Author: Lea Boyd

Jellies, the beautiful and bizarre drifters of the sea, will be the focus of a Carpinteria Community Library Summer Reading Program field trip to the Carpinteria State Beach Visitor Center on Thursday, July 27 from 3 to 4 p.m. Free and open to all ages, the afternoon program will include stories, crafts, science and lots of fun. To park for free, tell staff at the state park kiosk that you are attending the event. Don’t miss this chance to learn about the fascinating lives of jellies through fun and engaging activities!

The City of Carpinteria Aquatics team would like to congratulate T.J. Weir for being the Standout Staff Member for the month of July. This is T.J.’s first year working at the Carpinteria Community Pool, he is an outstanding swim lesson instructor and lifeguard. He is a junior at Cate School and has been living in Carpinteria for two years. T.J. has lived in four different US states, as well as Switzerland.  He runs cross country and plays soccer at Cate School. After he graduates, T.J. plans to study kinesiology and sports medicine. When he is not working or at school, he enjoys playing soccer and beach days.

Teens interested in developing essential skills for independence should register for Adulting 101 at the Carpinteria Community Library. The first session begins on Tuesday, July 25, and classes will be held on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 to 5 p.m. for three weeks. Participating teens aged 13-17 will learn useful skills such as how to establish credit, apply for a job, ace an interview, understand insurance, maintain a savings account, manage a budget, etc. Classes are free, but registration is required. Learn more and register by calling (805) 684-4314.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is taking immediate action to address recent reports of shots fired on Linden Avenue near Malibu Drive on July 14 at approximately 9:30 p.m. No injuries were reported as a result of this incident, and an investigation is underway.

To enhance public safety throughout the weekend, there are increased patrols in the area, including additional personnel during the festival at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

We kindly request your cooperation by remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s Office.

Pictured from left are our Junior Guards of the Week for July 3 – 7: Chloe Waltz, DJ Barbosa, Zia Ma, Daniel Rodriguez, Marea Macmurray, Hugo Goodfield, Callie Labistour and Wyatt Caskey. We congratulate each of these hardworking athletes for showing up and giving it their all every day!

In keeping with the summer reading theme “An Ocean of Stories,” Carpinteria Community Library is pleased to announce that local author Christian Beamish’s book “The Voyage of the Cormorant” is our pick for a community read. A community read encourages community members to read the same book at the same time, to spark conversation and discussion. “The Voyage of the Cormorant” follows author Beamish on his journey along the remote coast of Baja California in a handmade sailboat. The book is particularly relevant to our post pandemic lives.  Self-reliance is a strong theme, as well as loneliness and trust. Thanks to the Friends of the Carpinteria Library, giveaway books may be picked up at the library. The book is also available on the Libby platform in ebook and audiobook formats. Beamish will discuss his book on Sunday, Aug. 20 at the library. Details to come!

Bring your blanket and your competitive spirit to Carpinteria Community Library’s launch of World’s Safest Bingo this Thursday, July 13 at City Beach (Linden Avenue). Everyone is welcome to the free event that will be held from 6-7 pm on Thursday nights through Sept. 7. All ages are invited, and winners will go home with prizes!

A large growth of algae is causing high rates of stranded marine mammals along the Santa Barbara and Ventura coastline, including  Carpinteria. This is due to domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by phytoplankton. The toxin bioaccumulates in the fish that eat algae contaminated with this toxin, and becomes more toxic as it moves up the food chain to larger animals such as sea lions and dolphins.

IF YOU OBSERVE A LIVE MARINE MAMMAL: Rescue of marine mammals is handled by Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute (CIMWI).

• Do Not Touch: Do not touch, feed, harass, cover, pour water on, coax/drag/push into the water or out of the surf zone, allow dogs near or take selfies with the animal. These are wild animals and they may bite!
• Observe animal: Observe the animal from a minimum of 50 feet (length of a school bus). Keep people and pets away from the stranded animal. Note the animal’s physical characteristics and condition.
• Determine location: Determine the exact location of the animal. Be as accurate as possible and note any landmarks so rescue teams can easily find the animal.
• Call the marine mammal rescue hotline at (805) 567-1505 or fill out an online Rescue Form. Provide your name, phone number, specific information about the animal and its location

IF YOU OBSERVE A DEAD MARINE MAMMAL: Contact the Carpinteria Public Works Department at (805) 755-.4450 and leave a message with the location of the animal and date and time you called.

Calling all poets and poetry enthusiasts to lounge at a summertime gathering on Saturday, July 15, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave.! All you need to bring is a blanket, a picnic lunch and a piece of poetry to share. No favorite poems? No worries! Come and listen to others share.

Thank you to all the HOST volunteers that attended our sign up event and training on July 6 and to our wonderful presenters who spoke to our HOST volunteers: Carpinteria Librarian Jody Thomas and Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center Executive Director Kristina Calkins. The HOST Committee will have its next in-person sign up event on Aug. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at Carpinteria City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. Learn more by emailing Olivia at OliviaU@carpinteriaca.gov or calling (805) 755-4401.