Santa Barbara News-Press: March 17, 2023

Battling Baylor

UCSB kicks off March Madness with game against the Bears - A3

‘School Spirits’

Review: New Paramount+ series follows teen ghosts as they try to figure out their afterlives - B1

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2023

Preserving Goleta Valley’s history

Pearl Chase Society presents grant for porch at Main-Begg Farmhouse

First Republic Bank gets $30B from big lenders

By COLE LAUTERBACH

CENTER SQUARE

THE

(The Center Square) – Without the help of taxpayer funds, embattled regional lender First Republic Bank saw an injection of money Thursday from the nation’s largest banks – likely saving the San Francisco-based bank from insolvency.

A joint statement from a quartet of Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen, Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, and Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu, confirmed the transfer.

“Today, 11 banks announced $30 billion in deposits into First Republic Bank,” they said. “This show of support by a group of large banks is most welcome, and demonstrates the resilience of the banking system.”

As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America and Wells Fargo will send $5 billion to First Republic, which has a branch at 1200 State St. in Santa Barbara. Sending smaller amounts are Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, U.S. Bancorp, PNC Financial Services Group and Truist Financial, the paper said.

FYi

The Main-Begg Farmhouse is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month. It’s located at 5001 Hollister Ave. in the Goleta Valley. Docent-led house and garden tours take place at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. For more information, including details on the original water cistern, property history and ongoing activities, go to mainbeggfarmhouse.org.

For more about the Pearl Chase Society, see www. pearlchasesociety.org.

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Pearl Chase Society is continuing its efforts to preserve historic architecture, and this time the beneficiary is the MainBegg Farmhouse in the Goleta Valley.

Emma Brinkman, a member of the Pearl Chase Society board, presented a grant check for $7,450 Wednesday afternoon to the treasurer and board members of the Main-Begg Farmhouse on behalf of the Pearl Chase Society. The money will go toward restoration of the porch at the historic landmark, which is at 5001 Hollister Ave.

“We have added some new board members, and there is a renewed energy to the board,”

Ms. Brinkman told the NewsPress. “We are going to see much more outreach to the community coming from the society.

“Other projects funded by the society include Cabrillo Pavilion renovation for the easterly observation deck,” she said. “The society also funded partial grants for the stegosaurus wall at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and the arch at the courthouse (in Santa Barbara).”

The porch at the Main-Begg Farmhouse was in need of

Free Republic’s stock price plummeted Thursday on news of the bank seeking a sale but the injection of funds gave investors confidence, bouncing the bank’s price back up to more than $34 when markets closed at 4 p.m. Eastern. Credit rating agencies lowered the bank’s bond ratings to speculative, or “junk” status shortly after.

A spokesman for the bank wasn’t immediately available to comment on the infusion of cash Thursday afternoon.

The regional bank’s scare is the latest in a handful of midsize lenders nearing or falling into insolvency, leaving account holders with more than the FDICinsured $250,000 fearful they’d lose those funds after a run on the bank.

Tech-centric Silicon Valley Bank fell into insolvency last week after being forced into heavy losses to maintain liquidity when customers began pulling money from the bank. The FDIC took over the lender, announcing it would take additional steps to make uninsured funds whole.

New York City’s Signature Bank met the same fate last Sunday. The FDIC was named receiver and has transferred the bank’s holdings to Signature Bridge Bank, N.A.

Scholarship to help UCSB graduate’s efforts to aid underserved communities

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara native Olubukayo Akinyemi recently received help in her efforts to provide health care to underserved communities.

The UCSB graduate is one of 175 health professionals who were awarded the United Health Foundation Diversity In Health Care Scholarship this past December.

These awards are part of the foundation’s broader $100 million philanthropic commitment over 10 years to help address health disparities and advance health equity in communities across the country. The second round of applications for this scholarship

opened on Feb. 13, and the goal is to award 475 additional scholarships.

“It was a struggle in the last

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Pearl Chase Society’s $7,000-plus donation check to the Main-Begg Farmhouse is proudly shown Wednesday in front of the Goleta Valley house.

The Main-Begg Farmhouse was built in 1911 by Robert and Jane Main, who immigrated in 1887 to the South Coast from Scotland.

A Columbia Grafonola, an early 20th-century phonograph, and historical photos grace the house’s interior.

Count shows almost 1,900

homeless people in SB County

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

There are nearly 1,900 homeless people in Santa Barbara County, according to preliminary results of the 2023 Point in Time Count.

That’s a decrease of almost 4% from 2022.

This year’s count was conducted on Jan. 25 by the Santa Maria/ Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care. It is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is intended to be a snapshot of homelessness in the county on a single night.

The county released the count’s statistics Thursday.

Countywide, 1,887 persons were counted. That represents a decrease of 3.7% in the number of homeless individuals from 2022.

The count includes 1,202 persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness and 685 persons living in emergency shelters or transitional housing. More than

77% of persons surveyed during the count reported losing housing while living in Santa Barbara County. This is down from the 2022 count of 1,962, which broke down to 1,367 unsheltered and 595 sheltered.

The 2020 count was at 1,897, with 1,223 unsheltered and 674 sheltered. In 2019, the count stood at 1,803 with 1,133 unsheltered and 670 sheltered. In 2021, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, Continuum of Care, and cities adopted a Community Action Plan to Address Homelessness in 2021. The Community Action Plan outlined key strategies and action steps.

Following adoption, 140 shelter beds and more than 800 opportunities for permanent housing have been added to the homelessness response system, according to Santa Barbara County. The county reported that

1,050 persons transitioned out of homelessness into permanent housing despite soaring rents and an extremely low rental vacancy rate in 2022. The county added that it resolved the issues around 154 encampments.

In a news release, the county said factors for its success include the Emergency Housing Voucher program.

HUD provided a total of 272 long-term rental subsidy vouchers to the Santa Barbara County and Santa Barbara city housing authorities.

“The Emergency Housing Voucher Program is helping families find housing and end their homelessness,” Sylvia Barnard, chairperson for Continuum of Care, said. “This program has been instrumental in the county of Santa Barbara’s efforts to house vulnerable and chronically homeless residents across our communities. Largely as a result of prevention and housing efforts like vouchers,

the 2023 PIT count has shown a decrease in homelessness in the county,”

The counts for 2023, 2022, and 2020 are broken down into the following areas for each year respectively: unincorporated north: 47, 79, 50; Guadalupe: 8, 2, 3; Santa Maria: 472, 457, 382; Buellton/Solvang, Santa Ynez Valley: 20, 12, 2; Lompoc: 233, 290, 211; unincorporated south: 73, 76, 61; Isla Vista: 88, 112, 69; Santa Barbara: 787, 822, 914; Goleta: 136, 91, 166 and Carpinteria: 23, 21, 239.

The Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care Board will receive the complete 2023 Point in Time Count report and presentation at 2 p.m. May 4 on Zoom.

For more information, contact Kimberlee Albers, homeless assistance programs manager, at kalbers@co.santa-barbara.ca.us or 805-695-6333.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Colorado river basin lawmakers team up to address western water shortage

By CAMERON ARCAND

CONRIBUTOR

THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – A bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers is looking to tackle water issues involving the Colorado River.

Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., announced that he was leading the effort to find solutions regarding the Colorado River Basin by creating the Congressional Colorado River Caucus.

“As the Representative of the headwaters of the Colorado River, I’m honored to be joined by colleagues from the Upper and Lower Basin States in launching the Congressional Colorado

River Caucus. Together, and working with our colleagues in the Senate, we will collaborate with each other and state and local leaders, putting the interests of our communities above all else and working together towards our shared goal to mitigate the impacts felt by record-breaking levels of drought. We must protect the reliability and consistency of this critical water source—and we’re ready to get to work,” Rep. Neguse said in a statement.

In negotiations involving how to utilize water resources in the West, many states have been at odds with California – the most populated state that also enjoys

Amid rail crime spike, Los Angeles deploys ‘transit ambassadors’

senior water rights – on how to share. The caucus will include California Reps. Grace Napolitano and Jay Obernolte.

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, RAriz., said Wednesday that the caucus is a crucial opportunity to discuss the ongoing water crisis impacting Arizona and other states. As Arizona gets over a third of its water from the Colorado river, according to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, it’s become an urgent focus among state and local lawmakers. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Arizona, called on California to collaborate with the other basin states in January in order to find solutions, The Center Square reported.

Benton to serve as county’s new chief probation officer

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Holly Benton has been named Santa Barbara County’s new chief probation officer. Santa Barbara County

Presiding Judge Pauline Maxwell this week announced the selection of Ms. Benton.

Ms. Benton has more than 33 years of experience in probation, in both San Bernardino and Santa Barbara counties. Ms. Benton will succeed former chief probation officer Tanja Heitman, who has recently taken a new leadership position with the county effective March 20.

Ms. Benton earned her bachelor’s degree in 1989 at University of LaVerne and her master’s degree in public administration in 2012 at Cal State San Bernardino.

Since 2018, she has served as the chief deputy probation officer of Santa Barbara County, most recently in the Adult Division. Additionally, she has been in charge of the county’s Juvenile Detention.

Ms. Benton has also had experience in the Community Corrections Partnership Working Group, specifically developing the county’s Public Safety Realignment Plan. Prior to her time with Santa Barbara County, Ms. Benton served in San Bernardino County’s Probation Department

COURTESY PHOTO

Holly Benton

for a little under 30 years.

Additionally, from 2016 to 2018, she served as an adjunct instructor at Cal State San Bernardino, teaching about domestic violence, the criminal justice system and community corrections.

Ms. Benton was selected by Superior Court judges in collaboration with Santa Barbara County. Her selection followed a nomination by the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission.

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

“I am proud to join Representative Neguse in launching the bipartisan Congressional Colorado River Caucus. Water is our most precious resource, and we must address the uncertainty caused by the severe drought that is impacting 40 million residents of Arizona and the Southwest. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues on solutions that bring together the Upper and Lower Basins and secure a strong water future for us all,” Rep. Ciscomani said in the statement.

The statement mentioned that a similar effort is underway in the Senate by Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo.

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VOL. 167 NO.

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Sports

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2023

UCSB men’s basketball prepares to battle with Baylor

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

The UCSB Men’s Basketball team (277, 15-5 Big West) arrived in Denver to compete in March Madness for the eighth time in the program’s history, coming in as a No. 14 seed. The Gauchos will kick off the tournament today against the No. 3 Baylor University Bears out of the Big 12. The last time these two teams faced each other was on Dec. 5, 1970, when the Gauchos defeated the Bears 9568.

“We’re excited to be here at the NCAA Tournament,” said UCSB Head Coach Joe Pasternack. “Winning The Big West Championships this past weekend was huge for our team. Whenever you practice starting in July, it’s all shooting for those three games in three days. To see the joy on our players’ faces when we won it; that was amazing. We are really

looking forward to being here this week.”

The last time the Gauchos played in March Madness was in 2021, when the Gauchos took on Creighton in the opening round. UCSB almost pulled off the upset but unfortunately dropped the game 6362.

UCSB last played in the Big West Championship game, when the Gauchos took on the reigning champs in Cal State Fullerton. It was as close of a matchup as it could be as the two teams exchanged the lead 16 times before UCSB kept control, not letting the Titans back into the game during the final minutes as the Gauchos became the 2023 Big West Champions.

With his stellar performance throughout the weekend, Ajay Mitchell wrapped up his sophomore campaign not only as The Big West Player of the Year, but also the Tournament MVP, while

Miles Norris earned All-Tournament Team honors.

SCOUTING THE BEARS

• Baylor is coming off two straight losses to Iowa State, dropping the last regular season game at home to the Cyclones before dropping the first game of the Big 12 Championships to the same team. Over the last six games, the Bears hold a 2-4 record.

• This Big 12 team is one of the best in the country in multiple categories, with their best ranking coming in threepointers per game. The Bears are 13th in the nation and No. 1 in the Big 12 in this category as they average 9.7 per game. Along with that, this Baylor team is phenomenal from the free throw line. They make an average of 16 free throws a game, which is good enough to rank 25th in the NCAA.

• The Bears are led by freshman guard Keyonte George. In his freshman season, he put up 490 points, averaging 15.81 points per game. He has started in 31 of the team’s 32 games while putting up numbers that were good enough to garner him Big 12 Freshman of the Year and AllBig 12 Second Team honors.

• Senior guard Adam Flagler has been instrumental for Baylor. He is second on the team in points, averaging 15.53 a game. The All-Big 12 First Team selection leads the team with 142 assists.

• LJ Cryer is one of the best in the country when it comes to three-point shooting. He’s ninth in the NCAA in threepoint percentage, making 42.6 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. The All-Big 12 Third Team selection is also third on Baylor’s team in points, averaging 14.48 a game.

• Jalen Bridges crashes the boards the most. One of two players to start all

SBCC men’s golf earns fifth straight second-place finish

By MICHAEL JORGENSON

SBCC SPORTS WRITER

For the fifth straight tournament, the SBCC men’s golf team finished in second place as a team, led by a pair of top-7 individual finishes from Ryan Gay and Murphy Scott in WSC #5 at Antelope Valley Country Club.

Gay placed first on the team for the third

time this season, shooting a 2-over 74 to tie for second overall. Scott carded a 5-over 77 to finish in a five-way tie for the seventh-best individual score.

Jacob Aaron (79), Michael Gentry (80) and Caleb Rodriguez (82) all contributed to the Vaqueros’ team score of 392, three strokes ahead of third-place Ventura. With next week’s WSC #6 being canceled,

Santa Barbara will now look ahead to WSC #7 at San Dimas Country Club hosted by Citrus on March 27.

Michael Jorgenson works in communications/ media relations at Santa Barbara City College. email: sports@newspress.com

Lights added to Cabrillo High School’s baseball field

BY KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Lompoc Unified School District has announced the completion of the lighting project at Cabrillo High School’s Don McIntyre baseball field. Cabrillo will hold a grand opening celebration at 5 p.m. Saturday before hosting the school’s first night game at the field.

In fall 2020, Cabrillo High School graduate and Major League Baseball pitcher Dan Duffy began working with Musco Lighting, LUSD, and Cabrillo High coaches and administrators to start a lighting project for the field, which had no lighting. Students had not been able to practice or play games in the evening. Mr. Duffy committed to funding all of the project’s costs up to $1.5 million,

and the district agreed to fund any expenses soaring beyond Mr. Duffy’s commitment.

In fall 2021, a Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared, then publicly posted per the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 to gather public comments about the project. In December 2021, LUSD’s Board of Education approved the final MND.

Working with Musco and KBZ architects, the district submitted the final plans for the project to the Division of State Architects in April 2022. DSA provides design and construction oversight for California’s K-12 schools to ensure structural, accessibility, and fire and life safety code compliance.

In August 2022, LUSD’s board of education approved a Sourcewell piggyback bid from Musco Sports Lighting, and Smith MEP

completed the project in late February.

The project included the installation of eight light standards ranging in height between 70 and 80 feet and containing various LED luminaires.

“Playing under the lights is an amazing experience,” Mr. Duffy said in a news release.

“Adding lighting to the field at my alma mater has been a dream of mine for years. My mom and dad, Deanna and Dan, instilled in me a love for Cabrillo High and the entire Lompoc Valley and gave constant support and encouragement in making this project come to life.”

The school district’s superintendent, Dr. Clara Finneran, noted, “Athletics provide tremendous opportunities for students, and we are very

proud of our student-athletes in Lompoc Unified. The new lighting at Cabrillo is an exciting enhancement for our students.

“We are extremely grateful for the generous donation from Mr. Duffy, and we are happy to have helped make his vision a reality,” Dr. Finneran said. email: kzehnder@newspress.com

32 games for Baylor, the junior snatches 5.75 boards a game with a total of 184 this season.

• The Bears are coached by Scott Drew, who has been with the Bears since the 2003-04 season. Since taking over the program, he has accumulated a 419-232 record, which equates to a .644 winning percentage over 20 seasons.

The Gauchos will hit the floor against the Bears in the opening game of the day in Denver beginning at 10:30 a.m. PDT. Fans can watch the game live on TNT with a radio broadcast through the Varsity One app. Live stats will also be available through the NCAA.

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

email: sports@newspress.com

SBCC men’s volleyball earns second straight road sweep

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

Outside hitter Cole Richards led the way for the SBCC men’s volleyball team in three straight close set wins at El Camino on Wednesday, 26-24, 25-22, 25-20. Richards finished with a teamleading 12 kills to go with seasonhighs of 14 digs and five aces. He notched his second doubledouble of the season to help the Vaqueros improve to 6-4 overall, 3-2 WSC.

El Camino (3-7, 1-4) hung tight in set one, forcing extra points before Santa Barbara was able to close it out 26-24. While no set on the day was decided by more than five points, the Vaqueros would increase their separation slightly over the next two sets.

SBCC enjoyed a huge edge in the attacking game, outhitting El Camino .264 to .099.

Opposite Troy Fitzgerald and outside hitter Arie Padmos finished with seven and six kills, respectively. Padmos also dominated at the net with a season-high eight blocks.

Setter Carter Cottrell flirted with a double-double on an allaround solid day, registering 24 assists, seven digs, a block and two kills on two attempts.

The Vaqueros will be back home today to host Antelope Valley at 6 p.m. at the Sports Pavilion.

Michael Jorgenson works in communications/media relations at Santa Barbara City College. email: sports@newspress.com

‘Being granted this scholarship relieves a huge burden off me’

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year going between clinical experience and gaining hours. I haven’t been able to work as much,” Ms. Akinyemi told the News-Press. “So being granted this scholarship relieves a huge burden off me as I prepare to graduate. It allows me to focus on my clients and the care I provide for them.”

Ms. Akinyemi is a registered nurse and is using the scholarship to fund her master’s degree in science and nursing with an emphasis on psychiatric care, at the University of Austin in Texas. She graduated from UCSB with her bachelor’s degree in biopsychology.

Her master’s degree will allow her to take the national board exam for nurse practitioners.

After Ms. Akinyemi graduated from UCSB, she stayed in Santa Barbara through the summer and worked as a registered nurse. After that, she moved to Los Angeles, where she worked in global health, and that allowed her to go to Panama and Malaysia and help

patients there. She also worked at St. Joseph Center in Los Angeles for just over three years, and that helped her to envision the next chapter in her career.

“Only 3% of nurse practitioners are people of color,” she said. “However, over 50% of people experiencing homelessness are people of color. Because of that disparity, clients aren’t often comfortable repeating trauma to their practitioners. Therefore, practitioners aren’t often getting all the information they need from clients.”

Ms. Akinyemi talked to the News-Press about why she is passionate about mental health and psychiatric care.

“Just working in L.A. as a case manager and working with social workers, I was seeing the disparity in care,” Ms. Akinyemi said. She added she was seeing things that practitioners missed.

Instead of being the middleman, Ms. Akinyemi wanted to be a practitioner.

“Growing up in Santa Barbara, I worked as a tutor in Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley. As a tutor, I saw a lot of students having issues at home causing them to lose focus,” Ms. Akinyemi said. “Teachers don’t have time to

SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS OBITUARIES

HULSEBUSCH, Harald H. A.

have intensive intervention. Because tutors are closer in age, children are telling us about issues that are affecting their ability to learn and graduate.”

Ms. Akinyemi moved to Austin about three years ago for her master’s program. She is set to graduate with her master’s in May.

“I am currently applying to residency programs in child and adolescence and the VA. My goal is to do lifespan work, but I want to continue the focus on community mental health. I feel that will be beneficial to me as I move forward.

“There isn’t a lot of support as a practitioner by yourself. I want to gain all the tools I can to provide the sufficient care that my clients deserve.”

Ms. Akinyemi has the following advice for upcoming graduates.

“Just follow your passion, I have had a different road that led me to this work. It all started during undergrad. Ask questions and reach out to those who are doing what you want to do.

“Have those experiences early so you can decide where that path will lead.”

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Main-Begg Farmhouse designated Historic Landmark in 2020

funding. It’s currently off-limits to guests due to safety issues.

The porch faces Hollister Avenue and is an important part of the farmhouse.

“It (the grant) is not for maintenance, but for the preservation of the porch portion of the farmhouse,” said Ms. Brinkman.

The Main-Begg Farmhouse was built in 1911 by Robert and Jane Main, who immigrated in 1887 to the South Coast from Scotland.

The house was part of a 24-acre walnut ranch established by the Mains, and it’s where they raised six children.

Mr. Main was also the superintendent of the vast Thomas B. Bishop ranching empire in Santa Barbara County and was prominent in Goleta Valley agricultural, business, civic and cultural affairs.

The historical bond between the Main and Begg families was sealed in 1911 when a Main

The Main-Begg Farmhouse was built in 1911 by Robert and Jane Main, who immigrated in 1887 to the South Coast from Scotland. The house was part of a 24-acre walnut ranch established by the Mains, and it’s where they raised six children.

daughter, Carrie, married David A. Begg, the son of Peter J. and Jessie Begg, who had immigrated in 1885 from Scotland.

David, like his father, was a farmer in Goleta.

David and Carrie, after raising eight children, moved into the Main-Begg Farmhouse in 1950. In 1957, Carrie, now widowed, sold the ranch to a housing developer, retaining only the present-day onehalf-acre property and the farmhouse.

Charles (Chuck) W. Begg, one of David and Carrie’s sons, and his wife Margaret and three children, occupied the farmhouse in 1970. Chuck pursued a variety of professions, but he was best known for his many years of volunteer activities on behalf of Goleta Valley community service organizations.

The nonprofit organization Main-Begg Farmhouse acquired the farmhouse in 2019. Its mission is to preserve and restore the farmhouse property, to share its history with the Goleta Valley, and to provide a special venue for community activities and educational programs.

The farmhouse was designated Santa Barbara County Historic Landmark No. 52 in 2020.

“The newest allocation for housing by the county is farmland in Goleta, which is the way we are losing farmland in Goleta,” said Ms. Brinkman. “That is why this farmhouse is so important.”

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Transit Ambassador Pilot Program approved last summer

TRANSIT

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stench, encounters with mentally unstable individuals, avoidance of human waste, trash, open drug and alcohol use, aggressive behavior towards passengers and indecent exposure.

Many commuters reviewing LA Metro this year commented that they would not return to the trains. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority knew things had to improve. On March 6, the first 300 transit ambassadors were deployed. Their goal is to “play a critical role in making our

system feel welcoming for all and in bringing back ridership.”

It’s a tall order when the transportation authority recognizes that rape, assault, robbery and murder have risen by 24% in the last two years. The number of people who died riding the LA Metro has already reached 21 for 2023.

The Transit Ambassador Pilot Program was approved last summer to “provide a dedicated staff of diverse, specially trained individuals to offer in-person support to Metro Bus and Rail riders.”

Ambassadors will ride in pairs on the Metro system from

5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. during the week and from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekends. They’ll help customers find their bus or train, connect the homeless to appropriate services, assist with fare payments and greet riders. The transit ambassadors will work with community-based crisis management teams and be equipped with cell phones and radios to quickly contact appropriate Metro staff for assistance and report issues of safety and cleanliness. Transit ambassadors are not security forces and are unarmed. The program is estimated to cost $123 million over five years, i.e., around $24.6 million per year,

with $95 million going to RMI International Inc. and around $28 million going to Strive Well-Being Inc. for recruitment, screening and training of ambassadors in cultural and situational awareness, unconscious bias training, disability awareness, customer service, traumainformed response, and other personal and public safety courses.

The pilot program looked at the Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco (BART), and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) transit system to model the customer support program.

Harald H. A. Hulsebusch, after a full and remarkable life of 89 years, passed away at 4:44 PM on February 28, 2023, with his loving stepdaughter, Julia Jane Di Sieno, at his side. He followed his wife, Wanda, who left us in December of 2021. Harald was born in Ovelgonne, Germany on December 2, 1933, to Lili and Heinrich Hulsebusch.

After a 35 year career at sea, as an engineer on ocean going ships, he retired as chief engineer on a tuna clipper. He was a partner in an ambitious and forward thinking lobster fishing venture in which he was also chief engineer on a vessel specially designed to catch, prepare, clean, freeze, and hold the catch. In 1961, he settled in Santa Barbara. Harald invested in local real estate and was, hands down, considered the most generous landlord his tenants ever had, always making sure families were housed safely. He and Wanda had a fabulous life, travelling the world together. His love of the sea continued, and for 20 years, in his sailing yacht, “Eagle”, Harald, first mate Wanda, stepdaughter Julia, and many friends cruised the coastal waters, with many trips to Catalina and the Channel Islands. Harald was a proud member of the Santa Barbara Elks Club, the Santa Barbara German Club, and the Edelweiss Club. In his later years he enjoyed playing the game of Bunco.

After he lost Wanda, the last 14 months of his life were not spent in loneliness. He lived with Julia during most of that time, and she watched over him day and night. They took frequent day trips and dined at Harald’s old haunts and favorite restaurants. He is survived by his brother, Immo (Else) of Rodenkirchen, Germany, and his 2 sisters, Siegrid (Horst) Ilchman of Flensburg, Germany, and Edith (Jeff) Frank of Gig Harbor, WA. He is also survived by 11 nieces and nephews and 12 grand nieces and nephews, as well as a stepson and stepdaughter.

He will be interred at the Santa Barbara Cemetery next to his wife, Wanda, on a hill overlooking the sea. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 am on Friday, March 17th. A luncheon will follow at “The Anchor Rose” , 113 Harbor Way, Ste 180 Santa Barbara, CA 93109.

Please make any donations in Harald’s honor to Animal Rescue Team Inc. and the Santa Barbara Elks Club.

Shorty, how lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. There is only one happiness in this life, to love and to be loved. Too dearly loved to be forgotten. See you and Mutti on the other side. Prost!

Love, Julchen

Obituary notices are published daily in the Santa Barbara News-Press and also appear on our website www.newspress.com To place an obituary, please email the text and photo(s) to obits@ newspress.com or fax text only (no photos) to (805) 966-1421. Please include your name, address, contact phone number and the date(s) you would like the obituary to be published. Photos should be in jpeg format with at least 200 dpi. If a digital photo is not available, a picture may be brought into our office for scanning. We will lay out the obituary using our standard format. A formatted proof of the obituary and the cost will be emailed back for review and approval. The minimum obituary cost to print one time is $150.00 for up to 1.5” in length -- includes 1 photo and up to 12 lines of text, approximately 630 characters; up to approximately 930 characters without a photo. Add $60.00 for each additional inch or partial inch after the first 1.5”; up to approximately 700 characters per additional inch. All Obituaries must be reviewed, approved, and prepaid by deadline. We accept all major credit cards by phone; check or cash payments may be brought into our office located at 715 Anacapa Street. The deadline for Weekend and Monday’s editions is at 10a.m. on Thursdays; Tuesday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Fridays; Wednesday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Mondays; Thursday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Tuesdays; Friday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Wednesdays (Pacific Time). Free Death Notices must be directly emailed by the mortuary to our newsroom at news@ newspress.com. The News-Press cannot accept Death Notices from individuals.

The front porch of the Main-Begg Farmhouse is in need of repair and has been off-limits to visitors for safety reasons.

Life theArts

CALENDAR

No lack of spirit at this school

Ghosts of teenagers try to figure out their afterlives on ‘School Spirits’

By DAVE MASON

NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

‘School Spirits” begins with a murder mystery and a great premise: an afterlife support group.

Students and a teacher, who all died at Split River High School, gather in a circle on chairs in the school gym for their meetings. They’re invisible to the living, including the basketball players in the gym. But what’s more interesting is they’re from different eras and social groups, much like the spirits on the CBS comedy “Ghosts.”

And like the “Ghosts” characters, they can’t leave the property where they died, so they’re stuck in this high school purgatory until they resolve their issues and move on to a better place. But their support group adviser is a teacher who’s straight out of the 1950s, and the others are from decades such

as the 1990s, 1980s and earlier. Moving on apparently isn’t easy. But like all good ghosts, they don’t age.

“School Spirits” premiered recently on Paramount+, where new episodes stream on Thursdays. It’s worth your time because of its murder mystery, its quirkiness and the colorful characters who manage to never go over the top. You’ll find there’s a more haunting mix of comedy and drama here than on “Ghosts.”

Created by Executive Producers Nate Trinrud and Megan Trinrud, “Schools Spirits” is based on an upcoming graphic novel.

Peyton List of “Cobra Kai” fame stars as Maddie Nears, who just died but, unlike the other ghosts, can’t remember how. Fortunately, she’s able to connect with one living person, her best friend Simon (Kristian Flores of “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”). And he’s helping her to figure out who killed her.

The show stands out because of the unexpected twists and turns, the characters and a filming style that is more like a movie than a TV show. You can see that in the lighting and some of the camera angles.

The cast includes Spencer MacPherson as Xavier Baxter (Maddie’s boyfriend before she died), Kiara Pichardo as Nicole Herrera (Maddie’s still-living friend, who has her own role in tackling the murder mystery), Sarah Yarkin as Rhonda (a ghost who seems to be from the 1960s or early 1970s), Milo Manheim as Wally Clark (a ghost who was a school athlete in the 1980s), Josh Zuckerman as Mr. Martin (the afterlife support group’s faculty adviser), Rainbow Wedell as Claire Zomer and Nick Puglise as Charly (a ghost from the 1990s who serves as Maddie’s guide to the afterlife).

The acting is strong, particularly by Ms. Nears and Mr. Puglise, and their characters’ strictly platonic

but still meaningful friendship is a reason to watch “School Spirits.”

The cast also includes Maria Dizzia as Sandra Nears, Maddie’s mother, who plays a key role in Maddie’s back story.

“School Spirits” is clearly

PHOTOS

Tenor

Erik

is the music director of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, which will perform Monday at The Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High School.

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

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. “Storytelling: Native People Through the Lens of Edward S. Curtis” is on display through April 30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, visit sbnature.org.

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 nonnative 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. “SURREAL

designed as a series for young viewers, but the sense of mystery and references to earlier decades makes it a compelling show for all ages.

email: dmason@newspress.com

‘Wolf Pack’ is more about suspense than horror

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Sarah Michelle Gellar has gone from staking vampires to dealing with a wildfire and werewolves in her latest series.

It’s called “Wolf Pack,” and the former “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star portrays Kristin Ramsey, who’s investigating whether a large California wildfire was started by a teenager. But there’s more to this arson investigator than you might think, and Ms. Gellar carefully reveals different

elements as the series progresses.

“Wolf Pack” is built more on suspense than gore and horror.

All eight episodes of the first season are now streaming on Paramount+.

The series focuses on four teenagers and raises the question about whether they will become werewolves when there’s a full moon, The teenagers are Everett Lang (Armani Jackson) and Blake Navarro (Bella Shepard), who both start to evolve after being wounded during the fire, and Luna Briggs (Chloe Rose Robertson) and Harlan Briggs (Tyler Lawrence Gray), siblings

who were adopted at a young age by park ranger Garrett Briggs (Rodrigo Santoro). Even in their most human form, they start to show some extraordinary abilities. Blake, for example, can run really fast, and Harlan has super hearing.

The teenagers seem to be connected by a werewolf. And he isn’t the only werewolf around.

The series features an

intriguing back story for Luna and Harlan, and that won’t be spoiled here. “Wolf Pack” includes unexpected twists and turns, and as each episode answers some questions, it raises new ones.

The young actors do a great job of honestly presenting their wide range of emotions. And Ms. Gellar, who’s one of the executive producers, is effective in a role that’s more subtle than Buffy Summers. But keep watching because Ms. Gellar knows just when and how to turn up the drama, and it will catch you by surprise.

Like many streaming series,

“Wolf Pack” presents a single story — in this case, the origin of the werewolves and the future for them — over its entire season. The series is written by Executive Producer Jeff Davis and is based on the “Wolf Pack” novel series by Edo Van Belkom.

This character-driven series moves slower than the more episodic “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and other horror shows, but once the action begins, the scenes are compelling. Ultimately the slower approach is more scary.

email: dmason@newspress.com

WOMEN: Surrealist Art by American Women” is on display through April 24 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, www.sullivangoss.com.

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.

MARCH 18

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform “John Williams: A Cinematic Celebration” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to granadasb.org. For more information, visit www.thesymphony.org or call 805-898-9386.

MARCH 19 3 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform John Williams: A Cinematic Celebration” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to granadasb.org. For more information, visit www.thesymphony.org or call 805898-9386.

MARCH 20

7 p.m. The Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform at The Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High School. 720 E. Cota St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $30 to $54. To purchase, go to luketheatre. org/event/glenn-miller-orchestraconcert.

MARCH 23

7:30 p.m. Opera Santa Barbara’s Chrisman Studio Artists will perform “The Light in the Piazza,” an acclaimed musical by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas, March 23-26 at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo, in Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to centerstagetheater.org. An artist reception will follow the March 23 performance.

MARCH 24

7:30 p.m. Opera Santa Barbara’s Chrisman Studio Artists will perform “The Light in the Piazza,” an acclaimed musical by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas, at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo, in Santa Barbara. To purchase

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2023

COURTESY PHOTO

saxophonist

Stabnau

PARAMOUNT+

From left are Peyton List as Maddie, Kristian Flores as Simon and Kiara Pichardo as Nicole in “School Spirits,” a comedy/drama about a high school with ghosts.

PHOTOS BY STEVE DIETL/PARAMOUNT+

Sarah Michelle Gellar (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), left, portrays Kristin Ramsey, an arson investigator with a mysterious agenda, in “Wolf Pack.” The full moon brings out the werewolf element in Blake Navarro (Bella Shepard), right.

From left are Milo Mannheim as Wally, Peyton List as Maddie and Nick Pugliese as Charley, during their afterlife support group at Split River High School.

American Songbook Today to host Rodgers and Hart concert

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

American Songbook Today and its founder, Michael Estwanik, will present the fourth concert in their monthly series “Standards & Showtunes.”

This event will be a tribute to Broadway songwriters Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.

Ventura County singers will perform the duo’s hits at 6:30 p.m. March 23 at the Ojai Woman’s Club, 441 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai.

The event will be hosted by Michael Estwanik, and music direction is by Tilford Jackson.

A $15 donation is requested at the door for admission.

Rodgers and Hart worked together for more than 20 years, working together on 28 musicals.

They varied from “Pal Joey” to “Babes in Arms” to “The Boys From Syracuse.”

Some songs they produced together were “My Romance,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Bewitched (Bothered and Bewildered),” and so many more. Reservations are suggested for this event. You can reserve them by

emailing michaelsongbook@gmail. com.

Singers interested in performing are asked to contact Mr. Estwanik at michaelsongbook@gmail.com.

UCSB hires Orianna Cacchione as ADA museum’s assistant director

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The UCSB Art, Design and Architecture Museum announced the hire of Dr. Orianna Cacchione as the museum’s new assistant director.

Dr. Cacchione brings a new perspective to the museum, as she is a specialist in contemporary Chinese art. Dr. Cacchione holds a doctorate in art history, theory and criticism from UC San Diego.

Most recently, she has been the curator of Global Contemporary Art at the Smart Museum of Art for the past six years.

Future tribute concerts include “The Gershwins” on April 16 and “Women Songwriters” on May 14. email: abahnsen@newspress.com

Ventura journalist to interview Malcolm McDowell

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Museum of Ventura County is presenting “Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Malcolm McDowell.”

Mr. Davis, a longtime Ventura journalist and author, will interview Mr. McDowell, an Ojai TV and movie star, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the museum’s Ventura campus at 100 E Main Street, and virtually via Zoom. To register, go to www. venturamuseum.org.

This event is free for members and $10 for nonmembers in person and $5 for non-members attending

via Zoom.

Mr. McDowell is a winner of Ojai Film Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. His impressive career puts him in the pantheon of the all-time great British-born actors from Laurence Olivier to Michael Caine to Anthony Hopkins.

Mr. McDowell’s career has spanned more than 50 years, where he has starred in movies such as Stanley Kubrick’s iconic “Clockwork Orange,” Lindsay Anderson’s “O Lucky Man!,” “Caligula,” “Bombshell,” “Time After Time” and “The Artist.” His television credits include “Entourage,” the animated

Wynton Marsalis Septet

Tue, Apr 4 / 7 PM (note special time) / Granada Theatre

Marsalis’ wide-ranging career, original works by his frequent collaborators and standards spanning the vast historical landscape of jazz.

Major Sponsor: Sara Miller McCune

Event Sponsor: Jody & John Arnhold

Jazz Series Lead Sponsor: Manitou Fund

series “South Park” and “Mozart in the Jungle.” He also starred in a remake of ABC’s “Fantasy Island.”

Mr. McDowell was last interviewed by Mr. Davis in February 2021.

“When he first visited us in 2021, we heard so many wonderfully interesting stories from Mr. McDowell about his 50-year film career,” said Elena Brokaw, the museum’s Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director.“We are sure to be entertained once again as we catch up with him in 2023.” email: kzehnder.@newspress.com

Prior to joining the Smart Museum, Dr. Cacchione was a curatorial fellow for East Asian Contemporary Art in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Art Institute of Chicago, where she was responsible for expanding the museum’s collection of contemporary art from East Asia.

Additionally, she has taught various art history courses at the University of Chicago, UC San Diego and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

As the assistant director, Dr. Cacchione will work with the ADA museum director, Dr. Gabriel Ritter. Dr. Cacchione will help the museum develop new exhibitions and educational programs, and explore the balance between art and historical issues.

Dr. Cacchione will begin her new position May 1.

The ADA Museum at the UCSB is a teaching museum and a resource for the wider Santa Barbara community.

According to the museum’s website (www.museum.ucsb. edu), its mission is to “stimulate research, support artistic practice, and generate original programming through the museum’s collections.”

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

FYI

The UCSB Art, Design and Architecture Museum is open noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Admission to all exhibitions and programs are free, unless otherwise stated. Oncampus parking is $8 for the full day. Visit www.museum.ucsb.edu for more information.

Carlos Henriquez, bass

Domo Branch, drum

Dan Nimmer, piano

Danish String Quartet

The Doppelgänger Project, Part III

Thu, Apr 13 / 7 PM (note special time) / UCSB Campbell Hall

Schubert: String Quartet in A minor, D. 804 (“Rosamunde”)

Schubert: String Quartet No. 12 in C minor, D. 703 (“Quartettsatz”)

Anna Thorvaldsdóttir: Rituals (Arts & Lectures Co-commission)

Schubert (arr. Danish String Quartet): Gretchen am Spinnrade, D.118

“Their command of the score is absolute… impressively cohesive.” The New York Times on Doppelganger, Part II

Event Sponsor: Anonymous

Sō Percussion with Caroline Shaw

Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part

Fri, Apr 21 / 8 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

Sō Percussion offers an “exhilarating blend of precision and anarchy, rigor and bedlam.” The New Yorker

Caroline Shaw’s remarkable ear for melody and Sō Percussion’s playful sense of rhythmic invention come together in this strikingly original music that dissolves the boundaries between classical and pop.

COURTESY PHOTO

Santa Barbara Junior High School students prepare to perform live on 99.9 KTYD during the Keep the Beat Instrument Drive.

Drive collects instruments, raises funds for music education

SANTA BARBARA — More than 60 musical instruments were donated, and over $10,000 was raised during the local Keep the Beat Instrument Drive.

In February, 99.9 KTYD, a Santa Barbara rock music station, joined forces with the Santa Barbara Education Foundation to host the drive, which promotes music education.

The foundation and radio station hosted a live on-air event that asked community members for donations of used instruments as well as

donations for the Santa Barbara Unified District music programs. The radio event lasted for over a month, and it featured interviews and performances by current Santa Barbara Unified music students, teachers, and professional musicians who shared their stories of finding their passion for music in their public school’s music department. For more education or to donate, visit sbefoundation.org.

— Annika Bahnsen

Wynton Marsalis, trumpet

Chris Crenshaw, trombone

Abdias Armenteros, saxophone

Chris Lewis, saxophone & clarinet

“Jazz is a metaphor for democracy.” – Wynton Marsalis

The Wynton Marsalis Septet performs seminal compositions from

MGM PHOTO Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland star in “Babes in Arms,” a movie with songs by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.

COURTESY PHOTO

Dr. Orianna Cacchione is a specialist in contemporary Chinese art.

SUDOKU

Thought for Today

“Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without” and know we cannot live within.

Baldwin

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Friday, March 17, 2023

ARIES — Some great news could come today, Aries, perhaps from a love partner. It might concern your relationship or it might involve some sort of good fortune coming to either you or your beloved. This bit of luck could free both of you in some way to further advance the relationship somehow.

TAURUS — Have you been working very hard to increase your income? If so, Taurus, results might finally manifest. More available income usually necessitates working even harder, but in your case, you might be able to relax for a while and thus rid yourself of all the stress and tension that’s been building up.

GEMINI — Today, Gemini, you should feel especially attractive, romantic, and sexy. Any current or potential romantic partner you encounter will probably pay you lots of attention and want to make plans for the two of you to get together. This might be just what you need, as the last few days may have been difficult.

CANCER — Intuition could prove extremely valuable when it comes to dealing with a sticky situation, Cancer. You know all the rules, you know all the proper methods for whatever you do, but today you could be driven to make decisions based on gut feelings rather than rules or logic.

LEO — Some gossip about a friend who has recently begun a new relationship could reach you today, Leo. This might come as a surprise, as you’d never have expected it of this person. You will be glad, because you want your friend to be happy. Don’t be afraid to call and ask to hear all about it. It will be a pleasure for both of you!

VIRGO — Minor changes in your money situation could make for a beautiful day, Virgo. Perhaps you discover a bank error in your favor, get repaid for a loan, or receive a generous gift. Whichever it is, it’s likely to make it possible for you to make a purchase you’ve been thinking you had to postpone for a while.

Enjoy your good fortune and make the most of it!

LIBRA — Today you might

feel as though your mind is exploding, Libra. If you’ve been studying an intellectual or spiritual subject, insights could be coming thick and fast. Concepts that never made sense to you before suddenly seem clear. You will need to write them down, because even an elephant wouldn’t be able to remember this many ideas and revelations.

SCORPIO — Emotions and memories that have been buried in your psyche could suddenly well up today, Scorpio. At first you might not be able to make sense of this. These memories could seem irrelevant to your present life. Still, a little reflection might reveal why you’re recalling them now.

SAGITTARIUS — Today a friendship could develop into something more, Sagittarius. Someone you know fairly well but never thought of as a potential lover could suddenly show a romantic interest in you and you could respond. Whether or not you choose to do anything about it depends on you. Circumstances and people change.

CAPRICORN — A change in your working circumstances could make a positive difference to you, Capricorn. Perhaps you’ve moved to another desk, room, floor, or building. Whichever it is, you will be less stressed out. Being near difficult people or sitting near a window where you can see out can recharge your batteries and make you more productive.

AQUARIUS — Some intellectual knowledge that you gain today is apt to make a significant difference in whatever creative projects you’re working on, Aquarius. A friend or partner could help in some way. A current enterprise may go in a new direction or you could start a new project. Whatever it is, expect to feel inspired.

PISCES — The healing of some childhood traumas could be triggered today, Pisces, perhaps through contact with someone who knew you then. Don’t be surprised if you shed a few tears. This is a normal release. You could also suddenly laugh like crazy. Once this is all done, take your friend out for the evening and kick up your heels.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Friday, March 17, 2023

This week’s deals have treated good timing as declarer: playing the cards in the best sequence. Cover today’s East-West cards. Decide how to proceed at four hearts when West leads the queen of spades. (NorthSouth’s auction was old-fashioned but not necessarily ineffective.)

When I watched the deal, South didn’t concern himself with timing: He took the ace of spades and let the ten of trumps ride. West won, and the defense cashed two spades and the ace of clubs for down one.

FIRST SPADE

South’s best approach, which offers an extra chance, is to duck the first spade, win the second and take the A-K of trumps. If the queen fell, South would have 10 tricks.

When East-West play low trumps, South starts the diamonds. West, with the missing queen of trumps, must follow three times, so South discards dummy’s last spade on the fourth diamond. He ruffs his last spade with dummy’s ten of trumps, losing one trump, one spade and one club.

Did you find the way to make four hearts?

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: 7 4

10 9 6. Your partner opens one diamond. The next player passes. What do you say?

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

ANSWER: Most players would routinely respond one heart. But the hand has the ingredients for slam: a big diamond fit, a possible source of tricks in hearts and a “control” in clubs. If partner has only A 5, Q 5, K 8 6 3 2, A 7 4 2, you can make seven diamonds. A case exists for a jump-shift to two hearts, intending to support the diamonds next.

dealer

— James