AnonymousBy Joan Albion
Response to Wendy McCaw’s “New Year’s Wish for Santa Barbara”
These days I’m like most people in Santa Barbara, I only skim the News-Press if I’m at the car wash or waiting for my coffee and it’s quite literally the only thing to look at while waiting. This week I did happen to read Publisher Wendy McCaw’s opinion piece, “New Year’s Wish for Santa Barbara” and I have some thoughts.
McCaw took eight paragraphs to bloviate about how awful Santa Barbara is claiming we’re a deteriorating city that reads more like whiny NextDoor.com neighborhood comments instead of a local news publisher. Her comments reek of privilege making me wonder if she’s ever come down from her ivory tower to our downtown area to see if what she purports is actually true. One would think she does as her own business is located downtown but it looks as if it hasn’t been operational since 2008.
She regurgitated a few anecdotal stories about someone witnessing a grocery store theft and property vandalism but as we’re used to with the News-Press, the actual facts were nowhere to be seen.
The Santa Barbara Police Department releases a monthly summary of crimes and compares it to previous years. Crime in the city is within or even below the average from the last five years. Additionally, due to extra funding from the state, there is more in the works now to address homelessness than there ever has been.
“When corruption and hooligans were out of control in the 1850s in San Francisco, the residents formed the Committee of Vigilance. This was the birth of the term, vigilante. It was a community’s solution because law and order had collapsed. Today, the citizens of Santa Barbara may have to be the first-responders,” she said. Oh boy. I’d prefer that we don’t add to our local police officers plates who now have to corral wannabe cowboys attempting to take the law into their own hands, similar to the January 6th insurrection.
She compared Santa Barbara to Carmel and Solvang, wondering why those cities don’t have the same levels of crime, even suggesting it’s because their councils are “politically different.” I would suggest it’s because they’re VERY different towns to SB. For starters, the population of Carmel is less than 4,000 people, the median age is 55, affordable housing is non-existent, and the town shuts down by 8:00 p.m. I’d suggest SB is more comparable to Monterey that has HIGHER crime rates than here. And we all know how different Solvang is.
Again, reading McCaw’s printed tantrum is full of hyperbole and lacking reality, much like her News-Press. Reading it was akin to talking to my grandmother who rarely ventures outside of her home, watches the news all day, and thinks everything is constantly horrible. My suggestion to Ms. McCaw, go outside, take a deep breath, and turn off Fox News. Oh, and sell the damn paper so we can finally have our reputable daily news back.
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She owns it. She can do whatever she wants. As long as people buy her product it’ll keep on going. I’m not sure Joan if you subscribe to it or not. I assume many still do because otherwise it wouldn’t still survive under McCaw.
It’s a boutique ego hobby for her; no way it’s paying its own way. She keeps it as a venue for spewing vile garbage.
Exactly. Right wing crank with ego problems and no clue how to deal with other people or run a business.
It’s all relative to VOR. Since he’s to the right of Musk, and everyone else, they’re leftists.
Lina24— Mini-Musk with micro-Twitter.
Why even give her the attention? We all know she’s a garbage person and a garbage employer running a garbage newspaper. Ignore her and move on and eventually, from lack of attention, no one will care and she will disappear.
Notice lately that most articles are coming from some right wing conservative source Center Square. Google it. Shame on her for not even hiring local reporters. Her paper is an embarrassment to the community. I see it when I stay at some SB hotels. Ugh. What a miserable representation of our community.
i worked at her property in Hope ranch Many years ago I have worked for many people in montecito and S B She is one blue ribbon winner in nuts it taught me a lesson on how those that have can be so wrong and disalutioned sorry for spelling that does not lesson the fact you can’t fix mc crazy wow billions is worse than crack on the human mind just saying
Best piece I’ve read in any local news outlet about Whiney McCaw and her dysfunctional fishwrap.
The sooner she leaves for Texas to fap with her contard friends, the better.
I just bought an African grey parrot and an extra large bird cage – the only reason I did this was to create a meaningful use for the Santa Barbara News Press (at the bottom of the cage). Wendy has outlived any usefulness in our community that she thought she may have.
Well said!! And here’s another citizen begging her to sell the damn paper already. She, and don’t forget Arthur, are such a bloody embarrassment!
McCaw is delusional. It’s laughable that a multi-millionaire (billionaire?) seems to know how to “fix” State Street when she’s probably never there. But she’s not giving any plausible suggestions except promoting extremist vigilante groups.
I’m downtown all the time and while COVID has changed the landscape, there’s the same level or crime and homeless as there has been the past 5+ years. The only difference is now people are eating and drinking directly on the street and see it more. I’m all for cleaning it up, but her bringing in politics and screaming about the falling sky (which doesn’t affect her by the way) is lame.
The lady has always been a nut case.
Typical conservative whining. They love to complain how “terrible” SB and CA in general are. How the crime here is “getting worse” and how “violent” the homeless are. It’s kind their thing to bash all things they perceive to be “liberal.” Sure, we have some crime, some fighty homeless folks and sometimes some regulations that make it a little tough for businesses, but it’s not nearly as bad as these folks continually cry about. Go outside and spend a day enjoying this beautiful City. We should all be grateful for what we have! Don’t like it? Leave it! It’s much cheaper to live somewhere else that has what you’re looking for.
agreed sac, then she should just leave the state if its that bad in her eyes. id love it if they all left. go to iowa…..or montana
Sac, why is it always the politics and name game? I think almost everyone that’s posted here AGREES that the SBNP kinda sucks. Right?
We do enjoy our city, we do go outside. And a lot of us have opinions that are apparently differing from yours that we don’t like some of the things we see happening over the last few decades here. And you trash us and name call consistently for that? I don’t get it.
Basic – read the article. McCaw made it political, I’m just pointing out that a lot of conservatives here constantly complain about the City and everything else. Where did I call anyone names?
Basic, you should really get over this notion that you are an “us”. the red-blue, white hat-black hat, left-right, blah-blah model sucks.
Be an individual.
Alex, I get hammered for expressing my opinion very honestly here all the time. I’m an individual speaking for myself. I think I’m probably one of the most downvoted commenters here. Not sure where you’re coming from, but I think when I use the word “others” to contrast a prevailing option here on topics you got a little triggered. It’s ok. Not everyone agrees with each other, and that’s good. Edhat isn’t supposed to be a pay on the back upvote-agreement site is it?
7:05 – Could you try that last sentence in English, please?
The only sensible response to her drivel. Thank you!
Whether you agree with this or not, the SB News-Press provides a balance to nearly every other “voice” along the California coast. Why some of you cannot accept the fact that Ms. McCaw is the owner of a business that she runs the way that she feels as best. For those of you who actually own a business and those who potentially might own one, you’d do the same thing. Please allow others to have a differing view. Please allow others to run their own lives. Please allow others to eat/shop/drink as they want. It makes no sense to me that so many “open minded” folks don’t allow others to have a differing opinion, lifestyle, and so on. Just because a person drives a Prius with a CoExist sticker on the back bumper does not excuse them from being polite, respectful, and understanding.
Joan Albion: A few things…..
– When Wendy decides to sell the SBNP, feel free to buy it.
– Let Wendy have her opinion.
– It is what it is. Most people after 22 years of dissin’ on her would accept that it’s time to let it go.
– Your opinion pieces matter, so that’s good.
– When she sells the SBNP property, a first-class hotel or high-end housing/condos will go in…think of the traffic…think of the pollution….think of the overcrowding…be careful about what you wish for as it may not be the “thing” you want.
Well said Babycakes. EdHat comment section proves time and time again that being open minded, open to new ideas/information, with a live and let live attitude only applies when you think the same way they do. If you don’t, its apparatenly a halls pass to be rude, arrogant, and dismissive.
Apparently free speech only works for VOR if he agrees with the opinion.
2:23 @
More projection! Practice makes perfect.
Haha. Of course the author is “letting” McCaw have her opinion and the author is also allowed to have a response to it. This is how free speech works. McCaw can post whatever drivel she wants in a once beloved local paper, the community can get upset about it, boycott it, and speak out against it. All are acceptable in our society. So… your complaint is actually against your own point.
uh Babycakes, you’re wrong, and wrong….oh yeah and wrong.
and furthermore, BC, nop we would not run it the way she has. been here since 82 and it was a fine and balanced paper until she took hold of it. sounds like you’re in her wheel house. how’s that working out for you? you’re employed by her? seems like it since you’re the only one here jumping to the defense of a looney and a monster that put several families on the street when she fired 1/2 of the staff. people i know were on the street bc of her. so keep on with your defense and put her on a bigger pedestal for you and only you to worship
Well said, BC.
You’re the one with comments sitting in the penalty box – and not because those comments were warm and fuzzy.
Her biggest accomplishment was her divorce settlement.
Perhaps she could use her resources to build a time machine to take her back to the 1800s
GT, you’re confusing me being against the blatant double standard (accurate), with me not wanting opposing opinions heard (not accurate). They are two very different things that you’re intentionally misrepresenting because it’s easier to insult and attack (like every single one of your comments on this page) than directly address opinions and viewpoints you don’t like.
shes awful….clueless, mean spirited and self absorbed. haven’t touched the paper since she fired 1/2 of the entire staff. not one cent spent towards her over opinionated “news” paper.
Santa Barbara is an exceptional community for many reasons. Most notable is its long tradition of direct democracy, ensuring government transparency and allowing all citizens to have a voice in defining excellent government. This is culture is animated by the unifying goal of seeking the highest possible quality of life. Of the larger issues of the time, the brutal economic pressures on all but the most wealthy, are sometimes taken as an insult in Santa Barbara. How does a place renowned for its early 20th C. progressive city planning, beautification, and support of arts and culture adapt to hosting more people than can afford to live here? As it always has: By citizens rising to the occasion and demanding to set the national standard for doing so.
Typical selfish liberal takers that live in a bubble of hand outs that have no concept of what cause the makers to be self-critical of the city they live in. Reality is SB has gone downhill because of government ineptitude and poor fiscal behavior. Similar to most cities that have a significant amount of government jobs. Takers are too moronic to see the BS that goes on and when a maker tries to bring up an issue you just gat bashing from takers who have low bars. Makers donate to all of the charitable organizations in town that do what our government should be doing with tax payor money. Makers build work force housing and create businesses so that people can productive. This causes takers grief. Takers rather wait for their free government handout, than go to work to earn income. The problem with SB is that there are so many takers doing nothing that leach off of society – and the makers are getting sick of it. The people who need to leave SB are the takers. You all know who you are.
Standard con rant lauding the mythical “makers”, filled with grammar and spelling errors.
SBLOCAL – You’ve created a word salad. The spelling and grammatical errors are low hanging fruit from the garbage tree. Downtown actually seems less depressed from when I moved here over 30 years ago. We have a wonderful city college – I’d recommend it to anyone who wanted to improve their writing and persuasion skills. Taxpayers pay taxes for people to learn at city college (can’t believe you wrote “tax payor” – well again, maybe I can believe it.) Sad that the far-right extremists, who hate academia the most, actually need academia very badly. When one listens to parroted far-right extremist garbage every night on their favorite con-station or podcast it retards real education, sincere discourse, or personal growth.
“Tax payor” you just can’t make this stuff up. Still laughing.
McCaw is not a Liberal, bud. But she is definitely a taker–she never earned a penny of her own or achieved anything in her life other than getting Craig McCaw to marry her.
Also, as a liberal “MAKER”, I probably paid more in taxes last year than you earned–my money is going to support red state spongers and it pisses me off.
I rarely use the “C” word, but in relation to Wendy McC, I think it is appropriate.
Wendy McCaw has always espoused a Libertarian anti-government belief, and her newspaper is her mouthpiece. Living in America, of course she can espouse whatever beliefs she wants. In 1990, her former husband, Craig McCaw, a pioneer in the American cell phone industry, was the highest paid CEO in America. Craig and Wendy divorced in 1997. Half of a big fortune is still a pretty big fortune, and allows Wendy many privileges in our society. Albeit a quite thin product, she owns the only daily print newspaper in Santa Barbara. Having paying customers subscribe to her newspaper is irrelevant to her. Reading the News Press is irrelevant to me, and will remain so as long as she owns it.
Wendy McCaw could be part of the solution to some of the problems downtown. She could buy all the vacant business properties and rent them out for below market rates. Of course, she would never do such a thing but since she’s accustomed to losing money, i.e. NewsPress, it would be okay.
I checked out the SBNP online (free), and I noticed that there is no comic strip section. “Whaa happen?” as Ricky Ricardo would say. I guess Wendy McCaw is the filthy wealthy mean old lady that does not have a sense of humor. Unless one wants to pay for the online subscription for the comic section. Those that do pay for the online SBNP subscription they are just wasting their money. If were wealthy I would not pay for the SBNP subscription. Just not worth it. I read the local news for “freeeeeee” online. The SB Independent, Noozhawk and of course here on edhat. “We don’t need no stinky SBNP. Vamanos muchachos!!!! Let’s ride!!!! Ariba!!!!”
I think we all can agree that we are very fortunate to even have a newspaper here in Santa Barbara. On the other hand, we certainly have the right to disagree with the content and owner of said newspaper. I know about six people who were let go by Wendy, and EACH AND EVERYONE of them has gone on to bigger, better, and greener pastures. NONE of them want to go back to the days when they were working at the N-P. Rather than wishing/hoping for what could have been or what should have been, we need to grow and move ahead. Dwelling on the past in anger doesn’t do anyone any good, and certainly does not make us mentally healthier. So much hate/anger toward a person who we don’t really know makes no sense to me and comes across as extremely childish in my opinion. Agree or do not agree, the owner of the SBNP is still the owner, and at the end of the day is the person who makes the rules for the business. It sad to think that there are some who are so involved in something they cannot control or change, and seethe with anger, hopelessness, and no/low self-esteem. Group thinking is for the weak.
“Group thinking is for the weak.” – Unless you’re a conservative.
Babycakes typical posts = defending hate with a bad word salad.
GENERALTREE, boy did you nail it with that comment!!! Perfect summary of 99% of that user’s comment.
This is the same person who has given weekly columns to Michelle Malkin, a know racist, Holocaust denier and defender of proud boys, et al.
Featured Malkin at her gatherings. Regular letters to the editors from nutcakes and others who only are critical need to get a life and leave us normal people only to accomplish worthwhile endavors.
Utterly disgusted that Noozhawk ran Malkin’s hateful rhetoric. Another reason why I don’t read MacFadyen’s rag and McCaw’s leaflet.
Malkin has been spewing hate and racism for the past 20+ years. That she’s given her a weekly platform in our community tells all we need to know about what the News Press has become.