Santa Barbara News-Press: March 20, 2023

UCSB baseball on a 9-game winning streak

Gauchos defeat CSU Bakersfield for first series win in conference - A3

dA’s office will not seek death penalty in Stearns Wharf shooting case

By NEIL HARTSTEIN

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The District Attorney’s Office will not seek the death penalty for the only alleged Santa Barbara gang associate charged with personally firing a weapon causing death in the Dec. 9 fatal shooting of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf.

Jiram Jhunue Tenorio-Ramon, 22, is charged with murder with the special circumstance of committing the murder to benefit a criminal street gang, and with the special allegation of personal use of a

firearm causing death. He also is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy.

“He is the only defendant charged with a special circumstance making him death penalty eligible, but our office has already decided not to seek the death penalty,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McAllister told the News-Press.

“Thus, he is now facing a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole if he is convicted of both first degree murder and the special circumstance that the murder was committed for the benefit of the Westside

gang. “As for why we are not seeking the death penalty, that is a very involved process that involves the evaluation of mitigating and aggravating factors …,” the prosecutor said. “The process involves multiple members of the management team and the assigned prosecutor. The final decision is made by the District Attorney. I cannot be more specific than that without getting into case-specific facts.” He declined to say whether prosecutors are alleging that Mr. Tenorio-Ramon fired the fatal shot that killed Robert

Dion Gutierrez, 52, of Camarillo. “We have alleged that he personally fired a weapon that caused death. That’s all I can say,” the prosecutor said.

Prosecutors allege that Mr. TenorioRamon and his three co-defendants – all alleged Santa Barbara gang associates – engaged in a Dec. 9 firefight with juveniles from Ventura County with alleged ties to Ventura County street gangs. Mr. Gutierrez was walking on the Santa Barbara wharf with his wife at the time, and was caught in the crossfire. He suffered a single gunshot wound and died later at the hospital.

Town of towers

Two defendants, Ricardo Tomas Jauregui-Moreno Jr., 20, and Christopher Dave Miranda, 21, are each charged with murder, with special allegations of committing the murder for the benefit of a criminal street gang and principal use of a handgun, conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy. Mr. Jauregui-Moreno is also charged with having been previously convicted of a violent felony or “strike” offense. The fourth defendant, James Lee Rosborough, 21, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, criminal

Please see SHOOTING on A4

Burglary charge against Andy dick dismissed

Santa Barbara homeowner says incident was a ‘misunderstanding’

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The District Attorney’s Office has dismissed a charge of felony first-degree residential burglary against comedian Andy Dick after the owner of the Santa Barbara home where he was arrested told prosecutors the Oct. 13 incident was a “misunderstanding.”

Mr. Dick, 57, had been scheduled to return to Superior Court on March 7 to set a date for a preliminary hearing on the charge filed by prosecutors in the wake of his arrest at a vacant home in the hills of Santa Barbara.

The hearing never happened, however. Instead, prosecutors dropped the residential burglary charge they had filed against the comedian/actor.

Goleta City Council to review accessory dwelling units

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER

WRITER

NEWS-PRESS STAFF

The Goleta City Council will discuss accessory dwelling units at its meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Goleta City Hall, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta.

The council will consider adoption of an ordinance to amend Title 17 (Zoning) of the Goleta Municipal Code related to accessory dwelling units.

The proposed ordinance includes a new set of citywide ADU and Junior ADU standards that staff says will fully comply with the changes in state law (Senate Bill 897 of 2022). The ordinance also makes other minor revisions to the city’s previous ADU regulations.

Changes to the city’s permanent ADU regulations include but are not limited to: ADU heights and front setbacks; changes to the processing and denial of ADUs; and JADU locations, configurations, and definition. Many of the proposed revisions were included in Urgency Ordinance No. 22-16U, which was adopted by city council on Dec. 20, 2022.

The new ADU regulations in the proposed ordinance would replace the regulations in Urgency Ordinance No. 22-16U. The staff report can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/ ycyx8ktu.

In other business, the council will:

- Discuss the fiscal year 2023-2024 funding for the Support to Other Agencies Program.

The city allocates General Fund monies for the STOA program to fund organizations in the Goleta area that provide services that the city cannot.

Council awards STOA funding in the form of grants to nonprofits in four categories: 1) government/interagency; 2) city facilities/ recreation; 3) economic development/ marketing and promotions; and 4) homelessness initiatives.

The council will review the recommendations from the Grant Funding Review Standing Committee for government/ interagency and city facilities/recreation organizations. The staff report can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/cm9m8j9v.

- Receive an update and presentation on the Stow Grove Park Draft Master Plan and

provide feedback to be incorporated for the final draft.

The city is looking to renovate Stow Grove Park (580 N. La Patera Lane) as part of the adopted Parks, Facilities and Playgrounds Master Plan. Community feedback has been a large part of the process in creating the plan.

Input has come from multiple surveys, workshops, and the Parks and Recreation Commission. The staff report and presentation can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/3xx3bz8z.

For the city council agenda, go to https:// tinyurl.com/yvn6ns83.

People can attend the meeting in person, watch it live or participate fully via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ yDbV9vAnS5GGwsABjRjOIA. The webinar ID is 817 0136 4424.

You can also watch the meeting live at www. cityofgoleta.org/meetings-agendas or Goleta TV Channel 19. If you miss the meeting, it is rebroadcast on Channel 19 Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. and is available to watch at any time on the city website. email: kzehnder@newspress.com

“Based upon information received from homeowner Dario Pini after the case was filed, the matter was dismissed,” Deputy District Attorney Sherwin Nadjm told the News-Press.

Asked to elaborate, the prosecutor repeated that “the case was dismissed yesterday (3/7/23), based on a declaration received from homeowner Mr. Dario Pini, indicating that Mr. Dick’s presence on his property was a misunderstanding, that he had no objection to his presence on the property, and that he did not want to seek prosecution.

The incident was reported to 9-11 by a property manager for Mr. Pini, and not by Mr. Pini.”

Mr. Dick, a longtime comedian and actor in movies and TV shows, was arrested on Oct. 13 by Santa Barbara police after dispatch received a report of a burglary in progress at a home under construction in the 100 block of Conejo Road. Police responded at about 5:45 p.m.

“The (property manager) informed officers when they arrived on scene he did not know Dick nor did he have permission to be on the property or in the

home,” Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, the Santa Barbara Police public information officer, told the News-Press at the time.

“Probable cause was established to arrest Dick after it is believed he removed several items (power tools) from the home,” Sgt. Ragsdale said. “He was booked in the Santa Barbara County Jail for 459PC–Felony (Residential) Burglary with $50,000 bail.”

He said Mr. Dick did not appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and he did not resist his arrest. “From what the arresting officer told me, he was cooperative,” Sgt. Ragsdale said.

The felony complaint was filed the next day, Oct. 14, alleging that Mr. Dick “did willfully and unlawfully” enter the house “with the intent to commit larceny …” Prosecutors also filed a special allegation that the offense was considered a serious felony.

Mr. Dick pleaded not guilty at his Oct. 17 arraignment.

Deputy Public Defender Brian Mathis later released a statement that his office was “confident additional facts will come to light supporting Mr. Dick as this case moves forward.” email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Mr. Dick, a longtime comedian and actor in movies and TV shows, was arrested on Oct. 13 by Santa Barbara police after dispatch received a report of a burglary in progress at a home under construction in the 100 block of Conejo Road.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Two distinctive towers in Santa Barbara - the spires of the Arlington Theatre, left, and Saint Anthony’s Seminary - rise above the city on Sunday.

Construction update: March 19 - April 1

Spotlight: Traffic will be shifted onto the new southbound Highway 101 lanes in the Padaro segment between N. Padaro Ln. and S. Padaro/Santa Claus Ln. Crews will be preparing for the traffic lane shift throughout the week of March 26, and lanes will be shifted the night of April 1.

NorthbouNd highway 101

Sunday nights from 9 p.m. - 5 a.m., the highway will be one lane from Santa Monica Rd. to Sheffield Dr., off- and on-ramps at S. Padaro/Santa Claus Ln. and N. Padaro Ln.

March 19 from 9 p.m. - 5 a.m., the highway will be one lane from Sheffield Dr. to San Ysidro Rd. Crews will place temporary safety barriers in preparation for the onramp closure at San Ysidro.

Monday - Thursday nights from 8 p.m. – 5 a.m., the highway will be one lane from Santa Monica Rd. to Sheffield Dr. with off- and onramps at S. Padaro/Santa Claus Ln. and N. Padaro Ln.

Monday - Thursday days, the week of March 27, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. with on- and off-ramps at N. Padaro Ln.

The off-ramp at Olive Mill, closed for up to seven months, is anticipated to reopen upon roundabout completion. Until then, drivers can use the northbound off-ramp at San Ysidro Rd.

The on-ramp at San Ysidro will be closed beginning the night of March 19 until early 2025 (for roundabout and highway work).

SouthbouNd highway 101

Sunday nights from 10 p.m. - 7 a.m., the highway will be one lane from Sheffield Dr. to Carpinteria Ave. with on- and off-ramps at S. Padaro/Santa Claus Ln. and N.

Padaro Ln.

Monday - Thursday nights from 9 p.m. – 7:30 a.m., the highway will be one lane from Sheffield Dr. to Carpinteria Ave. with on- and offramps at S. Padaro/Santa Claus Ln. and N. Padaro Ln.

Monday - Thursday days from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. with the on-ramp at N. Padaro Ln. and the off-ramp at S. Padaro/Santa Claus Ln.

N. Jame S oN L N. by oak, Sa N ySidro, a Nd romero CreekS

In an effort to work around upcoming storms and prepare for bridge construction later this year, crews will install nesting deterrents below Oak, San Ysidro and Romero Creeks. This is intended to prevent bird and bat nesting to prepare for upcoming bridge construction.

CarpiN teria ave from eS tero St. to h wy 101

Flaggers will direct traffic (as needed) as crews build a new median island and pave Carpinteria Ave. Consecutive ramps in the same direction will not be closed at the same time (unless where noted) to allow drivers to use a ramp before or after a closure. To view timelines, detours and maps, visit www. SBROADS.com and select the project segment.

oL ive miLL rouNdabout

The majority of construction occurs between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

• Crews will continue work on drainage improvements, roadway base and paving. Work will continue on a new architectural wall. Drivers can expect flaggers as needed directing traffic.

• Please expect 5-10 minute delays throughout the construction area.

Sa N ySidro rouNdabout San Ysidro Roundabout construction is set to begin. The

majority of construction occurs between 7:00 a.m. and 4:30 0.pm.

• Crews will work in the northwest corner of the intersection of N. Jameson Ln. and San Ysidro Rd. as well as at the northbound onramp at San Ysidro Rd. and the overcrossing sidewalk by the ramp. The northbound on-ramp will close the night of March 19 and remain closed through early 2025 for roundabout and freeway construction.

• Crews will remove old pavement, clear and grub vegetation, and begin grading for a new retaining wall.

• Utility companies will also continue work in the area and along N. Jameson Ln. Please expect flaggers directing traffic as needed for the roundabout project and utility work. Drivers can expect 5-10 minute delays throughout the construction area.

- Katherine Zehnder

Lompoc draft General Plan Housing Element Update available for public review

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The city of Lompoc has released the draft 2023-2031 General Plan Housing Element Update for public review, and is seeking public comments.

The draft General Plan Housing Element Update can be found at https://envisionlompoc. com/.

The draft General Plan Housing Element Update plans for existing and projected housing needs to accommodate 2,248 new housing units within the city of Lompoc

between 2023 and 2031.

The plan identifies and analyzes the existing and projected housing needs, provides a list of sites for housing development that are adequate to accommodate the city’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), documents constraints to housing production and analyzes fair housing issues and contributing factors.

The plan also includes city policies and programs for the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of housing units that meet the needs of Lompoc residents.

The city encourages community members to review and submit comments on the draft

California to build 1,200 tiny houses in four cities to combat homelessness

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The

Center Square) – California

Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan that he hopes will reduce homelessness.

Gov. Newsom announced plans to build 1,200 tiny houses to help combat the state’s homelessness problem.

Under Gov. Newsom’s state-funded plan announced Thursday, Los Angeles will get 500 homes, Sacramento will get 350, San Jose will get 200, and San Diego County will get 150.

Gov. Newsom touted the proposal at a speech at Cal Expo in California, calling it a small part of the state’s long-term strategy to combat homelessness.

“In that continuum of rapid rehousing and that continuum of prevention, which is part of the original continuum, we have got to provide more options, so what we’re doing is we’re deploying these 1200 plus units,” Gov. Newsom said at the event.

The governor said the units would serve as short-term temporary housing as communities determine longer-term solutions to help homeless people.

Additionally, Gov. Newsom proposed spending an additional $1 billion in Homeless, Housing, Assistance, and Prevention funding for local communities to combat homelessness.

“We have laid out a vision, a strategy, and a plan, and the cities, the counties, and what is referred to as the COCs... have also put numeric goals to make real our goals surrounding accountability,” Gov. Newsom said.

Republicans discounted the measure, saying it would barely put a dent in the state’s chronic homelessness problem.

“This is just another band-aid on a crisis that is out of control in California,” Senate

Minority Leader Brian W. Jones, R-San Diego, said. “We know that throwing money at this problem doesn’t work. California has already spent $20 billion over the last five years on homelessness and the crisis has only gotten worse with more than 172,000 people living on the streets in this state. While I appreciate the governor’s creativity to construct 1,200 tiny homes, that is a drop in the bucket.”

Gov. Newsom also said it would be “myopic” to view his announcement as his only plan to reduce homelessness.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan called Gov. Newsom’s tiny home idea “common sense.”

San Jose approved the construction of 400 tiny homes for homeless people last year, and Mayor Mahan said it has reduced crime and strain on public services.

“We all agree that building more housing, especially more affordable housing, is the long-term solution, as well as expanding our mental health, hospital system, and inpatient treatment centers,” Mayor Mahan said. “But as we build up our housing stock and rebuild our mental health system, we have a moral obligation to address the immense human suffering we see on our streets every day.”

State Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, DOakland, also praised the proposal. She said that it will take time to fix the state’s homeless problem, but also that this plan is a start.

“The 1,200 small homes that we see are going to be critical interim housing for our local cities and our counties as they strive to meet their ambitious goals that they set forth for themselves. And while it took us decades to get into this crisis, we know it’s going to take time and commitment from the state to move ahead.” California had 171,000 homeless people last year, according to federal estimates; the state has 30% of the country’s homeless population.

General Plan Housing Element by 5 p.m. on April 17.

Public comments may be submitted by email to brent@mintierharnish.com or b_ halvorson@ci.lompoc.ca.us, or by mail to City of Lompoc, Community Develpment Department, Planning Division, Attn: Planning Manager Brian Halvorson, 100 Civic Center Plaze, Lompoc, CA, 93436. Additional opportunities for public comment will be available throughout the General Plan Housing Element Update adoption process. email: kzehnder@newspress.com

U.S. Senators demand answers from Fed about California bank failure

By CAMERON ARCAND THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — A bipartisan group of senators is demanding answers about what led to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and what knowledge the federal government may have had about it beforehand.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., along with numerous other Republican and Democrat senators, said in a letter to Federal Reserve Vice Chair Michael Barr that they are “deeply concerned that regulators may have missed clear warning signs in the lead up to the failure of SVB.”

“It is gravely concerning that retail participants, utilizing only publicly available information, were able to identify clear and compelling examples of financial mismanagement and asset overconcentration at SVB, while the Fed, which can draw even deeper from non-public supervisory information, was unable to ascertain a similar conclusion,” the letter states.

“The fact that the San Francisco Fed, among other regulatory agencies, found no reason to take appropriate regulatory action or even investigate SVB further in the months, weeks, and days prior to the bank’s collapse must be addressed in a manner that restores public confidence in Fed supervision,” they continue.

Silicon Valley Bank failed last week, which resulted in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation stepping in to help depositors. The bank was known for supporting the technology sector, and New York officials also decided to shut down Signature Bank shortly afterward. First Republic Bank is also struggling and using other financial institutions for assistance.

“The Fed should review the financing

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COURTESY PHOTO

Construction projects are ongoing on a number of different areas of Highway 101.

sports@newspress.com

UCSB baseball secures series win over CSU Bakersfield

By ERIC BOOSE UCSB SPORTS

The UCSB baseball team (14-3, 2-0 Big West) secured their first series win in conference play this season on Saturday, defeating CSU Bakersfield (7-10, 0-2 Big West), 4-2. The win extends the Gauchos’ unbeaten run to nine games, and is their 14th consecutive victory over the Roadrunners.

HOW IT HAPPENED

UCSB got off to a great start on the mound and at the plate, with Matt Ager striking out the side in the top of the first before Christian Kirtley drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. A two-out walk put a Gaucho on first, then Kirtley got every bit of a 3-1 breaking ball, hitting a no-doubt, two-run home run over the scoreboard in left field.

UCSB had a chance to add on in the second, with another two-out walk, a hit batter, and an errant pick-off throw putting runners on second and third, but Bakersfield escaped the inning. That throwing error was one of four Roadrunner errors on the night, with a fifth-inning gaffe helping the Gauchos pick up some insurance. With two outs and runner on first, Bakersfield’s shortstop misplayed a bouncing grounder, allowing Aaron Parker to reach to extend the inning, with Ivan Brethowr scampering from first to third on the play. After a four-pitch walk loaded the bases,

Kirtley worked a walk himself, driving in his third run of the afternoon.

However, Kirtley’s walk only made it a 3-1 game because, in the top of the fifth, Bakersfield had finally gotten to Matt Ager. After striking out the side in the first, Ager pitched perfect second and third innings, only giving up his first baserunner on a one-out single in the fourth, which never posed a real threat. A lead-off single in the fifth would come around to score, but Ager was right back in control of the game afterwards, even working around another lead-off single in the sixth. Ager was excellent in the seventh, striking out the first two batters, then making a great play on a grounder in front of the mound to end the inning.

The Gauchos had given their starter some insurance in the bottom of the sixth, with Jared Sundstrom reaching on an infield single, stealing second, and scoring on a LeTrey McCollum single to make it 4-1. Ager would need that insurance as he pitched into the eighth inning for the first time in his career, giving up another lead-off single and then allowing his first extrabase hit of the evening, an RBI double to the right-centerfield gap. Carter Benbrook took over after that, getting out of the inning with one pitch. Benbrook was back out for the ninth inning, striking out the first two Roadrunners before getting a huge hand from his defense. With a runner on first, the Bakersfield batter hit a ball toward shallow right field, only for Brethowr to close the distance and make a diving catch to end the game.

Westmont baseball sweeps Lions

By RON SMITH WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Westmont Baseball (21-5, 10-

2 GSAC), ranked 18th in the NAIA, completed a series sweep of #9 Vanguard (17-11, 5-7) by taking both ends of a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday at Russ Carr Field. The Warriors won the first game in come-frombehind fashion by a score of 9-6, then posted a 5-3 win in game number two.

At the midpoint of the GSAC regular season schedule, the Warriors find themselves in first place with a two and onehalf game lead over Hope International (17-6, 7-4) and an 11-game winning streak.

The first game started well for the Warriors. Robbie Haw led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk, then scored when Brady Renck tripled to right field. Renck scored when Ryan DeSaegher singled to left to make it a 2-0 game.

In the top of the second, however, Vanguard scored two runs of their own to tie the game. The first came on an RBI-single by Fred Buckson that drove in Antonio Omphroy. The second run scored when Luke Arias singled to left to bring Buckson home.

In the top of the fourth, Vanguard bats came alive. The inning started with back-toback triples by Christopher Famolaro and Arias, making it a 3-2 game. Arias was retired before he could score on a heads up play by first baseman Daniel Patterson. With one away, Michael Downtain attempted a safety squeeze. Patterson fielded the bunt and threw to DeSaegher at third. DeSaegher applied the tag before Arias could scramble back to the bag, resulting in the second out of the inning.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, Downtain would eventually score on an RBIsingle by Adam Stevens. Then, Oscar Diaz pounded a two-run home run to right field to make the score 6-2 in favor of the Lions.

The score remained the same until after the seventhinning stretch. With one away, DeSaegher singled to center field, then advanced to second when Parker O’Neil was hit by a pitch. Finn Snyder came up next and loaded the bases with a single to left center. DeSaegher came home to make the score 6-3 when Patterson walked.

With two away and the bases still packed with Warriors, Shane Hofstadler was asked to pinch hit. The hero of yesterday’s game came through again. His towering fly ball just cleared the right-field fence for a grand slam that gave Westmont a 7-6 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth,

Snyder added on to Westmont’s advantage with his first home run of the year, a two-run shot to right-center.

Aidan Holly was awarded the win, improving his record to 2-0. Holly was one of four relief pitchers – including Sean Youngerman, Lucien Wechsberg and Zach Yates, that pitched five scoreless innings, giving up just two hits, striking out six and allowing just one walk. Yates, who pitched the ninth, was credited with the save after retiring the side in order.

Chase Goddard took the mound for the Warriors in the second game, which was slated as a seven-inning affair. Goddard, now 5-1, claimed the win by pitching six innings while allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked one.

Gabe Arteaga collected his fourth save of the year by pitching in the top of the seventh. Westmont took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Haw led off the inning with a single to left, then stole second. With two outs, DeSaegher knocked an RBIsingle into left field. The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth, which began with a lead-off double by DeSaegher to left center. The Warriors third baseman reached third on a ground out by David Martinez. Then, Hofstadler picked up his fifth RBI of the day and seventh of the series with a single to right.

Later in the inning, Michael Soper produced his first collegiate home run – a nodoubter to right field – that drove in Liam Critchett and Trey Dunn and put the Warriors on top 5-0.

Vanguard closed the gap in the top of the fifth with a two-run blast by Downtain to right field, making the score 5-2. It was a score that would be carried into the seventh and final inning.

With Arteaga on in relief, the Lions loaded the bases with no outs. That brought up Stevens, who hit a ground ball to third. DeSaegher fielded the ball, stepped on third base, and fired across the diamond to first for a double play. Famolaro scored on the play, accounting for the 5-3 final score.

Arteaga then coaxed Diaz to ground out to third for the final out that completed the sweep.

The Warriors will have a bye in conference play next week and will instead welcome the Flames of Bethesda to Russ Carr Field for a three-game series. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday and the series finally on Saturday.

Ron Smith is the sports information director at Westmont College.

email: sports@newspress.com

ON THE STAT SHEET

• Ager worked his longest collegiate outing Saturday evening, pitching 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and no walks while striking out eight

• Gaucho pitchers did not give out any free passes — walks or hit batters — Saturday; they now have not walked a batter in their last 26 innings of work.

• Christian Kirtley continued his good run at the plate on Saturday, going 1-2 with a walk and a homer; he is 6-15 with two home runs and four walks in his last five games after starting the season 4-32.

• Carter Benbrook picked up his second save of the season, allowing just one hit over the final 1 1/3 innings Saturday evening, striking out a pair.

UP NEXT

UCSB will go for the series sweep against CSU Bakersfield on Sunday, with first pitch currently scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Some rain is in the forecast for Sunday, which may affect the start time of the game. Stay tuned to ucsbgauchos.com and the team’s social media accounts for updates.

Eric Boose is assistant director of athletic communications at UCSB. email: sports@newspress.com

Westmont tennis teams take two from Jessup

By JACOB NORLING WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Both Westmont Men’s and Westmont Women’s Tennis were in complete control today, when the two teams hosted and defeated the visiting Jessup Warriors. A day after both squads fell to Menlo in another conference contest, both teams put one back in the win column in GSAC play.

The men started things off in the morning with a 6-1 win over Jessup (5-7, 1-4 GSAC), with Westmont (6-6, 4-2) starting the day by claiming the doubles point. On one, Logan Thompson and Ethan came out victorious 6-2, and on three, Cody Ray Emery and Santiago Tintore Ramon won it 6-1.

In singles the only match Jessup could steal was on court one, where it took a tiebreaker in a third set for Roger Wen to beat Logan Thompson. Away from one, the host-Warriors took matches on two-through-six, with wins coming for Emery, Ha, Owen Vander Ark, Preston Hastings, and Benny Saito in that order.

“Our guys recovered really well from yesterday, and from playing two matches in a row,” said Westmont head coach Mark Basham. “I was really happy again with doubles. We had a bit of a slow start on one, but we got the group going and took a key doubles point.

“There were some ups and downs, but singles was solid. I was really happy with Cody Ray who pulled through on two, and I would give Ethan the title of player of the day, as he dominated on three. We pulled it out with Owen, who came back on number four and won a super tiebreaker, and Benny won the clinching match pretty decisively.

“It was a good win against a

solid Jessup team, and I’m really happy with our performance.”

On the women’s side, the team was even more dominant as Westmont (2-10, 2-2) surrendered only one set all match long. The one set that Jessup (1-7, 1-4) took ended up being a moot point, as it came during doubles on court one. Luckily for Westmont, Liska Knight and Arden Samuels won it on two, and Sabina Salva, and Logan Jackson took care of business on three.

After taking the doubles point, Westmont swept all six singles matches in straight sets to claim the match by a score of 7-0. Wins for Westmont came from Francesca Aguirre, Sophia Ostovany, Salva, Justie Spitzer, Kaley Houshmand, and Jackson.

“I’m really happy with how we performed,” said Westmont head coach Cade Pierson. “We really showed up and took care of business today. I think a lot of people stepped up to the plate, and a lot of our starters showed up and played clean tennis today.

“Our ability to handle our emotions was a lot better today than yesterday. Every tennis match has its highs and lows of momentum, but I think everyone did a great job of both staying emotionally level, and showing the positive emotions when they felt them.

“There’s been a lot of growth match-to-match a lot of growth over the season as you look at the big picture.”

Both the men and the women return next Friday in southern California, when they travel to take on NCAA Div. II Azusa Pacific.

Jacob Norling is the sports information assistant at Westmont College. email: sports@newspress.com

UCSB men’s volleyball falls to Irvine

By ERIC BOOSE UCSB SPORTS

The UCSB men’s volleyball team (5-13, 1-4 Big West) fell to No. 6 UC Irvine (13-6, 3-0 Big West) for the second time this week, 3-0 on the road Friday night. The final scores were 23-25, 22-25, 20-25.

HOW IT HAPPENED

With heavy hitters Nick Amoruso and Ryan Wilcox in the front, UCSB kept the game tied in the first frame up until the last moment, but Irvine’s hitting eventually allowed them turn the tide to take the set.

The second frame also saw a tight back-and-forth between the Anteaters and the Gauchos, but a service error, then two kills from the home team left the Gauchos unable to keep up, and Irvine would take the set 22-25.

Although Irvine came out in the third set with a four-point lead, UCSB chipped away at it. However, the Gauchos were unable to regain any sort of momentum as the Anteaters’ hitting proved to be too much, averaging .400, and the frame ended with the home team completing the sweep.

Please see VOLLEYBALL on A4

Getting their ducks in a row

Maine lobstermen suing California aquarium for defamation

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER SQUARE CONRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – A group representing Maine’s lobster industry is suing a California aquarium for defamation.

The coalition, including the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, filed the lawsuit against the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California this week.

The coalition argues in its lawsuit that lobster should not be on a “red list,” which Seafood Watch, a conservation entity the aquarium runs, published.

Seafood Watch put lobster caught in the United States and Canada on its list of seafood to avoid last year. The organization argued that the industry threatened right whales and that these endangered whales were being harmed in lobstermen’s fishing gear.

However, in U.S. District Court, the

Seafood Watch put lobster caught in the United States and Canada on its list of seafood to avoid last year. The organization argued that the industry threatened right whales and that these endangered whales were being harmed in lobstermen’s fishing gear.

coalition of lobstermen argue that Seafood Watch is incorrect and it needs to retract its “defamatory statements,” according to the lawsuit.

“This is a significant lawsuit that will help eradicate the damage done by folks who have no clue about the care taken by lobstermen to protect the ecosystem and the ocean,” John Petersdorf, chief executive officer of Bean Maine Lobster Inc., one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, told the Associated Press in a statement.

The aquarium, however, stands by its claim.

Kevin Connor, a spokesman for the aquarium, told The Associated Press in a statement that, “the extensive evidence that these fisheries pose a serious risk to the survival of the endangered North Atlantic right whale, and they seek to curtail the First Amendment rights of a beloved institution that educates the public about the importance of a healthy ocean.”

Maine has the biggest lobster industry of any state. Maine lobstermen caught 98 million pounds of lobster last year, according to The Associated Press.

Biden: ‘Rest assured that our banking system is safe’

BANK

Continued from Page A2

arrangements between SVB and its customers to determine their impact on the bank’s collapse. Allowing such a high

concentration of these ratesensitive customers with primarily uninsured deposits at any single bank strikes us as a compelling risk to the stability of the bank, the banking system, and to taxpayers writ-large that merits further inquiry,” the letter adds.

It’s unclear if other banks will fail soon, but the White House is trying to reassure Americans that they will likely not be impacted.

“Americans can rest assured that our banking system is safe,” President Biden said on Monday.

“Your deposits are safe.”

There is also legislation backed by Democrats looking to tax bonuses and require profits from stock sales by bank executives that oversaw a failure to be turned over in order to support the FDIC, The Center Square reported.

All four defendants have pleaded not guilty

SHOOTING

Continued from Page A1 street gang conspiracy and being an accessory after the fact, with the special allegation of committing the crime for the benefit of a criminal street gang.

They face a maximum of life in prison with the possibility of parole if convicted of murder or conspiracy to commit murder, Prosecutor McAllister said.

All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.

They are due back in court on April 6 to set a date for a preliminary hearing.

Currently, they are being held without bail.

Mr. Rosborough appeared in court Thursday for a bail reduction hearing, but the hearing

was continued to April 20.

Two 15-year-olds with alleged ties to Ventura County gangs – Matthew Lopez and Adan de la Cruz – have denied murder charges filed against them.

They are due back in Juvenile Court on March 28 for further proceedings.

A 16-year-old from Ventura County was charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder, and with illegal possession of an unregistered firearm.

The three juveniles were arrested by Santa Barbara Police Department officers on Feb. 16. Their arrests were the result of an intense police investigation to identify and bring to justice additional suspects following the Jan. 19 arrest of the four adult defendants in Santa Barbara.

Prosecutors allege the four adult defendants were driving on Stearns Wharf when they verbally challenged their alleged Ventura County rivals, and that they stopped their vehicle for the purpose of deploying two of their party to attack them with a firearm.

Police said Mr. Gutierrez was an innocent bystander who was struck and killed by one of the rounds fired during the altercation at the base of the wharf.

Prosecutors contend the four Santa Barbara defendants fled the scene of the shooting afterward, two on foot and two by vehicle, and that those in the vehicle then circled back to the location of the shooting to extract those who fled on foot to avoid apprehension.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

Gauchos to return to action against Hawaii on March 31

VOLLEYBALL

Continued from Page A3

• Amoruso continued his strong showing this week, leading the team with 14 kills and 16 points.

• Wilcox continues his double-digit kill streak, going on his fifth game with 10 kills and racking up 13 points.

• Dayne Chalmers also contributed to the offensive with nine kills as well as the defense with three blocks.

• Wilcox, Chalmers, and Jack Walmer all had six digs apiece.

Walmer also totaled 30 assists on the night.

• Dain Johnson had himself an outing, putting up four blocks and contributing two kills.

UP NEXT UCSB will return to Rob Gym

on March 31 to take on No. 1 Hawaii. First serve will be at 7 p.m.

Eric Boose is assistant director of athletic communications at UCSB. email: sports@newspress.com

Shown is today's weather. Temperatures are today's highs and tonight's lows.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Ducks hang out at the Andree Clark Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara on Saturday.

Life theArts

CALENDAR

eSecret Cellar

San Ysidro Ranch unveils new clandestine wine and culinary setting

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. “Storytelling:

Native People Through the Lens of Edward S. Curtis” is on display through April 30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, visit sbnature.org.

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 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.

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “SURREAL

WOMEN: Surrealist Art by American Women” is on display through April 24 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, www.sullivangoss.com.

By MARILYN MCMAHON

San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito is revealing its latest exclusive offering — The Secret Cellar, which is nestled inside the ranch’s wine cellar.

The Secret Cellar experience is open to hotel guests and the public, seats up to 14 guests and includes a private tour of the cellar as part of the tasting journey.

Curated by advanced sommelier Tristan Pitre, The Secret Cellar features 2,000 bottles, bringing the property’s impressive collection to 14,000 wines, spanning 70 regions across the globe and making it one of the largest collections in the country.

San Ysidro Ranch is home to a 120-bottle complete vertical of Château Pétrus with vintages dating back to the famed 1945 vintage, the most extensive restaurant offering in the United States, and the Stonehouse restaurant has received Wine Spectator’s prestigious Grand Award every year since 2014.

“We drew inspiration from the Santa Barbara region as well as fine wines from around the globe to create this dynamic, finely curated collection of 2,000 wines that expands upon our current

FYI

To make a reservation for The Secret Cellar at San Ysidro Ranch, 900 San Ysidro Lane in Montecito, call 805-5651720 or email dining@sanysidroranch. com.

selection,” said Mr. Pitre. “Guests can look forward to learning more about the great wine regions of the world and tasting truly singular wines during this intimate and unforgettable experience.”

The hidden entryway into The Secret Cellar opens to a private room flanked by dark woods, metal and old-world charm.

Barrel-vaulted ceilings create an intimate feel, while the wooden shelves offer a display for the room’s impressive wine collection that fits in seamlessly with the existing wine cellar on the property.

Bespoke furnishings

handcrafted in Santa Barbara include an expansive wooden farm table made from a single slab of black walnut as the room’s centerpiece.

The Secret Cellar experience touts three wine pairing menus inspired by the great wine regions of the world and pairs perfectly with executive chef Matthew Johnson’s seasonally inspired tasting menu.

Wanderlust is a pairing that highlights the great diversity of the wine world, taking guests to unexpected places as it delivers a thoughtful, unique and enlightening experience. The Reserve pairing features classic wines. Guests will taste wine that is emblematic of the region they hail from and dig deeper into the rich traditions and history of these iconic regions. Finally, the Warner pairing highlights the best of both and offers an exploration of the best wines across the globe.

Created in tandem with the wine selection, the four-course tasting menu features a robust, yet highly curated selection of dishes made for pairing. A smoked king salmon amuse bouche introduces the culinary experience, leading up to a first course of Hawaiian big eye tuna belly tartare.

The second course features Dos Pueblos Farm abalone, followed by a center cut prime beef tenderloin as the third course, and a chèvre cheesecake as the final course. Optional add-ons include Royal Ossetia caviar and Japanese Kobe A5 strip loin.

The Tasting Menu starts at $250 per person; Wanderlust Wine Tasting, $125; Reserve Wine Tasting, $200; and Warner Wine Tasting, $350.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

Noon to 5 p.m. “Clarence Mattei: Portrait of a Community” is on view now through May at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, which is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 136 E. De la Guerra St. Admission is free. Hours are currently from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and from noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, visit www.sbhistorical. org.

7 p.m. The Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform at The Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High School. 720 E. Cota St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $30 to $54. To purchase, go to luketheatre. org/event/glenn-miller-orchestraconcert.

MARCH 23

7:30 p.m. Opera Santa Barbara’s Chrisman Studio Artists will perform “The Light in the Piazza,” an acclaimed musical by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas, March 23-26 at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo, in Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to centerstagetheater.org. An artist reception will follow the March 23 performance.

MARCH 24

7:30 p.m. Opera Santa Barbara’s Chrisman Studio Artists will perform “The Light in the Piazza,” an acclaimed musical by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas, at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo, in Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets,

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO

Jenny Swoish sings with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, which will perform tonight at The Marjorie Luke Theatre in Santa Barbara.

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

COURTESY PHOTOS

The Secret Cellar at San Ysidro Ranch is nestled inside the Montecito resort’s wine cellar.

At left, the Secret Cellar seats up to 14 guests and includes a private tour of the cellar as part of the tasting journey. At right, The Stonehouse restaurant has received Wine Spectator’s prestigious Grand Award every year since 2014.

Spring – The season of growth

Spring is upon us today, and the signs of growth and rebirth are everywhere you look. There are new buds on the trees, baby birds chirping at dawn, and perhaps a desire somewhere deep inside you that is motivating you to make some changes that you have been considering for some time. We have many of the same physical cycles as the other mammals, and as the weather warms up, some of us come out of a kind of emotional hibernation and look for new opportunities in life. Most people have the need to expand their horizons, and spring seems to be a time when there is more energy in the air to try new things and make our lives better.

Students start new classes, outdoor activities begin for many, and there is a sense of freshness that comes with the start of a new season. If you can use this energy to propel yourself and your life forward, it will allow you to feel good about who you are and what you are doing, and you will enjoy yourself more.

Doing new things can be scary for a lot of people. They find excuses to avoid taking the extra steps necessary to make their lives a lovely place to be. And for some, it is easy to settle for less than what they are capable of doing. If this feels to you like a safe way to live, take a minute to look at how much you are missing out on by letting the world pass you by.

Look, you can’t hide from life. The best you can do if you want that to happen is to do as little for yourself and others as possible. Keeping your world very small can be helpful for those with disabilities, but if you are not challenged physically or emotionally, somewhere inside you lurks a need to feel good about being and doing in the modern world.

If there are things you have been thinking about doing but just can’t muster the drive, allow the energy of spring to push you forward. And at least try to cross one thing off your bucket list or even your honey-do list.

You don’t have to take over the

world. Just doing one new activity will make you feel stronger and hopefully give you the desire to try other ones.

Some people get a form of socalled spring fever where they have very low energy, and though their mood is fine, they tend to want to be lazy and take naps. If that’s part of your biochemistry, and it’s just the way you are, no problem. However, if you are using it as a means of avoiding life, you probably need to take another look at your choices, and you may need to force yourself not to give in to your perceived need to kick back for a few months.

So now that spring has sprung, and the sun is shining (at least a little), you have every reason to take in the warmth and enjoy it.

Dr. Barton Goldsmith 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.

Veggie-themed stories coming to Lompoc library

LOMPOC —The community is invited to enjoy a veggie-themed story time at the Lompoc Public Library on Tuesday with special guests.

Kicking off at 10:30 a.m., the event will feature special guests from Route One Mobile Farmers Market, the Charlotte’s Web Bookmobile and representatives from Women, Infant and Children with County of Santa Barbara Public Health.

This free event will include stories, songs and crafts along with free health information provided by the Lompoc WIC office.

From 10 to 11:30 a.m., the Charlotte’s Web Bookmobile will be open for browsing, library cards and checkouts along with the Route One Mobile Farmers Market, which will have fresh, local vegetables available for purchase. Both vehicles will be in the library’s main branch parking lot, 501 E. North Ave.

More information about the Route One Mobile Farmers Market can be found on their website at www.sbcfoodaction.org.

Additional information about the WIC program can be found at www.countyofsb.org/1920/WomenInfants-Children-Program or by calling the Lompoc WIC office at 877-275-8805.

New York artists

topic for art museum talk

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Karen Wilkin, independent curator and critic, will present an Art Matters lecture at 5:30 p.m. April 6 in the Mary Craig Auditorium at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St. The topic is “School of New York Revisited: 11 + 11 + 1.”

In 1959, collector and critic B.H. Friedman published “School of New York: Some Younger Artists,” a selection of 11 artists of the period with varied approaches: Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Goodnough, Grace Hartigan,

Jasper Johns, Alfred Leslie, Joan Mitchell, Ray Parker, Robert Rauschenberg, Larry Rivers, Jon Schueler and Richard Stankiewicz. Though admirably wide-ranging, this list is hardly definitive, according to the museum. “School of New York Revisited” proposes a broader, more diverse overview, adding 12 other artists, all of whom worked and exhibited in New York in the late 1950s, often in the same shows and institutions as the artists on Mr. Friedman’s list but frequently investigated alternative ideas. They are: Peter Agostini, Ed Clark, Lois Dodd, Jean Follett, Judith Godwin, Stephen Greene,

805-988-7861 or 800-346-3781

Alex Katz, Jacob Lawrence, Jan Müller, Alfonso Ossorio, Pat Passlof and Thomas Sills.

Considering both groups together offers a capsule overview of taste in mid-20th century America and insight into how perceptions and evaluations of works of art evolve and change over time.

Admission to the lecture is free for students and Museum Circle members, $10 for SBMA members and $15 for nonmembers. Get tickets at tickets.sbma.net. email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

Carpinteria Community Awards Gala takes place April 1

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce will soon announce finalists for Junior Carpinterian of the Year, Educator of the Year, Carpinterian of the Year and Junior Carpinterian of the Year.

The finalists will be revealed at the Carpinteria Community Awards Gala from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 1 at Rincon Beach Club, 3805 Santa Claus Lane in Carpinteria.

The gala will include a social hour, dinner and awards program. Tickets are $150 and must be purchased in advance by visiting sbscchamber.com.

The occasion will honor outstanding individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the Carpinteria community.

Among the honorees are two outstanding educators who have made a significant impact on their students, colleagues and the school community as a whole.

Matthew McPherson is a special education teacher at Aliso Elementary School. He has been working in special education for seven years and has worked with students across all grade levels with a special focus on socialemotional well-being and mental health. He also serves as special education chairperson, Site Leadership Team member and CPI trainer for the district.

Jennifer Foster, a math teacher at Carpinteria Middle School, continues her legacy nearly 10 years later after being awarded Carpinteria Teacher of the Year in 2014. She is the Math Department chair and leads the math teachers in designing engaging lessons and analyzing student assessment data. Her dedication to serving students after school, supporting them in tutorials, has been exemplary, the chamber noted.

This year, three exceptional students from Carpinteria High School have been selected as finalists for the Junior Carpinterian of the Year award. The winner will be announced at the gala and will receive a $10,000 scholarship this year. The two runners-up will each receive a $3,000 scholarship. These

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1

go to centerstagetheater.org.

MARCH 25

1 to 3 p.m.: “Holly Hungett: Natural Interpretations” will open with a reception with the artist at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara’s gallery, 229 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. The exhibit will run through May 20. The gallery is open 1

scholarships are significantly more than year’s past thanks to an anonymous donor.

The first finalist is Hugo Alvarado Carmona Aldair. Hugo has been a member of Future Leaders of America since the summer of 2019, serving as president, vice president and currently treasurer. He is involved in his school community as a member of the cross country and track and field teams.He is also the president of the Robotics Club, working with other students to build a competition-worthy robot.

Aside from his involvement in various school clubs and organizations, Hugo has received recognition for his academic achievements, including taking calculus at Santa Barbara City College to better prepare himself for college, and he has received certificates of excellence in mathematics, engineering and computer science and earned the team’s highest GPA award from his school.

Hugo plans to pursue a career in computer science after finishing high school.

The second finalist, Monica Adriana Delgado, has been making a significant impact in her community through her various involvements. She has been a member of Girls Inc. of Carpinteria Eureka! program for five years, attending biweekly meetings and completing a four-week externship at FLIR Technologies, among other activities.

She has also been a member of Carpinteria Aquatics Club swim team for seven years, Carpinteria High School water polo, varsity swim team, band, yearbook and Link Crew, among other school clubs.

Monica has actively engaged in political and social causes through Junior State of America, Recycling Club, Interact Club and Aquatics Club public relations chair, among others. She has received numerous awards and honors, including California Scholarship Federation, National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar, Citrus Coast League Academic All-League and the Girls Inc. Lucile Miller Wright

to 4 p.m. Saturdays and weekdays by appointment. For more information, call the foundation at 805-965-6307 or go to www.afsb.org.

4 p.m. Actor Max McLean will perform “C.S. Lewis on Stage: Further Up & Further In” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to granadasb.org.

7:30 p.m. Opera Santa Barbara’s Chrisman Studio Artists will perform “The Light in the Piazza,” an acclaimed musical by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas, at Center Stage Theater,

Scholarship.

Stephanie Ramirez Garcia, the third finalist, has made significant contributions to her community and school. Stephanie’s community involvement includes her role as an ambassador at Cottage Hospital. At school, she is an active participant in sports and academics. She has been playing tennis since August 2019 and has served as captain, leading a beginner junior varsity team through tennis protocol and assisting the coach in setting up courts for home matches. In addition, Stephanie has been playing basketball since 2019. She is currently a science lab intern, where she prepares and helps with labs for the five different courses in the science department. Stephanie also participates in several clubs, including as the president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Spanish Club and Tennis Club. Stephanie has achieved several academic awards, including Academic All-League in tennis and basketball, Science Award, AP Scholar with Honor, President’s Award for Educational Excellence and AVID Award. She is also a Mission Scholars participant and a Leadership Representative for the class of 2023 cohort.

Stephanie has gained job experience working part time as a cashier at Padaro Beach Grill, and she has been recognized with several awards and honors, including Coach’s Award for tennis, Honorable Mention All-League in basketball and MVP in tennis.

This year’s event will also include a special recognition award for Dave Durflinger, who has served the Carpinteria community for the last 24 years as city manager. He has served on the boards for the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce, Carpinteria Children’s Project and Rotary Club of Carpinteria, and he volunteered as the Carpinteria AYSO Soccer volunteer coordinator.

For more information, contact Chelsea Weininger Chelsea@ sbscchamber.com.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to centerstagetheater.org.

MARCH 26

2:30 p.m. Opera Santa Barbara’s Chrisman Studio Artists will perform “The Light in the Piazza,” an acclaimed musical by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas, at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to centerstagetheater.org.

— Dave Mason

This is Judith Godwin’s “Series 7, No. 9” (1958), oil on canvas. She’s among the artists on a “School of New York Revisited” list.

— Marilyn McMahon

COURTESY PHOTO

Guests from the Charlotte’s Web Bookmobile will appear Tuesday at a special event at the Lompoc Public LIbrary.

Diversions

Thought for Today

“Ben Franklin may have discovered electricity- but it is the man who invented the meter who made the money.”

— Earl Warren

HOROSCOPE

By Horoscope.com

Monday, March 20, 2023

Aries: Pay attention today, Aries. There may be some unethical behavior occurring at work, and it could trigger some long-buried anger. You may have difficulty keeping your emotions in check, but you need to. Honest communication is the only way you can get through this day. Once you’ve calmed down, you might want to approach the person who’s behaving irresponsibly.

Taurus: Check and double-check any information that comes your way today, Taurus. There’s deception and discontent in the air, which is an unfortunate combination under any circumstances. Research before you judge. Gossip is likely to fly around the office. Run for cover when necessary.

Gemini: Don’t take your bank or portfolio statement at face value today, Gemini. Financial errors are likely. Someone may want you to see things from his or her viewpoint, which may not be based on fact. Check and double-check important figures that cross your desk. You’re the only one you can trust to truly work in your best interests.

Cancer: You won’t feel particularly social today, Cancer. You’d be happiest at home with a good book, a good meal, and no contact with the outside world. Alas, such solitude isn’t always possible. You may have to balance your need for isolation with obligations to colleagues.

Leo: All isn’t quiet at home today, Leo. There’s tension in the air. You can’t shake the feeling that someone is lying. You’re a peacemaker by nature, so your inclination is to suppress your suspicions. In this instance, your instincts are right. The person withholding information is doing it for your own good and will come to you once the situation has been resolved.

Virgo: It’s strange how past incidents can still cause such pain in the present. Today you may feel overwhelmed by memories of a particularly traumatic incident. No one is more surprised than you by your reaction. You felt sure you’d addressed this issue and put it behind you. Apparently there’s still work to be done, Virgo.

Libra: It’s apparent that

something underhanded and unethical is occurring at your job today, Libra. Co-workers could try to manipulate situations and take advantage of proprietary information to use to their own benefit. Steer clear of office politics and refrain from participating in any gossip. Trust your instincts. You know who can and who can’t be trusted.

Scorpio: Don’t trust anyone today, not even people you consider friends, Scorpio. There are indications of deception all around, especially at work. Someone may be keeping something from you or even manipulating information to his or her own advantage. Be sure to check the facts of any situation.

Sagittarius: Don’t trust anything related to money or contracts today, Sagittarius. This isn’t a good day to enter into any kind of contract, whether it’s starting an investment program, negotiating a salary, or changing banks. There’s a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding in the air.

Capricorn: This isn’t the day for contracts or legal work of any kind, Capricorn. You may think you understand everything about a document, but it’s likely you don’t. The atmosphere is ripe for misinformation and misunderstanding. You will be well served today if you keep to yourself and do your work carefully and systematically.

Aquarius: Trust your instincts regarding anyone you meet today, Aquarius. There are unethical people around, and one of them may enter your circle. Entering into legal contracts or business or personal partnerships of any kind is absolutely out of the question. Don’t even go to renew your driver’s license, as you’re likely to fail the eye exam! Stay home and save contracts and bureaucracy for another day.

Pisces: If you wake up this morning and feel glued to the bed, perhaps that’s where you should spend the day, Pisces. You’ve been working hard and long these past few weeks. It only makes sense that your body would rebel eventually. This is a day for rest and relaxation.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Monday, March 20, 2023

Suppose you order out a large pizza, and when the delivery man arrives, he offers you a second large one — plus a complimentary tin of antacid tablets — for a dollar more. Would you accept the offer?

Declarer can often take advantage of a two-for-one offer. In today’s deal, North’s jump-raise to three hearts shows game-invitational strength, and South thinks enough of his good trumps, side aces and spade singleton to bid slam. West leads the queen of diamonds, and declarer takes the ace and draws trumps. How should South continue to give himself the best chance for 12 tricks?

OVERTRICK

South can succeed if he wins either a second spade trick or a third club, but he can combine his chances. South should take the K-A of clubs.

When the queen falls, he is home (with an overtrick). If instead EastWest played low clubs, South could finesse with the queen of spades.

The correct play might cost an extra undertrick, but a 50-point investment in making a slam is worthwhile.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: K 10 7 6 3 7 5 K 8 5 2

Q 9. The dealer, at your left, opens one diamond. Your partner doubles, and the next player

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

passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s double promises opening values or more and suggests help for the unbid suits.

If you had K 10 7 6 3, K 5, 9 8 5 2,

Q 9, your hand would call for a jump to two spades, inviting game. As it is, your king of diamonds may be a worthless card for offense, so a response of one spade is enough.

South dealer

Neither side vulnerable

Local landmarks

Hunter Biden scandal plagues president

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The Hunter Biden investigation reached a new level in recent days after lawmakers announced that millions of dollars were transferred from a Chinese energy company with much of it ending up in the hands of the Biden family and associates.

Now, critics say the Hunter Biden scandal could jeopardize the president’s reelection hopes.

“The promise of Joe Biden the candidate was a return to normal. He presented himself as the kindly older guy who had seen and heard everything and would be a transition away from the tumult of Trump,” Republican strategist and Co-founder of South & Hill Strategies Colin Reed told The Center Square. “He wasn’t going to light the world on fire, but he wasn’t going to wreck the car either. The reality of Joe Biden the president has been anything but, especially as the saga of Biden Inc. continues to unfold in real time. It’s beyond clear at this point that the questions cannot simply be dismissed as fake news or politically motivated.”

In a bombshell report last week, House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said financial records show that Biden family members Hunter Biden, James Biden, Hallie Biden, and another unknown “Biden” received $1.3 million in payments from accounts related to Rob Walker, a Biden family associate.

“Questions about the intersection of money and influence sunk the presidential hopes of Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden would be wise to heed those lessons, particularly now that the latest shoe to drop involves purported payments from Chinese business interests,” Mr. Reed added.

The entire scandal developed another layer Friday when Hunter Biden filed a lawsuit against the computer repair shop owner, John Paul Mac Isaac, who handed his laptop over to law enforcement after discovering

questionable material on it and being unable to reach Hunter Biden. That lawsuit, though, confirms that the laptop did come from Hunter Biden and not from Russian disinformation efforts, as much of the media and intelligence experts asserted in 2020. Those assertions were used to clamp down on and even censor the story during the 2020 presidential election cycle, possibly affecting the outcome.

Now, the ongoing scandal has provided steady fodder for President Biden’s critics, something that is all but certain to continue if the president runs for reelection.

“The only thing Hunter Biden adds to the equation was access to his father,” U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said after the news broke. And lawmakers have shown little sign of slowing the investigation. Rep. Comer sent a letter Friday to call on John “Rob” Walker to appear for a transcribed interview.

Mr. Walker is an associate of the Biden family who the committee says was connected to bank accounts in the Biden network that received over $1 million. The committee said that “most of the payments to the Biden family came after Rob Walker received a $3 million wire from a Chinese energy company.”

“Rob Walker is a key witness in our investigation of President Biden’s involvement in his family’s business schemes,” the letter said. “After receiving a $3 million dollar payout from a Chinese energy company two months after Vice President Biden left office, Rob Walker then sent over a million dollars in incremental payments to Biden family accounts and a similar amount to another Biden family associate. These records reveal that the three parties likely all received a third of the money from China and it is unclear what services were provided in return. When speaking about dealings with the Biden family, Rob Walker once said that exposing him would ‘bury all of us, man.’ Why? The Oversight Committee has many questions for Rob Walker and we look forward to getting answers for the American people.”

New EPA regulations for safe water expected to cost municipalities billions

By ZETA CROSS THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) –

For the first time in 26 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued new guidelines for drinking water safety. Municipal utilities will be required to install expensive filtration systems to lower the amount of PFAS in water supplies.

PFAS and PFOS are a class of 14,000 chemicals that contaminate the drinking water of more than 200 million Americans. The chemicals are used in a wide variety of products, from non-stick pans and stain-resistant treatments for clothing and furniture to semiconductor coatings and firefighting foam.

Iyala Simba, city programs director at the Illinois Environmental Council, says PFAS are miniscule chemical compounds that are impossible to see and impossible to avoid.

“Food wrappers and pizza boxes contain PFAS to make them grease-proof,” she told The Center Square.

The Illinois Environmental Council successfully lobbied for the gradual phase out of firefighting foam, which contains heavy concentrations of PFAS. The chemical compounds are known as “forever chemicals” because they never break down. PFAS are linked to cancer, kidney disease, liver problems and birth defects.

“This is an issue that we are going to be dealing with for decades, if not hundreds of years because of how these chemicals are set up. They are not meant to break down,” Ms. Simba said.

In 2021, Illinois received millions of federal dollars to mitigate PFAS contamination. The new EPA drinking water guidelines are expected to cost Illinois municipalities billions of dollars.

“This is something that a lot of water treatment plants are really afraid of because they can’t begin to cover the costs,” Ms. Simba said.

Municipalities are expected to initiate lawsuits against PFAS producers, including the U.S. military, which uses firefighting foam at airports and training facilities, and chemical companies DuPont, Chemours and 3M, which use PFAS in hundreds of applications from non-stick cookware and rain gear to construction materials and packaging.

Previous guidelines for forever chemicals in drinking water were 70 parts per trillion. The EPA set 4 parts per trillion as the new guideline. Scientists say that 4ppt is a huge improvement, but they emphasize that no traceable level of forever chemicals in drinking water is “safe.”

Two Santa Barbara landmarks - the Granada Theatre, bottom, and the Old Mission - are shown in Santa Barbara on Sunday.