Santa Barbara News-Press: May 05, 2023

Teacher of the Year

The sound of justice

Loma Fire arsonist sentenced to eight years in prison

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A Santa Barbara man has been sentenced to eight years in state prison after pleading guilty to arson for starting the Loma Fire in May 2021 that spread up TV Hill toward Miramonte Drive, causing widespread evacuations, Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch announced Thursday. Victor Angel Hernandez, 24, pleaded guilty to arson of an inhabited structure and admitted a special allegation for starting the fire that caused damage to

Hearing date set for fatal shooting

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A preliminary hearing date was set Thursday for the four alleged Santa Barbara gang associates charged in the Dec. 9 fatal shooting of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf.

“All defendants set a date for the preliminary hearing to take place in Dept. 6 on June 27,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McAllister said.

Prosecutors allege the defendants engaged in a firefight with two juveniles with alleged ties to Ventura County street gangs, and that the bystander, Robert Dion Gutierrez, 52, of Camarillo, was caught in the crossfire. He and his wife were walking on the wharf in Santa Barbara when the shooting erupted.

According to police, he “was struck and killed by one of the rounds fired” during the altercation. He was treated at the scene for his gunshot wound and taken to the hospital, where he died on Dec. 20.

Of the four adult Santa Barbara defendants, only one of them — Jiram Jhunue Tenorio-Ramon, 22 — faces a special allegation of personal use of a firearm causing death.

Mr. Tenorio-Ramon is charged with murder with the special circumstance of committing the murder to benefit a criminal street gang, and with conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy.

However, the District Attorney’s Office has decided it will not seek the death penalty.

Instead, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole if he is convicted of both firstdegree murder and the special circumstance that the murder was committed for the benefit of the Westside gang.

Two defendants — Ricardo Tomas Jauregui-Moreno Jr., 20, and Christopher Dave Miranda, 21 — are each charged with murder, with special allegations of committing the murder for the benefit of a criminal street gang and principal use of a handgun, conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy.

Please see HEARING on A10

Victor Angel Hernandez, 24, pleads guilty to starting fire that spread up TV Hill

multiple structures, the district attorney said. The arson committed by Mr. Hernandez started the Loma Fire, a fast-moving vegetation fire that broke out late on a windy night, May 20, 2021, above Loma Alta Drive and spread up TV Hill.

Due to the unstable weather conditions and fast-moving pace of the fire, evacuations were ordered for the surrounding streets and neighborhoods.

The fire ultimately burned approximately nine acres and damaged multiple residences before fire personnel were able to contain the blaze.

One felony count in the five-count complaint filed against Mr. Hernandez charged him with setting a fire to an inhabited structure and inhabited property located at Via Del Cielo on May 20, 2021. Another felony count charges him with attempting to set a fire in the area of McKinley Elementary School between May 10 and May 20, 2021.

A third felony count charges him with arson for burning a structure or forest land near 800 Loma Alta Drive on June 14, 2020.

A fourth count charges him with the

possession of methamphetamine on May 20, 2021, a misdemeanor.

And the final count charges him with being under the influence of methamphetamine on May 20, 2021, a misdemeanor.

Santa Barbara County Superior Court

Judge Pauline Maxwell pronounced the sentence of eight years, confirming a plea agreement reached between the defendant and the District Attorney’s Office.

The sentence requires Mr. Hernandez to register as an arson offender for the remainder of his life and pay at least

A surprise among the sheep

$80,000 to the city in restitution.

“Thank you to the fire personnel who risked their lives stopping the spread of this arson before it could do even more damage to our city,” District Attorney Savrnoch said. “Due to outstanding work, dedication and corroboration between the Santa Barbara City Fire investigators, Santa Barbara police officers and detectives, and the prosecution team led by Senior Deputy Kevin Weichbrod, this individual was held accountable for his actions.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

Man pleads not guilty to attempted kidnapping

Elias Maldonado, 52, is accused of attempting to abduct Carpinteria girl

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A Santa Barbara man has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of attempted kidnapping connected to his alleged attempt last fall to abduct a 12-year-old Carpinteria girl, prosecutors said. Elias Maldonado, 52, appeared in court Wednesday for his arraignment and, for the second time, entered a not guilty plea. The case was continued to June 7 for a pretrial readiness/settlement conference, Deputy District Attorney Hannah Meyer told the News-Press.

By KIRA LOGAN

Mr. Maldonado pleaded not guilty at his initial arraignment after being charged with attempted kidnapping, but after a judge ruled prosecutors presented enough evidence against him at his March 30 preliminary hearing to warrant the case going to trial, he was given a second opportunity to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced Nov. 10 that detectives had arrested Mr. Maldonado on suspicion of attempted kidnapping for an incident that occurred two days earlier (Nov. 8).

Community Resource Deputy Bryan Dickey was notified Nov. 9 by Carpinteria Middle School staff of a reported 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.

Please see KIDNAPPING on A10

Santa Barbara composer Craig Dobbin spends seven seasons with ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ - B1

Gregory Wolf of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School honored - A3

Gregory Wolf named county’s Teacher of the Year

Gregory Wolf, a teacher at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, is recognized Thursday by Dr. Susan Salcido, superintendent of Santa Barbara County schools, as the county’s 2024 Teacher of the Year during a county school board meeting. Mr. Wolf teaches U.S. history, political science and advanced placement psychology and has served as the social sciences department chair, vice president of the Parent Teacher Student Association and Associated Student Body activities director.

As the recipient from Santa Barbara County, he becomes eligible for the California Teacher of the Year award. Mr. Wolf, who has been teaching for 10 years, said he was honored and deeply moved by the recognition. Dr. Salcido said Mr. Wolf is an exemplary teacher who was chosen from an impressive pool of candidates and remarkable finalists. “He embodies all of those qualities the most exemplary teachers possess.” Mr. Wolf, along with other award-winning teachers from Santa Barbara County, will be introduced at SBCEO’s Education Celebration on May 11 and officially honored at the county’s annual A Salute to Teachers in November at the Music Academy of the West in Montecito.

Half an inch of rain reported

Santa Barbara County communities received around half an inch of rain Wednesday night.

The National Weather Service reported 0.4 inch of rain fell in Santa Barbara and Goleta. Elsewhere, 0.87 inch came down in Lompoc, and 0.28 inch fell in Santa Maria.

The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies today

through Sunday, with the lows between mid 40s and 50 in Santa Barbara County. The weather service expects the highs to be in the low to mid-60s. The coldest will be Cuyama, with a low of 38 today and a high of 61.

The National Weather Service expects sunshine to return Monday.

— Dave Mason

California, New York attorneys general launch discrimination probe into NFL

By TOM JOYCE

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta are conducting a joint investigation into the National Football League.

The attorneys general are looking into workplace practices and culture in the league, including allegations of sex, race and age discrimination, sexual harassment and a hostile work environment.

The two attorneys general issued subpoenas to the league in connection with the probe.

“The joint investigation will examine the workplace culture of the NFL and allegations made by former employees, including potential violations of federal and state pay equity laws and antidiscrimination laws,” a press release from Mr. Bonta’s office said.

The NFL has more than 1,000 employees working in the two states, according to Mr. Bonta’s

Man arrested on suspicion of firearms violations

SANTA MARIA — Santa Maria police arrested a Santa Maria man Thursday on suspicion of sales and distribution of firearms, including assault weapons.

detectives, in conjunction with the SMPD

Ramon Guzman was taken into custody on an arrest warrant.

Mr. Guzman was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on the alleged weapons charge, plus for allegedly being a felon in possession of a firearm, an alleged parole violation and an alleged gang enhancement. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Ruben Peinado at 805-928-3781, ext. 1357, or the SMPD Communications Center at 805-928-3781, ext. 2277.

– Neil Hartstein

office.

The attorneys general note that in 2022, The New York Times reported that more than 30 women faced retaliation after filing gender discrimination complaints with the league’s human resources office.

Additionally, last year a congressional committee concluded that the Washington Commanders, an NFL team, had tolerated “sexual harassment, bullying, and other toxic conduct.”

Both Ms. James and Mr. Bonta expressed concerns about the kind of workplace environment the NFL fosters in the release.

“No person should ever have to endure harassment, discrimination, or objectification in the workplace,” Attorney General James said, according to the release. “No matter how powerful or influential, no institution is above the law, and we will ensure the NFL is held accountable.”

And Mr. Bonta agreed that

even a big organization like the NFL is not immune from the law.

“We have serious concerns about the NFL’s role in creating an extremely hostile and detrimental work environment,” Mr. Bonta said, according to the release. “No company is too big or popular to avoid being held responsible for their actions.”

The NFL denied allegations of gender discrimination.

“The NFL offices are places where employees of all genders, races, and backgrounds thrive,” an NFL spokesman told CNBC. “We do not tolerate discrimination in any form,” the league said. “The NFL is committed to ensuring all employees of the league are respected, treated fairly, and have equitable pay and access to developmental opportunities. Our policies are intended not only to comply with all applicable laws but to foster a workplace free from harassment, intimidation, and discrimination.”

The attorneys general are looking into workplace practices and culture in the league.

Oregon House passes slew of gun control measures

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - Oregon is one step closer to enacting further gun control measures.

The Oregon House of Representatives passed a gun control package (House Bill 2005) on a party-line vote on Tuesday, 35-24. Democrats supported the measure, while Republicans opposed it.

The bill would ban “ghost guns,” raise the minimum age from 18 to 21 years old to purchase handguns and semiautomatic weapons, establish a three-day waiting period for new firearm purchases, and would give local governments the authority to ban firearms in public buildings.

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum cheered the House’s decision to vote in favor of the bill. She said that she would like to see the bill become law soon.

“This is my 4th session requesting we ban ‘ghost

guns’ — and I sincerely hope the 4th time’s a charm!”

Ms. Rosenblum said in a press release. “All guns must have serial numbers so they can be traced by law enforcement when used in crimes. And all guns must be able to be detected by security systems.

I commend Speaker Rayfield and the legislative sponsors of HB 2005 for moving this important set of policies forward. This bill supports law enforcement in their investigative efforts and will help ensure that these deadly weapons are not readily available to those who cannot pass a background check.”

Republicans argued that the proposal is unconstitutional.

“The state will get sued, the state will lose, and taxpayers will foot the bill,” state representative.

Mark Owens, R-Crane, said on the House floor, according to Oregon Capital Chronicle.

The bill has not yet come up for a vote in the state Senate.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Public Art Projection

Woman. Life. Freedom.

ArtRise Collective, in Collaboration with Mozaik Philanthropy

Tue, May 9 / Projection will run from 8 PM-11 PM UCSB Art, Design & Architecture Museum / FREE “The solace, the strength, and the sense of solidarity we all need right now.”

– Jay Xu, Asian Art Museum Director, San Francisco

Americans’ banking fears worst since 2008 financial crisis

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) –

Americans are worried about the safety of their money in the banking system after multiple banks have collapsed in recent weeks, according to a new poll.

Gallup released the survey data, which showed that 19% are “very” worried about the safety of their money in banks and another 29% are “moderately” worried.

That means about half of Americans are concerned about the safety of their personal funds in banks, numbers that are reminiscent of the 2008 financial crisis.

“The latest readings are similar to those in 2008,” Gallup said. “In September of that year, shortly after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, which remains the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history, 45% of U.S. adults said they were very or moderately worried about the safety of their money. Several months later, in December, after Congress’

Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) bailed out other banks in danger of failing, Americans were slightly less concerned about the safety of their personal financial accounts, as 41% said they were very or moderately worried.”

The poll was conducted April 3-25, after Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank collapsed but before news broke about the failure of First Republic, which regulators took over and sold to JP Morgan earlier this week.

The concern varies by demographic and political affiliation.

“Whereas majorities of Republicans (55%) and independents (51%) say they are at least moderately worried, a 36% minority of Democrats are,” Gallup said. “Similarly, 54% of U.S. adults with no college degree are very or moderately worried, while 36% of college graduates are. About half of Americans with an annual household income under $100,000 express worry about their money, while 40% of those with higher incomes do.”

Biden administration’s controversial rule raising fees for those with good credit goes into effect

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The latest in a series of new Biden administration rule changes that charge higher fees to certain home buyers with good credit and lower fees for buyers with worse credit went into effect this week despite pushback from Republicans and many financial experts.

A group of U.S. House and Senate Republicans as well as state officials were unable to stop the rule, which a Biden administration official confirmed went into effect as planned Monday.

A coalition of Senate Republicans recently sent a letter to Sandra Thompson, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the latest in several policy changes from the group. The agency implemented the rule change this week.

mission of facilitating equitable and sustainable access to homeownership.”

The lawmakers took issues with this assumption, though, saying many poorer Americans have good credit and will be punished by this policy.

“Moreover, your proposal incorrectly assumes that creditworthiness is solely attained by only the affluent, blatantly disregarding the countless lower-income Americans who have demonstrated exceptional financial responsibility,” the letter said. “By conflating credit scores with wealth, you not only engage in a gross oversimplification of a complex issue but also perpetuate a false narrative that unfairly maligns hard working citizens in the lower-income bracket.”

The lawmakers brought up what has become a key criticism of the plan, in particular that pushing home loans to Americans with poor credit was a key reason for the 2008 financial crisis.

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Major Sponsor: Dorothy Largay & Wayne Rosing

Additional support provided by the Beth Chamberlin Endowment for Cultural Understanding

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Critics argue the changes, which increase Loan-Level Price Adjustment fees for mortgage borrowers with higher credit scores and decrease fees for those with worse credit, amount to penalizing those with good credit to help those with bad credit in the name of equity.

“This shortsighted and counterproductive policy demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of the necessity of accurately tailoring housing finance products to credit risk and establishes a perverse incentive that punishes hard working Americans for their fiscal prudence,” the letter said.

The loan-level price adjustment is a fee assessed after bankers evaluate the risk of lending them money, and the change potentially costs the affected borrowers with better credit thousands of dollars.

“The housing market should not be exploited as a means to pander to targeted demographics that you have chosen, nor an instrument to secure political favoritism,” the Senators’ letter said.

Adam Russell, a spokesperson for the FHFA, confirmed to The Center Square that the fee change went into effect as scheduled Monday, but added that “there is a good deal of misinformation” about the policy.

The FHFA has publicly pushed back on the characterization that these fee changes punish those with better credit to help those with worse credit.

Supporters of the policy point out this is one of several changes to the fees policy, a policy that is often updated, and argue that it is unfair to draw a connection between the fee changes for the two groups, namely those with good and bad credit. They also emphasize that those with worse credit will still pay significantly more than those with better credit.

The change applies only to certain loans backed by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. A chart from the Urban institute shows that those with credit scores of 680 or higher and with down payments between 5% and 20% will pay higher fees while borrowers with down payments of less than 5% will pay smaller fees, regardless of credit scores.

Ms. Thompson said in a news release that the fee change would “advance their

“The fact that a proposal flaunting credit risk is being openly pushed by FHFA just a decade-and-a-half after the housing-led 2008 financial crisis is staggering,” the letter said. Economists have raised similar concerns, pointing out that the FHFA cites equity reasons, not financial, as the driver for this decision.

“Rather than saddle those with scores 680 or lower with more debt, it’s far better to encourage them to re-establish credit,” Joel Griffith, an economic expert at the Heritage Foundation, told The Center Square. “Most people find themselves financially strapped at some point. A few years of consistent timely payments and debt paydown can help someone even emerging from bankruptcy attain scores at 680 or worse with a near 0% loan from FHA.”

States have also pushed back. A coalition of state financial officials in 26 states are speaking out against the new federal mortgage fees, which they call “unconscionable.”

“This new policy makes it more expensive for people with good credit to buy houses – and that’s absurd,” said Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who leads the coalition. “Americans who have built a good credit score and saved enough to make a strong down payment should not be penalized and forced to pay more on their mortgage every single month.”

Ms. Griffith also argues the plan would increase the cost of homes, in particular starter homes.

Republicans in the U.S. House have also voiced their disapproval of the rule change. U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., introduced the Responsible Borrowers Protection Act last month. The legislation would have blocked the rule from going into effect, but has now missed the deadline. It could be a framework for future legislative efforts to overturn the rule.

“The FHFA – led by a President Biden appointed director – is punishing financially responsible mortgage borrowers,” Mr. Biggs said. “Their agenda of equity over equality defies common sense and will endanger the stability of the housing market.”

Justice for All Lead Sponsors: Marcy Carsey, Connie Frank & Evan Thompson, Eva & Yoel Haller, Dick Wolf, and Zegar Family Foundation

&

23rd Annual Reaching for Stars

THANK YOU TO OUR STAR CHEFS

Paul Osborne

Rosewood Miramar Beach

Colby J. Silva Miramar Club

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SBCC School of Culinary Arts

Amadeo Rendon Caruso’s Restaurant

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SBCC School of Culinary Arts

Josh Brown Wine Cask/Intermezzo

Christine Rosell Ritz-Carlton, Bacara

Students

SBCC School of Culinary Arts

THANK YOU TO OUR STAR SPONSORS

Steve and Marilyn Gutsche • D.A. Davidson & Co.

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Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation • Morgan & Phileen Jones (Doyle-Morgan Structural Engineering, Inc.)

Santa Barbara Fish Market • West Coast Financial • Bryant & Sons, Ltd.

California State University, Northridge • Gallagher Risk Management Services

Andrew Firestone • Dr. Yolanda Garcia • Dr. Kirk & Pamela Gilbert Dr. Yonie Harris • George Leis • Marsha & Alan Roberson

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• The Foundation for Santa Barbara City College

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Draughtsmen Aleworks • Casita de Bravo • Topa Topa • Newport Meat

THANK YOU TO THE PRESS

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To learn more about Reaching for Stars visit: ciymca.org/reaching-for-stars

Life theArts

FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2023

Saving the world at the right tempo

Santa Barbara composer Craig Dobbin spends seven seasons with ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’

By DAVE MASON

MANAGING EDITOR

When “NCIS: Los Angeles” agents run after the bad guys, Craig Dobbin doesn’t miss a beat.

The Santa Barbara composer, who’s been with the show for seven seasons, knows how to ramp up the percussion for a big action scene.

And when things quiet down and the agents have a heartfelt talk, Mr. Dobbin brings in a piano or guitar or maybe some strings. You can’t go wrong with a cello.

He’s with the heroes every step (or beat) of the way, right down to the series’ final episodes. They will air this Sunday and May 14 and 21 on CBS (KCOY-TV, Channel 12), wrapping up 14 seasons of it’s-timeto-save-the-world action.

Mr. Dobbin, 54, talked to the News-Press at his Santa Barbara home before he wrapped up his work on the”NCIS” spinoff.

Like many TV shows, “NCIS: Los Angeles” doesn’t have an orchestra, and Mr. Dobbin has created the entire, actionor emotion-packed musical soundtrack by using computers and a synthesizer at his home studio.

As he composed the music, he watched each episode on a screen above him, keeping track of time markers for key musical moments or transitions.

He said it’s been a great job.

“The original composer on the series, Jay Ferguson, who’s also a Santa Barbara resident, and I are close friends,” Mr. Dobbin told the News-Press as he sat in front of his synthesizer/keyboard and computers.

“He was in his seventh season of the show. He was starting to feel, ‘I need some help,’” Mr. Dobbin said.

“He said, ‘Hey, do you want to start working on the show?’”

“I was like, ‘Sure,’” Mr. Dobbin said.

“I had a year of learning about the vibe of the show, getting familiar with the kind of existing music and the world he (Mr. Ferguson) created,” Mr Dobbin said.

For Mr. Dobbin, it was the latest refrain on a musical journey that began in his hometown of Spruce Pine, N.C.

“When I was in North Carolina, there was a piano at my grandmother’s house,” Mr. Dobbin said. “I would always go there and pluck out notes. Someone showed me a C major chord, and I loved playing it. I remembered learning C major and C minor chords. I thought that was really cool.”

He came prepared when he

CALENDAR

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 5 p.m.: The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Road, has reopened its permanent mineral exhibit of rocks and crystals that is on view in the small hall off the museum’s central courtyard. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. The exhibit, which opened April 22, is included in museum admission. Members are always admitted free. For others, prices vary from $14 to $19. For more information, visit sbnature. org/minerals.

By appointment on weekdays: “Holly Hungett: Natural Interpretations” is on view through May 20 at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara’s gallery, 229 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and weekdays by appointment. For more information, call the foundation at 805-965-6307 or go to www.afsb.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.

started piano lessons at age 6.

“Look, I made that up,” the young Mr. Dobbin told his piano teacher as he played some of his original music at his first lesson.

“She said, ‘That’s great. Let’s learn notes, so I can help you write that now,’ ” Mr. Dobbin recalled.

Mr. Dobbin’s teacher taught him classical music, but allowed him to play his favorites, including themes from “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Superman.” His interest in music continued after he and his family moved to Steamboat Springs, Colo., when he was 13. He attended a boarding school.

“There were only 65 kids in the whole school and no real music program,” said Mr. Dobbin, who

planned to enroll at Stanford University after his high school years and become a lawyer.

“In Steamboat Springs, there’s a lot of need for musicians during the ski season,” Mr. Dobbin said.

One of those musicians was a jazz pianist who started a glee club at Mr. Dobbin’s school and began a music appreciation class. Mr. Dobbin’s schedule didn’t allow him to take the class, so the pianist gave him private mentoring.

“He went around the school and found out who could play an instrument,” Mr. Dobbin said. “He told me, ‘Here’s your ensemble. Write for them.’”

When Stanford didn’t accept Mr. Dobbin, he thought about career alternatives and decided

to go into music. He earned his bachelor’s of music with emphasis on composition in 1990 at UCSB.

While working at a Santa Barbara music store, he met a customer looking for a composer for a documentary about rafting for the Arts & Entertainment cable television network. Mr. Dobbin and one of his friends stayed up all night and composed music that impressed the customer, whose studio was in Ventura.

That was followed by the Discovery Channel calling Mr. Dobbin and asking him to compose music for producer Jeff Kurr’s documentaries during Shark Week.

“That was 33 years ago,” Mr. Dobbin said, sitting in front of his

keyboard and below an image of “NCIS: Los Angeles” star LL Cool J (who plays Sam) on a monitor. (Mr. Dobbin has continued to compose music for Shark Week every year since then.)

Mr. Dobbin discussed his approach to scenes on the “NCIS” spinoff, which he noted has a more contemporary feel than other shows in the “NCIS” franchise.

“For an action scene, it’s finding the rhythm or beat of the scene,” he said.

“There are moments of big action, moments of sneaking around, and there are moments of tension,” Mr. Dobbin said. “It’s finding that balance.”

MAY 6 3 to 6 p.m. Return to Freedom’s celebration will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the RTF American Wild Horse Sanctuary, 4115 Jalama Road in Lompoc. The program will celebrate the 28th birthday of Spirit, a stallion who lives at the sanctuary and inspired the Oscar-nominated animated movie “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” (2002). For more information, visit www. returntofreedom.org.

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Santa Barbara Audubon Society and Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, will jointly present family-fun activities at the garden throughout May, Bird Month, starting with “Family Bird Nest” on this day and during the same period on May 13 and 21. Activities include guided bird walks, bird-themed Story Time, avian crafts, bird scavenger hunt, and more. Participants will discover why native plants are important to birds and how to create a birdfriendly garden. Reservations are required. To make them, go to www.sbbotanicgarden.org/visit/ hours-reservations.

12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Toot and Puddles, two friendly dogs who are bonded sisters, will appear during an adoption event at George Pet Shop at the Montecito Country Mart, 1026 Coast Village Road, Montecito. The 2-year-old dogs currently live at Shadow’s Fund — a Lompoc sanctuary for the most vulnerable shelter dogs. For more information, email info@shadowsfund.org or visit shadowfund.org.

3 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will present spring youth ensemble performances at La Colina Junior High School, 4025 Foothill Road, Santa Barbara. The Camerata Ensemble and Philharmonia Orchestra will perform. Admission is free. Story, A8.

6 p.m. Bahia Magia Dance Company presents “Roots of Brazil”

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO Vocalist Julie Christensen will perform with guitarist Joe Woodard and bassist Steve Nelson May 13 at the Ojai Underground Exchange.

NEWS-PRESS

left, Craig Dobbin has

for “NCIS: Los Angeles.” Above left are Eric Christian Olsen as Los Angeles Police

Daniela

Agent Kensi Blye. At right, Medalion Rahimi portrays Special Agent Fatima Namazi and Gerald McRaney, retired admiral Hollace Kilbride, the agents’ boss on “NCIS: Los Angeles.” Mr. Dobbin said as a composer, his job included complementing scenes full of dramatic tension.

DAVE MASON /NEWS-PRESS

“There are moments of big action, moments of sneaking around, and there are moments of tension,” said Santa Barbara resident Craig Dobbin, who composed music for seven seasons for “NCIS: Los Angeles.” The spinoff starred LL Cool J, seen on the monitor above Mr. Dobbin at his home studio.

at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in Santa Barbara. A refreshment hour is set for 5 p.m. Tickets cost $40. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org.

7 p.m. The Choral Society will wrap up its 75th anniversary season with a “Mozart to Modern” concert at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara, 21 E. Constance Ave. Accompanied by a full orchestra, the 70-member Santa Barbara chorus will perform Mozart’s Requiem and music varying from Palestrina to Morten Lauridsen. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $10 for children. To purchase, go to sbchoral.org.

MAY 7

2 p.m. Bahia Magia Dance Company presents “Roots of Brazil” at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in Santa Barbara. A refreshment hour is set for 5 p.m. Tickets cost $30. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org.

3 p.m. The Choral Society will wrap up its 75th anniversary season with a “Mozart to Modern” concert at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara, 21 E. Constance Ave. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $10 for children. To purchase, go to sbchoral.org.

4 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will present the Youth Symphony at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara.

The Youth Symphony concert will feature Concerto Competition winners Samuel Peacock, violin, and Noelle Hadsall, piano, as well as a guest appearance by the Westmont College Choir. Story, A8.

MAY 13

7 p.m. Vocalist Julie Christensen will perform with guitarist Joe Woodard and bassist Steve Nelson at the Ojai Underground Exchange, 616 Pearl St. in Ojai. Ms. Christensen’s album, “The Price We Pay for Love,” was recently released. Tickets are $35. To purchase, go to

ojaiundergroundexchangetickets. square.site. For more information, call 805-340-7893. 7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform its “Platinum Sounds” concert at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. The orchestra’s 70th anniversary program will feature Grammy-nominated American violinist Philippe Quint on Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor, Opus 64. And the symphony will showcase its own players performing Jonathan Leshnoff’s Concerto Grosso, previously commissioned for the symphony’s 60th anniversary. The orchestra will also perform Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Opus 68. Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org

MAY 14

3 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform its “Platinum Sounds” concert at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. The orchestra’s 70th anniversary program will feature Grammy-nominated American violinist Philippe Quint on Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor, Opus 64. And the symphony will showcase its own players performing Jonathan Leshnoff’s Concerto Grosso, previously commissioned for the symphony’s 60th anniversary. The orchestra will also perform Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Opus 68. Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org. A pre-concert talk with Nir Kabaretti, the symphony’s music and artistic director, will take place at 2 p.m.

May 18 3 to 5 p.m. A recruitment reception for volunteer docents will take place at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St. The year-long training course begins each September. For more information or to attend, visit www.sbma.net/docent or contact education@sbma.net.

— Dave Mason

The Lobero Theatre will celebrate its 150th anniversary with a block party May 20 starring Chubby Checker & The Wildcats.

Chubby Checker to sing at Lobero

SANTA

Checker & The Wildcats will do the twist during a community block party from 3 to 8 p.m. May 20 at the Lobero Theatre’s esplanade.

The free event will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the historic theater, located at 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara. It is the oldest continuously operating theater in California and the fourth oldest performing arts theater in the U.S.

In addition to Chubby Checker, the 150th Ovation Celebration Block Party will feature Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket fame, Spencer The Gardener and La Boheme Dancers. Chubby is known as the king

of the early 1960s rock ’n roll dance craze. The icon is the only artist to have a song to be No. 1 twice — “The Twist.” The song also introduced the concept of “dancing apart to the beat.”

Chubby’s success continued for years with the release of one dance record after another, with “The Fly” and “Let’s Twist Again,” for which he won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance. He went on to perform “Peppermint Twist,” “Twist and Shout” and “Twistin’ the Night Away.” For more information, visit www.lobero.org/events/chubbychecker.

— Dave Mason

Santa Barbara Symphony announces youth ensemble concerts

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The Santa Barbara Symphony presents the spring youth ensemble performances, which will take place Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free. The performances will occur at two locations, showcasing talented young musicians from all over the Santa Barbara community.

On May 6, conducted by Marisa McLeod, the beginner Camerata Ensemble and the intermediate Philharmonia Orchestra will perform jazz and classical favorites as well as music inspired by motion pictures and dances from around the world. This concert will be held at 3 p.m. at La Colina Junior High, 4025 Foothill Road, Santa Barbara. The Camerata Ensemble is composed of musicians who have just begun their musical journey. Here, students learn the basics of being in an ensemble, learning from Ms. McLeod herself.

Ms. McLeod also teaches the Philharmonia Orchestra, which is the second step in the Santa Barbara Symphony’s Music Education program. The students

perform under a full orchestra and dive deeper into the world of music.

Dr. Daniel Gee will conduct the advanced Youth Symphony at 4

p.m. May 7 at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara.

The Youth Symphony concert will feature Concerto Competition winners Samuel Peacock, violin, and Noelle Hadsall, piano, as well as a guest appearance by the Westmont College Choir.

The program will include works by Saint-Saëns, Wieniawski and Handel, plus music from “The Lord of the Rings.”

The Youth Symphony is a group of musicians aged 12-18 who are gifted in their craft. Partnering with Westmont College, the symphony program gives these students the opportunity to learn from Dr. Gee.

Applications are now open for the Youth Ensemble’s 2023/2024 season and students on all orchestral instruments are encouraged to audition. Visit thesymphony.org/education to learn more.

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

Speaker imagines prehistoric game preserve on Figueroa Mountain

SOLVANG — The Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society and Solvang Library will present a free illustrated lecture at 7 p.m. May 11 at the Solvang Library, 1745 Mission Drive. Los Olivos resident Ken Doud will use photo simulations to help the audience imagine what a game preserve on Figueroa Mountain featuring prehistoric megafauna would look like.

This in-person talk will also be live-streamed via Zoom on a link emailed to SYVNHS members and friends of the Society. As the date gets closer, the link to stream this talk will also be posted at www.syvnature.org.

As recently as 10,000 years ago, in what is known as the Late Pleistocene period, prehistoric elephants, lions, saber-toothed cats, and many other large beasts were part of the now-vanished megafauna in California. Mr. Doud will present a scenario where

NCIS

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He paused. “You’ll want to watch this.” He played an “NCIS: Los Angeles” clip, full of running and fighting, and explained the music keeps up with the actors in terms of action, tension and emotion. He tones down the music during dialogue and is careful not to distract from it.

“With an emotional scene, it’s more like finding that right combination (of instruments),” Mr. Dobbin said. “Is it a piano emotional scene? Is it a guitar emotional scene? Do strings seem to help it the best?

“And then it ‘s just experimenting with the harmonies and chord progressions until I find whatever seems to enhance the emotion of the scene,” Mr. Dobbin said. “I am a keyboard player, so I will default more to the piano than a guitar,” Mr. Dobbin said. “But if I’m stuck, the guitar is a good way for me to find a new way into the scene. And strings are so emotive. They can come up underneath (dialogue), and they can also punctuate.

“I love string writing,” Mr. Dobbin said. “I will always default to strings when I can.”

“The thing I discovered in hearing the final mixes, especially when there’s a lot of guns going on, all you’re going to hear in the final mix is the percussion, so I make

these creatures didn’t become extinct, but instead could be viewed at a local game preserve on Figueroa Mountain. He uses state-of-the-art digital technology to depict accurate restorations of the extinct animals based on Rancho La Brea Tar Pit fossils.

The imaginary Figueroa Mountain Game Preserve is modeled after the warmtemperate game preserve Hluhluwe-Imfolozi in South Africa, which boasts a full complement of large mammals and associated fauna. The Late Pleistocene megafauna did not disappear in Africa and has survived into recent times.

Mr. Doud holds a master’s in fine arts from UCSB. He uses computer technology to create special effects and photo simulations for land-use planners, scientific publications and architects.

— Dave Mason

TUNE IN

The final episodes of “NCIS: Los Angeles” will air at 10 p.m. this Sunday and May 14 and 9 p.m. May 21 on CBS (KCOY-TV, Channel 12). The episodes will also stream at Paramount+. For more about composer Craig Dobbin, see www.craigdobbin.com.

sure percussion can punch through and enhance the scene,” Mr. Dobbin said.

He said woodwinds aren’t used in “NCIS: Los Angeles.”

When he first tried to use a French horn for a heroic moment, he received a call from the dubbing stage saying that producers weren’t used to hearing brass.

“I just started sneaking them in slowly over the episodes and

started to warm the producers’ ears up to them,” he said.

Each week’s schedule started with Mr. Dobbin receiving the finished episode with a temporary score on a Monday. “I write music on Tuesday, Wednesdays, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We mix on Sunday. Then I start the next episode.”

Instead of creating specific musical themes for each character, Mr. Dobbin focused

instead on creating music to emphasize relationships, such as the one between Sam (LL Cool J) and his dad.

“I had never watched the show before I started working on it, then became a fan of the characters and the show,” said Mr. Dobbin, who has worked with others such as the sound designer, music editor, visual effects editor and the showrunner via Zoom since 2020 when the pandemic started. After the pandemic subsided, they continued to work together via Zoom.

During his career, Mr. Dobbin has written music for commercials, movies and a popular PBS kids’ show, “Jay Jay the Jet Plane,” in which the music featured a specific instrument for each character.

He and his wife Deb, a yoga teacher, married in 1992, and she has two children from a previous marriage. Their son, Dakota, 28, has inherited his father’s love for music and is a drummer.

“NCIS: Los Angeles” wrapped up its production work in April, and Mr. Dobbin is already involved with his next project. This month, he’s starting work on composing music for “Tastings,” a movie that’s a thriller. The difference between a feature film budget and a TV show is that this time, Mr. Dobbin doesn’t have to fly solo. He’s looking forward to working with a full orchestra.

email: dmason@newspress.com

COURTESY SANTA BARBARA SYMPHONY

Dr. Daniel Gee will conduct the Youth Symphony Sunday at the Lobero Theatre.

BARBARA — Chubby

COURTESY LOBERO THEATRE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KEN DOUD

Ken Doud created this photo stimulation that imagines prehistoric megafauna in an imaginary Figueroa Mountain Game Preserve.

Chris O’Donnell stars as Special Agent G. Callen. “I had never watched the show before I started working on it, then became a fan of the characters and the show,” said composer Craig Dobbin.

SUDOKU

Thought for Today

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

— Joseph Addison

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Friday, May 5, 2023

ARIES — Creative energy may be high today, Aries, but you may be unable to use it the way you’d like. Perhaps you don’t have a project to work on or you have writer’s block. Ideas may come, but you don’t know what to do with them. The best course may be to write them down. The very process of writing could open doors for you.

TAURUS — A family member may withdraw from you, Taurus. This person appears to be going through a private emotional crisis and isn’t apt to confide in you now. Your inclination could be to push it, but this could be a mistake. Give him or her the chance to share with you when the time is right. Sometimes we need to work things out for ourselves. Be patient.

GEMINI — You could get some strange phone calls today, Gemini. There could be a few hang-ups, wrong numbers, or friends who forget why they called! Communication isn’t likely to run smoothly, so you may have to make an effort to choose the right words, go into as much detail as possible, and ask if you’re being understood.

CANCER — Money matters may seem up in the air today, Cancer. Your usual practicality may desert you. This could make you stressed and angry because you’re perfectly capable of dealing with your finances. Don’t worry. The vagueness should pass by tomorrow. In the meantime, get some help, or if your concerns aren’t too urgent, wait a day or two. Give yourself a break.

LEO — You might be in the midst of an exciting creative project with a partner, Leo, and anxious to move forward so that you can present it to the public. But you might feel distracted and unable to focus on your work. Don’t get too upset. These things happen. Be patient and wait until tomorrow if you have to. You will be back in the groove by then.

VIRGO — If you’ve been planning to spend a day meditating, Virgo, this is the day to do it. You’re in an elevated frame of mind, not in a space to focus on mundane matters. Artistic inspiration could come to you now. Any kind of exercise should get the endorphins flowing. But don’t expect to get

CODEWORD PUZZLE

any practical work done. You’re definitely out of this world.

LIBRA — Communication with friends and lovers may be limited by emotional factors today, Libra. You may have a tendency to overreact to casual comments that are probably innocent but that you misinterpret as offensive. Quarrels over nothing could result, which could raise your blood pressure and stress level for no good reason.

SCORPIO — A phone call could inform you of difficulties at home that require that you deal with them right away, Scorpio. This is nothing to be alarmed about, just one of those irritating little hassles that requires attention when you’d rather turn in another direction. It could be as innocuous as a broken appliance.

SAGITTARIUS — A rather spacey friend or acquaintance from far away could call today, Sagittarius, perhaps to propose a visit. This might not be convenient now, and could put you in a quandary as to whether or not to agree to it. Your decision eventually comes down to how much you care for this person and how badly you want to see him or her.

CAPRICORN — Financial paperwork might have you baffled today, Capricorn. You might not be in the right frame of mind to do it now, so if it isn’t urgent, wait a day or two. If you need to take care of it immediately, don’t be too shy about consulting someone else. You will be glad you did, and you won’t have to wonder whether or not you did it right.

AQUARIUS — You and a current or potential romantic partner may be in a strange space today, Aquarius. Intellectual awareness battles emotional doubts. Communication could be vague and easily misinterpreted, so choose your words carefully, even though it may be difficult to find the right ones. Your relationship should survive the day, but your understanding of each other could suffer if you aren’t careful.

PISCES — Your intuition is operating at a high level, Pisces, but you may not be able to make sense of the psychic impressions you’re receiving. The emotions, images, and symbols you pick up from others and the astral plane could be vague and easily misinterpreted. They could be important, though.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content

Agency

Friday, May 5, 2023

Unlucky Louie has raised nine children. He says 80 percent of parenting involves moving your kid’s glass away from the edge of the table. You would think Louie knew about playing safe as declarer. When he was today’s South, West led a heart against 6NT, and in the blink of an eye, Louie captured East’s queen and took the A-K of diamonds. Unlucky!

East discarded, and Louie had to lose two diamonds.

Careful play succeeds. A safety play is available in diamonds, but Louie needs entries to his hand. On the first heart, he should play dummy’s jack: queen, king.

PLAYS LOW

Louie then leads a diamond to dummy’s ace, returns a heart to his ten and leads the eight of diamonds.

If West plays low — playing the ten won’t help him — Louie lets the eight ride. If East won, Louie would be sure of four diamonds and 12 tricks in all. When the eight wins, Louie takes the king, returns a club to his king and concedes a diamond. He has four diamonds, four clubs, three hearts and a spade.

You open one club, your partner responds one

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

spade, you jump to 2NT and he next bids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: You showed a balanced hand with about 19 points, so you need not bid 3NT and tell partner the same thing twice. Bid three spades, showing three cards in his first suit. He may continue to four spades, but if his pattern is 5-4-2-2, he can bid 3NT himself to let you choose a game.

Continued from Page A1

executive director, explained that he intentionally sought out sheep to bring to the park in lieu of another fire protective measure.

“The more I researched it (the sheep), the more I liked it,” he told the News-Press.

Mr. Noble further commented on the helpfulness of the sheep, stating: “It’s been three years, and the park has had a transformation in the landscape. They (the sheep) gnaw down the invasive plants and allow for the native plants to receive more sunlight and rain.”

This year, however, a lamb was born amidst the sheep doing their work.

“The lamb will stay here until the sheep are done with their work, and it is doing very well,” Mr. Noble said.

This spectacle can be seen by the public, and people can expect to see a great deal of sheep, a baby lamb, as well as Sierra — the sheep’s guard dog.

“Year after year, it seems like the youth are getting more comfortable here as well,” Mr. Noble said. “People can participate in a fun family hike, about 15 minutes, to reach a fun destination and see the flock of sheep!”

The sheep are expected to stay about four to five weeks, and Mr. Noble explained that this year will be interesting because of the excessive rain and consequential

All four defendants have pleaded not guilty

HEARING

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Mr. Jauregui-Moreno is also charged with having been previously convicted of a violent felony or “strike” offense.

The fourth defendant, James Lee Rosborough, 21, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, criminal street gang conspiracy and being an accessory after the fact, with the special allegation of committing the crime for the benefit of a criminal street gang. They face a maximum of life in prison with the possibility of parole if convicted of murder or conspiracy to commit murder, the prosecutor said.

All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. They are being held without bail. A bail hearing for Mr. Rosborough, scheduled for Thursday, was withdrawn, but could be heard on June 27, the prosecutor said. Mr. JaureguiMoreno will also challenge his bail on June 27.

The two 15-year-old juveniles from Ventura County allegedly involved in the fatal shooting have denied murder charges filed against them. One of them appeared in court Tuesday for further proceedings. His case was continued to June 6 for further proceedings. The

other juvenile defendant will return to court May 16, also for further proceedings.

Further proceedings means that the court and the parties will appear to address any issues that need to be addressed and check on the status of the case, the prosecutor said.

Prosecutors allege the four Santa Barbara defendants were driving on Stearns Wharf when they verbally challenged their alleged Ventura County rivals, and that they stopped their vehicle for the purpose of deploying two of their party to attack them with a firearm.

Prosecutors allege they then fled the scene of the shooting, two on foot and two by vehicle, and that those in the vehicle then circled back to the location of the shooting to extract those who fled on foot to avoid apprehension.

The juveniles, Matthew Lopez and Adan de la Cruz, were arrested by Santa Barbara Police Department officers on Feb. 16. Their arrests were the result of an intense police investigation to identify and bring to justice additional suspects following the Jan. 19 arrest of the four adult defendants in Santa Barbara. email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

weeds that have grown.

In addition to visiting the sheep, families can participate in other activities at the park.

“We have a slew of activities: our music and athletics, mountain biking, kite flying, picnic-ing, as well as our cultural and athletic activities,” Mr. Noble said. “Families can also watch our

paragliders. We have the oldest operating paragliding school in North America.”

The sheep are not the only spectacle to watch at Elings Park. Twice the size of Disneyland, the 230-acre park has multiple activities for families and individuals to enjoy. According to Mr. Noble, the

sheep will be in the park until approximately June 1. The sheep corrals move every few days. Elings Park is open to the public from 7 a.m. to sunset, and the sheep may be visited within those hours.

email: klogan@newspress.com

Prosecutors alleging a number of aggravating factors

KIDNAPPING

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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 K-9 unit, contacted Mr. Maldonado at the motel, where he was taken into custody after allegedly briefly attempting to flee.

Mr. Maldonado was booked at the Main Jail in Santa Barbara 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 Mr. Maldonado with attempted kidnapping, alleging the defendant, who stands 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 215 pounds, 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, and threat of great bodily harm or other act disclosing a high

degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness. Prosecutors noted that the victim was particularly vulnerable. They also alleged Mr. Maldonado 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 allegedly committed by the defendant. email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

SHEEP

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Sheep graze near the neighborhood bordering the park.

Park has numerous activities for families and individuals on 230 acres

Sierra is the dog guarding the flock of sheep grazing within the electric fence enclosure at Elings Park.