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.

WENDY McCAW . . . . . . . . . . . . . Co-Publisher

ARTHUR VON WIESENBERGER . . . . .Co-Publisher

YOLANDA APODACA . . . . . . . . . . . Director of Operations

DAVE MASON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Editor

HOW TO REACH US . . .

MAIN OFFICE 715 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 93101..805-564-5200

MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 1359, Santa Barbara 93102

NEWSROOM ADVERTISING

HOW TO GET US . . .

CIRCULATION ISSUES 805-966-7171 refunds@newspress.com newsubscriptions@newspress.com vacationholds@newspress.com cancellations@newspress.com

News Hotline 805-564-5277

Email...dmason@newspress.com

Life 805-564-5277

Sports 805-564-5277

News Fax 805-966-6258

Corrections 805-564-5277

Classified 805-963-4391

Classified Fax 805-966-1421

Retail 805-564-5223

Retail Fax 805-564-5139

Toll Free 1-800-423-8304

Voices/editorial pages ..805-564-5277

COPYRIGHT ©2023

SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS

All rights are reserved on material produced by the News-Press, including stories, photos, graphics, maps and advertising. News-Press material is the property of Ampersand Publishing LLC. Reproduction or nonpersonal usage for any purpose without written permission of the News-Press is expressly prohibited. Other material, including news service stories, comics, syndicated features and columns, may be protected by separate copyrights and trademarks. Their presentation by the News-Press is with permission limited to one-time publication and does not permit other use without written release by the original rights holder.

Mail delivery of the News-Press is available in most of Santa Barbara County. If you do not receive your paper Monday through Saturday, please call our Circulation Department. The Circulation Department is open Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. to noon.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES 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. sports@newspress.com

Mail delivery in Santa Barbara County: $5.08 per week includes sales tax, daily, and the Weekend edition. Holidays only, $3.85 per week includes sales tax. Single-copy price of 75 cents daily and $2 Weekend edition includes sales tax at vending racks. Tax may be added to copies puchased elsewhere.

VOL. 167 NO.