Santa Barbara News-Press: October 14, 2022

Tackling domestic violence

Domestic Violence Solutions unveils new posters to help victims get help

sheriff’s Office joins effort to prevent beached boats

Law enforcement plans to obtain boat capable of towing derelict vessels

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara Boat Task Force wasted no time Monday as members searched for ways to discuss and strategize a plan to address the issue of derelict boats off the coast of Santa Barbara city and county waters — and to put an end to a consistent pattern of boats washing up on city and county beaches.

But perhaps the most significant development didn’t occur until the next day.

That’s when Lt. Ugo “Butch” Arnoldi of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office alerted fellow task force members that his department will be getting a boat capable of patrolling ocean waters and towing abandoned and

derelict vessels at risk of washing ashore — even though it will take awhile to actually get the vessel.

“The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has submitted a request through the ‘Operation Stonegarden Homeland Security Grant Program’ for the purchase of a Sheriff’s Vessel,” Lt. Arnoldi wrote in an email to the group.

“The vessel will be multi-purpose and serve as a patrol boat, underwater/dive rescue, code and ordinance enforcement, and the response to illegal smuggling of drugs and people onto the coastline.”

The proposed vessel will be between 35 and 40 feet in length and once received will remain on a trailer so it can be launched either in South County or North

Commissions to discuss State Street Master Plan

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County unveiled new posters Thursday to raise awareness and help survivors.

They’re being placed in break rooms and other areas frequented by employees in local government workplaces throughout Santa Barbara County.

“They’re in workplace areas in all county buildings and in the city halls in almost of the cities of Santa Barbara County,” Ken Oplinger, the interim executive director and director of operations at DVS, told the News-

Press after a news conference on the steps of the Santa Barbara County administration building in Santa Barbara.

Mr. Oplinger said DVS hopes to later extend its reach and place the posters in private workplaces.

The poster says, “Everyone deserves a healthy relationship. No one ever deserves to be mistreated.

“Abuse is a pattern of behavior that one person uses to gain power and control over another,” the poster says. “These behaviors can include isolation, emotional abuse, monitoring, controlling finances, cyber abuse, or physical and sexual assault.”

The poster goes on to cite

statistics. Then it provides the 24/7 information and crisis hotline and website for Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County, as well as the number and website for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. (See the FYI box.)

There are both English and Spanish versions of the poster.

The posters are going up in the workplace, where survivors are away from their abusers and feel safe and empowered to seek help, Patricia Ritchie, chair of the DVS Advocacy Committee and the DVS board treasurer, told the News-Press.

“Domestic violence is not an issue specific to one country

or place,” Mr. Oblinger told reporters as local elected officials listened in front of the county administration building on Anapamu Street. “It knows no gender, no race, no ethnicity, no economic status, no sexual orientation, and it can happen to anyone.

“And yet, even though so many people are familiar with domestic violence, it remains one of those things that just aren’t spoken of,” Mr. Oblinger said.

He said one of DVS’ goals is to break through the silence “that may cause us to turn a blind eye to domestic violence.”

At Thursday’s news conference, state Sen. Monique Limón announced that she will introduce a bill during the 2023 session to establish a framework to place domestic violence awareness posters in workplaces throughout California. Like the posters in Santa Barbara County, they will feature phone numbers and websites where survivors can get help.

“I’m thankful to Domestic Violence Solutions because they brought the idea for this bill to me,” Sen. Limón, D-Santa Barbara, said.

Sen. Limón said the information on the posters will

FYi

Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County operates a 24/7 crisis hotline at 805964-5245. Its website is dvsolutions.org.

The 24/7 National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (72333). The TTY number is 1-800787-3224. The website is thehotline.org.

The Historic Landmarks Commission and Planning Commission will hear an update today on the State Street Master Plan and discuss the past, present and future condition of State Street.

The joint meeting of the two boards will take place at 10 a.m. at the Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara Public Library, 40 E. Anapamu St.

The city has begun the State Street Master Plan process, which will result in a long-term visioning document for the next 30 to 50 years to revitalize downtown Santa Barbara from Anacapa to Chapala streets and from Sola Street to the Highway 101 underpass, staff said in its report to the two commissions.

It will include an urban design framework and implementation plan that, once completed, can be translated into future capital improvement projects in the corridor.

“The State Street Master Plan builds on the momentum of the eight-block State Street closure driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, and will identify opportunities and constraints to transform the right-of-way into a vital urban place for all to enjoy,” staff said.

The State Street Master Plan is in the initial Visioning and Existing Conditions Analysis Phase, which, through an extensive and inclusive community engagement process, will set the foundation and vision for the future urban design framework and corridor improvements.

“The purpose of this joint Historic Landmarks Commission and Planning Commission meeting is to leverage the commissioners’ unique perspectives and knowledge to guide the State Street Master Plan process,” staff said. “This joint meeting will provide an

opportunity to discuss the past and present condition of State Street, and vision for the future, within the roles, responsibilities and expertise of the Historic Landmarks Commission and Planning Commission, respectively.”

Specific topics of discussion will include:

• What is working/not working on the current State Street closure?

• What do you like/not like about the current State Street closure?

• What are your hopes for the future of the downtown area and Santa Barbara?

• What is one thing you would like the future design of State Street to accomplish?

The nature and extent of environmental review for the State Street Master Plan will be determined once the project scope has been clearly defined and the design concepts identified.

Staff said the feedback received at today’s meeting and during the broader community engagement process will be used to develop the preferred urban design framework and preliminary community design concepts.

In conjunction with additional community outreach, staff anticipates returning in late spring 2023 for a second joint Historic Landmarks Commission and Planning Commission meeting for review and consideration of the preliminary design concepts.

This input will be used to develop the implementation framework and finalize the design concepts.

A third and final joint Historic Landmarks Commission and Planning Commission meeting is anticipated in fall 2023 for review and comment on the complete public draft State Street Master Plan.

The overall Master Plan process is expected to conclude in early 2024.

KENNETH

NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Ken Oplinger, far right, the interim executive director and director of operations at Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County, discusses the new domestic violence awareness poster as elected officials listen. From left are state Sen. Monique Limón, Supervisor Gregg Hart and Supervisor Das Williams.

Domestic

Law to provide more than $5 billion for California’s infrastructure

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal announced California will receive more than $5 billion from programs funded by the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strengthen roads and bridges. Funding is also designed to cover the development of a statewide network of electric vehicle charging stations.

“Through my work on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I helped craft the largest investment in fixing our roads, freeways and bridges since the creation of the Interstate Highway System – and this week California is seeing those investments reach our state to make much-needed repairs, cut commute times, lower car repair costs, and reduce pollution while supporting good-paying, union jobs,” said Rep. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara. “I will continue partnering with our state and local leaders to put these game-changing investments to work along with the billions California will be receiving to expand internet connectivity, reduce carbon emissions, and improve our public transit and clean water infrastructure up and down our Central Coast.”

The Federal Highway Administration is providing California $574,785,473 for bridge repairs — including $86 million for off-system bridges that are not part of the federal highway system. Rep. Carbajal specifically pushed for increased funding to revitalize and repair off-system bridges, as this funding can go to counties and other local entities that own bridges in dire need of repairs.

The FHWA allocations for fiscal year 2023 also provides California $81,720,595 to fund construction of new electric vehicle charging stations across the state — part of a projected $300 million that California will receive for these chargers from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

In California, there are 1,536 bridges and more than 14,220 miles of highway in poor condition, according to Rep. Carbajal’s office.

kzehnder@newspress.com

Bonta: L.A. audio leak investigation could lead to civil liability, criminal charges

By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE

More than one kind of spirits

endorsements in general election

News-Press has made the following endorsements for the Nov. 8 general election.

STATE

Governor: Sen. Brian Dahle.

Lieutenant Governor: Angela Underwood Jacobs.

Secretary of State: Rob Bernosky.

Controller: Lanhee Chen.

State Treasurer: Jack Guerrero.

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Lance Christensen.

Attorney General: Nathan Hochman.

Insurance Commissioner: Robert Howell.

State Board of Equalization, 2nd District: Peter Coe Verbica.

U.S. Senate/Partial Term: Mark Meuser.

U.S. Senate/Full Term: Mark Meuser.

U.S. House Representative, District 24: Dr. Brad Allen.

State Assembly, District 37: Mike Stoker.

SCHOOL BOARDS

Santa Barbara County Board

of Education, Trustee Area 1: Rosanne Crawford.

Santa Barbara Community College District, Trustee Area 1: Debi Stoker.

Santa Barbara Community College District, Trustee Area 5: Sharon SalvadorJegottka.

Santa Barbara Unified School District, Trustee Area 1: Efigenia Banales.

Santa Barbara Unified School District, Trustee Area 4: Phebe Mansur.

Goleta Union School District, Trustee Area 1: Caroline Abate.

Goleta Union School District, Trustee Area 3: Christy Lozano.

Lompoc Unified School District: To be announced.

SPECIAL DISTRICT

Goleta Water District, District 2: Greg S. Hammel.

CITY COUNCIL RACES

Carpinteria City Council, Trustee Area 3: Patty Boyd (write in).

Lompoc Mayor: Jim Mosby.

(The Center Square)

– The California Department of Justice will launch an investigation into Los Angeles’ redistricting process as three city councilmembers face mounting calls to resign from office after a leaked audio recording revealed their use of racist comments during a conversation about maintaining political power through redistricting.

Attorney General Rob Bonta condemned the racist remarks made by Councilmembers Nury Martinez, Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo but stopped short of calling for resignations on Wednesday. Mr. Bonta called the redistricting process “foundational for our democracy,” adding that his office is going to examine the facts and take action to “ensure the fair application of our laws.”

“The remarks that were made by some of Los Angeles’ highest ranking officials, they were unacceptable, they were offensive and they were deeply painful, deeply hurtful to many communities,” Mr. Bonta told reporters Wednesday. “There’s no

DAVID BAZEMORE PHOTOS

Above, the spirit of bootlegger Sally Stanford (Nicole Iaquinto) is part of “Ghosts Along the Coast,” a walking tour that continues tonight and Sunday at Elings Park, 1298 Las Positas Road, Santa Barbara. The ghost tours are scheduled to begin each day at 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8 and 8:30 p.m. For more information, go to coastghosts.brownpapertickets.com. Below, F. S. Crane (Patrick Turner) made his fortune in the Gold Rush and survived the 1853 shipwreck of steamer Winfield Scott on Anacapa Island. His ghost just wants to find his lost gold.

Ute Indian Tribe calls Biden’s dedication of national monument a ‘disgrace’

By KIM JARRETT THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) –President Joe Biden’s dedication of Colorado’s Camp Hale as a national monument is a “disgrace” to the ancestors of the Ute Indian Tribe, members of the tribe said.

President Biden used the Antiquities Act to designate the Camp Hale Continental Divide National Monument on Tuesday. The 1906 Act gives the president the authority to designate lands as national monuments.

Camp Hale was the home of the Ute Indian Tribe’s Uncompahgre Band before it was forced off the land in 1880, according to a news release from the Ute Indian Tribe Business Committee. The Ute Tribe now resides on reservations in northeastern Utah.

The Ute Tribe learned about the designation just four days before Biden’s news conference on Wednesday, according to the news release. President Biden worked with other tribes but did not give the Ute Tribe time to engage in conversations about the designation.

“It is a disgrace to our ancestors to exclude the Tribe in the care and protection of these burial sites,” members of the business committee said in a news release. “We are shocked that 200 years later, nothing has changed. This unlawful action by the president today is a desecration of our ancestors that remain buried on our homelands.”

The Ute Tribe said President Biden is not living up to a commitment he made in 2021 to

honor tribal sovereignty.

“While the President is out here in Colorado on our traditional homelands, his administration is refusing to address ongoing attacks on our current homelands in Utah,” members of the business committee said. “First they took our lands in Colorado, and now they won’t address our lands at home.”

Shaun Chapoose, chairman of the Ute Indian Tribe Business Committee and Uncompahgre Band Member, said the tribe plans to take action.

“These new monuments are an abomination and demonstrate manifest disregard and disrespect of the Ute Indian Tribe’s treaty rights and sovereign status as a federally recognized Indian Tribe,” Mr. Chapoose said. “If it’s a fight they want it’s a fight they will get.”

The Ute Indian Tribe is asking Congress to hold hearings about their concerns.

“We hear all these headlines about actions for Indian tribes, but where is this administration on securing our homelands, increasing law enforcement to protect our communities, protecting our waters, and defending our lands and resources in federal court,” the business committee said in its news release. “All too often the secretary and assistant secretary (of the Interior) are chasing their own priorities and not the priorities of Indian tribes. Or, even worse, they are often sitting on the wrong side of the table and not fulfilling the president’s commitments and solemn trust responsibility to Indian country.”

Supporters say Prop. 30 would help millions buy electric vehicles

PROP. 30

Continued from Page A3

Supporters of Proposition 30 say it would help millions of Californians to afford electric vehicles through rebates, grants and financial assistance, as well as create a statewide EV charging network. Proponents also say the proposition would reduce catastrophic wildfires by funding forest management and providing more firefighters and firefighting equipment.

Supporters say the measure would generate approximately $100 billion over 20 years for these programs by taxing Californians with a personal income of over $2

million a year. The tax on that income would be 1.75%

But opponents of Proposition 30 warn the proposition would burden not just the wealthy but small business owners and job creators. They charge that the bill would mean billions in new taxes during a time of record-breaking inflation.

Opponents also say the proposition is almost nearly entirely funded by Lyft, which the opposition says is trying to get taxpayers to pay for the state’s requirement that rideshare vehicles must be EVs by 2030.

dmason@newspress.com

The Linda Lindas

Carla Morrison

DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

“We need EVs for working people, not just wealthy residents,” said Michael Chiacos, director of climate policy for the Community Environmental Council.

Task Force members agree to hold third meeting within coming month

moving forward with the memo of understanding.

Limón: Domestic violence spiked during the pandemic

“We are here to stand with the survivors of domestic violence,” Supervisor Hart told reporters.

County, said Lt. Arnoldi, who is assigned to the Sheriff’s Coastal Patrol Bureau.

“The expected delivery and operation date is between one to two years with hopes that we will have the vessel operating in 1 1/2 years.

“I know that we are concerned about the upcoming storm season, but as you can see, this vessel will not be available for this coming season,” he said.

Harry Rabin, Heal the Ocean field organizer, called Lt. Arnoldi’s email “good news as it provides a needed asset for the county to be more on par with the city and their Harbor Patrol vessels. The current sheriff’s vessel has been non-operable.”

He described it as a “boost” to the progress already made at the meeting toward resolving disparity issues between the city of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara County over how to handle and regulate errant boats.

At the meeting, Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse, another task force member, agreed to develop a memo of understanding between the city and county to address city Harbor Patrol response to derelict boats in county waters, with an assurance of costs covered.

Similarly, fellow task force member County Supervisor Das Williams agreed to begin discussions with Mayor Rowse to determine the possibility for

“Our focusing and multiple MOUs are a good start,” Mr. Rabin said. “Regulating the ability to anchor is the big one we are pursuing.”

Mr. Rabin told the News-Press in a recent exclusive interview that beached boats have been washing ashore consistently for three years, the result of changing weather and shifting ocean sands that lose their grip on boat anchors. He said many boat owners refuse to pay fees to secure their vessels to solid mooring, and do not purchase insurance in the event of accidents.

He told task force members that even in 2010, 12 boats broke anchorage and came ashore.

Primary topics discussed at the meeting included:

• Insurance: Both the city and county are researching insurance mandate possibilities.

• Anchorage: Potential opportunity for a sonar system to be put in place to alert a response team to any boats moving outside a specified diameter. NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries currently has a similar system in place.

Task Force members agreed to hold a third meeting within the coming month.

In the meantime, Mr. Rabin said, “We have contingency plans that will hopefully avert more boats from making it to shore come more foul weather.”

email: nhartstein@newspress.com

save lives and that a similar framework already exists in Washington state, Oregon, Colorado and Missouri.

“We all know the statistics about domestic violence,” Sen. Limón said during the news conference. “We know that during the pandemic, we saw the highest levels of domestic violence in our community.”

Sen. Limón later told the NewsPress that her goal is to create a template for other counties to create the posters. She said often employers want to provide resources but don’t know where to start.

Sen. Limón described the legislation as a bipartisan effort to provide resources such as phone numbers and website links.

Gregg Hart, the 2nd District representative on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, stressed that

“All too often, the survivors of domestic violence have felt alone or unheard. That is not acceptable in our community. We want survivors to know we hear you and are dedicated to providing everything you need. Domestic Violence Solutions is here to serve you and provide all the assistance you need.”

Mr. Hart noted that often the county has seen repeat offenders of domestic violence. “This is the time to unite together to create more effective intervention and prevention programs in our justice system.”

Das Williams, the 1st District representative on the Board of Supervisors, discussed the county’s declaration of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

email: dmason@newspress.com

Bonta: ‘An investigation is sorely needed’

of Labor who was also involved in the conversation, resigned Monday.

place for anti-black, anti-semitic, anti-indigenous, homophobic or discriminatory rhetoric of any kind in our state, especially when it comes in relation to the duties of public official.”

“It is clear an investigation is sorely needed to help restore confidence in the redistricting process for the people of LA,” Mr. Bonta later added.

Mr. Bonta clarified that he is not planning an “overhaul” through the investigation but noted there is the potential for civil liability or criminal charges depending on what they discover.

The attorney general’s remarks came hours before Ms. Martinez announced her resignation from the council Wednesday afternoon.

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, neither Mr. Cedillo nor Mr. de León had resigned.

Ms. Martinez has previously stepped down as city council president on Monday and announced she would be taking a “leave of absence” on Tuesday.

Ron Herrera, the president of the Los Angeles County Federation

Los Angeles City Council members attempted to conduct their usual meeting on Wednesday, but were faced by a large crowd of protesters demanding the resignations of Ms. Martinez, Mr. de León and Mr. Cedillo. The crowd chanted and repeatedly shouted “no resignation, no meeting,” and eventually the council made the decision to adjourn until Friday.

The leaked conversation featured the three council members and Mr. Herrera voicing frustrations about the redistricting maps proposed by the city’s commission while inserting racist comments about another councilmember’s Black son and Oaxacans in Koreatown, as well as offensive remarks about Jews and Armenians. The four participants in the conversation have issued apologies.

The leaked audio, first reported and shared by the Los Angeles Times on Sunday, provoked rage from Los Angeles residents and elected officials across the state. Many are calling for the three councilmembers to

resign from office, including U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, fellow Los Angeles city councilmembers, and even President Joe Biden.

The recording of the conversation was initially posted on Reddit by a user who has since been suspended. It

remains unclear who recorded the audio, but the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has confirmed it was recorded at their offices. They told the Los Angeles Times that the recording was illegal and that they plan to “make sure these crimes are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

SANTA

POINT

COURTESY PHOTO

At left, Attorney General Rob Bonta. At Right, former Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez.KENNETH SONG

PHOTO COURTESY HARRY RABIN / HEAL THE OCEAN

Heal the Ocean is working with the city of Santa Barbara to prevent future boats from washing ashore.

domestic violence has no place in the community.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

State Sen. Monique Limón announces her plan to introduce a bill to create a framework for placing domestic violence awareness posters in workp;lace throughout the state.

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Nir Kabaretti has a great reason to be excited.

This weekend, more than 150 instrumentalists, vocalists and dancers will share The Granada stage as the Santa Barbara Symphony teams up with other arts organizations to perform Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana.”

It’s a big production, and Maestro Kabaretti, the symphony’s music and artistic director, is looking forward to the concerts, set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara.

The symphony last performed “Carmina Burana” in 2015 with the State Street Ballet and the Santa Barbara Choral Society.

Santa Barbara Symphony joins choirs and State Street Ballet to present ‘Carmina Burana’

The orchestra played in the pit while the ballet troupe and the choir shared the stage.

An artistic blockbuster FYI

“The audience loved it. It’s a huge crowd pleaser,” Maestro Kabaretti told the News-Press.

“It’s one of those blockbusters that audiences love to hear.”

This time, the symphony, the State Street Ballet and the choral society will perform “Carmina Burana” together on stage, along with two additions — Quire of Voyces, the a cappella choir based at Santa Barbara City College, and the Music Academy of the West’s Sing! children’s choir.

Soloists are soprano Jana McIntyre, baritone Valdis Jansons and countertenor Randall Scotting.

“If you’ve never been to a (symphony) concert, if you’ve never been to the ballet, you will enjoy this,” Maestro

Kabaretti said. “This music is extremely popular and was written for the heart. And it’s a unique opportunity for these (arts) organizations to come together.”

The Santa Barbara Symphony will open its season at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15 and 3 p.m. Oct. 16 with a concert featuring the State Street Ballet, the Santa Barbara Choral Society, the Quire of Voyces and the Music Academy of the West’s Sing! Children’s Chorus.

“Carmina Burana,” which Mr. Orff wrote in the 1930s, is based on the medieval collection of the same name.

Tickets cost $35 to $175.

To purchase, go to granadasb. org. For more information, go to thesymphony.org.

The collection consisted of more than 250 poems written by young European clergy known for their satirical poetry. The texts date back as far as the 11th century.

“They don’t speak about God and religion themes. They talk about (romantic) love and things

that common people will enjoy,” Maestro Kabaretti said.

The poems discussed everything from gambling to crusades and corruption and were discovered in 1803 in a Benedictine monastery in composer Orff’s native Bavaria.

Orff complemented the monks’ poetry with dynamic and sensitive music.

“It has powerful music, incredible rhythms and beautiful orchestrations,” Maestro Kabaretti said. “The composer used six percussion instruments, so there are timpani, a xylophone

and bells. It’s a huge, powerful, loud machine.

“Then all of the sudden, it’s one soprano singing with the strings,” Maestro Kabaretti said. “It’s very inspirational and very loud, but it has some beautiful soft moments.”

And he said the instrumentalists, vocalists and dancers can inspire each other as they see each other through a corner of their eye on the stage.

Maestro Kabaretti explained the dancers will be in the front, with the symphony elevated slightly behind them. The choirs will be on risers so they will be higher than the orchestra. “It’s a big pyramid on stage.”

And he said the children in the Music Academy of the West chorus will get the experience of performing with professional musicians. “I know this will be a life changing experience they

will cherish.”

In fact, during one of Ms. McIntrye’s vocal solos, she is accompanied by the children’s choir in what becomes a musical conversation.

In addition to “Carmina Burana, the symphony and State Street Ballet will team up on “Pavane” by Gabrielle Faure’, featuring the world premiere of Mr. Soleau’s new choreography.

“Bill Soleau is a fantastic choreographer,” Maestro Kabaretti said.

And the spotlight will be entirely on the symphony as the orchestra performs Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Bacchanale” from his opera “Samson and Deliah.”

“It’s a beautiful piece to showcase all the fantastic musicians we have,” Maestro Kabaretti said.

Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra leader returns

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Heiichiro

Ohyama, the longtime leader of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, is back.

After a nearly three-year hiatus, the Kyoto, Japan, native, who lives today in Tokyo, has returned to Santa Barbara to play the viola with violinist Benjamin Beilman, pianist Lucille Chung and cellist Edward Arron.

The quartet will perform a Lobero Theatre Chamber Music Project concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the theater, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara.

The ensemble will play Antonín Dvorák’s Piano Trio No. 4 in E Minor (“Dumky”), Opus 90, and Gabriel Fauré’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Opus 15.

“Benjamin wanted to do the Dvorák, and I wanted to do the Fauré,” Maestro Ohyama, the artistic and music director of the Lobero Music Chamber Project, told the News-Press. He added that in both cases, the quartet is playing compositions that are rarely played.

Maestro Ohyama led the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra for 35 years, right up to its final concert in 2017. But he stayed involved in the local musical community and

performed during the first Lobero Theater Chamber Music Project concert in early 2020.

“The last time I performed at the Lobero was three years and eight months ago. I couldn’t come here to do anything since then (because of the pandemic),” Maestro Ohyama told the News-Press.

“However, after I got here, about four days ago (Oct. 7), seeing all my friends, it was as if I just saw them two weeks ago,” he said on Tuesday. “I guess I have to breathe the air of Santa Barbara!”

The Oct. 18 Lobero concert is a result of his continued friendship with local musicians.

“We are all very romantic, passionate players,” Maestro Ohyama said, referring to the quartet and the concert’s musical selections.

Mr. Beilman, who is the chamber music project’s musical adviser, has played regularly at major concert halls, including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and the Louvre in Paris.

Ms. Chung has produced 15 albums and played with more than 70 leading orchestras around the world. Mr. Arron, a Juilliard School graduate, has played at Carnegie’s Weill and Zankel halls and Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully and Avery Fisher halls.

Maestro Ohyama, who studied at Toho Music High School and College and graduated from

London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1970, became the principal violist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1979. And he became the music director and

conductor of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra in 1983 — five years after it was founded. He went on to become the principal chief conductor of both the Kyushu

Symphony Orchestra (1999-2004) in Fukuoka, Japan, and the Osaka Symphony Orchestra (2004 to 2008). He served as the music director of the Nagasaki Music Festival from 2007-2009.

Maestro Ohyama said that during recent years, he has freelanced as a conductor in Japan. “I also have an organization called Music Dialogue. This gives opportunities to young, talented, top-notch players and encourages the audience to deepen their knowledge of what music is all about through chamber music.”

Maestro Ohyama emphasized the importance of chamber music, which is known for its depth of emotion and well-defined melodies.

“Before composers write a big symphony, they try all their ideas in chamber music,” he said. “Chamber music is the core. It’s the bread and butter of musicians. It just so happens I’ve been lucky all my life to play with great performers, who want to deepen their understanding of music through chamber music.”

David Asbell, executive director of the Lobero Theatre Chamber Music Project, noted the endeavor continues a tradition of camaraderie and excellence that started in the late 1970s. “Many in the community enjoyed and supported these

high-quality chamber music concerts for decades. We look forward to welcoming them back for this exciting renewed experience.”

After the Oct. 18 concert, The Lobero Theatre Chamber Music Project is scheduled to return with the same musicians and additional performers for a full weekend of chamber music in May 2023.

“I don’t think at this point that we have a plan to revive the chamber orchestra,” Maestro Ohyama told the News-Press. “But maybe in a few years, it would be nice to gather all the members of the chamber orchestra (for one concert).”

The Lobero Theatre Chamber Music Project will present a quartet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.

Tickets cost $55 for general admission, $20 for students and $106 for VIP tickets, which includes premier seating and a pre-show reception with drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The cost for groups of six or more is $30 per person. To purchase, go to lobero. org or call the Lobero box office at 805-963-0761.

DAVID BAZEMORE PHOTOS

State Street Ballet will join vocalists and instrumentalists during the Santa Barbara Symphony’s collaboration with other arts groups for Carmina Burana.” “Carmina Burana” features great rhythms and beautiful orchestrations, said Nir Kabaretti, right, the Santa Barbara Symphony’s music and artistic director.

Heiichiro Ohyama joins three other musicians to perform works by Dvořák and Fauré

COURTESY PHOTO

Heiichiro Ohyama, who led the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra for 35 years, will perform Tuesday for the fi rst time since 2020 on the Lobero Theatre stage.

Santa Barbara Zoo introduces ZooLights

world.

SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Zoo will debut a new seasonal tradition starting this November, hosting its inaugural holiday celebration –“ZooLights.”

The zoo will become transformed into a winter wonderland with larger-thanlife-size animal and wildlife installations.

Starting Nov. 3, guests can enjoy this immersive holiday experience featuring thousands of handcrafted silk-covered lanterns aglow with more than 50,000 LED bulbs. These giant illuminated lanterns represent animals and nature scenes of wild places from around the

Guests can also enjoy interactive areas, take photos with Santa Claus (select dates only), and enjoy wintry snacks and drinks for purchase.

“ZooLights will be open to the public from Nov. 3 – Jan. 15 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $22 per adult and $20 per child (2-12). Zoo members get $2 off. Ticket prices vary by day. To purchase, go to sbzoo.org.

For inquiries about accessibility, email the accessibility team at welcome@ sbzoo.org.

— Katherine Zehnder

Santa Barbara Divers Reunion to take place at SB Maritime Museum

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Journal of Diving History and Historical Diving Society USA will be gathering for a Santa Barbara Divers Reunion, beginning with a welcoming nohost cocktail and buffet reception from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way.

The next day’s program at 1 p.m. Oct. 22 will feature Patrick Lahey, Triton Submersibles president, presenting “Human Exploration of the Hadal Zone- The Ocean’s Deepest Frontier.”

The evening program from 6 to 10 p.m. will feature the Introduction of the Deepwater Diving Monument Project, which will be installed in the Santa Barbara Harbor area in 2024 to commemorate Santa Barbara’s rich diving history as the birthplace of deepwater diving technology.

Santa Barbara abalone divers revolutionized worldwide diving technology many decades ago with the introduction of mixedgas diving technology, training infrastructure and equipment manufacturing.

Worldwide, more than 80% of deep-diving life-support helmets used today are manufactured in Santa Barbara. The life-sized, fine-art bronze sculpture is a gift to the Santa Barbara Waterfront Department and is being funded

by the sale of 22-inch fine-art bronze statuettes, which are exact replicas of the larger statue.

The first of the fine-art bronze sculptures will be unveiled at the event by Monument Projects Ltd., which has been contracted for the project.

Don Barthelmess, past president of SBMM and professor emeritus of Santa Barbara City College’s diving program, is a volunteer for the project.

“This is a long overdue dream of the diving industry to honor the pioneers whose shoulders we all stood upon in our careers,” Mr. Barthelmess said in a news release. “They advanced deep-sea intervention and made it safer for us today.”

Local historian Leslie Leaney is the co-founder of the Historical Diving Society in Santa

Barbara and volunteers with Mr. Barthelmess.

“When you look at the last century, when you look at the home of commercial diving, you look to Santa Barbara,” he said.

The project has received widespread community and industry support and has completed multiple city reviews and approvals earlier this past year.

Tickets for the events are limited to 120 persons at $75. to purchase, go to www.eventbrite. com/e/santa-barbara-diversreunion-tickets-386110124777.

For more information, visit deepwaterdivingmonument.com or contact Mr. Barthelmess at 805708-0621 or subsea@cox.net.

email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

Casa de la Guerra

Santa Barbara artist Manny Lopez has completed the painting of Casa de la Guerra, which he was working on recently in De la Guerra Plaza. Mr,. Lopez told the News-Press he plans to show the painting as part of the group show in November at Gallery 113 in Santa Barbara.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Illuminated installations will grace the Santa Barbara Zoo during “ZooLights,” set for Nov. 3 - Jan. 15.

Diversions

Thought for Today

“A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.” — Muhammad Ali

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Friday, October 14, 2022

ARIES — It seems that your sensitivity is in slight conflict with your actions, Aries. You continue to go through the daily motions and do what you planned on doing, but it seems as though your heart is no longer in it. Don’t ask why. It’s just that you’ve been working hard and thinking hard lately. You’ve reached your limit and it’s time to rest.

TAURUS — You may have been spending or saving too much money, Taurus. It’s clear that a rebalancing is in order if you’re to find pleasure rather than frustration. It’s a curious phenomenon, as though you’ve lost contact with your body. Yet it’s in your body where you will ultimately find your balance. You certainly won’t find it in your head!

GEMINI — Perhaps you’ve been impatiently waiting for the moment to jump into new adventures after your meditation during the last few months. Know that the moment has almost arrived! You now have the strategy, objective, and means at your disposal to succeed. Just a bit more work remains to be done.

CANCER — If you find yourself tired and irritable at the moment, Cancer, you should know that this is normal. You may have had a few weeks that were a little too studious. Would you like to continue on the same path? Be careful that your ambitions don’t lead you to serious physical exhaustion, Cancer.

LEO — This is going to be a good moment to look elsewhere, Leo. You should do just as the artist does when he has worked too long on a painting, which is to take a step back. You need to clear your head. Go for a walk. Call a mentor. Text with an artist friend. Breaks are never easy for you, but do it anyway.

VIRGO — This is the right moment to extricate yourself from relationships that have seen their day, Virgo. This won’t be easy, but you must. In your professional and private lives, you’re too hesitant to get out of distasteful situations or obligations. You’re afraid of hurting people or making them mad. But in the end, you’re hurting yourself.

LIBRA — You took off like a bullet a few days ago, making great progress in a short

amount of time. Now you’re grappling with doubts that are undermining all of your energy. Reflecting on the events of the past few days, it’s obvious that you were somewhat reckless in your headlong pursuit of your goals. Don’t give up, Libra. Rethink your strategy.

SCORPIO — There is some likelihood that you will be haunted by thoughts of your love life today, Scorpio. Perhaps you’re intrigued by the idea of exploring certain secret realms of your relationship, yet you aren’t sure how to communicate this to your mate. Perhaps you’re still testing the waters, waiting until you know how you feel. In any case, you might decide to proceed today.

SAGITTARIUS — Today, more than ever, you will yearn to escape the daily routine, Sagittarius. You thirst for new sights and sounds, new faces and new places, but you know you must juggle your desires with professional and domestic obligations. It isn’t always easy. Trust your imagination to find a way to settle this conflict.

CAPRICORN — You’re finally on the mend, Capricorn. The minor ailments that may have dragged you down lately are beginning to disappear. You’re about to regain all of your physical energy. If you overindulge, your energy level is likely to plummet once again. If nothing else, you will have learned a valuable lesson about the importance of moderation, especially now. Don’t overdo it!

AQUARIUS — Do you feel a little under the weather today, Aquarius? It’s quite possible, considering all the emotional turmoil you’ve been through lately. It takes time to recover from such storms. As you know, the work itself isn’t what gets you down. It’s worry about the future that drains your energy. Give yourself a break today.

PISCES — There is some likelihood that the mood at home is fraught with tension. Did you have some intellectual disagreement? In any case, it looks as though your selfconfidence is stronger than ever right now. Go ahead and express any complaints or opinions you may have been keeping to yourself, Pisces. But try and do it gently, especially where family is concerned.

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

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.

that at the end you should have a different letter of the

in each of the

boxes

in

and a

of

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

Schools spending federal relief money on employee bonuses

By TOM GANTERT THE CENTER SQUARE

attendants and bus monitors a $250 bonus for every 10 days worked through the 2022-23 school year.

School districts across the country are spending federal COVID-19 relief money

(The Center Square)

bonuses to employees saying their employees

it for their work during the pandemic.

The bonuses vary from district to district, ranging $250 to more than $20,000 per employee.

Flint Public Schools in Michigan gave each of its teachers a $22,500 bonus in 2021.

Tucson School District in Arizona is going to pay $7,500 retention bonuses to all of its full-time employees spread over three payments starting Dec. 2, 2022, through Dec. 1, 2023.

Gaston County Schools in North Carolina approved $5,000 in retention bonuses for all of its permanent employees during the 2021 and 2022 school years.

District officials cited additional responsibilities employees “have endured” since the pandemic and said the bonuses helped improve the stability of the district’s work force.

The Los Angeles Unified School District is paying teachers a 3% retention bonus in 2022-23 and 202324. That would be about $2,200 for a fifth-year teacher with a base pay of $72,696. The district also gave nurses a $20,000 salary increase.

“ ... the District recognizes the hard work and dedication of our employees and the need to compensate them fairly in the current economic environment,” the district stated in a September news release.

The National Council on Teacher Quality surveyed 148 school districts and reported that about 40% offered some kind of retention bonus to teachers in 2021-22.

But it’s not just teachers getting bonuses.

Boston Public Schools is paying part-time cafeteria

‘Breathing Room’: Social Security Administration announces major raise for seniors

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The Social Security Administration announced a major increase in benefits for seniors Thursday in response to rising inflation.

The SSA said it will increase income benefits by 8.7% for roughly 70 million senior citizens. Beginning by January, the cost-of-living adjustment will raise benefits by more than $140 per recipient.

“Medicare premiums are going down and Social Security benefits are going up in 2023, which will give seniors more peace of mind and breathing room,” Acting SSA Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi said. “This year’s substantial Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is the first time in over a decade that Medicare premiums are not rising and shows that we can provide more support to older Americans who count on the benefits they have earned.”

The hike comes after the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its consumer pricing data Thursday, which showed consumer prices have risen 8.2% in the last 12 months, the highest rate in decades. The SSA increases are tied to BLS numbers.

“Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages,” SSA said. “Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $160,200 from $147,000.”

BLS data showed both consumer and producer prices rose 0.4% in September alone. As the Center Square previously reported, the Senior Citizens League predicted an increase of this size to help seniors deal with soaring costs.

“Across the board, retired and disabled Social Security recipients spend a bigger portion of their incomes on healthcare costs, housing, and food and less on gasoline,” said Mary Johnson, Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for the Senior Citizens League. “Over the past 12 months, they rank food costs as their fastest growing expenditure, housing, and transportation in that order. Wall Street, however, clearly believes that the August numbers indicate that inflation is still with us, and higher than hoped. We agree. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics August press release, ‘increases in shelter, food and medical care were the largest of many contributors’ to the August increase.”

Ms. Johnson said this increase is the “highest ever” for senior citizens alive today.

The hike comes after the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its consumer pricing data Thursday, which showed consumer prices have risen 8.2% in the last 12 months, the highest rate in decades.

Some politicians wanted to give out even more federal money.

In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed adding a state retention bonus on top of what school districts were already paying.

Gov. Whitmer’s plan was to spend $2.3 billion on K-12 public education workforce recruitment and retention bonuses in 2022. It would have given bonuses to an estimated 200,000 employees working in public schools and teachers could get up to $11,000 in bonuses over four years, above and beyond what their districts are already paying in bonuses.

The public policy research nonprofit Citizen’s Research Council concluded Michigan’s K-12 workforce had increased by 11,000 employees in 2021-22 and stated, “it is hard to see the justification for the broad scope of the governor’s statewide school employee retention bonus spending proposal. A more targeted intervention, one that would be less costly to taxpayers, would focus funding on those schools most adversely affected by high employee turnover and that face the greatest difficulties staffing specific positions.”

Gov. Whitmer’s bonus plan was not included in the budget lawmakers passed in July, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Christian Barnard, senior policy analyst at Reason Foundation, said retention bonuses could be a good use of federal COVID-19 emergency dollars because they don’t come with any long-term commitments, such as a new hire.

“However, it’s important that districts target retention bonuses to staffing categories with the greatest retention challenges – for example, science and math teachers and special education teachers,” Mr. Barnard said in an email.

Low water levels on Mississippi River come at worst possible time for farmers

By STEVE WILSON THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) — The U.S. supply chain might be on the receiving end of a 1-2 punch that could crater an economy veering toward a possible recession.

In addition to a possible strike by railroad workers, a drought in the Midwest has slowed barge traffic on the Mississippi River, which is at the lowest water levels in 23 years.

Significant ramifications for grain and soybean prices globally are tied in. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the New Orleans District exported $3.9 billion in corn and $16.9 billion in soybeans in 2020.

Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson said the low water levels couldn’t come at a worse time for farmers in the Magnolia State. He said farmers have harvested about 73% of their soybeans, 98% of their corn and 86% of rice.

“We’re in the peak of the harvest season in the Southeast and Mississippi specifically,” Mr. Gipson said. “We’re getting the very last little bit of our harvest right now and a lot of that is grain. The bulk of it would normally go to an elevator on the Mississippi River for loading on the barges for the stream of commerce up and down the river and around the world. And then you’ve got a total standstill for the foreseeable future.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture weekly barge traffic statistics, barges carrying corn and soybeans on the Mississippi River system for the peak weeks of harvest are down by double-digit margins as compared to the same time last year.

During the week of Oct. 1, 2021, 308,322 tons of corn were transported, but for the same time this year is down to 154,450 tons, a 49.9% drop. Soybeans transported during the first week of October are down 14% compared to the same period last year, 159,000 tons to 139,250.

In 2020 during the first week of October, 344,700 tons of corn were transported on the Mississippi River and 428,600 tons of soybeans. That’s a two-year drop of 55.1% for corn and 67.5% for soybeans.

While harvests can vary due to weather conditions, the lower numbers for barge traffic show the impact of low water levels.

The low water levels and higher diesel costs are also driving up costs to ship goods down the river as well. Barge rates are up 246% compared with rates from just a decade before and 282% more than they were in 2020.

The biggest problem for the Mississippi River levels is the lack of rain upstream in the Midwest. Long-term forecasts from the National Weather Service have the river continuing to drop to 10 feet below its normal stage through Nov. 3. Normally at this time of a year, a front in the upper Midwest or a tropical system off the Gulf will have bumped water levels to bridge the time from dry summers to wetter winters.

The river’s main shipping channel is maintained at a depth of 9 feet from St. Louis to Baton Rouge, La., and 45 feet at Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico, which allows cargo ships to go upriver.

“The Coast Guard is actively engaged with the Army Corps of Engineers and river industry partners to ensure commercial traffic remains informed about existing and predicted waterway conditions,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Riley Perkofski from the U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Public Affairs Office. “With any new river updates we inform mariners by putting out a broadcast notice to mariners. This is a safety broadcast that informs mariners of any dredging or closures along the river.”

Mr. Gipson says there is an alternative for Mississippi farmers and that’s shipping their harvested grain and soybeans to the TennesseeTombigbee waterway, a canal that connects the Tennessee River with the Tombigbee River, which provides access to the Gulf of Mexico at Mobile. He said that the only problem is that it will add costs to farmers that will be passed onto consumers already dealing with record-high inflation.

“Farmers are resourceful, and creative,” Mr. Gipson said. “We’ll find a way to get around this and get through this. And the end result though, I’m afraid, is going to result in an interruption of supply and the promise of increased prices on top of the additional increases we’ve seen to the consumer.”