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F R I DAY, J U LY 29, 2 02 2
Police increase presence on westside Patrol efforts grow after shooting in Santa Barbara area around Bohnett Park By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
This mural graces restrooms at Bohnett Park in Santa Barbara. Police have increased their presence in the westside area following a gangrelated shooting on July 13.
Santa Barbara police have stepped up their patrol efforts on the westside near Bohnett Park to reassure the surrounding neighborhood — in particular the nearby Boys and Girls Clubs — that they are on the job in the wake of a recent gang-related shooting. The goal of the increased presence is not just to ease neighborhood concerns about public safety since the July 13 shooting, but to deter future gang-related violence in the future, officials said. “When we get a hot spot like that, the police
increase patrol and vigilance,” Mayor Randy Rowse told the News-Press Thursday. “As far as I know, they’re continuing there. They’re going to spend more time. They’re a little spread out right now, but we will not sacrifice patrol.” The mayor said efforts by the city and police have paid off in less gang-related violence over the years, “but just because such activity is relatively light doesn’t mean we’re not paying attention to it.” “Our first priority is patrol,” he said. “It’s No. 1 ... and we’re doing our best to get more bodies into uniform, both sworn and professional.” “Police-felt presence throughout the
Positive outlook for water City of Santa Barbara expresses confidence despite Stage 2 alert
community is a daily mission,” Interim Police Chief Marylinda Arroyo told the News Press Thursday. “There are continuous resources deployed in and around areas of concern due to recent incidents as well as significant upstaffing during the Fiesta week. “In fact, yearly the Santa Barbara Police Department welcomes additional peace officers from throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties to assist with public safety,” she said. “The Santa Barbara (County) Sheriff’s Department partners, by contract, with more than 25 deputy sheriffs and correctional Please see SHOOTING on A3
Protect Patriot Parents Act moves on to full House Carbajal’s bill designed to help parents of service members achieve Lawful Permanent Resident status By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Lake Cachuma, shown in this recent photo, currently stands at 41% capacity.
By JARED DANIELS NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The duration of Santa Barbara’s water shortage alert depends on future state mandates and how much — or how little — it rains this winter. That’s according to city water officials, who told the News-Press there’s a “high likelihood that a dry winter throughout the state would lead to further statewide action.” But the city officials say that despite the water shortage alert, there’s a good outlook for local water. They say the reasons include improved conservation by residents, the diversification of water sources and the reactivation of the city’s desalination plant. The Santa Barbara City Council declared a Stage 2 water shortage alert on June 21, 2022. While the city stated in July that “Santa Barbara’s water outlook is good, even if extreme dry conditions persist for several years,” the move was made to comply with an executive order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor directed urban water suppliers
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to reduce their water use at a time when 95% of the state continues to languish in either severe or extreme drought conditions. Santa Barbara received 67% of its average winter rainfall for 2022 while Lake Cachuma water levels currently stand at just 41% capacity. The lake is a primary water source for Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria and Montecito. But the city predicts it will be able to meet its water demands without shortages for two years even if rainfall levels continue to come in below average. Under the Stage 2 alert, Santa Barbara residents are being asked to take a variety of actions to reduce their water use. These include using shut-off nozzles on hoses, running sprinklers and other in-ground irrigation systems only between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., and refraining from using hoses to spray down sidewalks and other surfaces unless for safety purposes. The alert also means continuing to follow the statewide ban against watering “non-functional turf grass, turf that is solely ornamental and not regularly used
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MORE FROM D.C. Congress approves CHIPS and Science Act, and committee OKs U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal’s safe parking bill. Stories, A2.
NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal
in the Air Force,” Rep. Carbajal said. “Juana Flores had no criminal record and is an upstanding citizen. She has 10 children including a special needs child. She also has 18 grandchildren.” Rep. Carbajal aided the family in the process to bring Mrs. Flores back to the U.S. The congressman worked with the family’s legal team and wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, asking him to grant the Flores family’s request for humanitarian parole. The request for a temporary parole was granted. Rep. Carbajal’s Protect the Parents Patriot Act was added as an amendment to the Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022 , prior to the Judiciary Committee’s passage of the measure earlier Wednesday. Recent estimates project that there are as many as 80,000 illegal immigrants who are living in the U.S. and are the spouses and parents of active duty and former service members. Rep. Carbajal said he came to the U.S. as an immigrant when the immigration system worked. He said the current system doesn’t work, which is “why people don’t want to wait 15 years for adjudication. “I was lucky enough to serve in the United States Marine Corps Reserve as an immigrant and a veteran,” he said. “I know the value of serving our country. Service members don’t need to stress. They are making the ultimate sacrifice. “That has to count for something.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com
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for human recreational purposes or for civic or community events.” Santa Barbara’s current water use is, on average, 25% lower than it was in 2013 prior to the statewide drought, which is on-par with city water use levels in the 1950s despite the city’s population nearly doubling since then, according to the city. “I’m proud of the investment our community has made in diversifying our water supply for long-term reliability, and in our community members who have made real lifestyle changes to conserve and use water wisely,” said Water Resources Manager Joshua Haggmark in a news release. “Our residents and businesses have truly invested in a ‘conservation as a way of life’ approach to water use. But now is the time for all of us to do a little more and be part of the watersaving solution for California.” In addition to conservation efforts taken by residents, the city points to Santa Barbara’s diversification of its water supply portfolio as a reason for its current good outlook despite the statewide drought. Please see WATER on A4
The House Judiciary Committee this week approved the Protect Patriot Parents Act — U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal’s measure that makes parents of military service members eligible for Lawful Permanent Resident status. The legislation is designed to prevent potential deportations or separations of military families. With the committee’s approval on Wednesday, the measure is now advanced for consideration by the full House. “The bill allows undocumented parents of active duty service members to remain in the U.S., to not be deported while seeking the legalization application to move forward or not be adjudicated,” Rep. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, told the News-Press Thursday. For service members serving America domestically or abroad, the last thing they need to stress about is their parents being deported, Rep. Carbajal said. He explained that his bill allows for parents who are illegal immigrants and are already in the U.S. to stay in America while continuing to pursue the process to become legal immigrants. The Protect Patriot Parents Act would allow parents of service members to apply for a green card. Rep. Carbajal’s measure is inspired by the story of the Flores family from Goleta. The mother of Sgt. Cesar Flores was deported despite living in the U.S. for 30 years and having a child in the U.S. Air Force. Juana Flores was deported in 2019, but was allowed to return to the U.S. last year after public outcry and lobbying from Rep. Carbajal and other community leaders. “Not too long ago, I got to know a Central Coast mom by the name Juana Flores. Juana was cruelly ripped away from her family despite the fact that her son is on active duty
Sudoku................. b3 Weather................ a4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 2-8-11-13-21 Mega: 21
Thursday’s DAILY 4: 1-4-2-7
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 7-29-60-63-66 Mega: 15
Thursday’s FANTASY 5: 5-23-26-34-38
Thursday’s DAILY DERBY: 05-10-08 Time: 1:47.87
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 1-25-44-55-57 Meganumber: 26
Thursday’s DAILY 3: 0-1-3 / Midday 2-6-1