Santa Barbara News-Press: March 12, 2021

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From Mozart to bluegrass

Off to a good start

Santa Barbara Symphony plans eclectic concert - B1

UCSB scores victory in Big West tournament - A4

Our 165th Year

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F R I DAY, M A RC H 12 , 2 0 21

Save San Marcos Foothills seeks $20M Agreement with developer gives 90-day deadline

By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Jennifer Gilbert, a Cottage Health nurse, donated blood during the Vikings of Solvang blood drive Wednesday. As a nurse, Ms. Gilbert said she has seen how helpful blood donation is to a patient.

Donors pack blood drive

Donors pack blood drive Vikings of Solvang team up with Vitalant in two-day event By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

To aid Santa Barbara County hospitals feeling the impact of a nationwide blood shortage, brethren from the Vikings of Solvang teamed up with Vitalant to host a two-day blood drive this week. While the COVID-19 crisis overwhelmed ICUs and prompted an all-hands-on-deck response in area hospitals, the need for blood has remained a constant concern. As COVID-19 shutdowns restricted blood donations all over the nation, blood banks experienced significant deficits in donations, with hundreds of

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thousands of units of blood lost, Diana Frantela, donor recruitment representative for Vitalant, told the News-Press. “Every single day, cancer patients need blood, people with chronic blood diseases need blood, trauma accidents — things like that never stop,” Ms. Frantela said. “Generally speaking, every two seconds someone needs a blood transfusion in this country.” Upon learning of this blood shortage in the county, the Vikings of Solvang were ready to help. During the Vikings’ blood drive Tuesday and Wednesday at the Solvang Elementary School gym, residents in the Santa Ynez Valley donated 158 units of blood. That was just one unit shy of the Viking’s record of 159 units collected during a single drive event, Kim Jensen, the Vikings’ head of blood drives, told the News-Press.

In the course of 25 years, the Vikings have developed a robust network of donors in the Santa Ynez Valley who are willing to donate consistently at the nonprofit’s spring and fall blood drive events. During this week’s two-day blood drive, Mr. Jensen said residents from across the county filled up each donation spot, prompting an impressive response during an unprecedented time. “We have some die-hards,” Mr. Jensen said, adding that a number of locals come out to donate at the Vikings’ blood drives every single year. One of these loyal donors is Solvang resident Carole Paaske. Ms. Paaske began donating in the 1980s when her father-in-law needed blood, and since then, she’s never stopped. As a donor with O negative blood, Ms. Paaske said

she knows when she donates blood, she’s able to help a lot of people. “I can’t give millions of dollars away, so I’ll give my blood,” Ms. Paaske told the News-Press. During Wednesday’s blood drive, Ms. Paaske donated blood alongside her daughter, Kaci Morrell. Growing up, Ms. Morrell said she remembers watching her mom donate blood consistently, and it now stands as an inspiration to her. “I just remember her doing it (and me) going with her,” Ms. Morrell told the News-Press. “Then when I was old enough, I remember in high school I was so excited that I got to do what my mom always did and give blood. I just learned by watching her. I didn’t have a big experience; I just had a good role model.”

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By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The New Democrat Coalition Task Force, which is co-chaired by U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, held a Zoom press conference Thursday to endorse two new immigration reform bills reintroduced to the U.S. House of Representatives. The Dream and Promise Act of 2021 would: grant Dreamers conditional permanent resident status for 10 years if they meet certain requirements such as being 18 years old or younger when they entered; grant individuals who have had temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure for three years or more lawful permanent resident status; and set forth provisions that protect Dreamers and individuals with temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure during their application for relief. “This landmark legislation

provides vital protections for roughly 2.5 million immigrants, including Dreamers and TPS holders who have spent most of their lives in the U.S.,” Rep. Carbajal said at the virtual press conference on Thursday. “They are our neighbors, friends and colleagues who strengthen our communities and economy.” The act also allows Dreamers to access federal financial aid and permits Dreamers deported from the U.S. by the Trump administration to apply for relief from abroad. “As someone who immigrated to this country as a young boy, this is very personal to me,” Rep. Carbajal said. “Dreamers deserve to stay and deserve the same shot at achieving the American Dream that I had.” The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 would: provide a path to immigration status for agricultural workers Please see REFORM on A2

L O T T E RY RESULTS

INSIDE Classified.............. B4 Life..................... B1-2 Obituaries............. A4

Please see FOOTHILLS on A4

Task force, Carbajal endorse immigration reform

Please see DONORS on A4

The Vikings of Solvang and Vitalant set up donor stations in the gym at Solvang Elementary School for the two-day drive.

FOLLOW US ON

Last week, the developer of the San Marcos Foothill Preserve, Chadmar Group, agreed to pause construction to give activists time to fundraise. To purchase the land from the developer, the Foothills Forever campaign needs to raise $20 million by June 2. The agreement includes benchmarks the activists must meet. The first step is to raise $4 million by March 23. “There’s an immediate need for an angel to step up and help secure the property,” Marc Chytilo, the attorney for Save San Marcos Foothills, told the News-Press on Thursday. “We accepted a very challenging task and because the development is fully entitled and the developer was ready to go, the 90-day timeline was needed.” On March 8, Mr. Chytilo dismissed the lawsuits he filed against Santa Barbara County and the Board of Supervisors. “(Supervisor) Gregg Hart stepped up and was part of our presentation and played a pivotal role in keeping this project moving forward,” Mr. Chytilo said. Mr. Hart, 2nd District supervisor, asked the developer to listen to the activists. “He didn’t have to (pause construction), and I think that really speaks volumes to his character,” Supervisor Hart said. Chadmar Group plans to build eight multi-million-dollar homes with large lots on the 101acre plot of land, but protesters

halted construction when they gathered at the site Feb. 25. “The west mesa is the most significant portion of the property, in my opinion,” Mr. Chytilo said. “It has extremely valuable open space features including the rock formations that give the property its significance.” Activists are hoping to raise the funds to keep the land available for the public to enjoy. It adjoins 200 acres of countyowned land the Chadmar Group donated in 2005. Mr. Chytilo has seen lands — such as the Carpinteria Bluffs, Ellwood Bluffs/Coronado Butterfly Preserve and Veronica Meadows — preserved by public support. “Saving these lands is just a continuation of what the Santa Barbara community has done for decades,” he said. The Santa Barbara Foundation is collecting donations for the campaign, which has raised just over $1.5 million so far. Supervisor Hart plans to help fundraise and said he will “put 100% of (his) effort into this.” He previously couldn’t talk about the campaign while lawsuits were filed against the Board of Supervisors but has voiced his support since the lawsuit was dropped. He received “hundreds of emails” from preservation advocates over the past few weeks. “I’m just delighted that the property owner and the

Sudoku................. B3 Sports ................... A4 Weather................ A4

Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 5-6-20-40-42 Meganumber: 27

Thursday’s DAILY 4: 0-4-9-8

Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 4-33-46-58-65 Meganumber: 13

Thursday’s FANTASY 5: 3-15-34-36-39

Thursday’s DAILY DERBY: 03-05-01 Time: 1:41.60

Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 17-18-37-44-53 Meganumber: 18

Thursday’s DAILY 3: 0-3-8 / Wednesday’s Midday 4-3-4


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