Santa Barbara News-Press: January 30, 2023

Review: Chicago Symphony evokes emotion with Mussorgsky masterpiece - B1

‘Hearts to Hearts’

Valentine’s luncheon to raise funds for critically injured children, families - B2

Flood relief in Orcutt

Santa Barbara Brigade goes to North County to help homeowners

suspect arrested in stabbing

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara police arrested a suspect Sunday on suspicion of attempted homicide in connection with a possibly homeless man who they found earlier in the day who had been stabbed in the neck. Officers responded at about 6:35 a.m. after police dispatch received several 9-1-1 calls reporting an injured and bleeding male near Anacapa and De La Guerra streets.

They located the victim, a middle-aged male believed to be homeless, Police Lt. Kasi Corbett said. The victim was suffering from a stab wound to the neck and was quickly transported to Cottage hospital by medics.

Patrol Officers began their investigation and detectives were called in to assist. Officers from the Community Action Team (C.A.T) were able to assist and advance the investigation rapidly due to their relationships with people in the Santa Barbara community who are suffering from homelessness. With information provided by community members, C.A.T Officers identified a suspect, and probable cause was developed to make an arrest, Lt. Corbett said.

Shortly after, the suspect, identified as Mitchell Grant Grote, 27, was located on Milpas Street and arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide. He was booked at Santa Barbara County Jail with a bail of $1 million. There are no suspects outstanding in this investigation.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

Man pleads guilty to arson in November brushfire

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade, in partnership with Direct Relief and the Santa Barbara Foundation, deployed volunteers and heavy equipment Saturday to Orcutt to help homeowners recover from the recent flooding.

“It was awesome, amazing. We had such a good time. It was a good, meaningful volunteer project. We had about 30 volunteers and eight team leaders,” Abe Powell, CEO and CoFounder of the Bucket Brigade told the News-Press.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, volunteers gathered at the 1100 block of Parkland Drive in Orcutt to remove

debris, replace damaged drywall and insulation, dig out silt from homes and help restore yards damaged by flooding.

“It is a very positive thing and an expression of community reaching out to help each other in a time of need. Only the nicest people come out and sacrifice a Saturday morning to help people they don’t know. It self-

selects for a nice group of people. The day started with a nice group of people having coffee and donuts and then we had a briefing,” said Mr. Powell. “We had two different locations, both in Orcutt. The first was a single mother with a daughter who is visually impaired. We were restoring the yard so the dog would stay in the

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Carpinteria City Council to review Annual Work Plan

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Carpinteria City Council today is scheduled to review the 2023 Annual Work Plan, considered the city’s primary document that guides new or significantly modified staff work for the coming year.

The council will meet at 4 p.m. in chambers, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. The meeting is expected to run about four hours.

“The city’s Annual Work Plan defines and prioritizes projects, programs and services to be undertaken over the next year, and is an important part of the city’s implementation of community goals and objectives,” city officials said.

Staff will present the draft Annual Work Program and Strategic Plan to the council, which is slated to discuss it and make any changes it deems appropriate for incorporation into the final Plan.

Council members will receive public comment regarding the Work

Plan before making any decision to approve, amend or reject it.

“The Annual Work Plan is an important precursor to the drafting of the budget for the coming fiscal year,” staff said. “Through the budget development process, which begins in March and concludes with City Council adoption in June, it will be determined what projects and programs are to be funded, and the basis for determining program/service effectiveness through performance measures.”

Further, the Annual Work Plan “is an opportunity to identify work that can help address legal, financial and other types of risk” facing the city, staff said.

Each year in late January, the city council, city manager and staff department heads meet to discuss strategic issues and the Annual Work Plan.

The Annual Work Plan includes a brief description of all departments, including a mission statement and detailed information about each department’s proposed work for the

year. At the council’s request, the chair of each appointed board, committee and the Planning Commission was invited to attend the Work Plan meeting.

The Work Plan “includes the identification of strategic issues facing the city, a discussion of the proposed approach to addressing these issues, and implementation measures set out through the Plan,” staff said.

“The Plan’s strategic initiatives represent key long-range interests of the city that are not easily resolvable or entirely within the control of the city.”

The Strategic Plan also includes a discussion of progress, resource issues and adjustments concerning each strategic initiative.

Each Work Plan item proposes some type of discrete work matter. A Work Plan item may be a new city program or service or changes to an existing program or service, or can reflect a new or ongoing major capital project. Although work matters may influence or be affected by routine or

ongoing work, the Work Plan is not a comprehensive description of day-today work of the city organization, staff said

Creation of the Work Plan is educated by the Strategic Plan and changes in context that are affecting progress addressing it, progress and/ or completion of Work Plan items in the prior year, and direction provided by action of the council in order to stimulate strategic thinking in advance of the meeting, each council member was provided a questionnaire to fill out.

The city also solicited comment and participation by the public by publishing an ad in the local weekly newspaper, and announcing the meeting at a recent past regular council meeting.

To date, no public comment had been received, staff said. Any comments received prior to the meeting will be provided to the council and be made available to the public at the meeting.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

A Santa Barbara man has admitted setting a November brushfire near a bike path south of Ward Drive in Santa Barbara that prompted a fire department evacuation warning to local residents, prosecutors said.

Jose Martin Alvarez-Castro, 30, appeared in court last Tuesday to set a date for his preliminary hearing on a felony arson charge, but instead he changed his mind and switched his plea from not guilty to guilty, prosecutor Michelle Mossembekker told the NewsPress.

“The case was continued for sentencing to 2/21/23,” she said.

The defendant was charged with recklessly causing a fire of a structure or forest on Nov. 2 for starting a fire that burned some brush near the bike path.

He also was charged with possessing methamphetamine and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors, but those counts are expected to be dismissed when he is sentenced on the arson charge. Sheriff’s deputies and county firefighters responded at 11:40 p.m. on Nov. 2 to a report of a fire in the brush area near the bike path between the south end of Ward Drive and More Ranch Road.

“When deputies arrived, a witness provided information about a possible suspect in the area,” sheriff’s officials said in a news release at the time.

While deputies alerted residents in the surrounding area about the fire, additional deputies searched for the suspect.

At about 11:57 p.m., deputies located and detained a person matching the suspect’s description provided by a witness on the bike path, sheriff’s officials said.

Mr. Alvarez-Castro was subsequently arrested on suspicion of arson, obstruction of a peace officer and possession of a controlled substance.

Other sheriff’s deputies, meanwhile, remained on scene until county firefighters confirmed that the evacuation warning that was issued for the More Ranch area had been lifted.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade volunteers rip out drywall, insulation, cabinets and more while assisting in the repair of a house in Orcutt on Saturday that was damaged in the January 9 floods.

BRIGADE

Continued from Page A1

the daughter could move around safely. We restored pathways, fixed fences and got the place back together to move safely around the property; so there was a reasonable expectation to be able to move around safely. The second location included major yard cleanup and removing the interior damage of the home: removing cabinetry in the house to get it off the walls and removing the moist dry wall so the house can dry out.”

Lunch for volunteers was provided by the Bucket Brigade with support from Goleta-based Direct Relief and The Santa Barbara Foundation.

“I think the thing we want people to understand is when we get natural disasters the damage can be so broad and severe that it overwhelms the normal system of resilience and recovery. In this case the people involved did not have flood insurance so they were looking down the barrel of monstrous debt. When neighbors come together and reach out and help people it restores trust and faith in the community. So this kind of work is really important moving forward with the impacts of climate change,” said Mr. Powell.

The Bucket Brigade was formed in 2018 in the aftermath of the debris flows in Montecito to help neighbors in a time of need.

Anyone that needs help clearing their property of mud or debris as a result of the January storms can visit www.sbbucketbrigade.org and click on the button “I Need Help.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com

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Portions of Orcutt were significantly damaged by floods caused by the recent storms.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Wheelbarrows of mulch sit ready to be used in Orcutt of Saturday while volunteers of the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade gather for lunch while helping homeowners recover from the January 9 rainstorm-induced flooding.

‘When neighbors come together and reach out and help people it restores trust and faith in the community’

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023

Westmont track opens season

By JACOB NORLING WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Westmont Men’s and Women’s Track and Field opened the 2023 Indoor season on Saturday, when they hosted the On Your Marks Indoor Open. While several Warriors posted impressive starts to their season, it took until the day’s final hours for the first athletes to clinch their spots at Indoor Nationals.

In predictable fashion, nine-time NAIA

All-American Zola Sokhela took home the first honor for the Warriors, when he competed in the men’s 600 meter dash. With his signature long stride and calm demeanor, the now-junior from South Africa earned an ‘A-Standard’ in the race, completing it in 1:20.08.

The automatic qualifying time to beat was 1:20.78, and by beating it, Sokhela became the first Warrior in 2023 to punch his ticket to the NAIA Indoor National Championships in March. Even more impressively, Sokhela once again put his name atop a Westmont leaderboard, this time breaking John Nealon’s program-best mark of 1:20.23 from 2015.

“A lot of my success I attribute to the people around me,” said the all-time Westmont great. “It starts with my family, helping me come to love sports. My coach as well, Coach Smelley wants me to run good races, but he cares more about me as a person as well.

“I give myself credit, too. Times where it gets tough you have to dig deep and remind yourself why you started, and if you can’t bring that motivation within yourself, that’s hard.”

Sokhela now owns four program records.

“For me, racing is not just about winning,” added Sokhela. “It really goes beyond that.

When you begin racing, of course, you want to win races, and when you break personal records and school records, it feels amazing. As far as breaking a school record goes, it just tells me that I’m better than I was last year.

“While it’s special to break records, it doesn’t last forever, so I’m going to celebrate the victories and the little wins along the

way. Some people might say, ‘oh, you’ve been here before’, but the honest truth is that every year it gets harder and every year there’s new challenges.

“I’m excited about going back to nationals, and I’m nervous as well. Overall, creating new challenges myself this season is my main focus.”

Also competing in the 600 meter dash was NAIA All-American Abigail Hundley, who narrowly missed national qualifying times herself. Finishing well ahead of her opponents, Hundley opened her track season with a 600 time of 1:37.84. The automatic qualifying time for the event was 1:36.12, while the provisional mark was 1:37.51.

Elsewhere, NAIA All-American Kari Anema was another Warrior with an impressive outing, as the now-sophomore won the women’s 5000 meter run with a time of 18:37.89.

“I love the fresh start that each season brings,” shared Anema. “It feels like cross country just ended, so I’m still in that mindset a bit, but it’s exciting to now turn the page to track season. It definitely takes a lot of strategy to remain focused for such a long race, and it’s different for each person.

“For me, I break it up into three miles and try to focus on one mile at a time. For the first mile I relax, for the second I get into it a little more, and for the third one, I give it all I have left.

“In college I’ve struggled with the anxiety that comes with big races, and my goal for this season is to be able to push past that, and want to be in the race, and to enjoy being in the race.”

Towards the end of the afternoon the Warriors got more good news, when junior Abby Rumohr claimed victory in the women’s pole vault. Not only did Rumohr clear a higher mark than her opponents on Saturday, but after clearing 3.52m (11-6.5), she clinched herself a trip back to Brookings, South Dakota after achieving an A-Standard mark.

Last season at Indoor Nationals, Rumohr narrowly missed NAIA All-American status with a 10th-place finish.

“I’m pretty stoked to be going back,” said Rumohr. “That was my goal for this meet to get that mark out of the way and now I can focus on getting better moving forward. I would’ve loved to PR today, but I’m stoked about the chance to go to nationals still.

“My goal this season is to clear 13 feet. I’d love to consistently get PRs and build up to that mark. I’m excited to get to work and figure out what will get me to that point.” In the women’s pentathlon Westmont’s Lily Sween added to the headlines when she finished in first place. After posting the second-fastest 60 meter hurdle, Sween took off in the middle of the pentathlon. Sween finished the day’s best marks in the high jump, shot put, and long jump, setting up a chance for the senior to finish off the win in the 800.

After finishing her 800 in 2:54.41, Sween finished the day atop the leaderboard with 3,004 points, just ahead of the 2,950-point minimum-mark for Indoor Nationals. Among qualifiers for Indoor Nationals, those with the top-16 scores will earn a berth into the meet.

“Gosh, I was tired out there,” chuckled Sween. “I was definitely nervous today, especially when I scratched my first two long jumps, but I took a step back and popped it off on my third jump to get it done.

“I had a major injury back in the fall, so I haven’t had any fall training. Coming out here today was really like being thrown into it, just to see how it goes. I relied on muscle memory and four years of college track and field to pull me through.

“I’m excited for my senior year. I’m trying to become an All-American in both the pentathlon and heptathlon, and hopefully I can pull through and finish strong.”

The Warrior’s next chance to add to their list of qualifiers is on Friday, Feb. 10, when they host the Sunshine Indoor Open in Santa Barbara.

Jacob Norling is the sports information assistant at Westmont College.

email: sports@newspress.com

Westmont women’s basketball masters The Master’s

By RON SMITH WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Stefanie Berberabe tallied 17 points and Destiny Okonkwo pulled down 15 rebounds as #5 Westmont Women’s Basketball (18-1, 11-1 GSAC) defeated The Master’s (12-7, 6-6) by a score of 63-54 in Golden State Athletic Conference action.

The Warriors, who never trailed, started off the game on an 11-2 run. Freshman Bailey Fong (8 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals), making her first collegiate start, opened the scoring with a triple before Sydney Brown (12 points, 5 rebounds) added a layup. Sage Kramer (6 points, 3 rebounds) followed suit with another layup before Okonkwo (8 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists) scored on a put-back. Kramer completed the run by knocking down a pair of free throws.

Westmont led 19-14 at the end of the opening frame. However, The Master’s battled back and pulled to within one (23-22) on a layup by Lexi Hernandez (15 points, 8 rebounds). The Warriors responded, however, by ending the second quarter on 6-0 run to take a 29-22 lead into halftime.

Kramer and Okonkwo scored two points each before Berberabe (17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 assists) hit a jumper in the final seconds of the first half.

UCSB women’s track competes at UW Invite

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

The UCSB women’s indoor track and field team competed in their first meet of the season as they traveled north to Seattle for the UW Invite hosted by the University of Washington over the last two days. One of the biggest highlights for the Gauchos was Sarah Chaves, a redshirt sophomore from Sacramento. She tied the UCSB record for the 3,000-meter run, earning a time of 9:46.38 in the first meet of the season. The Gauchos saw much success in jumps. Both Shay Hawkes and Jessica Swalve made the finals in the high jump as they each jumped a height of 1.55 meters. In the long jump, Emma Barthel and Kennedy Johnson each had great performances, going 5.40 and 5.39 meters, respectively. This gave Barthel an eighthplace finish while Johnson ended in ninth. Along with that, Johnson continued her success in the triple jump. The freshman finished fourth in this event, registering a distance of 11.86 meters. Jiana Boston also finished highly in eighth place with a 10.96-meter performance. Not only were the Gauchos successful in the jumps, but the throws also resulted in success for the team. Amanda Spear competed in the weight throw,

finishing fifth with a throw of 15.59 meters, a new PR. Swalve also competed in the shot put during this meet as she grabbed a seventh-place finish with a 12.85-meter throw. UCSB will continue with their season next weekend as the Gauchos compete in the New Mexico Collegiate Classic hosted by the University of New Mexico. This will be the site of the NCAA Indoor Championships, giving them the chance to compete in the facility before the championships. Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB. email: sports@newspress.com

The run continued after the intermission, with Westmont scoring the first eight points of the third quarter to go up 35-22. Laila Saenz (12 points, 3 steals) knocked down back-to-back threes before Fong scored on a layup, assisted by Berberabe. Hernandez ended Westmont’s 14-point run with a triple, but Saenz struck again from beyond the arc to make it a 40-25 Warrior advantage. Westmont led by double-digits throughout the rest of the third quarter and until the final minute of the final frame. As has become their custom, the Warriors outrebounded their opponent 40-30, including 23-9 on the offensive glass. That resulted in 20 secondchance points. Westmont tallied 14 steals in the game, which led to a 20-11 turnover advantage.

The Warriors’ season continues next week with a pair of home games. On Thursday, Westmont will host the Hawks of San Diego Christian (6-16, 2-11) at 5:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, the Warriors will welcome the Royals of Hope International (17-5, 103) to Murchison Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m.

Ron Smith is the sports information director at Westmont College.

email: sports@newspress.com

Westmont men’s basketball defeated by The Master’s

By JACOB NORLING

WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Westmont men’s basketball (129, 5-7 GSAC) suffered another tough-to-swallow loss on Saturday night in Santa Barbara, this time against rival The Master’s (15-6, 84). The Warriors led by nine early in the first half, but at the 4:37 mark in the period The Master’s reclaimed the advantage.

From that point on, the Warriors never again tied the contest in an eventual 81-65 loss.

Westmont’s biggest issue was TMU’s Kaleb Lowery, who scored a game-high 31 points on 11 of 13 shooting. Lowery converted all five of his free throw attempts, collected eight rebounds, and never once left the floor in a game the Mustangs controlled most of the way. As a team, Westmont was outrebounded 43-25.

“It was a great environment for a small college basketball game,” began Westmont head coach Landon Boucher. “We just didn’t get the result that we wanted. Credit to Master’s, I thought they executed on both ends of the floor. The execution level was the difference in the game.

“Master’s got what they wanted going into the game. They wanted to find Lowery, and they found him for all the shots that he wanted and he had a great game.

If Lowery is shooting 11 of 13, it is very hard to beat them.”

A packed Murchison Gym was treated to an appetizing opening on Saturday when Westmont jumped out to a 17-8 advantage.

Later, at the 10:37 mark, Zeke Viuhkola converted a shot from the free throw line that put Westmont up 24-16. After the freshman’s make, however, the Warriors were held scoreless for

the next four minutes, allowing The Master’s a 10-0 run to reclaim the lead.

A layup by Jordan Caruso put TMU up two at the 4:37 mark, which preceded The Master’s leading by as many as seven in the final minute of the opening period.

After a first-half buzzer beater from Cade Roth pulled Westmont within four, The Master’s opened up the second half on an 8-0 run, taking a double-digit lead (4735) with 16:30 remaining. Eight minutes later the Mustangs remained in control, stretching the advantage to 14 when Lowery drilled a 3-pointer at the 8:38 mark.

For a brief moment following Lowery’s three the Warriors had life, after back-to-back 3-pointers from Westmont pulled the club

Please see WESTMONT on A4

One of the biggest highlights for the Gauchos was Sarah Chaves, a redshirt sophomore from Sacramento. She tied the UCSB record for the 3,000-meter run.

Goddard returns to mound in Westmont win

By RON SMITH WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Westmont Baseball, ranked 13th in the NAIA, improved to 2-1 on the young season by taking the rubber game of a three-game series with Saint Katherine (1-2) on Saturday by a score of 14-8.

“I told the guys it is hard to win on the road, let alone win a series on the road,” said Tyler LaTorre, Westmont’s head coach. “I was happy that we closed out the series victory and happy with how we came out swinging the bats today. We got an early lead and continued to add on and had big hits up and down the lineup.”

Chase Goddard made his first appearance on the mound for the Warriors in 20 months after sitting out last year with an injury. The red-shirt sophomore pitched four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, He struck out four and did not surrender a walk.

“We got a great start out of Chase and that was important to us – getting the game going in our direction.

“Chase handed the ball off to Parker O’Neil who gave us three good innings. We were excited to get Ryan Humphreys back from injury and back on the bump in a game. Then we were able to close it out with Carlos Moreno.”

DP girls basketball loses to Oxnard

The Dos Pueblos High girls basketball team lost to Oxnard on Saturday, falling by a score of 6439. Gianna Nichols and Lauren Robles led Dos Pueblos in scoring, providing ten points each.

“Credit to Oxnard again for playing hard and coming out with the win,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Manny Murillo. “I think we did some things better than we did the last time we played them. But we didn’t execute on offense and didn’t get many secondchance opportunities … our defensive communication has to really improve these last two games.”

Dos Pueblos falls to a 10-15 overall record and a 5-7 mark in league play with the loss. The team will next play Buena.

Cate girls basketball annihilates La Reina

The Cate girls basketball team played its penultimate Frontier League game on Saturday, crushing La Reina 58-11. Strong defense held a rebuilding La Reina to eight points in the first half and just three in the second. Defensive standouts included Nicole Teh, Desi Flores, Talia Tom, Mary Foster, Riley Pan and Kedall Thorne.

Offensively, Sophia Ospina led the way with 18 points while Ada Hansen contributed 17. Teh

WESTMONT

UCSB women’s tennis bested by Arizona State

The Warriors scored in the top of the first when Bryce McFeely belted a double down the left field line to, driving in Ryan DeSaegher who had also sent a double down the same baseline.

Saint Katherine took a brief lead in the bottom of the second when Johnny Lopez knocked a two-run home run over the fence. However, that would be the last time the Firestorm were on top.

Westmont produced six runs in the third inning and another seven in the fourth to take control of the game. The third-inning scoring started with another double down the left field line by McFeely that once again drove in DeSaegher, this time from third. With the bases loaded, Justin Rodriguez knocked in two with a single to right. Liam Critchett scored the fourth run of the inning when he reached home on a pass ball. The fifth run came as the result of an error on a ground ball to short by Brady Renck. DeSaegher, up for the second time in the inning, pushed home the final run with a sacrifice fly to center field.

A solo home run by Critchett produced the first run of the fourth. Robbie Haw singled up the middle to pick up an RBI by driving in Rodriguez. The second home run of the inning came off the bat of Renck whose RBI tally increased by three. After DeSaegher singled,

SPORTS ROUNDUP

assists.

managed to score five points, while Emerson Evans added seven rebounds and two steals and Maia Holmes contributed two points, four rebounds and a steal.

“Today, the Rams took advantage of the opportunity to try various rotations with players playing in different positions,” said Cate Coach Laura Moore. “We also worked on our different defenses and offenses. It was a collective victory and those are always the best.”

Cate will again face La Reina today for their final Frontier League game.

DP boys basketball falls to Colony

The Dos Pueblos High boys basketball team lost to Colony on Saturday, falling by a score of 5847.

Dos Pueblos kept the game close in the first half, which closed with the team having a deficit of just two points. A disastrous third quarter was the difference maker in the game, with Dos Pueblos being outscored 15-5 in the period. The team was able to earn back a point in the fourth quarter, but was ultimately unable to close the gap.

“We were in striking distance, but a few key possessions gave them the win,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Joe Zamora. “I was proud of our guys and the way they competed on a big stage.”

Dos Pueblos was led by Justin Stock with 17 points. Micah Goss added nine points and ten rebounds and Matthew Zamora contributed ten points and six

Continued from Page A3 the next four minutes, allowing The Master’s a 10-0 run to reclaim the lead.

A layup by Jordan Caruso put TMU up two at the 4:37 mark, which preceded The Master’s leading by as many as seven in the final minute of the opening period.

After a first-half buzzer beater from Cade Roth pulled Westmont within four, The Master’s opened up the second half on an 80 run, taking a double-digit lead (47-35) with 16:30 remaining. Eight minutes later the Mustangs remained in control, stretching the advantage to 14 when Lowery drilled a 3pointer at the 8:38 mark.

For a brief moment following Lowery’s three the Warriors had life, after back-to-back 3pointers from Westmont pulled the club within eight. A minute later a layup by Anthony McIntyre pulled Westmont within six and nearly blew the roof off of the place.

Unfortunately for the Westmont faithful, the roof stayed safely latched onto Murchison Gymnasium after a pair of missed layups

McFeely notched the third round-tripper of the fourth inning.

Over the three-game series, McFeely went seven of 13 with four doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs.

The Warriors added three more runs in the seventh on two more home runs. Shane Hofstadler homered for the second time in the series to drive in the first run. Then, Luke Tillitt powered a two-run blast.

Westmont tacked on two more in the eighth, when McFeely’s two-run single scored Renck and Daniel Patterson.

McFeely’s six RBIs ties 19 others for third most in program history. Only Greg Thompson in 1994 and Simon Reid in 2022 have had more RBIs (seven) in a single game.

“We played Warrior baseball and it was fun to watch,” said LaTorre of today’s game. “I’m looking forward to being back home next week.”

Westmont will host Embry-Riddle of Arizona (3-1) next week in the first home games of the year. The Eagles and Warriors will play doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. on both days. Ron Smith is the sports information director at Westmont College. email: sports@newspress.com

The loss leaves Dos Pueblos with an 8-18 overall record with a 3-9 mark in league play.

Carp girls basketball defeated Hueneme

The Carpinteria girls basketball team won over Hueneme on Saturday, earning a 46-20 victory.

Carpinteria Coach Henry Gonzalez singled out the play of Amarisse Camargo and Lusmar Martinez as being instrumental in the win, which left the team with an 11-11 overall record and a 5-5 league mark.

“We continue to fight for a playoff spot. I was happy with our approach and focus. The starting five did a good job setting the tone for the game,” said Gonzalez. Carpinteria will play four games this week, starting with a game against Fillmore today.

SM girls water polo loses to Foothill

The San Marcos girls water polo team lost to Foothill on the final day of the Newport Invite, losing the game 9-13. Ava Stryker scored four goals for San Marcos, also adding three steals and a block. Regan McEachen scored a goal and earned seven ejections while Lauren Schweitzer contributed ten blocks, a steal and an assist.

“The girls played tough all weekend, I’m extremely proud of them,” said San Marcos Coach Chuckie Roth.

San Maros will return to action with games against Pacifica and Ventura on Wednesday.

DP girls water polo loses to Yucaipa

The Dos Pueblos girls water polo team lost 10-8 to Yucaipa on Friday. Emma Gilbert led the Chargers on scoring with three goals while Alina King added two. The loss saw Dos Pueblos fall to a 12-9 overall record.

DP girls soccer defeats Santa Barbara

The Dos Pueblos girls soccer team won big over Santa Barbara on Saturday, winning by a score of 5-1. “The team has been playing their best soccer over the last four games and today was another solid performance,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Marco Medina. “It was good to see the forwards putting a few in the net and to see their celebrations. And, we need to give credit to our defense and midfield who have been steady all season long.”

Dos Pueblos’ Katie Peterson and Riley Roggero each scored two goals while Taylor Hayes added one of her own in the win. Assists were delivered by Riley Monroe, Miranda Hough Pattison and Madelyn Jones. The two teams will meet again today, with Dos Pueblos carrying a 5-7-4 overall record and 3-5-4 league record into the game.

- Compiled by Matt Smolensky

By ERIC BOOSE UCSB SPORTS

UCSB women’s tennis played their third top-20 opponent in as many matches Sunday morning, falling to #19 Arizona State in the consolation match of the ITA Kickoff Weekend’s Auburn Regional, 5-0.

UCSB will play their home opener next, welcoming the 13thranked USC Trojans to Arnhold Tennis Center for a dual at noon on Feb. 12.

With the Gauchos shorthanded, the Sun Devils needed only one win to secure the doubles point and picked up an automatic win on the sixth singles court, giving them a 20 advantage before the singles matches had begun. In singles, UCSB’s Amelia Honer continued her good form on the top court, winning the opening set, and Camille Kiss was on her way to forcing a third set on court two, but Arizona State clinched victory before Honer and Kiss’s matches could play out.

UCSB will play their home opener next, welcoming the 13th-ranked USC Trojans to Arnhold Tennis Center for a dual at noon on Feb. 12.

The Gauchos will come home for their next match, with UCSB welcoming #13 USC to the Arnhold Tennis Center in their home opener on Feb. 12. The match is set to begin at noon, and a live stream will be available on ucsbgauchos.com.

Eric Boose writes about sports for UCSB. sports@newspress.com

ally by 10 people in an urban environment.

and a missed free throw brought an end to Westmont’s run. At the 4:25 mark in the final half, a dagger 3-pointer from Victor Ohia Obioha put The Master’s up 11, and extinguished the home team’s final hope.

The Master’s led by as many as 18 in the final minutes, and ultimately finished off the Warriors by a score of 81-65.

The postseason ramifications from Saturday’s contests finds the Warriors in a seventh-place tie with Vanguard (5-7), with both teams a game-and-a-half back of Menlo (7-6) for the final spot in the GSAC Tournament. Both teams in the mix with Westmont defeated the Warriors in the first

round of GSAC play.

“The league is so tight that giving up is not an option,” reflected Boucher. “This one is going to sting, and it should sting. Regardless, we’ll get back on the practice floor Monday and get back to work. There’s still a lot of season left, and we have to get better. We have to turn the page.”

The Warriors return to the court on Thursday when they host San Diego Christian inside Murchison Gym.

Jacob Norling is the sports information assistant at Westmont College.

email: sports@newspress.com

‘The league is so tight that giving up is not an option’

The postseason ramifications from Saturday’s contests finds the Warriors in a seventh-place tie with Vanguard (5-7), with both teams a gameand-a-half back of Menlo (7-6) for the final spot in the GSAC Tournament.

Life theArts

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 4 p.m. “Entangled:

Responding to Environmental Crisis,” runs through March 25 at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. The museum is open from 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It’s closed on Sundays and college holidays. For more information, call 805-565-6162 or visit westmont.edu/museum.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Interlopings: Colors in the Warp and Weft of Ecological Entanglements” is an exhibit that runs through March 12 at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The exhibit features weavings dyed with pigments from non-native plants on Santa Cruz Island. The weavings were created by artists Helen Svensson and Lisa Jevbratt. For more information, see sbbotanicgarden.org.

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “The Search for the Modern West,” an exhibit, continues through Feb. 20 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, see sullivangoss.com or call the gallery at 805-730-1460.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit “Parliament of Owls” runs through Feb. 5 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, go to www. sbnature.org.

JAN. 31

Inspirational music at its best

Chicago Symphony pours its soul into Mussorgsky masterpiece

Nick Hornby will discuss his book, “Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius,” with fellow writer Jessica Anya Blau at 6 p.m. Jan. 31 at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza, Santa Barbara.

Mr. Hornby will also sign copies of his book. For more information, call Chaucer’s at 805-682-6787 or go to www.chaucersbooks.com.

FEB. 1

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Coast artist and London native Annie Hoffman’s exhibit “Seeing Ourselves in Colour” will be displayed through Feb. 28 at Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. For more information, visit anniehoffmann.com.

FEB. 2

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic will provide free dental care for local children during its third annual Give Kids A Smile event on Feb. 2. The free day of exams, cleanings and more will take place at the clinic, located on the Chumash Reservation at 90 Via Juana Lane,l Santa Ynez.

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

You couldn’t help but smile as the Chicago Symphony took one of history’s most inspirational works of music — Modest Mussorgsky’s “Pictures from an Exhibition” — and made it soar.

The audience Wednesday night in the packed Granada became emotionally invested in music that stirs the soul.

FYI

Mussorgsky originally wrote “Pictures from an Exhibition” for piano in 1874. Maurice Ravel orchestrated it after Mussorgsky’s death.

The music was inspired by an exhibit honoring artist and architect Victor Hartmann. Critic Vladimir Stassov organized the exhibit, which inspired Mussorgsky to create piano pieces based on 11 of Hartmann’s works of art.

For more about the Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara, go to www.camasb.org.

Mussorgsky’s masterpiece has it all, from the humor in the fifth movement, “Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells,” to the drama in the 10th and final movement, “The Great Gate of Kiev,” complete with powerful strings, winds, percussion (listen to the timpani!) and the great finishing touch: the chimes! They sound like church bells, and it was the perfect way to top this crescendo.

After conductor Riccardo Muti relaxed his arms and the symphony finished playing, the audience quickly stood and cheered at the Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara concert. The applause lasted a long time, but those who stayed to the end were treated to a short encore not listed in the program.

Wednesday’s Chicago Symphony concert began with two Beethoven works — the “Coriolan Overture,” Opus 62, and Beethoven’s playful Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Opus 93. Then the orchestra produced sheer beauty with Anatoly Lyadov’s “The Enchanted Lake, Opus 62.”

Throughout the evening, the Chicago Symphony stood out for its precision, dynamics and powerful tones. The orchestra adds layers of colors to its music while still emphasizing the melodies.

In addition to the magic of the music, it was a joy to watch Maestro Muti in action, sometimes gently coaxing various sections of the orchestra and other times emphasizing the drama of the moment.

email: dmason@newspress.com

FEB. 5 Free admission will be available on this day at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Ventura County, the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum and the Santa Paula Museum. For more information, visit socalmuseums. org.

FEB. 8

8 p.m. Transform Through Arts will present 10 dance companies in “Colors of Love” at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in Santa Barbara. General admission costs $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Tickets are $25 for students. To purchase, go to www.centerstagetheater.org.

FEB. 12 Noon. Participants in Ted Nash’s workshop will go on stage at the Mary Craig Auditorium, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St. The free program is called “Transformation: Personal Stories of Change, Acceptance and Evolution” and will feature student composers, performers and writers from Mr. Nash’s workshop.

FEB. 14

6 to 7:30 p.m. Nicole Lvoff and Joe Woodard will perform on Valentine’s Day at the Crush Bar & Tap, 1129 A State St., Santa Barbara. Their music varies from Beatles songs to jazz standards. For more information, go to crushbarsb.com.

FEB. 18

7 to 9 p.m. The Nicole Lvoff Jazz Trio will perform at Crush Bar & Tap, 1129 A State St., Santa Barbara. There’s no cover. For more information, go to crushbarsb.com.

— Dave Mason

At top, the Chicago Symphony impressed the audience Wednesday at The Granada with music varying from Beethoven to Mussorgsky. Above, conductor Riccardo Muti leads the orchestra on emotional journeys that delighted the audience.

PHOTOS © TODD ROSENBERG PHOTOGRAPHY 2023

Musicians such as this one are part of the magic at the Chicago Symphony’s concert at The Granada.

Beethoven’s “Coriolan Overture” is reviewed backstage before the concert.

At left, Daniel was a premature baby at 27 weeks gestation. After being hospitalized for two months and staying at three different hospitals, he was able to meet his big brother. Hearts Aligned works to help children like Daniel and their families. Center, the baby, Carlos, gets a visit from his sister Angela and his mother, Vivian Solodkin, at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Ms. Solodkin created Hearts Aligned as a legacy to her son Carlos, who was born in January 2007 with a major congenital heart defect, pulmonary issues, gastrointestinal issues and DiGeorge syndrome. Carlos died during surgery at just 9 months old due to his compromised lungs. At right, Noelia was born with Down syndrome and heart and lung issues. She and her family travel to Bakersfield to see the pediatric cardiologist every three months.

‘Hearts to Hearts’

Valentine’s luncheon to raise funds for critically ill children and families

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

‘Hearts to Hearts,” a Valentine’s luncheon to raise funds for critically ill children and their families, will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Cabrillo Pavilion, 1118 E.Cabrillo Blvd.

The Santa Barbara event is the first benefit for Hearts Aligned, a new nonprofit founded by Vivian Solodkin.

Emcee for the luncheon, which is sponsored by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation, is Janet Garufis, chairman and CEO of Montecito Bank and Trust.

Included will be a silent auction, raffle and video presentation of some of the families and their challenges. Tickets are $150.

Ms. Solodkin created Hearts Aligned as a legacy to her late son Carlos, who was born in January 2007 with a major congenital heart defect, pulmonary issues, gastrointestinal issues and DiGeorge syndrome.

He spent more than six months living in Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and fighting to stay alive until he was cleared for heart surgery to save his life. Unfortunately, he died during the surgery at just 9 months old due to his compromised lungs.

Ms. Solodkin was a successful entrepreneur who was the CEO of a large maintenance and restoration company so she had the financial resources to manage her situation. Her husband Peter was also employed and had the flexibility to care for their other child at home.

During that period, they divided their time between staying overnight at or near the hospital, while the other stayed with their 2-year-old daughter at their home over an hour away.

“When I was in the hospital, I met with many other families

struggling with many more challenging issues than my family,” said Ms. Solodkin. “They talked about how they had to either leave a job or take time away from their work to care for the child, how they struggled with the pressure of paying overdue bills, how they needed help linking to community resources. And some were trying to understand the medical diagnosis and some of the medical invoices they received.”

FYI

For more information about Hearts Aligned or to donate funds, call 805-570-3155 or visit www.heartsaligned.org.

Through the experiences of these families and many conversations with others, common themes emerged: The families needed help with expenses, running errands and understanding complicated healthcare diagnoses and medical bills.

In honor and memory of Carlos, the Solodkin family decided it was time to help as many families as they could through the creation of Hearts Aligned Inc., which officially began under the fiscal sponsorship of the Santa Barbara Foundation in July 2021 and took on its first family in November 2021.

“In 12 short months, we served 35 low-income families with a child with a critical illness by providing help with their utility bills (gas, electric, water, phone), gas cards for transportation to medical appointments, food vouchers, assistance with car payments, rental assistance and other essential expenses,” said Ms. Solodkin.

“We helped families with medical invoices advocating to ensure the health care system was picking up medical expenses and making connections to local groups for needs beyond our scope of services.”

Hearts Aligned provides essential services to strengthen

families who have a child with critical illnesses, which include an autosomal recessive disorder, 3-M syndrome, skeletal disorder, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, heart issues, Down syndrome, numerous premature babies, numerous recent Type 1 diabetes, pseudohypoaldosteronism, G-tube, pulmonary hypertension, ventricular septal defect, respiratory syncytial virus with hypoxia and hypercapnia craniopharyngioma, stroke with cerebral ischemia and congenital hypothyroidism.

“All of the families served are from Santa Barbara County, and 100% are very low-income families based on the standards set by HUD for Santa Barbara County,” said Ms. Solodkin, now executive director of Hearts Aligned. “About 50% are from North County and 50% from South County; 36% of the families are Spanish-speaking as their primary language so our services are bilingual/Spanish.

“To our surprise, 23% of the families had a premature child, and 94% of our referrals come from Cottage Health social workers.”

Hearts Aligned services include financial assistance, personal support and patient advocacy.

Families are provided financial assistance up to $2,500 for current utility bills (gas, electric, phone, water etc.), rent, car payments, medical and prescription deductibles and other essential bills.

“These bills are paid directly to the provider of the services,” said Ms. Solodkin.

“Many of the bills are overdue, and we advocate with the provider to eliminate interest and other fees,” she added. “We provide emergency food vouchers and gas

cards for families to travel to and from medical appointments.”

To provide personal support, Hearts Aligned plans to begin a volunteer program that will assist families by offering help around the house with transportation support and referral, light housework, temporary childcare for siblings, grocery shopping and running errands.

“These simple tasks will be of tremendous help to relieve many family stressors,” Ms. Solodkin said, adding, “We help families understand their child’s diagnosis. We assist in communicating with their healthcare provider to understand coverage and medical bills. We provide additional resources/referrals to resources outside our scope of support.”

The fledgling organization has four goals it hopes to accomplish in 2023:

• Expand its outreach program beyond Cottage Health to other medical facilities including Sansum Clinic, Dignity Health, Lompoc Health, Santa Maria Health Care Center, CenCal Health and local private pediatricians.

• Serve 50 to 60 families through a variety of programs.

Hearts Aligned hopes to do this with additional funds from individuals, foundations, companies and other partners.

• Hire its first staff member, a program manager, to work directly with families.

• Begin to recruit and train volunteers to provide patient advocacy and personal assistance. Hearts Aligned said it hopes to do this with the help of its dedicated board of directors.

“We are reaching out to prospective partners to help us enhance and grow Hearts Aligned and reach our potential to serve many more low-income families in need,” said Ms. Solodkin.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

Survival tactics for the modern world

Igot an email from a reader saying, “I enjoyed your article, ‘Surviving a hard time.’ I try to remember, ‘Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.’ ” Did I actually say that? I certainly have never considered myself tough. Smart, creative, quick — OK, these are words I would use to describe myself. I developed that skill set just to get by in this crazy world. Here are a few of my survival tactics.

1. Stick up for yourself. If being treated badly is a part of your experience either at home or work, you can sometimes get so used to it that you don’t realize it is continually happening to you. You actually start to see being downtrodden as normal and to accept it as “That’s just the way it is,” and that is very wrong. The problem is No. 1, it isn’t normal, and No. 2, you may start acting like it is, because that’s what you are being taught.

Answer: You need to leave and start over.

2. If starting over is daunting, just think about spending the rest of your life in these kinds of relationships. I was about 10 years old when I realized that not all families fight at the dinner table and that many other families are actually nice to each other. My answer: I decided to leave and go to college with the help of a National Merit Scholarship when I was 16.

3. Don’t let yourself be used, because it’s really hard to shake off. Usually what happens is that you let it go on until you just can’t stand it anymore, and then you leave. But where do you go? You need to build something else for yourself before you depart. If it’s a job, start interviewing. If it’s a relationship, start therapy.

And if it’s a combination of the two, start developing a better support system, because that’s too much for any one person to bear.

4. Fighting back is great, but back away if it’s a better tactic. You’re not being a coward, you are seeking better treatment, and that’s perfectly fine. If you don’t have a good team to help you, fighting back will drain you further. These days, there are plenty of new doors to open.

5. If you’re at your wits’ end, remember that you can only push yourself so far. Taking a break doesn’t mean you’re giving up. It means you’re looking after yourself. Give yourself a little time before you venture into the next big thing. There may be more opportunities in the world right

now than ever before, and more opportunities are being created every day. But that doesn’t mean you have to jump on the first thing that comes your way. Sometimes it’s wise to take your time, processing a new direction is seldom instantaneous. There are many ways to make a living and a life, so just play with different ideas and let your creativity guide you. When things aren’t working out, it’s a signal that you have to find something new — and not a sign that your life is over.

Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D., is an award-winning psychotherapist and humanitarian. He is also a columnist, the author of eight books and a blogger for PsychologyToday. com with more than 34 million readers. He is available for video consults worldwide. Reach him at barton@bartongoldsmith.com. His column appears Saturdays and Mondays in the News-Press.

Takács Quartet to perform all-Beethoven Concert in Los Olivos

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The world-famous Takács Quartet will perform an allBeethoven Concert at St. Mark’s in-the-Valley as part of the 42nd season of the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series. The concert will begin at 4 p.m. Feb. 19 at St. Mark’s in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, 2901 Nojoqui

Ave., Los Olivos. “We are unbelievably fortunate to have the Takács Quartet stop in Los Olivos and perform on the SYV Concert Series. This is the first time in their 48 years of quartet existence that they have appeared in the Santa Ynez Valley. There is no doubt that they will provide an unforgettable musical experience for all!” said Robert Cassidy, artistic director.

The Takács Quartet includes Edward Dusinberre, first violin; Harumi Rhodes, second violin; Richard O’Neill, viola; and András Fejér, cello.

The repertoire features two of the late and great quartets of Beethoven: String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Opus 127; and String Quartet No. 15 in A Minor, Opus 132. Tickets are on sale now at smitv.

org/syv-concert-series. General admission tickets are $20, and student tickets are free. Upcoming performances feature Conor Hanick on March 1 and Demarre McGill & Rodolfo Leone on May 13.

For more information, contact Linda Burrows at 805-705-0938 or syvconcerts@smitv.org.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

Diversions

Thought for Today

— Dave Mustaine

HOROSCOPE

By Horoscope.com

Monday, January 30, 2023

Aries: Money that has come your way unexpectedly might have you thinking in terms of expanding your personal interests and holdings, Aries. You might consider trying some new investments, particularly property. There’s no need to rush to make a decision, however. You have all the time in the world to consider different options - and have some fun while you do it.

Taurus: You may feel so confident that you could be thinking in terms of starting a new enterprise, Taurus. Partnerships are especially likely to succeed now. You could also grow closer to those who mean the most to you - family, friends, romantic partners. If you aren’t currently romantically involved, you might be soon.

Gemini: Recent successes haven’t made you feel you can rest on your laurels, Gemini. Rather, you’re more likely to work harder. Today you might spend a lot of time considering different options for improving your socioeconomic status. Among them might be enterprises connected with the planet. Business and romantic partners could inspire you.

Cancer: This is likely a day when you want to reflect on your successes. As your professional success continues to skyrocket, your sense of selfconfidence follows suit. So do your relationships with family, friends, children, and romantic partners. Your mind is especially sharp, Cancer, and your personal innovations should continue to progress.

Leo: Surprising developments in your life might bring a lot of visitors and much happiness to your home. You could host a party or other sort of gathering. This is likely to keep you very busy throughout the day, Leo, but you will have fun all the same. Don’t let shop talk interfere with times like this.

Virgo: Some wonderful new developments could take place in your community, Virgo. You might meet some new people who move in nearby. New businesses could also arrive and give a whole new look to the area. You could spend a lot of time visiting others to learn about what’s happening. You might also consider fixing up your

home, as recent success has made that possible.

Libra: A high level of selfconfidence and optimism should stay with you throughout the day, Libra. Your energy is good, as is your enthusiasm. The success and good fortune that have been coming your way are likely to stay with you. You may have just been blessed with more money and happiness.

Scorpio: Happiness is the mood of the day, Scorpio, as you enjoy the fruits of all your hard work over the past few years. You’re able to pursue a few things that you’ve never been able to before. You’re likely surrounded by old and new friends, and romance is blossoming. You probably also look especially attractive now.

Sagittarius: All the success and good fortune you’ve enjoyed over the past several months may have freed you from the grind enough to concentrate on spiritual or artistic interests. There may be a few surprises in store for you, Sagittarius. You may meet some new people who share your interests. What you learn from them could improve your progress.

Capricorn: The company of good friends, perhaps at a group activity or festival of some kind, contributes to a powerful feeling of good health, good fortune, and happiness, Capricorn. You will probably want to spend a lot of time outdoors today. Sports might appeal to you. There will be a few minor accidentsdropping things, spilling drinks - but in all, this should be a satisfying day.

Aquarius: Continued success and good fortune regarding finances could have you flying high right now, Aquarius. You’re probably glowing with selfconfidence and may well be surrounded by good friends. There might even be some public acclaim.

Pisces: Now that you’ve earned your place in the world after all your hard work, Pisces, you might take some time to pursue your own interests. This could involve writing or publishing, going back to school to get an advanced degree, or taking a trip around the world. You have the time and energy to think about all your different options, so don’t feel you have to rush.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Monday, January 30, 2023

Cy the Cynic had been absent from the club. “What have you been up to?” I asked when he showed up for a penny game. “Tending to my taxes,” Cy said shortly.

“Do you use Form 1040 or 1040A?”

“The only difference,” the Cynic growled, “is whether the IRS or your CPA gets your money.”

As today’s declarer, Cy learned that the play to the first trick can make all the difference. When West led the ten of diamonds against four hearts, Cy swiftly covered with dummy’s jack: queen, ace. Cy drew trumps and led another diamond, but East won with the eight and shifted to a club. The defense got a club, the ace of spades and East’s king of diamonds. Down one.

PLAYS LOW

Cy erred at Trick One. He must play low from dummy and from his hand. If West shifts to a trump — nothing else is better — Cy draws trumps and leads the ace and another diamond. East can win and lead a club, but Cy takes the ace and discards his club loser on dummy’s diamonds, losing only three tricks in all.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

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

10

K 8 6 3 2. Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens one heart. What do you say?

ANSWER: Even in a sound overcalling style, this type of hand demands action. Many players would bid one spade. A conventional option is a “Michaels” cue bid of two hearts, promising length in spades and one of the minor suits. That call typically shows a hand with playing tricks but limited defensive strength.

West dealer

Both sides vulnerable

“Moving on, is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard.”

REAL ESTATE

Republican U.S. senators file bill to end

China’s Permanent Normal Trade Status

Bill doesn’t include China’s role in fentanyl crisis, national security expert notes

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Several Republican senators filed a bill on Friday to end China’s Permanent Normal Trade Status (PNTR), citing concerns over American job losses and human rights abuses overseas.

The China Trade Relations Act, which would strip China of its PNTR, was filed by U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Rick Scott, R-Fla., Ted Budd, R-N.C., and J.D. Vance, R-Ohio. If passed, according to the bill language, it would revert China’s Most Favored Nation (MFN) status to a pre-2001 designation, requiring its status to be renewed every year by the president with congressional approval. The bill would give Congress the authority to override a presidential extension of MFN status by passing a joint resolution of disapproval.

It also would expand the list of human-rights and trade abuses under the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which would disqualify China for MFN status altogether, absent a presidential waiver.

According to the bill, such abuses would make China ineligible for MFN status, absent a presidential waiver, including: using or providing for the use of slave labor; operating “vocational training and education centers” or concentration camps where people are held against their will; performing or ordering forced abortion or sterilization procedures; harvesting prisoners’ organs without their consent; hindering and preventing the free exercise of religion; intimidating or harassing Chinese nationals not living in China; and engaging in systematic economic espionage against the United States, including intellectual property theft.

“For twenty years, Communist China has held permanent most-favored-nation status, which has supercharged the loss of American manufacturing jobs. China never deserved this privilege in the first place, and China certainly does not deserve it today. It’s time to protect American jobs and hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for their forced labor camps and egregious human rights violations.”

“The CCP cares about one thing: undermining America,” Sen. Scott said. “There is no reason why the United States should

be helping a communist government’s trade operation through preferential treatment and ‘most-favored-nation’ status. That is absolutely absurd when they are working against us. It is time to put American interests first, not the CCP, and reverse this antiquated law.”

Sen. Scott, who voted against the CHIPS Act, has expressed concerns about subsidizing manufacturing of semiconductors in China. He’s also called on the president to restore a top drug post to a cabinet level position to address the fentanyl crisis. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has also called on the president to restore the post and to hold China accountable for its role in the fentanyl crisis.

“The Chinese Communist Party is not America’s friend, and it is not a force for good in the world,” Sen. Budd said. “From human rights abuses to the theft of U.S. jobs and intellectual property, the CCP must be held accountable.” Sen. Vance also pointed to job losses in Ohio as a result of China being granted MFN two decades ago.

While job losses at home and human rights abuses committed overseas are important issues to address, the bill excludes perhaps one of the most egregious direct impacts of nontraditional warfare being waged against Americans every day: illicit fentanyl and an opioid crisis with direct links to China, international and national security law expert and Navy JAG attorney Jonathan Hullihan told The Center Square.

The Jackson-Vanik Amendment, or any other applicable laws, he argues, could be amended to include a requirement that China halt the manufacturing and shipment of fentanyl precursors to Mexico. He points to the findings of a 2020 Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking report whose co-chair was Sen. Cotton, which states that China is the key supplier of synthetic opioids to the U.S.

GARAGE SALE

WEAR YOUR MASKS AND BE CAREFUL!

BEFORE YOUR SALE

Prepare to start early. Collectors and antique dealers like to show up early in the morning. Obtain a permit if required. Clean up your space. People like clean and neat places. Gather lots of shopping bags.

WHAT SELLS BEST?

Tools: Guys love it all, any kind.

Baby items, especially clothing...not cribs, playpens or incomplete child safety seats.

Clothing: Kids and adults.

Kitchen appliances.

GATHERING ITEMS

Test any electrical items to make sure they work. Collect your items and sort it by type. (clothing, toys, tools, etc.)

Take time to clean or repair your items. Wash all the clothes so the smell fresh.

WHAT SELLS BEST?

Tools: Guys love it all, any kind.

Baby items of all kinds, especially clothing. Kitchen appliances.

Clothing: Kids and adult.

WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT SELL?

Items missing safety parts.

Unused prescription drugs or medications.

Personal hygiene items. Halogen floor lamps.

Old baby cribs or playpens, incomplete child safety seats.

ADVERTISING

Tell your friends, family or co-workers about your sales. Word travels.

Place a classified ad in the Santa Barbara NEWS-PRESS!!

Remember to check the publication’s deadline.

In your ad, give lots of details. Including address, day(s), & time of your sale.

SIGNS

Check your local ordinances. List address and sale date on all signs.

List major items such as “Lots of kids clothes.”

Post signs at main intersections. Keep a list of where you posted your signs.

Fentanyl precursors are produced and shipped from China to Mexican ports where Mexican cartels manufacture fake prescription pills to look like real ones and lace them and other drugs with fentanyl. Mexican cartels, their operatives and gang affiliates then smuggle the illicit drugs across the US-Mexico border, fueling the opioid crisis, border agents have told The Center Square.

“Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country,” the DEA has warned, and now children under 14 are dying from fentanyl poisoning at a faster rate than any other age group in the U.S., according to federal data. Fentanyl poisoning remains the number one killer of American adults between the age of 18-45.

“Stripping China’s MFN is a long-overdue, a fantastic move,” Mr. Hullihan told The Center Square. “But what would be even more impactful is providing additional terms to require China to halt the manufacturing and shipment of fentanyl precursors to Mexico if China ever wants to have MFN status again. This would have a direct impact on the fentanyl crisis by cutting off the cartels’ supply. The U.S. has had a history of telling China to crack down on fentanyl distribution, but it hasn’t been effective.

“Under the Trump administration, diplomatic tools were used. Since then, the fentanyl crisis has only worsened. More people have died from fentanyl poisoning than our service members have in wars overseas over the last 20 years. Our children, family members, friends and neighbors are dying in their homes, college campuses, schools, playgrounds – in America because of poison coming from China. Stripping China of MFN and making it conditional on drying up the cartels’ fentanyl supply would save American lives.”

Bill seeks to block federal funds for schools that ‘indoctrinate with critical race theory’

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – A Texas congressman has introduced legislation to ban federal funding for public schools that promote theories that discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin.

“The Combatting Racist Teaching Act will prohibit federal funding from going to schools that seek to indoctrinate children with critical race theory,” U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said in a statement. “... Parents should be in charge of their kids’ education – not bureaucrats, politicians, or union bosses.”

Colleen Hroncich, policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom, said the measure was unlikely to advance.

“For starters, the federal government has no constitutional role in education,” she said. “Regardless, I doubt this bill has any chance of passing both chambers much less being signed by the president.” She said parents care about a wide range of issues.

“Beyond those issues, parents have a very diverse range of

opinions about how all sorts of issues are addressed in schools,” she said. “The solution is for states to adopt universal school choice programs that allow parents to choose the educational environment they want for their children. The conflicts we see in public schools are part and parcel of a government-run monopoly school system – parents are forced to engage in political battles for their preferences to prevail. School choice alleviates those fights by letting parents make choices for their individual children.”

Rep. Roy’s bill prohibits federal funds from going to any school that promotes race-based ideologies. It would bar funding to institutions that promote theories describing:

• Any race is inherently superior or inferior to any other race, color, or national origin.

• The United States is a fundamentally racist country.

• The Declaration of Independence or Constitution of the United States are fundamentally racist documents.

• An individual’s moral character or worth is determined by the individual’s race, color, or national origin.

• An individual, by virtue of the individual’s race, is inherently racist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.

• An individual, because of the individual’s race, bears responsibility for the actions committed by other members of the individual’s race, color, or national origin.

The bill had 32 Republican cosponsors in the 117th Congress, but did not advance.

“The federal government has no place making decisions for students’ education to begin with,” said Adam Brandon, the president of FreedomWorks, a grassroots organization that supports smaller government and personal liberty.

Lawmakers in other states, such as Michigan, have proposed legislation that mirrors the Texas bill.

Senate Bill 460 was introduced in Michigan in May 2021 that would prohibit a curriculum that includes “coverage of the critical race theory, the 1619 project, or any of the following anti-American and racist theories:

• (a) That any race is inherently superior or inferior to any other race.

• (b) That the United States is a fundamentally racist country.

• (c) That the Declaration of Independence or the United States Constitution are fundamentally racist documents.

• (d) That an individual’s moral character or worth is determined by his or her race.

• (e) That an individual, by virtue of his or her race, is inherently racist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.

Border police dealing with new smuggling problem: eggs

By CAMERON ARCAND THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square)- The United States Customs and Border Protection is asking Americans to stop trying to smuggle in raw eggs from Mexico.

As avian flu is causing the price of eggs and poultry to rise, along with the current inflation rate, people are purchasing the products in Mexico instead of shelling out the extra cash at the grocery store.

“There has been a large increase in the volume of prohibited food items, such as raw eggs and raw poultry meat, brought by travelers from Mexico. We would like to remind the traveling public that federal agricultural regulations remain in effect,” Jennifer De La O, CBP Director of Field

As

Operations in San Diego, said in a news release on

If passed, according to the bill language, it would revert China’s Most Favored Nation (MFN) status to a pre-2001 designation, requiring its status to be renewed every year by the president with congressional approval.