The latest robbery happened Tuesday at 4 p.m. at City Lot 7 across the street from the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.

The crime follows a similar incident on Friday, January 20, when someone robbed City Parking Lot 4, 1100 Chapala Street. On January 3, a gunman stole money from City Parking Lot 2, 900 Chapala Street.

Authorities said the gunman work cloth over his face, grabbed cash and ran from the scene.

“This is very serious,” said police Lt. Paul McCaffrey. “It’s not just that this is happening at city kiosks. We have a gunman out there. It is really hazardous and dangerous.”

Police said that in at least two of the robberies, a person in a vehicle witnessed the robberies. The kiosks are not equipped with video cameras, Lt. McCaffrey said.

Authorities said the suspect is described as a male, with a medium height and build, light- to medium skin complexion, and wearing dark clothing. He wore dark clothes. Police are not revealing how much cash was taken.

“We have done some stepped up patrol downtown,” Lt. McCaffrey said. “All of our officers are aware of these robberies.”

Lt. McCaffrey said it is unusual for robberies to take place at kiosks, particularly so many in such a short span of time.

A mother of one of the city parking lot workers who was robbed told The Daily Sound on Wednesday that the city needs to do more to protect employees. She said city employees were not notified after the first robbery in January.

“These are kids working there,” said the woman, who asked that she not be identified to protect the identity of her daughter.

The woman said that her daughter was traumatized after she was held up at gunpoint in January.

She underwent tcounseling sessions and had to file for workers compensation. She was almost ready to go back to work, until Tuesday’s robbery happened.

“That’s like a total emotional thing,” the woman said, “to have someone that young having a gun pointed at your face.”

Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider said she spoke with Police Chief Cam Sanchez about the crimes on Wednesday.

“The police department is looking at this as a top priority,” Schneider said. “It is something that we are taking very seriously.”

Councilwoman Cathy Murillo said she is concerned about the young people and the senior citizens who mostly work the kiosks. She’s planning a ride-a-long with city cops this weekend and expects to learn more about what’s going on.

“I don’t like it that city employees are facing someone with a gun,” said Murillo, who turned 51 on Wednesday. “I think it is desperate criminal. I am hoping he will be caught.”

I recently looked at the school calendar and calculated there are 11 weeks of summer vacation. This being my first summer vacation where I need to find a place for Fia to go or find someone to watch her while I’m at work, makes me a bit anxious.

11 weeks?  Yep, 11 weeks of, oh my God, what am I going to do with Fia while The Husband and I are working? 

11 weeks of camps? 

11 weeks of scrambling to finding care, things to do, and arranging vacations.

11 weeks of doing something.

Growing up, I remember long summer days.  Day after day and week after week, with no plans or no agenda other than meeting up with the kids in the neighborhood to make our own fun.

We would make believe the backyard was a pool, we’d ride bikes around the block, we’d play in the creek in the back and fill our days with good ol’ fashion fun.   

I want Fia to have days similar to that.  I want her to have that feeling of downtime, of long days playing with her friends and making up worlds that can be visited day after day.  But, things are different, both The Husband and I work and Fia won’t have days and weeks of a long lazy summer. 

Instead I look at it as having 11 weeks to fill.

I’m sure there will be a week or two of family vacations, a week or two of relying on my family and friends to watch Fia while I’m at work, but at best that still leaves seven weeks or so of “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Sure, there are oodles of fabulous camps.  There’s really something for every child and it would be easy to sign Fia up do go to art camp one week, then swim camp the next, then an outdoor camp, to dance, to gymnastics, to science to whatever we can think up.

And yes, camps sound like fun and I’m sure they are. But, the logistics of what weeks have what camps and sending Fia into a new situation, a new place with new people and a new routine every week, doesn’t sound like fun.

And to add to the camp dilemma is the cost, at $300 a pop, it adds up.  And it almost feels like going to camp week after week defeats the purpose of having a summer.  

So now I sit, still several weeks and even months away from summer wondering how I will work everything out, but I know it will. I know I’m not inventing the wheel or trying to figure out something that thousands of families face year after year.

So tell me, what do you do?  How do you fill those weeks of summer while you work?  Seems like I’m missing a piece of the puzzle, can you help me out?

Santa Barbara Mom Susan Torrey writes a weekly parenting column for The Daily Sound. She can be reached at susantorrey1@gmail.com.

Armendariz’s attorney Josh Lynn said Armendariz had agreed to the program, which is aimed at showing youths the seriousness of driving while intoxicated.

“He’s just trying to find a bright spot in all of this,” Lynn said.

Lynn said details of when and where the sentencing will happen would be worked out by the D.A’s office. Armendariz’s arraignment on Wednesday was continued and he’s due back in court on March 7^th.

Armendariz had been arrested for driving under the influence in December after rolling his Volvo and being sent to the hospital. He had a blood alcohol content of .18. It marked the second DUI in five years for Armendariz.

Armendariz declined to seek re-election but has refused to resign from the council.

Last week the council voted to censure Armendariz, striping him of his regional committee assignments, and banning him from driving to city events.

Williams introduced AB 1746 late last week.

Sodas are already banned on the campuses, but AB 1746 would make the energy and electrolyte replacement drinks also illegal.

Sodas and other beverages high in sugar are among the most prominent factors contributing to our nation’s obesity epidemic.

“This bill aims to set the example of making healthful choices in life,” said Williams, D-Santa Barbara. “Research shows that these sugary drinks directly relate to higher incidents of obesity and many youth – and adults – are still consuming them unnecessarily. These drinks should not be a replacement for water.

Williams said teachers shouldn’t have to compete with sugary drinks to get students’ attention.

“Teachers have a tough enough job as it and I believe this will give a little help,” said Williams, a two-term Santa Barbara City Councilman who grew up in Isla Vista. “A 32-ounce sports drink has 14 teaspoons of sugar. Kids jacked up on that much sugar have a harder time learning.”

Sports drinks or electrolyte replacement beverages are designed to replace fluids after vigorous exercise of more than hour straight. Research, Williams said, shows that sports drinks serve no added benefit over water.

The California Center for Public Health and the California Medical Association are sponsors of the bill.

“Sports drinks are an inappropriate option for California students,” said Dr. Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health. “They were designed for athletes who have been sweating for an hour or more, not for children as they walk across campus or eat their lunch. Williams’ bill will close a loophole that has allowed the beverage industry to continue using California public schools to sell products that contribute to childhood obesity and diabetes.

Other experts agreed.

“One in three California students is overweight or obese,” said James T. Hay, president of the California Medical Association. “We know that sugar-sweetened beverages, including sports drinks, are a major contributor to the problem.

“There is a common misconception that sports drinks, also known as ‘electrolyte replacement beverages, are healthy, yet many contain high fructose corn syrup and/or other calorie-laden sweeteners that have been linked to the rise in childhood obesity, the primary cause of type-2 diabetes.”

Williams, a former teacher at Antioch University, said banning the drinks on campuses would have great benefits in the classroom.

“They are not good for student achievement because everybody knows that a sugar drink gives you about 10 minutes of frantic energy followed by a loss of energy so it is not good for paying attention in a 45-minute class,” Williams said.

Sometimes dubbed “Noleta” as it’s outside both the Goleta and Santa Barbara city limits, the Eastern Goleta Valley is one of the most populated unincorporated areas of the county at 36,000 people. It hasn’t had a new community plan since 1993, well before the city of Goleta incorporated.

While speakers had a wide variety of concerns, the sticking point seemed to be the rezoning of eight properties to allow for more housing. The rezoning would net the area another 626 units of housing.

But residents worried it could be the first step towards overdevelopment and the loss of the valley’s semi-rural feel. Donald Stern said Los Angeles had looked very much like Santa Barbara in 1949. But he claimed zoning changes like the ones being proposed is what turned it into the urban jungle it is today.

“What you’re doing is the beginning of what happened in Los Angeles and you can’t go back on it,” Stern said.

Other residents understood the need for more housing, but felt more community input and oversight would be needed. Barbara Kloos, a member of the Eastern Goleta Valley Coalition, said she could approve of the plan as offered provided the supervisors reinsert language protecting agricultural land.

“The 36,000 residents don’t want redevelopment to be the dominant characteristic of Eastern Goleta Valley,” Kloos said.

But Kloos had some harsher language aimed at prospective developers.

“For those that don’t live in our community and are looking to extract our last available resources of land, we suggest you look elsewhere for your insatiable need for urban development,” Kloos said.

But developers argued that the plan did not seek to overdevelop the area. Craig Minus, a project manager at the Towbes Group, a major developer in the area, said there is a balance between getting more affordable housing in the area and keeping the Valley’s character, and that the Towbes Group has always been conscious of that balance.

He said Towbes has never built skyscrapers in Santa Barbara, but has provided plenty of affordable housing projects, public improvements, and supported the arts, jobs, and non-profits.

“Now that is the type of ‘developer’ I’d like in my community,” Minus said.

And a few parcels had some unique owners.

Susan Deacon, President of the Board of Education for Santa Barbara Unified School District, spoke in support of the plan. The district has the Tatum property which is not zoned for agriculture but would be rezoned to support higher density. Deacon said the district has no plans to develop the property but with a $6 million deficit, the district needs to keep its options open for potential funding sources.

“Because of the state budget crisis we need to look at our assets, such as the Tatum property, as possible revenue streams so that we can support our students,” Deacon said.

The supervisors tried to alleviate some of the public’s worries. Second district supervisor Janet Wolf, who represents the Eastern Goleta Valley, headed off some fears by noting the parcel by Vons is not affected by the general plan.

First district supervisor Salud Carbajal noted the board had to maintain a sense of balance between providing new housing opportunities and keeping the valley’s character. He felt the current plan struck that balance.

“I know not everybody’s happy, but I think this is a good product,” Carbajal said.

Wolf also supported the measure. She thanked the community for coming in and noted to people who still had concerns that this would not be the last word the Eastern Goleta Valley—she made a point of not using the term “Noleta”—would have on the community plan.

“While there’s going to be disagreement, I think at the end we are going to be a stronger community because of this process,” Wolf said.

At a Goleta City Council meeting Coalition chairman Bob Wignot said that the initiative would require voter approval to rezone Bishop Ranch, a parcel in Ellwood Canyon, Fairview Gardens, and a parcel west of Glen Annie.

While the council unanimously stopped a developer from working on Bishop Ranch last year, Wignot said it would just take is three different city council members to undo that decision.

“Rezoning of our heritage farmlands is too important to leave to the sole discretion of a city council majority subject to change every two years,” Wignot said.

ow can these two itty bitty words be such a giant pain in the posterior for some cats and the people who love them? If your finicky feline turns up her nose at her bathroom accommodations, is piddling over the side of the box or avoiding it altogether, you’re not alone. Cats and their litter box habits have left many of us befuddled, but instead of just burying our heads in the proverbial sand and ignoring the situation, or worse, getting rid of our cats, let’s see if we can, um, eliminate the problem.

Two of the most important issues for cats are the type of litter being provided and the placement and number of litter boxes in the house. Let’s take a look at litter first. There are two main types: clumping and non-clumping. Clumping litter is sandy clay with small granules that forms a ball around the urine for easy scooping (making for a cleaner box, which cats appreciate). Clumping litter controls odors better than the non-clumping variety, but it can be dustier, which can cause respiratory problems in both people and pets. Non-clumping litter is coarse clay with large granules so it produces less dust and tracking. The downside is that it must be completely dumped and replaced on a regular basis (not fun for those of us with bad backs!). Studies show that 9 out of 10 cats prefer clumping (sandy) litter, in part because the litter box smells better and the smaller granules are gentler on tender toes. This is especially important if a cat has been declawed (which I am vehemently opposed to, but that’s another topic for another column…).

Now that we’ve talked about different types of litter, let’s address the scent issue. Scented litter is great for the person and not so great for the cat. A certain area of the feline brain—called the Rhinencephalon or “nose brain”—makes the cat extremely sensitive to various odors and it is this acute sense of smell that can cause a cat to avoid a box with scented litter. (Imagine yourself trapped in an elevator with someone wearing a sickeningly sweet perfume or overpowering cologne and you get the idea.) Simply switching to an unscented brand of litter will often solve any litter box avoidance problems.

Aside from scented litter, if your normally fastidious feline suddenly takes a detour around the litter box, chances are: 1) the box is not clean enough (scoop out waste every day if you’re using clumping litter and completely change the litter every week), 2) the box is not positioned in a favorable location (put it in a low-traffic, yet easily accessible area of your home), 3) the box has a hood (most cats don’t like a covered box), or 4) your cat is ill. A cat with a urinary tract infection or diabetes may not be able to hold their urine long enough to get to the box or they may associate the box with their painful urination. A cat with arthritis may find it difficult to climb into the box (one with lower edges can help). If your cat abruptly becomes picky about her potty, it’s time for a trip to the veterinarian for a check-up.

Here’s a tip: if you’re thinking of switching to a new type of cat litter, it’s important to slowly make the transition by putting an inch or so of the new product at the bottom of the litter box and then pouring the old brand on top. Don’t mix it together; let your cat do the mixing (digging) herself. Gradually, over a 2-3 week period, keep adding more of the new litter and less of the old until the box is completely filled with the new litter.

Another helpful hint: be sure you have enough litter boxes in your house—the general rule is to have one box per cat plus one. In other words, if you have two cats, you should have three litter boxes; if you have three cats, four litter boxes, and so on.

By following these simple suggestions, your cat will start peeing and pooping in the proper place in no time. Can you dig it?

PET OF THE WEEK – Pepper

Pepper is a short-haired, velvety black cat with lanky limbs, amber eyes and a distinctive split in his right ear. This 7-year-old boy loves head, cheek and chin rubs and he will curl and twirl his long, thin tail while being petted! He gets along with other cats and would love to become part of your family. To learn how you can adopt Pepper, call ASAP at (805) 683-3368 or visit asapcats.org.

A fight broke out in the Plazita between six men. When officers arrived to investigate, a 20-year-old man became confrontational with the officers and refused to cooperate.

When officers tried to take him into custody, he held out his arms and backed away in a circle. The man’s 19-year-old girlfriend had been filming the incident on her camera phone from one to two feet away.

When she allegedly refused to back away while other officers tried to handcuff her boyfriend, police pulled her away. Both were arrested for interfering with a police investigation. Another 29-year-old man involved was arrested for a parole violation.

Feb. 15, 8:22 p.m.: Officers arrested a Santa Maria man after he allegedly hit several parked cars.

The man allegedly hit several parked cars and drove off. Police found the man’s car near a Motel 6 on State Street. The man allegedly showed signs of intoxication when officers found in his room.

The man admitted to drinking two beers but couldn’t perform a field sobriety test due to a medical condition. A background check revealed that the man had a suspended license.

He was arrested for hit and run, DUI, and driving with a suspended license and booked into county jail on $10,000 bail.

Feb. 15, 8:45 a.m.: A 45-year-old man allegedly tried to throw his wife off of a hotel balcony on their honeymoon night.

They couple married on Feb. 14 and spent the night at the Canary Hotel. During the night the man allegedly threatened to throw her off the balcony and then commit suicide.

He allegedly held her on the bed and then tried to drag her out to the balcony. When he was unsuccessful he allegedly put her in a headlock and slammed her head into the bathroom wall.

The woman phoned a friend and sent her pictures of bruising on her arms and face. When police contacted the man he denied hurting his wife and claimed the injuries were due to “rough sex.”

He was arrested for domestic violence and booked into county jail on $10,000 bail.

Feb. 14, 3:44 p.m.: Police arrested a 51-year-old man after he allegedly exposed himself to a woman on a bus.

The man allegedly sat down across from the woman while riding an MTD bus. After looking at her, he allegedly pulled down his shorts and began stimulating his genitals. The woman got up and told the driver who alerted police.

Police discovered the man had a previous conviction for indecent exposure and on a sex offenders list. When police contacted the man he denied exposing himself, allegedly saying, “She lied to you…she is Mexican.”

Feb. 13, 8:13 p.m.: A 38-year-old man allegedly slammed his girlfriend’s head into a concrete building.

The couple had been going out for four months when they allegedly got into an argument over a stolen camera. The man allegedly grabbed his girlfriend by the neck and began choking her. She began screaming and several citizens called police.

The man then allegedly slammed her head into a concrete wall twice. Police arrested him for spousal battery and booked him into county jail on $10,000 bail

Feb. 12, 7:51 p.m.: Officers arrested a 32-year-old woman after she allegedly hit her boyfriend in the eye.

The two allegedly got into an argument when the woman allegedly pushed the man. Her hand allegedly hit the man in his right eye causing redness.

The woman allegedly told police that she could not remember if she hit the man or not, but said, “It was in her character to be aggressive.”

She was arrested for spousal battery and booked into county jail on $10,000 bail.

Feb. 12, 3:09 a.m.: Police arrested an 18-year-old woman for allegedly attacking her boyfriend with a beer bottle.

The woman allegedly struck him with an alcohol bottle after the two got into an argument, leaving redness and bleeding on his face. A friend restrained the woman who then started to pack up her belongings from the house and allegedly broke several windows with her fist.

When police arrived, the woman allegedly punched the man again in the left side of his face. She allegedly refused to cooperate with officers and continued to struggle against them after being handcuffed.

“We’re here to grow your business or prepare your legal documents,” Linda Distenfield said.

Ira and Linda Distenfield launched Marketing Express as a company geared toward assisting small- and medium-sized businesses in building their brands. Businesses that needed help with their marketing but weren’t big enough to do their own marketing could come to them for advice.

It’s hard to argue with the Distenfields’ record when it comes to building brands. The We The People legal document preparing business started in Santa Barbara and grew to more than 180 offices in 32 states when the Distenfields sold it in 2005.

Linda Distenfield cited the sheer size as the reason for selling the company in 2005. She said they believed it was time to let someone else take We The People to “the next level.”

But as Marketing Express began to grow, the Distenfields found themselves faced with inquiries about incorporation, paperwork, and other legal documents that sounded all too familiar. Ira said it became obvious that people still had need for an alternative legal document service.

“Many questions came to light over the last number of years that really brought us back to our prior life,” Distenfield said.

So the company is now offering its own document service, Legal Docs by ME. Linda Distenfield said the concept is the same as We The People. If there’s little dispute among the involved parties, divorces and incorporation don’t require lawyers to file the paperwork.

Linda said in uncontested legal matters, hundreds of thousands of people don’t use attorneys. Legal Docs by ME, like We The People, offers a cheaper alternative for people not familiar with the system who don’t want to hire a pricey lawyer.

She said they’d always enjoyed helping people navigate the legal system and help them move on with their lives. And even though they’ve been out of the business for six years, people remember the help We The People gave them.

“I still run into people who thank us for what we did for them,” Linda Distenfield said.

Marketing Express is still focused on helping businesses, but the Distenfields say it feels good to be doing document services again.

 “Just walk in the door and we’ll sit down and talk with you about what you need,” Linda Distenfield said.