A reader e-mailed me this morning saying that Arthur von Wiesenberger's home on Mountain Drive was among those destroyed in the Tea Fire. von Wiesenberger is the co-publisher of the Santa Barbara News-Press and boyfriend of the paper's owner Wendy McCaw.
I did a quick property records search and indeed found that von Wiesenberger is listed as the owner of property at the address of 260 Mountain Drive. The address of 260 E. Mountain Drive is among those appearing on the County's list of homes destroyed by the fire.
According to my source, "Nipper" as he is known around town, was not occupying the home but had instead been renting it out in recent years. News-Press employees have been among the past tenants.
I know I've been rough on Arthur and Wendy in this blog and I don't approve of the way they've run the paper or treated their employees, but I take no joy in the fact that he is now among those who have lost a home to this fire.
