Santa Barbara News-Press: February 17, 2023

Getting in the win column

Santa Barbara Symphony

Angels Foster Care celebrates 300th child placement

Parents accused of exposing children to fentanyl appear in court

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Lompoc parents of a 1-yearold boy who are charged with child abuse for allegedly exposing him to fentanyl, nearly costing him his life, appeared in court Wednesday but their case was continued to next month with no action taken.

Defendants Curtis Michael Roberts, 43, and Jessie Lacy McCoy, 36, were scheduled to have a date set for their preliminary hearing, but their case was continued to March 8 for another prelim setting conference, Deputy District Attorney Madison Whitmore told the NewsPress.

They are charged with three felony counts of child abuse, one pertaining to their 1-year-old son, and the others for allegedly exposing his 3-year-old sister and 4-year-old brother to fentanyl as well, all under circumstances “likely to cause great bodily injury or death.”

Mr. Roberts is in custody at the county jail on $100,000 bail. Ms. McCoy is being held on $200,000 bail.

The criminal complaint filed against them alleges the couple created conditions likely to cause their children “to suffer, and to be inflicted to with unjustifiable physical pain and mental suffering,” and that they did in fact, “willfully cause and permit said child to be placed in such situation that his/her person and health was/were endangered.”

The complaint alleges aggravating factors, in that the crime involved great violence, great bodily harm, threat of great bodily harm, or other acts disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness, and that their victims were particularly vulnerable.

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Angels Foster Care is celebrating the placement of 300 children in foster homes since its founding in 2006. The agency aims to provide safe, stable, loving homes for infants and toddlers, from newborns to the age of five, in foster care throughout Santa Barbara county and Southern San Luis Obispo county.

Foster parents K.F. and J. F., who will not be identified for safety purposes, fostered the 300th child from Angels. The couple have two daughters of their own and started their fostering journey in 2021. The 300th placement is the couple’s third foster child. A placement is intended to be a temporary, safe home for a child until they are either reunited with their birth parents or adopted into a permanent home.

“We have always had a heart for serving kids and helping kids from hard places. By the time we started, our daughters were old enough to invite babies into our home and care for them,” K.F. told the News-Press.

“Part of our desire to do this was to provide a safe, temporary place for babies in need until they are placed in a safe, stable place to temporarily help a big need in the county,” J.F. told the NewsPress.

“We are beyond proud to celebrate this significant milestone of 300 foster care placements,”Holly Carmody, executive director of Angels Foster Care said in a press release. “It is our mission to protect abused, neglected and abandoned infants and toddlers,

nurture them in a caring home until adoption or reunification, and ultimately ensure that they reach their greatest development potential. We are grateful to our donors, board members, and volunteers who have supported our work and enabled us to make a positive impact on the lives of 300 young children – and their families.”

K.F. spoke to the significance of the 300th placement: “The coolest part is knowing that 300

babies have been helped. It is part of a bigger picture of helping children who don’t have a voice.”

According to Ms. Carmody, the number of children under 18 in foster care in Santa Barbara County has been on the rise for the last five years, dipping slightly in 2022.

“For us, it means we can impact their lives and it’s such a crucial time for children to be in a safe spot. We are excited to make a difference and that our daughters

get to be a part of this. It is an opportunity for them to serve and love others and care about their stories,” said K.F.

“I think that the way we look at it, the children may never know that we were involved or who we were. But the fact is that they have a safe spot to be and develop at a young age where the environment affects who they turn into as they grow up. It’s rewarding for us to know that we

Lompoc police, firefighters and AMR ambulance crew responded at 11:14 a.m. on Jan. 5 to a residence at 800 N. F St. regarding a 1-year-old child that was unresponsive. A police investigation revealed the 1-year-old had been exposed to fentanyl. The child was administered Narcan (naloxone) by fire and medical personnel on the scene and was revived. The child was transported to the Lompoc Valley Medical Center for further medical care.

The mother and father, Mr. Roberts and Ms. McCoy, were both arrested for felony child endangerment. The couple pleaded not guilty at their Jan. 9 arraignment. If convicted of all charges, each defendant would be subject to a maximum sentence of eight years, eight months in state prison.

In addition, Ms. McCoy faces aggravating factors in that her prior convictions as an adult or sustained petitions in juvenile delinquency proceedings are numerous or of increasing seriousness; that she has served a prior term in prison or county jail; and that her prior performance on probation, mandatory supervision, post-release community supervision or parole was “unsatisfactory.”

Prosecutors say because of her prior conviction in June 2009 in Los Angeles, Ms. McCoy would receive a second strike if convicted of the current charges. “This incident should be a reminder of the dangers of fentanyl,” police said at the time. “Only a 2-milligram dose of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose, and it is particularly dangerous for someone with no tolerance to opioids. The fentanyl drug is 50 times more potent than heroin.” email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Man who allegedly tried to abduct

preteen

girl to appear in court

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A 5-foot-10-inch-tall Santa Barbara man who weighs 215 pounds will appear in court next month on a felony charge that he tried to abduct a 12-year-old girl in Carpinteria last November.

Elias Maldonado, 51, appeared in court Wednesday for a conference to set a date for his preliminary hearing but the case was continued to March 15, Deputy District Attorney Hannah Meyer told the News-Press.

Sheriff’s deputies announced Nov. 10 that they had arrested Mr. Maldonado on suspicion of attempted kidnapping for an incident that occurred two days earlier.

Community Resource Deputy Bryan Dickey was notified Nov. 9 by Carpinteria Middle School

staff of a kidnapping incident that had occurred at approximately 4 p.m. Nov. 8 in the 5500 block of Carpinteria Avenue near the entrance to the bicycle path.

Deputy Dickey spoke with the female juvenile reporting party who provided a thorough account of the incident and a suspect description, sheriff’s officials said.

He and patrol deputies conducted a follow-up investigation, identified the suspect as Mr. Maldonado and tracked him to a motel in the 5500 block of Carpinteria Avenue. Deputies also learned that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

At approximately 9:50 a.m. on Nov. 9, Deputy Dickey along with patrol deputies and a Sheriff’s K9 unit contacted Mr. Maldonado

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KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

The couple have now fostered three children since 2021, with their newest ward being Angels Foster Care’s 300th child placement.

Carbajal touts delivery of federal funds for OB/GYN program

Congressman

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

secured $1M for Marian Regional Medical Center

On Thursday, Rep. Salud Carbajal visited the Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria to highlight the impact of $1 million in federal funds for the establishment of a permanent home for the OB/GYN residency program.

“OB/GYN residents and doctors are so crucial to the health of our new mothers and families, and the newest members of our community. Despite this, we are facing a shortage of medical professionals in this region to support Central Coast families,” Rep. Carbajal said in a press release. “I am proud to have secured $1 million for Marian Regional Medical Center’s OB/GYN Residency Program, which will help give this clinic a permanent home that will bring more medical professionals to the Central Coast, and build a stronger and brighter future for us all.”

Rep. Carbajal was joined by Marian’s president and CEO, Sue Andersen, to tour the future home of the expanded medical center’s OB/GYN residency program clinic.

“As our program has grown, we have quickly realized that expansion of

clinical and lecture space, in addition to advanced medical equipment, is needed to further the OB/GYN physician residents’ training,” Ms. Andersen said in a press release. “On behalf of the entire Dignity Health team, I extend my most sincere appreciation to Congressman Carbajal for his support and advocacy. OB/ GYN physicians serve all women–from adolescence on – and access to health care for all is imperative.”

While the numbers of local and national OB/GYN physicians are declining, in 2022, Marian experienced a record number of infant deliveries, totaling more than 3,200. Establishing a permanent home for the OB/GYN facility and program, which trains medical residents to provide critical prenatal, perinatal, and postpartum services to thousands of central coast residents, will help

Last two oil piers in state removed at Haskell’s Beach

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The State Lands Commission, in collaboration with the city of Goleta, has removed the last two oil pier and caisson structures in the state, located at Haskell’s Beach in Goleta.

combat a nationwide shortage of OB/GYN physicians, a shortfall that is expected to reach 22,000 physicians by 2050.

Marian’s OB/GYN residency program clinic will be operated by Dignity Health’s Pacific Central Coast Health Centers, a non-profit community clinic organization made up of nearly 50 health centers located primarily from Templeton to Lompoc, in the Central Valley in Bakersfield and as far south as Ventura and Oxnard.

After advocating for this and other community projects over the majority of 2022, Rep. Carbajal successfully secured more than $22 million for fourteen projects in the congressional spending package that was signed into law in December.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

This milestone decommissioning project marks the end of oil production in the Ellwood Oil Field, production that started in the late 1920s and continued into the 1990s. At one time, the shoreline was marked by thirteen piers as well as oil storage and processing facilities immediately onshore. Now the final two piers and caissons are gone, restoring full coastal access and eliminating public safety and environmental threats.

“Removal of the last two oil piers in the state is a defining moment for the region and for California,” Eleni Kounalakis, lieutenant governor and State Lands Commission chair, said in a press release. “Their removal moves us one step closer to a future free of fossil fuels and restores access to a beautiful coastline for the community of Goleta.”

The two structures, known as PRC 421-1 and 421-2, were installed in 1929 and 1930 for the purpose of oil and gas development of the Ellwood Oil Field.

After Venoco filed for bankruptcy in 2017, the South Ellwood leases reverted

Nonprofits urge more controlled burning to prevent wildfires in 11 western states

By JOE MUELLER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – A new report by two nonprofit organizations is advocating 11 western states change local and state policies to increase controlled burning on private lands to stem wildfires.

“Modern wildfires are not only burning larger areas but are also more harmful for people, forests, and the environment,” according to the publication “Burn Back Better,” produced by the Property and Environment Research Center and Tall Timbers. The 38-page report, subtitled “How Western States Can Encourage Prescribed Fire on Private Lands,” recommends immediate policy changes to address the wildfire crisis in the western U.S.

“The growing wildfire crisis makes this need to restore ‘good fire’ all the more urgent,” according to the report. “Frequent, lowintensity fires are essential for bolstering forest health, maintaining wildlife habitat, and reducing smoke and other air pollutants. Today’s catastrophic ‘megafires,’ however,

scorch forests, degrade water quality, decimate habitat, and choke the air with smoke.”

California had the largest amount of land burned by wildfires, with more than 9.6 million acres harmed from 2017 to 2021, according to the report. California has 32.5 million acres at high to very high risk of wildfire.

The report listed 10 other states and the number of millions of acres burned during the same period: Oregon (3.7), Nevada (2.8), Montana (2.6), Washington (2.5), Arizona (2.5), Idaho (2.3), Colorado (1.3), Utah (1.2) New Mexico (.83) and Wyoming (.80).

A media release on the report said 153 million acres of private, tribal, state and federal forest lands are facing high or very high wildfire risk. The report said surveys show private landowners are interested in increasing “prescribed fire” to reduce the impact of wildfires. Their land is often between urban and remote public lands or within a matrix of remote fire-prone areas.

“One such factor is the use of prescribed fire, in which low-intensity fire is carefully applied to a landscape under controlled conditions to improve forest resilience, reduce extreme wildfire risks, and achieve other

land-management objectives,” the report said. “Time and again, when wildfires have spread to areas where cultural burning practices have been restored or that have otherwise been intentionally managed with prescribed fire to increase resilience, those fires have become less destructive and easier to fight.”

The report said changing local and state regulations may be faster than changing federal regulations. The organizations recommend removing bureaucratic obstacles to prescribed burning and developing flexible approaches to “burn days.” It advocates for more training, education and support for landowners’ use of prescribed fire and improving “liability regimes” to reflect public benefits of controlled burning. It also promotes private investment for catastrophe bonds.

“A key solution to the wildfire crisis is more fire, not less,” Jonathan Wood, vice president of law and policy with the Property and Environment Research Center and coauthor of the report, said in a statement. “To ramp up prescribed fire and cultural burning, states must adopt policies that mitigate risks without being so onerous that they discourage landowners from using prescribed fire.”

New streamlined application process grants $800 million for housing in 58 communities

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER

SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - Across the state of California, 58 communities were awarded more than $825.5 million to build multifamily and infill developments amounting to roughly 9,550 homes in a new funding development process that combines multiple applications into a single award.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week the first funding awards with approximately $125 million

distributed for infill development and $700 million allotted for multifamily housing development in a scheme called the Multifamily Finance Super Notice of Funding Availability (Super NOFA).

The largest awardee was Tenderloin Neighborhood Development at $36,363,022 for their 2550 Irving project in San Francisco. The project is expected to create 90 units of housing in the Northern California city with 89 units dedicated to multifamily development. The smallest award to Northern California went to

Satellite Affordable Housing Associates at $1,672,488 to build 811 San Pablo with 33 infill affordable housing units.

In Southern California, Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation received $30,599.069, the largest award of the region to build 117 units with 87 Super NOFA designations at their Cuatro City Heights project in San Diego. Southern California’s smallest award went to Los Angeles Abode Communities in the amount of $1,500,000 for their community

Western, with 80 units of affordable infill housing. The awardee list also included a number of awards for rural community developments.

The Super NOFA Funding, administered by California Department of Housing and Community Development, combines four housing programs: Multifamily Housing; Infill Infrastructure Grant; Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention; and Joe Serna Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant - into

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very rewarding and serves a critical need in the county’

FOSTER

Continued from Page A1

were able to make an impact at that stage in their life,” said J.F. Angels Foster Care provides guidance and support to families, helping them navigate the fostering process and ensuring a stable and caring environment for its children.

The majority of Angels babies have been placed in the foster care system due to neglect,

abandonment or abuse. Angels’ social workers are experts in the needs of young children who have experienced trauma, and provide comprehensive training and intensive assistance to Angels Foster Care parents so they can confidently care for their foster children and provide a nurturing environment.

“I would say that there is a continual need in the county for other families to become resource parents. There is an ongoing need particularly

for families to be temporary placements helping in the transitionary period. We encourage other families that have an interest to look into it and think about participating. It’s very rewarding and serves a critical need in the county,” said J.F. To learn more about how to foster a child or for any questions, contact Angels Foster Care at (805) 884-0012 or visit www. angelesfostercare.org.

“I think if anyone has a heart

for it, they should go for it. Angels

Foster Care is very supportive and the training is extensive.

We have zero regrets. It’s been a really awesome journey and we feel really lucky that we have been a part of each babies’ life and watching our kids be a part of it as well. Put yourself and comfort aside for a bit to open your home to kids who need someone to love them. It’s totally worth it,” said.

K.F.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Man had outstanding warrant for domestic violence, false imprisonment

COURT

Continued from Page A1

at the motel where he was taken into custody after briefly attempting to flee.

Mr. Maldonado was booked at the Main Jail on suspicion of attempted kidnapping of a child under the age of 14, a felony, and obstructing a peace officer, a misdemeanor, as well as an outstanding warrant for domestic violence and false imprisonment, both felonies.

Prosecutors charged him with attempted kidnapping, alleging that he attempted to abduct the girl either by force or “by any other means of instilling fear,” with the intention of taking her elsewhere. The charge is a serious and/or violent felony.

Prosecutors also alleged aggravating factors, contending the alleged crime involved great violence, great bodily harm, threat of great bodily harm or other act disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness, and that the victim was particularly

vulnerable. They also allege he engaged in violent conduct that indicates a serious danger to society. He also is charged with two misdemeanors, one for allegedly annoying or molesting a child under 18, and the other for resisting arrest.

Prosecutors said they intend to introduce evidence of any prior acts of sexual offenses committed by the defendant.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

to the state and the commission embarked on the decommissioning project. The deteriorating piers and caissons represented a physical coastal obstruction, a potential public safety hazard, and a potential environmental hazard because of the presence of hydrocarbon-impacted soil and fill within the pier caissons.

“This is a significant accomplishment. Indeed, old oil and gas infrastructure, piers, and wells are leaving our coastal waters for good. The State Lands Commission partnership with the city of Goleta was key to this restoration effort. Our community and the environment are safer because of these decommissioning efforts and for this, we can be proud,” Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said in a press release. The work to remove the two oil piers and caissons began in August. The commission prepared an Environmental Impact Report and secured permits for this project in collaboration with federal, state, and local agencies. More information can be found at www.slc.ca.gov/ceqa/prc-421decommissioning-project.

The commission is actively working to decommission several other offshore oil and gas production facilities in the Santa Barbara Channel.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

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VOL. 167 NO.

www.newspress.com Newspress.com is a local virtual community network providing information about Santa Barbara, in addition to the online edition of the News-Press.

While the numbers of local and national OB/GYN physicians are declining, in 2022, Marian experienced a record number of infant deliveries, totaling more than 3,200.

‘It’s

sports@newspress.com

UCSB men’s basketball drops home game to Anteaters

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

The UCSB men’s basketball team (20-4, 11-2 Big West) were back in The Thunderdome to kick off this week’s games as they hosted the UC Irvine Anteaters in a battle for the top spot in The Big West. Despite the two-point lead at halftime, the Gauchos were not able to come out with a win, dropping this contest 70-59.

“I thought our guys played really well, especially Jakov (Kukic), in the first half,” UCSB Coach JoePasternack said. “We ran out of steam in the second half. The difference in this game was rebounding just in the second half. It really hurt us.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

The last time these two teams faced each other was a fight until the end, and that was no different in tonight’s game. The lead changed five times in the first half alone with neither team pulling ahead by more than three points.

Westmont women’s tennis falls late to Regals

By JACOB NORLING

WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Westmont Women’s Tennis (08) came up one point short on Wednesday, when they fell to the Cal Lutheran Regals by a score of 4-3. The Warriors were shorthanded today with multiple starting players unavailable due to sickness, but still, Westmont’s less-familiar lineup came awfully close to tallying the club’s first win.

“This is one that could have been in the win column, so it’s hard,” said Westmont head coach Cade Pierson. “We never come into any match with expectations for an outcome, because the outcome is based on our effort and our attitude. The outcome is based on things we can control.

“We’ve taken really good lessons from really good opponents. Today, we faced off against a team right at our level, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to showcase what we’ve learned. Instead, it’s been a week where multiple players on our team have fallen ill and we’ve had some injuries flare up. So, we went into today’s match without three of our starting players and a brand new lineup.”

In doubles the two sides split the first two decisions, which included

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UCSB defeats LMU in nail-biter

The UCSB men’s tennis team earned a victory over Loyola Marymount University last weeked, improving to a perfect 8-0 with the win.

LMU claimed the doubles point with wins on Courts one and two, leaving the Gauchos needing a comeback in singles play. This was accomplished starting with straight-set wins by junior Phillip Jordan and freshman Conrad Brown on courts one and six, respectively. Following another pair of wins by LMU on courts two and four, UCSB junior Luka Mrsic and sophomore Gianluca Brunkow won the last two matches on courts three and five, respectively, to earn the Gauchos the 4-3 win.

“The margins are very slim in college tennis and while it’s been great to see different team members step up to win matches throughout the season, we will look to clean up our doubles the next couple days before we take on a tough Boise State team,” said UCSB Head Coach Blake Muller.

UCSB will take on Boise State today at the Arnhold Tennis Center before traveling to Malibu on Sunday to play the Pepperdine Waves.

- Matt Smolensky

However, in the last 10 seconds, the Gauchos made a key play to earn a five-point lead with two seconds left before the Anteaters made a last-second three pointer as the home team was up 35-33 at the end of the first.

Ajay Mitchell played a strong first half, leading the Gauchos with 15 points while also contributing a steal. Along with that, half of the Anteaters’ fouls were drawn by Mitchell. In his first career start, Jakov Kukic was second on the team in points as he tallied eight.

At the start of the second half, UC Irvine came out strong, grabbing the lead from the Gauchos early. Even with the Gauchos making five-of-seven baskets while holding the Anteaters to no baskets in the middle of the second, it wasn’t enough to come back in this contest. UCSB ultimately dropped this Big West game 70-59.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

• Mitchell continued with his great game as he led the Gauchos with 25 points. Along with

that, he added on two assists while shooting at 57 percent from the field.

• Miles Norris led the defensive efforts as he grabbed the most rebounds with eight while adding on eight points. Kukic registered eight points of his own while adding on two steals and two assists.

• Calvin Wishart helped control the Gauchos’ offensive efforts as he contributed five assists on the evening.

UP NEXT

The Gauchos will hit the road as they make the trip to Riverside to take on the Highlanders of UC Riverside. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. with a live stream available through ESPN+.

Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB.

email: sports@newspress.com

Westmont men’s tennis collects first victory of 2023

By JACOB NORLING WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Westmont Men’s Tennis (1-3) picked up their first win of the season on Wednesday afternoon, when they defeated the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen by a score of 7-2. Playing by NCAA Div. III rules, each doubles court counted for a match point, as opposed to NAIA rules which awards the winners of two out of three.

In Thousand Oaks today, the Warriors took two out of three in doubles, before dominating in singles for the match win.

Cody Ray Emery and Santiago Tintore Ramon got the Warriors started off on the right foot with an 8-4 four win at number two doubles, a feat that repeated immediately on court one. On one, Logan Thomspson and Ethan Ha defeated Parker McBride and Aaron Moylan, putting Westmont up 2-0.

“Doubles was quite good,” said Westmont head coach Mark Basham. “We had two new teams today, putting Cody Ray with Santi at number two, and then Owen and Benny at number three. We wanted to switch things up and we liked the way it looked, especially on two today. Cody Ray and Santi looked pretty dominant, and Owen and Benny played well, too.”

The Kingsmen stole the last match of doubles

to get on the board, but the Warriors allowed no further momentum to build in singles. Westmont’s three match-clinchers in singles came on five, one, and four, where Preston Hastings, Thompson, and Owen Vander Ark put the match on ice. Vander Ark defeated Cade Haffner 6-4, 7-6 (7), Thompson defeated Darvel Lossangoye 6-3, 6-4, and Hastings defeated Shawn Rothermel 6-3, 6-3.

The Warriors continued to play after clinching, and also saw Emery and Ha collect wins on two and three. “Singles were pretty dominant today,” said Basham. “Logan took care of business, winning in straight sets. Ethan and Owen won in straight sets as well, along with Preston. I was really proud of Cody Ray. He played a dangerous, aggressive player, lost the first set, and then won pretty decisively in the second and the third.

“It was great for us to get some confidence and get this nice team win heading into a tough match as we open our GSAC schedule.”

The Warriors return to action on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., when they host Saint Katherine at Westmont. Jacob Norling is the sports information assistant at Westmont College. email: sports@newspress.com

Life theArts

Music at its transformative best

Santa Barbara Symphony to perfor Ted Nash’s ‘Transformation’

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist and composer Ted Nash understands the transformative power of music and words. That will be clear when the Santa Barbara Symphony, Mr. Nash and the Josh Nelson Trio perform Mr. Nash’s deeply personal “Transformation for Symphony Orchestra and Narrator” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at The Granada, 1214 State St.

This weekend’s performance will feature the world premiere of Mr. Nash’s new, extensive orchestrations in the latest version of “Transformation.”

The orchestra’s performance will be accompanied by a video, projected behind the ensemble, of Mr. Nash’s son Eli reading a “Dear Dad” letter in which he comes out as transgender.

“Transformation” began as a collaboration between Mr. Nash and movie star and jazz enthusiast Glenn Close.

“Several years ago, Ms. Close and I worked together on my album ‘Presidential Suite,’ ” Mr. Nash told the News-Press, answering questions by email.

“Working with her was such a great experience, as I have always been a fan of her artistry. We decided to collaborate on a bigger project and chose the theme of transformation,” said Mr. Nash, a Los Angeles native who co-founded the New York-based nonprofit Composers Collective. He is also a longstanding member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

“For the concerts, which were presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ms. Close curated the pieces, and I composed the music,” Mr. Nash said. “Many of the pieces were based on personal stories, and the most deeply personal for me was ‘Dear Dad,’ based on my son’s letter to me coming out as transgender.

“For the concert, which took place in late January 2020, my son Eli read his letter live while the band played a supportive role, and then for the second half featured me on the ‘Response,’” Mr. Nash said.

“This piece and my son’s courage and honesty are so important to me, and I wanted to have another chance to share this with people, and having the opportunity with the symphony is the perfect setting,” Mr. Nash continued. “For these concerts, Eli’s reading of ‘Dear Dad, which was just recently recorded on video specifically for this project, will be projected behind the orchestra as we play.

“The concept for ‘Dear Dad’ is the same as it was during the premiere, but re-orchestrating for the symphony is allowing me to use many more colors and textures to create an even more lush and supportive environment over which Eli will read, and an even more rich and powerful setting for my Response,” Mr. Nash told the News-Press.

Mr. Nash added that everything in creation can

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Ensemble eatre Company to host refugee organization

CALENDAR

COURTESY PHOTO Flying Goat Cellars will host a reception for mosaic artist Kathleen McCabe-Martin

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Please email them a full week before the event to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@ newspress.com.

TODAY

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival continues daily through Feb. 18. In addition to today’s movies, the Outstanding Directors of the Year Award will be presented tonight to Oscar nominees Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), Todd Field (Tár), and Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”). The directors will be on stage at 8 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Entangled: Responding to Environmental Crisis,” runs through March 25 at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. The museum is open from 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It’s closed on Sundays and college holidays. For more information, call 805-565-6162 or visit westmont.edu/museum.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Interlopings:

Colors in the Warp and Weft of Ecological Entanglements” is an exhibit that runs through March 12 at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The exhibit features weavings dyed with pigments from non-native plants on Santa Cruz Island. The weavings were created by artists Helen Svensson and Lisa Jevbratt. For more information, see sbbotanicgarden.org.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Coast artist and London native Annie Hoffman’s exhibit “Seeing Ourselves in Colour” will be displayed through Feb. 28 at Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. For more information, visit anniehoffmann.com.

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “The Search for the Modern West,” an exhibit, continues through Feb. 20 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, see sullivangoss.com or call the gallery at 805-730-1460.

Ensemble Theatre Company will hold a “Talk Back” discussion with the Central Coast Afghanistan Refugee Organization “SLO4HOME” following this Sunday’s 2 p.m. matinee of “Selling Kabul” at the New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St.

The play is written by Sylvia Khoury and directed by Nike Doukas.

Refugees from Afghanistan who have been relocated to the Central Coast will talk about their journey from Afghanistan to America and answer questions from those in attendance.

“I’m grateful to SLO4HOME for the work that they do to assist Afghan refugees and for allowing us to hear their stories first hand,” said Jonathan Fox, the Ensemble Theatre Company artistic director.

SLO4HOME is a broad coalition of religious organizations, veteran and active-duty military members, and community activists who are helping Afghan refugees establish new lives and livelihoods on the Central Coast. This grassroots group, which already has nearly 100 volunteers representing a broad cross section of the community, began coordinating assistance efforts late last year.

Areas of focus include housing, job assistance, education, health, transportation, culture and hospitality.

The play preceding the talkback, “Selling Kabul,” is about an Afghan man hiding from the Taliban in 2013 in his sister’s home. For more information, see etcsb.org.

Noon to 5 p.m. “Clarence Mattei: Portrait of a Community” is on view now through May at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, which is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 136 E. De la Guerra St. Admission is free. Hours are currently from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and from noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, visit www.sbhistorical.org.

4 to 6 p.m. Flying Goat Cellars will host a reception for mosaic artist Kathleen McCabe-Martin at the cellars’ tasting room, 1520 E. Chestnut Court, Lompoc. 7 p.m. The Alcazar Theatre and Ensemble will open its 2023 season tonight through Sunday with “Now and Then.” “Now and Then” is a romantic drama/comedy about love, following your dreams and the costs of personal decisions. The curtain will rise at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with matinees at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at the theater, 4916 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria. Tickets cost $20 for general admission and $15 for seniors and students. To purchase, go to www. thealcazar.org.

7 p.m. “The River Bride,” the story of folklore, love, regret and two sisters who struggle to be true to each other and their hearts will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) from Feb. 16 through March 5 in Santa Maria. The play is being performed at the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College, 870 S. Bradley Road. Curtain rises at 7 p.m.

Feb. 16-18, 1:30 p.m. Feb. 19 and 22, 10 a.m. Feb. 23, 7 p.m. Feb. 24, 1:30 and 7 p.m. Feb. 25, 1:30 p.m. Feb. 26, 10 a.m. March 2, 7 p.m. March 3 and 4, and 1:30 p.m. March 4 and 5. Tickets are $49. To purchase, visit www.pcpa.org or call the box office at 805-922-8313.

8 p.m. Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “Selling Kabul” at the New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805965-5400. FEB. 18 3 and 7 p.m. The Alcazar Theatre and Ensemble will perform “Now and Then.” “Now and Then,” a romantic drama/ comedy about love, at the theater, 4916 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria. Tickets

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2023

from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the cellars’ tasting room, 1520 E. Chestnut Court, Lompoc.

JORDI CALVERA PHOTOGRAPHY

Jazz saxophonist Ted Nash will perform during the world premiere of his new orchestration of “Transformation for Symphony Orchestra and Narrator”

‘The Accordion Player’ author to speak at Chaucer’s Books

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Dr. Ichak Adizes, author of “The Accordion Player,” will discuss his memoir at 6 p.m. Feb. 27 at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza.

Seeing every challenge as an opportunity for growth, Dr. Adizes moved beyond a childhood marked by imprisonment in a Nazi concentration camp and immigration to an unfamiliar country to discover the benefits of opening his heart.

Rejecting isolation and fear, he became a renowned thought leader who advises companies and governments worldwide on structuring thriving organizations around a culture of trust and respect.

Dr. Adizes’s personal story is more than a string of external events that propelled him through adversity after adversity to become the insightful, compassionate person he is today.

It is also a map of his journey

TED NASH

Continued from Page B1

be perceived as some type of transformation.

“Being creative is transforming our experiences, thoughts and feelings into an expression,” he said. “In music, we can take a few notes (there are 12) and transform them into symphonies. The transformations that I embraced for these concerts include taking classical music themes (Scriabin, Mozart) and turning them into completely new pieces.”

Mr. Nash added that he just returned from Cuba on his latest project, in which he worked with high school students to compose music inspired by paintings.

“It was an intense five-day workshop that culminated in a concert performing 15 new compositions. Many of the young musicians had never composed music before. The whole week was recorded and will be

into a heart which, like the accordion that he played to earn a living and put himself through school, ultimately expanded and opened up to the universal

released as a documentary.” email: dmason@newspress.com

FYI

The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at The Granada, 1214 State St. Performers include saxophonist Ted Nash, the Josh Nelson Trio and the symphony’s principal pianist, Natasha Kislenko. The works are the world premiere of Mr. Nash’s extensive orchestrations of “Transformation for Symphony Orchestra and Narrator,” Ravel’s “Bolero,” Richard Strauss’“Death and Transfiguration” and Ernest Von Dohnanyi’s Variations on a Nursery Song, Opus 25. Sunday’s performance will be preceded with a pre-concert talking featuring Mr. Nash and Nir Kabaretti, the symphony’s music and artistic director, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

truths that connect us all in our humanity.

“The Accordion Player” is a compelling account of a remarkable life, an unvarnished

Tickets on sale for ‘The Book of Mormon’

view of a man whose decision to recognize the value of change and creative conflict allowed him to love. His story reveals the enduring human ability to turn possibility into reality.

Dr. Adizes is the developer of Organizational Therapy and Top Performance Development and founder of the Adizes Institute Worldwide. He has made presentations to top executives in more than 50 countries, served Fortune 100 companies and advised country leaders. He was awarded 21 honorary doctorates, two honorary citizenships and published 26 books in 36 languages. For more information, visit www.adizes.com. mail: mmcmahon@newspress. com

FYI

For more information about the talk, call Chaucer’s at 805-682-6787.

SANTA BARBARA — Tickets for “The Book of Mormon” will go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The Tony-winning musical will be performed at 8 p.m. May 20 and 1 and 6:30 p.m. May 21 at The Granada, 1214 State St., as part of the Broadway in Santa Barbara Series.

To purchase tickets for the American Theatre Guild production, go to broadwaysantabarbara.com, granadaSB.org or call 805-8992222. Group ticket savings for 10 or more people are available by contacting at groups@atguild. org.

“The Book of Mormon” features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone.

Since opening on March 24, 2011, “The Book of Mormon” has become one of the most successful shows in Broadway history, breaking the Eugene O’Neill Theatre house record more than 50 times. In London, the West End production opened in February 2013, breaking the record for the highest single day of sales in West End history.

— Dave Mason

Library plans macrame workshop

SANTA MARIA — The Santa Maria Public Library will present a free macrame workshop for adults from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday in the library’s Learning Loft.

The library is at 421 South McClelland St., Santa Maria.

Library staff will lead patrons in creating two macrame coasters. All materials will be provided. Space is limited, and registration is required. To register, visit the events calendar at www.cityofsantamaria.org/ library or call 805-925-0994, ext. 8562. The Cuyama and Los Alamos

branch libraries will offer a limited number of free macrame to-go kits for adults. The kits are available pick-up on a first come, first served basis at the libraries. The Cuyama branch is at 4689 State Route 166. The Los Alamos branch is located at 405 Helena St. For updates, follow the library on social media — Facebook: Santa Maria Public Library and Instagram: @santamaria_ publiclibrary. For questions, call the library’s information desk at 805-925-0994, ext. 8562.

— Dave Mason

Miro Quartet to perform at Santa Barbara Museum of Art

SANTA BARBARA — The Miro Quartet will present a chamber music concert at 7:30 p.m. March

Award-winning Materials Scientist and Science Evangelist

Ainissa Ramirez

The Alchemy of Us: Uncovering Hidden Figures in Science Whose Inventions Changed Our Way of Life

Thu, Feb 23 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

FREE (registration recommended)

“Timely, informative and fascinating.”

– Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Sixth Extinction

Dr. Ainissa Ramirez promotes a love of exploration, making complex scientific processes both clear and mesmerizing to just about everyone.

A Timeless Tale Reinvented

Swan Lake

Ballet Preljocaj

Two Performances!

Sat, Feb 25 / 8 PM / Granada Theatre

Sun, Feb 26 / 3 PM / Granada Theatre (matinee)

Combining Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake with new arrangements, choreographer Angelin Preljocaj reinvents the timeless tale of love, betrayal, seduction and remorse into a modern ecological tragedy.

Dance Series Sponsors: Margo Cohen-Feinberg & Bob Feinberg, Ellen & Peter O. Johnson, Barbara Stupay, and Sheila Wald

Tue, Feb 28 & Wed, Mar 1 7:30 PM / Arlington Theatre

A Santa Barbara institution, this perennial fan favorite features the world’s best films and videos on mountain subjects. An entirely different program of films screens each night.

Major Sponsor: Justin Brooks Fisher Foundation

& Lake Louise Tourism and sponsored by Lowe Alpine, Oboz Footwear, YETI Coolers, Kicking Horse Coffee, World Expeditions, The Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola

Two Nights!

Two Amazing Programs!

(805) 893-3535 | www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu Granada event tickets can also be purchased at: (805) 899-2222 | www.GranadaSB.org

Arlington event tickets can also be purchased at: (805) 963-4408 |

Elizabeth Chong in

2 in the Mary Craig Auditorium at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St.

The ensemble will perform Haydn’s Quartet in B-flat Major, Opus 64, No. 3,; Caroline Shaw’s “Microfictions” and Dvorák’s Quartet in G Major, Opus 106.

Formed in 1995, the Austin, Texas-based Miró Quartet, is one of America’s most celebrated string quartets, having performed throughout the world on the most prestigious concert stages. The ensemble won first

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1

cost $20 for general admission and $15 for seniors and students. To purchase, go to www.thealcazar.org.

7 p.m. “The River Bride” will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) in Santa Maria. The play is being performed at the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College, 870 S. Bradley Road. Tickets are $49. To purchase, visit www. pcpa.org or call the box office at 805-9228313.

7 p.m. The Alcazar Theatre and Ensemble will perform “Now and Then.” “Now and Then,” a romantic drama/ comedy about love, at the theater, 4916 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria. Tickets cost $20 for general admission and $15 for seniors and students. To purchase, go to www.thealcazar.org.

7 to 9 p.m. The Nicole Lvoff Jazz Trio will perform at Crush Bar & Tap, 1129 A State St., Santa Barbara. There’s no cover. For more information, go to crushbarsb.com.

8 p.m. Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “Selling Kabul” at the New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

FEB. 19

1:30 p.m. “The River Bride” will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) in Santa Maria. The play is being performed at the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College, 870 S. Bradley Road. Tickets are $49. To purchase, visit www.pcpa.org or call the box office at 805-922-8313.

2 p.m. Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “Selling Kabul” at the New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-9655400.

3 p.m. The Alcazar Theatre and Ensemble will perform “Now and Then.”

“Now and Then,” a romantic drama/ comedy about love, at the theater, 4916 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria. Tickets cost $20 for general admission and $15 for seniors and students. To purchase, go to www.thealcazar.org.

4 p.m. The Takács Quartet will perform an all-Beethoven concert at St. Mark’sin-the-Valley Episocpal Church, 2901 Nojoqui Ave., Los Olivos. Tickets cost $20 for general admission. To purchase, go to smitv.org/syv-concert-series. Tickets for students are free. For more information, contact Linda Burrows at 805-705-0938 or syvconcerts@smitv.org.

prizes at the Banff International String Quartet Competition and Naumburg Chamber Music Competition, and in 2005, it became the first ensemble to be awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant. The Miró is quartet-inresidence at Chamber Music Northwest in Portland, Ore., and the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival in Washington state. Admission is $20 for museum members and $25 for nonmembers. To purchase, visit tickets.sbma.net.

— Marilyn McMahon

7 p.m. Singers Ken Stacy and Claire Khodara will perform at SOhO Restaurant and Music Club, 1221 State St., Suite 205, Santa Barbara. General admission costs $25 in advance and $30 cash on the day of the show. To purchase or get a dinner reservation, go to www.sohosb.com.

FEB. 21

7 p.m. Singer-songwriter Jack Johnson will perform at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara. For more information, go to lobero.org/ events/jack-johnson.

FEB. 22

1:30 p.m. “The River Bride” will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) in Santa Maria. The play is being performed at the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College, 870 S. Bradley Road. Tickets are $49. To purchase, visit www.pcpa.org or call the box office at 805-922-8313.

FEB. 23

10 a.m. “The River Bride” will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) in Santa Maria. The play is being performed at the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College, 870 S. Bradley Road. Tickets are $49. To purchase, visit www.pcpa.org or call the box office at 805-922-8313.

FEB. 24

7 p.m. “The River Bride” will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) in Santa Maria. The play is being performed at the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College, 870 S. Bradley Road. Tickets are $49. To purchase, visit www. pcpa.org or call the box office at 805-9228313.

FEB. 25

1:30 and 7 p.m. The River Bride” will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) in Santa Maria. The play is being performed at the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College, 870 S. Bradley Road. Tickets are $49. To purchase, visit www. pcpa.org or call the box office at 805-9228313.

FEB. 26

1:30 p.m. The River Bride” will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) in Santa Maria. The play is being performed at the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College, 870 S. Bradley Road. Tickets are $49. To purchase, visit www. pcpa.org or call the box office at 805-9228313.

— Dave Mason

Scan to watch trailer

The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour is presented by Rab, BUFF®, Banff

Photo credit: Ashlee Hendy and

Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park Australia @ Simon Carter.

COURTESY PHOTO

Dr. Ichak Adizes wrote “The Accordion Player” — his memoir.

NIK BLASKOVICH PHOTO

Nir Kabaretti conducts the Santa Barbara Symphony, which will perform with jazz legend Ted Nash and the Los Angeles-based Josh Nelson Tri this weekend.

Diversions

Thought for Today

“Too often we... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Friday, February 17, 2023

ARIES — You’ve been working hard to improve your financial situation, Aries. You might be on the verge of attaining what you want, but temporary obstacles could get in your way. You could be in a bit of a panic, wondering if this means you will never get where you want to be. Don’t worry. That isn’t the case.

TAURUS — A partner might be feeling rather down and need you to cheer him or her up, Taurus.

Too many social invitations could come your way today. You may have to turn one of them down. You may not be in the mood for socializing and need to be alone to organize your thoughts. One of the events could be business related and you may feel obligated to go.

GEMINI — Today you might enjoy planning to have some visitors stay with you for a while, Gemini. Worry about developments on the job or unfinished chores of your own might have you feeling a bit stressed and under the weather. You need to look at your situation objectively. It isn’t all that bad, just something that needs to be done. Get it handled and then reward yourself somehow.

CANCER — A friend could be depressed and need your advice, Cancer. Some long-held, cherished goals that you’ve been working toward could be temporarily blocked, causing you to wonder if they will ever come to fruition.

Don’t waste any time lapsing into negative thoughts. Assess what needs doing and do it. This is only a temporary situation.

LEO — Some professional colleagues might be coming to visit, Leo, and you may not be looking forward to it. You could be worried. How will it go? Will you make a good impression? Don’t drive yourself crazy. It will be fine. Family members should be doing well regarding their responsibilities, although you might be a bit worried about them today.

VIRGO — Today you might need to run some errands, Virgo, but they might prove difficult for a number of reasons. The errands could be personal or business related. Communication may be temporarily blocked. Messages may not be delivered or you could be playing phone tag. On days like this, you need to make a special effort to keep cool.

LIBRA — You might reflect

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Friday, February 17, 2023

This week’s deals have treated finding good opening leads. A capable defender analyzes the bidding, imagines how declarer may use dummy’s assets and forms a defensive plan.

Look only at today’s West cards and the auction. North’s double was “negative,” showing hearts but a hand unsuitable to bid two hearts. Pick your lead against South’s grand slam.

The actual West led the king of clubs ... and South ruffed with the ace of trumps. He took the queen of trumps, led a spade to dummy’s nine, ruffed a club, led a spade to the ace and ruffed a club.

HIGH TRUMPS

South then drew trumps with dummy’s king and nine and claimed. He took three club ruffs, four trumps in dummy, five spades and the ace of diamonds.

It’s hard not to lead an ace against a grand slam; if you don’t and never get it, you look silly. But if West trusts the bidding, he can expect South to be void in clubs. If West leads a trump (or a spade), he ruins the timing for the dummy reversal. South goes down. DAILY QUESTION You

With the opponents vulnerable, you deal and open three

on recent successes in business and money and suddenly feel a strong sense of gloom, wondering if it’s going to continue. Don’t panic, Libra. It isn’t a vision of the future. It’s only a temporary feeling. Work it off through exercise or throw yourself into a task. Meditation could also help. Get the endorphins going and your optimism and enthusiasm should return.

SCORPIO — Work that could advance you professionally could take you away from loved ones, Scorpio, and cause some emotional tension. You might feel down because you’d rather be with your loved ones but feel it’s important to move ahead now. Try to make up for it with some quality time. It’s crucial to make the most of the current planetary positions.

SAGITTARIUS — A task, perhaps job related or perhaps one of your own, might prove weightier than you expected. You’re working too hard and you could be feeling tired and dejected, Sagittarius. Exactly how crucial is it to get this done right now? If it isn’t vital, get as much done as you can without compromising your well-being. Do the rest tomorrow.

CAPRICORN — Someone, perhaps a person involved with a group you’re in, may ask you to help in some way today. You probably don’t want to do it, Capricorn, possibly because you have plans. Don’t be afraid to say no. Your creative energy should be high and your imagination working overtime, but other responsibilities interfere with your doing anything about it now.

AQUARIUS — Career developments could look promising now, Aquarius, and you might be in a hurry to finish whatever needs to be done. But responsibilities to home and family might interfere. For some reason, you might have to stay home. Perhaps you experienced some intense dreams that you feel are significant but you can’t remember them. If you stop trying to remember, they may come back to you.

PISCES — Some rather depressing information could come to you today from far away, Pisces. This is less likely to be about your immediate situation or circle of friends than it is about something social or political in nature. It’s probably the subject of a lot of talk around you. You might need to run some errands in your community, but for some reason you can’t.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3-by-3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9. that means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box. Sudoku puzzles appear on the Diversions page Monday through Saturday.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers to previous CODEWORD

How to play Codeword

Codeword is a fun game with simple rules, and a great way to test your knowledge of the English language. Every number in the codeword grid is ‘code’ for a letter of the alphabet. Thus, the number 2 may correspond to the letter L, for instance. All puzzles come with a few letters to start. Your first move should be to enter these letters in the puzzle grid. If the letter S is in the box at the bottom of the page underneath the number 2, your first move should be to find all cells numbered 2 in the grid and enter the letter S. Cross the letter S off the list at the bottom of the grid. Remember that at the end you should have a different letter of the alphabet in each of the numbered boxes 1- 26, and a word in English in each of the horizontal and vertical runs on the codeword grid.

PUZZLE

clubs. The next player overcalls three hearts, your partner bids four clubs and the player at your right bids four hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: To bid would be undisciplined. Your partner knows more about your hand than you know about his. Pass. He can save if he wishes but didn’t at his first turn. He may have enough defense to beat four hearts.

South dealer

Both sides vulnerable NORTH

— John F. Kennedy

SY boys basketball defeats Righetti

The Santa Ynez boys basketball team beat Righetti on Thursday, winning by a score of 57-51.

Jackson Ollenburger and Caleb Cassidy led the way for the Pirates, each recording double doubles. Ollenburger scored 19 points to go along with 11 rebounds, while Cassidy contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds. Landon Lassahn

SPORTS ROUNDUP

scored 18 points and added seven rebounds.

SY beach volleyball sweeps SB

The Santa Ynez beach volleyball team defeated Santa Barbara on Wednesday, sweeping their opponents 3-0.

“The girls played aggressive, yet smart volleyball today,” said Santa Ynez Head Coach Melissa Rogers. “They did a great job of

being patient with the process and capitalizing on opportunities when available.”

Santa Ynez’ Jayda Henrey and Gianna Pecile won 21-16, 15-21, 1513; Kaki Allen and Sadie Lishman won 21-18, 16-21, 15-12; and Hannah Allen and Cailin Glover won 20-22, 21-19, 15-9.

Carp boys tennis beats Bishop Diego

The Carpinteria High boys

tennis team defeated Bishop Diego on Wednesday, opening their season with an 11-7 comeback victory. In singles, Connor Gralewski went 3-0, including wins over the Cardinals’ No. one and two players. Lucas Martin went 2-1 for Carpinteria. In doubles, Carpinteria’s Troy Zimmerman and Asher Pampel went 3-0, as did Servando Campuzano and Nolam Martin.

- Compiled by Matt Smolensky

the kind of match where you can’t control the circumstances, you can only control how you respond’

TENNIS

Continued from Page A3

Westmont’s Francesca Aguirre and Sabina Salva claiming victory on court two. What turned out to be a pivotal doubles point came down to court three, where Justie Spitzer and Arianne Vethan were in a tight-knit battle with Reya Maestas and Kayla Kling.

In a nail-biter, the Regals came away with a 7-6 (6) victory, giving Cal Lutheran the first point of the day.

“With our hectic week off the court, our team didn’t know their doubles partners until we were warming up,” revealed Pierson. “It’s the kind of match where you can’t control the circumstances, you can only control how you respond.”

The two sides split the six singles matches, with the Warriors claiming victory with Aguirre, Salva, and Spitzer on courts one, two, and three. The Regals commanded the remaining courts however, winning 6-2, 6-1 and 6-4, 6-2 on five and six.

The match came down to a winner-takeall on court four, where Kling was battling Westmont’s Liska Knight. Knight took the first set by a score of 7-5, but Kling responded with a dominating 6-0 win to even things up.

In the final set of the day, Kling defeated Knight 7-5 to give the Regals the 4-3 victory.

“All things considered, I thought we did respond well to the circumstances,” reflected Pierson. “We had doubles partners who had never played together. We had people in the lineup who haven’t been all year.

“Still, they fought. They didn’t lose focus,

and they didn’t get caught up in their frustrations. Even playing without a normal lineup, this was a winnable match. You can still gain confidence from a performance like that.

“I’m really happy with how we controlled the factors that we could. Nobody played a bad match, and there was a lot of good stuff. At the end of the day, it was a frustrating match amidst a frustrating week. Luckily, there is a lot of tennis left to be played.”

The Warriors return to action next Friday, when they take on Arizona Christian at 2:30 p.m. in Glendale.

Jacob Norling is the sports information assistant at Westmont College. email: sports@newspress.com

David and Goliath: Attorney general warns Huntington Beach on housing ordinance

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - California

Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a letter of warning to the City Attorney of Huntington Beach, Michael Gates advising him the proposed ordinance up for consideration by Huntington’s City Planning Commission on Feb. 14, which will “prohibit all applications to build affordable housing projects under the so-called ‘Builder’s Remedy’ provided for by the Housing Accountability Act (HAA),” is contrary to state law. Mr. Bonta “urges you to reconsider your position ... and stands ready to take action to enforce California’s housing laws if necessary.”

Huntington Beach is the fourth largest city in the County of Orange. The recent general election brought sweeping change to its city council as residents overwhelmingly voted for a slate of candidates who delivered a unified message and made “a contract with Huntington Beach.” Within their message was the issue of Huntington Beach actively defending its charter status to “Home Rule” challenging Sacramento’s overreach and retaining local governance through its city council. In opposing state mandated high density housing as a means to address homelessness, the voter’s opted for pushing forward a comprehensive plan presented by the candidates. It was a message which resonated with the population.

One candidate who emerged successful in the election, Tony Strickland, put it this way following his win, “We talked about fighting against highdensity housing, and we said if you elect all four of us, we’re going to push for Michael Gates to sue the state based on those faulty numbers. We talked about our 90-day plan on homelessness, and incorporating nonprofits and church organizations to help solve that problem. We had a message that resonated with the people of Huntington Beach,” he told the

HOUSING

Continued from Page A2

one application.

Huntington Beach is the fourth largest city in the County of Orange. The recent general election brought sweeping change to its city council as residents overwhelmingly voted for a slate of candidates who delivered a unified message and made “a contract with Huntington Beach.”

Los Angeles Times.

Now it appears Mr. Gates won’t have to sue the state as the state has already begun monitoring Huntington Beach’s city council and their proposed Zoning Text Amendment No. 2023-001 exempting the city from the “Builder’s Remedy.” The Builder’s Remedy, part of the state’s Housing Accountability Act (HAA), allows builders to bypass zoning codes and the general plans by including affordable housing in its project, and could only be affected if the city fails to have housing element compliance. The Huntington Beach City Council issued the directive in December 2022 for Mr. Gates to draft the Zoning Text ordinance.

“The City of Huntington Beach’s proposed ordinance attempts to unlawfully exempt the City from state law that creates sorely needed additional housing for low- and moderateincome Californians. With today’s letter, we’re putting the City on notice that adopting this ordinance would violate state law. I urge cities to take seriously their obligations under state housing laws. If you don’t, we will hold you accountable,”

Mr. Bonta said in a released statement.

But Mr. Bonta’s letter is not the first to warn the city. In February the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) issued a letter to Huntington’s City Planning Commissioners explaining how adoption of the ordinance would violate the HAA and other housing laws, among other issues.

They cited cases that demonstrate rulings “where state housing law preempts conflicting charter city ordinance despite the Home Rule doctrine” and “if a matter is of statewide concern, then charter cities must yield to the applicable general state laws

regardless of the provisions of its charter.”

It was not quite clear from the text how the ideas of “Home Rule” and “a yield to the applicable general state laws” could be mutually true at the same time.

In one of the cited cases where a community association challenged the city of San Diego’s approved permit to allow developers to demolish 1,023 apartments and rebuild 2,287 condominium units increasing the density from 8 dwelling units per acre to a proposed 43 and 1/2 dwelling units per acre, the court found:

“In enacting Government Code, detailing requirements for the mandatory housing element, the Legislature declared the availability of housing is a matter of “vital statewide importance” and “the early attainment of decent housing and a suitable living environment for every California family is a priority of the highest order.”

To attain the state housing goal, the Legislature found, required “cooperative participation” between government and the private section, cooperation among all levels of government and use of state and local governmental power “to facilitate the improvement and development of housing” for “all economic segments of the community.” The Legislature recognized that each local government in adopting a housing element must also consider economic, environmental and fiscal factors as well as community goals set forth in the general plan.”

The Apartments were over 30 years old and housed tenants over the age 62, of low or moderate income.

The residents of Huntington Beach expressed a clear choice by their votes, reflecting their desire to address housing needs through locally decided remedies debated by its city council but the battle to

redundant, and overly bureaucratic, are now streamlined to ensure projects are not stalled in an endless bureaucracy that favored process over production,” Gov. Newsom stated.

Business, Consumer Services and Housing

“As we demand more housing to be built at the local level, it is incumbent upon the state to reimagine and modernize our own approval process,” Gov. Newsom said.

The new streamlined process, it is hoped, would save time and money and accelerate the development of climate smart infill housing and expand the availability of affordable housing throughout the state.

“State applications that were once

Agency Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez said “This results in new homes for struggling working families, veterans, farmworkers, and people exiting homelessness. California will continue to act with urgency to find new, innovative solutions to fast track housing development.”

A report on the governor’s plan for homelessness by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office states, “California has

determine the future of their city’s development appears imminent.

As the state pushes to solve the housing shortage, Huntington Beach will be well advised to heed the court’s view that local government solutions should approximate the Legislature’s.

“Absent a complete failure or at least substantial failure on the part of a local governmental agency to adopt a plan which approximates the Legislature’s expressed desires, the courts are ill-equipped to determine whether the language used in a local plan is ‘adequate’ to achieve the broad general goals of the Legislature.”

The statement from the California Department of Justice, issued by Mr. Bonta said, “On February 7, 2023, the City Attorney transmitted the proposed ordinance, along with a legal memorandum, for the city’s Planning Commission to review. Today, in coordination with the Attorney General, HCD sent another letter to the city’s Planning Commission reiterating its position after reviewing the proposed language of the ordinance,” It reiterated that the City of Huntington Beach should be proactively seeking to permit for more affordable housing projects, not restricting and stigmatizing them. The California Department of Justice, under Mr. Bonta announced the creation of a Housing Strike Force in 2021. The conflict between a city’s desire for self-determination and the state’s desire to quickly build affordable housing amidst a homelessness crisis is just now unfolding.

“California is facing a housing crisis of epic proportions, and it’s going to take all of us, doing our part, to ensure that Californians have access to affordable housing,” Mr. Bonta said.

about 161,500 individuals experiencing homelessness, which represents about 28 percent of the total homeless population in the nation” since January 2020.

It further stated “Historically, local entities have provided most of the homelessness assistance in their jurisdiction, relying in part on federal and state funding. As the homelessness crisis has become more acute, the state has taken a larger role in funding and supporting local governments’ efforts to address homelessness.”

Over the lifetime of all the housing projects awarded funding in today’s announcement, it is estimated that 187,500 people will benefit from these new housing developments.

‘It’s

Newsom: ‘State applications that were once redundant, and overly bureaucratic, are now streamlined’