Murder, music, mischief
Santa Maria makes magazine cover
Everyone from Greek gods to a mariachi ensemble is part of Opera Santa Barbara’s new season - B1
National aerospace publication honors Central Coast Jet Center - A3
Our 166th Year
75¢
F R I DAY, SE P T E M BE R 3 , 2 0 21
Coast Guard sued over Conception fire Families contend Coast Guard is responsible after years of certifying boat By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
On the day after the Conception boat fire, community members set up a memorial near Santa Barbara Harbor to honor the victims of the tragedy.
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
The families of the 34 people who perished in the Conception boat fire in 2019 filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Coast Guard this week, alleging that the agency allowed the ship to sail despite “blatant life-safety violations.” The suit, which was filed Wednesday in federal court in Los Angeles, claims that the Coast Guard should be held accountable for the Conception incident after years of repeatedly certifying the ship even when there were numerous violations of the agency’s own regulations and procedures. Thursday marked two years since the Conception vessel, which was owned by Santa Barbarabased Truth Aquatics, caught fire near Santa Cruz Island, killing 33 passengers and one crew member who were trapped in the ship’s sleeping deck. Each of the passengers died of smoke inhalation, according to the Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Bureau. After an investigation, the National Transporation Safety Board was unable to determine the exact cause of the fire, but cited failure to comply with Coast Guard regulations on the part of Capt. Jerry Boylan and Truth Aquatics as likely reasons for the blaze, among other safety violations. Mr. Boylan, who fled the burning ship on an inflatable skiff, has been indicted on 34 counts of seaman’s manslaughter. Please see CONCEPTION on A8
NEWS-PRESS EXCLUSIVE
Life Cube develops model for military use By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Life Cube Inc., a Santa Barbara company that specializes in portable and inflatable shelters, recently completed its third contract with the U.S. military to develop insulated, refrigerated shelters that can be airdropped into remote military bases. This contract was completed through the creation of the “Cool Cube,” a new shelter model that includes an inflatable tent, insulated wall panels and flooring. When deployed, the product comes in five-foot storage containers that can unfold into rugged floors and structured walls, turning the shelter into a fully functional, military grade refrigerated facility for food and medical supplies. The creation of this product came as a result of interest from
the Department of Defense, who was in search of a portable, insulated shelter that could store food and supplies on the front lines. While the product is still in the research and developing testing phase, company executives say the Cool Cube will help to fulfill the military’s goal with an easily transportable product that can be securely airdropped. “The completion of our Cool Cube for use by troops stationed overseas has greatly heightened awareness of the versatility of Life Cubes throughout all branches of the military,” Michael Conner, the inventor of the Life Cube, told the News-Press in a statement. “This new model proves our shelter system’s unique capabilities for a variety of applications. We believe it will establish us as one of the preeminent suppliers of soft- and rigid-wall shelters.” Executives also say the product allows the military to remain
FOLLOW US ON
6
66833 00050
3
mobile by providing an easy way to transport refrigerated materials on the field. The product also removes the need for traditional infrastructure to be built, giving the military the option to easily take the product on the go. “The military is on the move — it’s not the old way where they want to build infrastructure (or) have to build fixtures on to the areas where they’re going to be operating,” Brian Esposito, the company’s chief strategic advisor, told the News-Press. “They want (a product) that could be deployed quickly and taken down quickly or just deployed quickly and stay there. So because of that interest and the future of what the military looks like, especially on the ground, companies like Life Cube have a great opportunity to make those structures go up as quickly Please see LIFE CUBE on A6
COURTESY PHOTO
The “Cool Cube” features insulated wall panels that can effectively refrigerate produce and medical supplies. The cube comes in storage containers that can be securely air-dropped.
INSIDE
L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified.............. A7 Life..................... B1-4 Obituaries............. A8
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 7-10-15-43-45 Meganumber: 7
Thursday’s DAILY 4: 7-3-5-3
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 8-14-31-58-68 Meganumber: 15
Thursday’s FANTASY 5: 5-6-9-18-24
Thursday’s DAILY DERBY: 03-01-02 Time: 1:40.71
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 10-20-29-48-51 Meganumber: 17
Sudoku................. B4 Weather................ A8
Thursday’s DAILY 3: 7-4-2 / Thursday’s Midday 7-5-4