Publishers Letter

Ben Malkin, Publisher

The title of this message might seem like an overstatement (it is)…there is certainly plenty of that going around these days. However, I was inspired by a “local” story that is not local to our commu-nity, but to one in Florida. While it is 3,000 miles away, it meant as much to me as if it happened in Thousand Oaks or Westlake Village.

I’m old-fashioned. I’d rather be informed by what I read from a diverse selection of credible sources than have my brain fried by TV “talking heads” or a blabbermouth podcast “influencer” (gads, I really dislike that word!). So, I get news feeds from newspapers, magazines, broadcast and internet media of all sorts.

In this case, The Washington Post sent me an article entitled, “He ate at this restaurant every day. When he didn’t show, the chef saved his life.” What happened was that a retired Air Force veteran was an everyday diner at the Shrimp Basket restaurant in Pensacola, Florida. He always ordered the gumbo. He chatted with folks and became friends with the chef. When he stopped showing up, the chef went to his apartment, found him near death and then saved his life. That and the amazing follow-up support from the chef, the restaurant and its staff and patrons are in the article (https://apple.news/A11Yn4eQ_QMqCKXiZVFVczQ).

Businesses and a neighborhood came together to support a lonely senior. What does this caring, compassion and generosity in Pensacola have to do with our community? Pretty much everything. I believe it could and might happen here and come out just as well.

In this issue you will see how Montecito Bank & Trust supports local nonprofits throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. It’s a bank for Pete’s sake! But it’s a community bank and that says it all! There is much more inside and itis all about us…the “locals.” Friends and neighbors.