalks: a space normally filled with wandering tourists, unbothered seagulls, and assorted litter. Since 2017, when the first e-scooters were introduced to Santa Monica, they have been covered by haphazardly strewn scooters left by unbothered community members.