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Our 165th Year
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Community remembers Ernest ‘Ernie’ Brooks II
Acclaimed Santa Barbara photographer followed in father’s footsteps at Brooks Institute By ANNELISE HANSHAW
magnificent ones at that. “He touched thousands of people,” his son Dan Brooks said. Mr. Brooks served for many years as president of Santa Barbara-based Brooks Institute of Photography, a college established by his father, Ernest Brooks Sr. But Ernest Brooks II didn’t just sit in a cold office; he headed out on the boat “Just Love” to take classes of students on photographic dives. “Diving with Ernest Brooks
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Ernest “Ernie” Brooks II, a Santa Barbara local known for breathtaking photos taken from under the surface of the sea, died Tuesday at the age of 85. His photos captured the majesty of sea life in dramatic monochrome. It may seem like his work is the best encapsulation of his time, but he contributed much more to the world than images —
II was a memory I will always treasure. He was constantly in awe of the sea. Emerging from every dive, even when the conditions had been crappy and visibility low, he would have the wonder of a young child in his eyes,” Brooks Institute alumnus Keith Roberts said in a blog post. In 2014, after the Brooks Institute closed, he donated the Jefferson campus building, located at 1321 Alameda Padre Serra in Santa Barbara, to Santa
Barbara Middle School, a private school focused on nurturing lifelong learners. Many former students have taken to the Earnest Brooks Foundation’s Facebook page and Mr. Brooks’s page to share memories. “I count my lucky stars to have known him for over 40 years as a former student at Brooks Institute and a dear and longtime friend ever since,” Chuck Davis said. Please see brooks on A3
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
Ernest “Ernie” Brooks II helps his grandson Brandon work on model cars. Mr. Brooks is being remembered for his breathtaking photography and his leadership at Brooks Institute of Photography.
‘They’re in good hands’
Health officer named Physician of the Year
Remote learning centers help neighborhood kids
Dr. Henning Ansorg, the Santa Barbara County public health officer, has been recognized as the 2020 Physician of the Year by the Central Coast Medical Association. In a CCMA news release, Dr. Ansorg was called the “obvious honoree” for this year due to his work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking with the NewsPress, Dr. Ansorg expressed gratitude for being honored with the award. “It feels very good. I feel validated by my local colleagues, and that’s always a nice thing,” he said. He also praised his colleagues in the medical community, ranging from private clinicians to local hospitals, for effectively collaborating to take on the pandemic and for supporting his efforts with theirs throughout the health crisis. “We really came together as a professional community,” Dr. Ansorg remarked. Dr. Ansorg has served as Santa Barbara County public health officer since 2019, and prior to that, he was a staff physician at Santa Barbara County Health Care Center,
By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
On the Westside, a local nonprofit is providing a safe place for 28 neighborhood kids to learn remotely, avoid spreading COVID19 and, most importantly, be kids again. The Turner Foundation typically provides safe, secure affordable housing to low-income individuals, families and seniors as well as after-school education and enrichment programs for resident youth. Once COVID-19 hit and Santa Barbara shut down, the foundation began providing tutoring and other programs via Zoom. However, when remote learning became a quick reality for local students, staff at the Turner Foundation saw a need for a place for kids to go where they could receive the help they couldn’t get at home. So, in September, two remote learning centers were created on the Westside: one at The Village apartment complex on West Canon Perdido and one at The Lighthouse apartment complex on Micheltorena. “What we noticed is kids during March would not attend the tutoring classes, so we wanted to make sure the kids were succeeding in the fall as they were going into the school year,” said Mavel Tortoledo, the director of Community Learning Centers, one of the programs provided by the Turner Foundation. The centers quickly maxed out, with 18 students at The Village and 10 at The Lighthouse. The programs are only offered to kids who live in the apartment complexes, giving students the ability to simply walk over from their family’s apartment rather than needing to be dropped off. From first grade through senior year of high school, the kids attend the centers from 8:15 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday, and a few high schoolers come back after their lunch break for a few hours to finish their work. “What’s been our biggest goal is to make sure that we are communicating with the teachers and parents to make sure they’re succeeding and make sure they have a support system,” Ms. Tortoledo told the News-Press. Please see learning on A10
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Erica Kent, the program leader at the Turner Foundation’s remote learning centers, assists student Andy Alarcon, 6, as he navigates remote learning.
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
At left, Viviana Sanchez, a student enrolled in the remote learning centers, does homework at her desk with a mask and a divider to ensure safety. At right, Mavel Tortoledo, the director of Community Learning Centers with the Turner Foundation, stands on the patio of the remote learning center, where students can do their homework.
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RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS
Dr. Henning Ansorg, the Santa Barbara County public health officer, has been honored as the 2020 Physician of the Year by the Central Coast Medical Association.
where he started in 2016. He started his medical career in Germany and graduated magna cum laude from medical school at Justus Liebig University in Giessen. After completing his family practice residency in Munich, he went into private practice in his Please see ansong on A4
SB Fire Department’s Lee Waldron retires By ANNELISE HANSHAW
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By JOSH GREGA NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Santa Barbara City Fire Department has announced the retirement of Operations Division Chief Lee Waldron. He served in the fire department for 36 years. He was hired in 1984, promoted to engineer in 1990 and to captain in 1995. In 2010, he became a battalion chief. He was promoted to operations division chief in May 2015. In this role, he established a Type Three Incident Management Team alongside all the Santa Barbara County agencies. “Over his whole career and especially the last 10 years, Lee
Waldron has been a rock solid fire leader in the Santa Barbara County Operational Area. When I was chief, he was my right arm,” former fire chief Pat McElroy said. Chief Waldron filled many roles for the department, from serving on the hazmat team to working as an aircraft rescue firefighter. He even helped train recruits as both a captain and battalion chief in the training division. He served in local firefighter organizations. He was a board member for the Santa Barbara City Firefighters Association and a liaison to the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance. Chief Waldron’s work earned Please see Waldron on A10
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L O T T E RY RESU LTS
Classified.............. A9 Life.................... A 6-7 Obituaries........... A10
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 1-2-16-27-32 Meganumber: 18
Thursday’s DAILY 4: 3-2-1-2
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 8-13-35-46-68 Meganumber: 16
Thursday’s FANTASY 5: 5-19-28-35-36
Thursday’s DAILY DERBY: 08-07-05 Time: 1:48.56
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 4-5-17-43-52 Meganumber: 5
Sudoku................. A8 Weather.............. A10
Thursday’s DAILY 3: 6-0-7 / Wednesday’s Midday 8-9-8