Santa Barbara News-Press: May 15, 2023

Big West Championships

Enterprise, reserve funds provide relief for sB

Airport, waterfront, downtown parking and other ventures are designed to be self-sustaining

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series on finances for the City of Santa Barbara government.

By NEIL HARTSTEIN

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

As the city of Santa Barbara deals with financial challenges, there’s some good news. One bright spot is that the structural deficits and budget cuts are confined to the General Fund, not the city’s Enterprise Funds.

Texas border counties issue disaster declarations after Title 42’s end

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) –

Several South Texas counties issued disaster declarations as the public health authority Title 42 came to close.

The declarations were made as large groups of people, 15,000 Venezuelans and 15,000 Haitians, arrived in the Rio Grande Valley seeking entry to the U.S. An additional 23,000 are reportedly en route to Del Rio.

In the Rio Grande Valley, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez issued a disaster declaration stating, “I received credible information from officials with Customs and Border Protection that large groups of migrants are probing our international border in search of crossing points.” He said he decided to declare an emergency “as a first step in securing all available resources.”

It follows a state disaster declaration issued by Gov. Greg Abbott on May 31, 2021, which followed the first disaster declaration filed by Kinney County on April 21, 2021. Roughly 30 counties issued disaster declarations in 2021, most of which are still in effect. Abbott amended the state disaster declaration on April 21, 2023, and also issued subsequent proclamations and executive orders over the border crisis.

Judge Cortez issued the emergency citing a Mexican government estimate that roughly 10,000 people are camped directly across from the border county in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, waiting to cross.

“A surge in migrant crossings is a significant public safety

Please see BORDER on A4

MORE INSIDE

For more on the situation at the southern border, please see A3.

“The city has multiple Enterprise Funds that operate more like a business,” Finance Director Keith DeMartini told the NewsPress.

“None of the Enterprise Funds rely on any General Fund money,” he said. “They are set up to be self-sustaining and must generate enough revenue to cover their operating and capital expenses. The major enterprises include solid waste, water, wastewater, downtown parking, clean energy, airport, golf and the waterfront.

“All of these funds have a similar reserve

requirement as the General Fund,” Mr. DeMartini said. “However, there are additional reserve requirements of most of these funds due to the intensive capital investment required to keep these functions running properly and maintained.

“Overall, most enterprises are in good fiscal health and have adequate reserves.”

That’s not to say the Enterprise Funds don’t face similar fiscal and budgetary challenges as the General Fund.

“The waterfront and downtown parking, in particular, were impacted with lower

tourism and visitor activities during COVID and lost revenue,” Mr. DeMartini said. In addition, “it has become increasingly expensive to insure the assets and properties in these enterprises as well as purchase materials, supplies and services required to run these programs effectively.

“And the recent storms required the waterfront, in particular, to dip into a significant amount of reserves to prevent further storm-related damages from occurring and ensure adequate clean-up activities.”

“With exercising a great deal of fiscal management, the city (of Santa Barbara) made it through each economic event and has committed to replenishing reserves when they’ve been used,” said Finance Director Keith DeMartini. Please see BUDGET on A4

COURTESY PHOTO

Miles for Moms

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

An arrest warrant has been issued for the second of two men charged with stealing catalytic converters in Buellton in March after he skipped out on his court case last week.

Bryan Arciniega, 32, of Los Angeles, was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday to set a date for his preliminary hearing but failed to show up, Deputy District Attorney Nicholas Harmon told the News-Press.

“Mr. Arciniega had been out on a bail bond,” the prosecutor said. “He failed to appear for the hearing on his case, and so the bond was forfeited and a warrant was issued. The case against him will remain open pending his arrest on the warrant. I can’t say when that will be.”

The defendant was facing charges of conspiracy to commit grand theft of personal property and receiving stolen property, both felonies. He also was charged with bringing or sending drugs into the Main Jail in Santa Barbara, another felony.

He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.

Prosecutors allege that he and Nathanael Santiago Reyes, 27, of El Monte, collected gloves, a hydraulic jack and multiple reciprocating saws with metal blades, drove to the Santa Ynez Valley, identified victim vehicles and used tools to access catalytic converters. The stolen catalytic converters had a value exceeding $950.

Mr. Reyes originally pleaded not guilty as well, but later changed his mind, pleading no contest to charges of receiving stolen property and evading a pursuing police officer, both felonies. He was subsequently sentenced to two years in state prison.

The two men were arrested on March 5 after deputies responded around 5 a.m. to the 500 block of Sertoma Way in Buellton for a report of thefts of catalytic converters in progress.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Participants take part in the Miles for Moms 5K Walk/Run at the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital on Saturday.

Revised budget includes proposal for flood protection in California

By RIA ROEUCK JOSEPH

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - In the presentation of the newly revised California 2023-24 budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced a Flood Protection proposal of $492 million. It was one of several changes made, and presented on Friday. The flood package includes

$290 million of new investment above the $202 million presented in January and is part of the larger $48 billion in climate commitment. The funding items included:

• $125 million flood contingency/ covered by a shift of funds from drought allocations;

• $75 million flood control subventions;

• $40 million San Joaquin flood plain investments;

• $25 million Small Agriculture business relief;

Lompoc police administer Narcan for first time

LOMPOC – For the first time ever, Lompoc police used Narcan to revive someone who had overdosed on opioids.

Police dispatch received a call Thursday from a concerned citizen about a woman who was slumped over in the passenger seat of a parked vehicle.

Officers responded to the 1500 block of North H Street where

• $25 million unanticipated emergency needs.

“This is not a novel strategy in terms of recognizing the acuity of the challenges but we do recognize the immediacy situationally of some of them including the Corcoran Levee,” Gov. Newsom stated as he spoke about flood protection funding.

The Corcoran Levee in Kings County has been slowly sinking. During periods of drought when there isn’t enough river water or state supplied water, groundwater is used by farmers and this has resulted in the ground sinking 4 feet since its last repair in 2017. The estimated fix this time is $17 million to $20 million to raise the levee from 188 feet to 192 feet. Funds will be disbursed from the $75 million budgeted for flood control projects.

The state’s funding comes with criteria that have to be met by the local

they located the vehicle and the woman. She was unresponsive to officers’ attempts to wake her and appeared to have very shallow breathing. Her pulse was also slowed.

Officers called for medical personnel to respond while they monitored the woman. Soon after, her pulse lowered even more and her breathing was almost unnoticeable.

Lompoc Police Department personnel were recently trained on when and how to administer Narcan, along with identifying the symptoms of a subject

government.

“Our investments must match this reality of climate-driven extremes. We’re committing even more resources to support communities up and down the state as they continue responding to the impacts of this year’s storms, ” Gov. Newsom said.

In March, following a spate of atmospheric rivers, Gov. Newsom signed an executive order that made it easier to capture floodwater to recharge groundwater. Regulations for diverting flood stage water without permits were temporarily lifted. The budget proposal on May 12 proposed to codify the provisions of the executive order by setting clear conditions for diverting flood waters without a permit or affecting water rights. This would simplify groundwater recharge.

Gov. Newsom noted, “California is

facing unprecedented weather whiplash

– we just experienced the driest three years on record, and now we’re dealing with historic flooding.”

The Corcoran Levee project is crucial to the surrounding communities in the Tulare Basin as one of many preparations for flood response plans in anticipation of melting snow packs.

The new budget increases the budget shortfall to $31.8 billion.

Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, Vice Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s 20232024 $306 billion state budget which he released today during his May Revise announcement:

“We applaud the governor’s restraint in not depleting the reserves, but would offer quite a different set of priorities to meet the needs of the state. Our caucus looks

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

experiencing an opioid overdose.

They have also been provided Narcan kits which are kept in each patrol unit. Narcan or Naloxone is a medicine that reverses an opioid overdose.

Officers administered a dose of Narcan and within 30 seconds noticed the woman’s breathing improved dramatically.

A second dose was provided as medical personnel were arriving on scene.

She was later transported to the Lompoc Valley Medical Center

emergency room.

This is the first noted use of Narcan by the Lompoc Police Department.

– Neil Hartstein

Suspect sought in stabbing

SANTA MARIA – Santa Maria Police responded to a stabbing in the 200 block of E. Tunnell on May 6 at about 2:15 a.m., police said Friday. The victim sustained several

Ameal with mom

forward to the opportunity to work with the governor and legislative colleagues on a sustainable budget plan.”

Throughout the presentation Gov. Newsom reiterated that California uses a progressive tax system to maintain programs and address the deficit. He opened his presentation with this explanation of the system:

“To use one time surpluses disproportionately for one time programs, the work we have done to reconcile the fact that we are a progressive state, every way, shape or form including a progressive tax system and as a consequence of that progressivity where roughly one half of the residents in this state, or at least one half of the revenue that we receive in this state, through personal income tax, comes from 1% of the population. We recognize the nature of volatility.”

stab wounds during the incident, police said.

During the course of the investigation, Eddie Ray Dominguez, 35, was identified as the suspect. Santa Maria Police Department Detective Bureau is asking for assistance in locating Mr. Dominguez. He is considered dangerous. Please do not attempt

to apprehend. If you have any information regarding his location please contact Santa Maria Police Department (805) 928-3781 X2277. Any other information regarding this incident please contact Detective Hesch, (805) 928-3781 X1349.

– Neil Hartstein

Families celebrate Mother’s Day with brunch at the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach at Arroyo Burro Beach County Park in Santa Barbara on Sunday.

Classified 805-564-5247

Voices/editorial

COPYRIGHT ©2023 SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS

All rights are reserved on material produced by the News-Press, including stories, photos, graphics, maps and advertising. News-Press material is the property of Ampersand Publishing LLC.

vacationholds@newspress.com

cancellations@newspress.com

Mail delivery of the News-Press is available in most of Santa Barbara County. If you do not receive your paper Monday through Saturday, please call our Circulation Department. The Circulation Department is open Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. to noon.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Mail delivery in Santa Barbara County:

$5.08 per week includes sales tax, daily, and the Weekend edition. Holidays only, $3.85 per week includes sales tax. Single-copy price of 75 cents daily and $2 Weekend edition includes sales tax at vending racks. Tax may be added to copies puchased elsewhere. www.newspress.com Newspress.com is a local virtual community network providing information about Santa Barbara, in addition to the online edition of the News-Press.

VOL. 167 NO.

Paxton sues Homeland Security over border policy as judge grants Florida restraining order

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – On May 12, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Department of Homeland Security over its plan to release foreign nationals en masse into the U.S. without a court date to appear in immigration court.

The parole policy implemented by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has existed in several variations for nearly two years. It, and the policy of “catch and release,” was ruled to be illegal by a federal judge in a lawsuit brought against DHS by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody on March 8.

On May 10, Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz announced the agency was implementing a similar parole policy under a new name, prompting Ms. Moody to sue again on May 11. She also asked the court to halt the program. The court did, on the same day, issuing a temporary restraining order for 14 days. A hearing is scheduled for May 19.

On May 12, Mr. Paxton sued over the same policy in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas Victoria Division. He also asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order.

“There are no words that can fully describe the unmitigated catastrophe that Joe Biden has created on our southern border,” Mr.

Paxton said. “What we are watching in real time is the systematic, deliberate, and intentional destruction of American border security. There’s simply no other explanation for what Biden is doing.

“As the number of daily border crossings hits record highs and Title 42 expires, the Biden Administration has announced they will release thousands of illegal immigrants every day — without even requiring a court date. To any reasonable American, this is insanity.

Biden’s effort to subject Texas communities to the costs and chaos of unending, out-of-control illegal immigration will not go unchallenged, and we’re taking him to court to stop this unlawful policy.”

Instead of giving some illegal foreign nationals a court date to appear before an immigration judge before they are released into the U.S., the policy requires them to only provide a mailing address and promise to appear at an ICE facility within 60 days. When they arrive at the ICE facility at an unknown date is when they can request an immigration court date, according to the policy.

The 60-day deadline isn’t set in stone and illegal foreign nationals don’t have to appear in person. The time frame can be longer than 60 days and they can request a court date by mail, according to the policy.

However, some foreign nationals released into the U.S. are being given court dates for

2026 and later, The Center Square previously reported.

DHS is expected to fight the lawsuit as it has in the Florida case.

However, the federal judge in Florida hasn’t accepted any of the Biden administration’s arguments at face value.

He’s argued the administration’s policies “were akin to posting a flashing ‘Come In, We’re Open’ sign on the southern border.” The administration’s argument that they have to release people into the U.S. instead of process them for removal, he said, is “like a child who kills his parents and then seeks pity for being an orphan.”

He said it was “hard to take Defendants’ claim that they had to release more aliens into the country because of limited detention capacity seriously when they have elected not to use one of the tools provided by Congress in §1225(b)(2)(C) and they have continued to ask for less detention capacity in furtherance of their prioritization of ‘alternatives to detention’ over actual detention.”

The lawsuits were filed as a record number of people from over 171 countries have poured through the southern border as the public health authority Title 42 came to a close on May 11, and as Texas counties and cities, and cities like Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., and others, have declared a state of emergency in response to the border crisis.

UCSB track and field wrap up Big West Championships

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

The UCSB track and field teams competed in the final day of The Big West Championships hosted by Cal State Fullerton. After two days of competition, three Gauchos are coming home champions while 12 others made it on the podium.

Malia Benson was the first Gaucho to grab the gold. She came out strong, earning the championship on her very first throw. She came out with a throw of 50.08 meters and followed that up with a mark of 49.62 meters. The athlete that finished second only threw 47.60 meters, giving Benson the two best throws of the day.

“In the javelin, Malia won the meet on her first throw,” said Director of Track and Field Cody Fleming. “In just her first year ever throwing, she has stepped up and met every challenge. She was over 50 meters for the second meet this season. We’re just scratching the surface on what she’s capable of doing in the sport. Her arm talent is unbelievable.”

Ethan Godsey was the next Gaucho to make his way to the top of the podium as he was crowned The Big West Champion in the 5,000. The freshman from Agoura Hills kept a steady pace, running in the middle of the pack to start the race. Once it came down to the final five laps, that’s when Godsey made his move. He pushed his way to the front of the line, eventually earning the first-place spot by the time the last lap came around. As Michael Phillips attempted to pass him, Godsey just picked up the pace, coming across the finish line with a time of 14:51.12.

“I was so impressed with Ethan,” Fleming said. “We wanted to give him a chance to go after the 5K and he stepped into the moment. For a true freshman to win this event; it’s unprecedented. He was in position with one lap to go and dropped a jaw dropping 58-second last lap.”

Leon Gillis is the final Gaucho to make it to the podium as he hit a mark of 2.14 meters in the high

By the end of the meet, the men’s team finished in fourth place with a total of 90 points while the women finished in fifth with 85 points.

jump, which equates to 7 and a quarter feet. Gillis did not participate in the first two heights as he joined the competition at 1.96 meters, or 6-feet-5-inches. He cleared that and the next height on his first attempt before missing his first attempt at 6-feet-9-inches. Gillis went back, cleared it and then went on to clear two more heights in just one attempt, winning him The Big West title.

“Leon was on a different level,” Fleming said. “The 4x4’s were going on and the curve was packed with fans and athletes. It was perfect to have the high jump next to it all. Leon fed off the energy and jumped over 7 feet for the first time in his career.”

Along with those Gauchos, there were seven others who made it onto the podium today. They were: Mariana Lanz in the 400 with a 55.27, Madelyn Conte in the 400 hurdles with a 1:00.75, Tyler Holl, Brendan Fong, Justin Fong and Deonne McCrary in the 1600 relay with a time of 3:12.99, Kennedy Johnson with a mark of 12.44 meters in triple jump, and Brad Thomas with a throw of 63.66 meters.

By the end of the meet, the men’s team finished in fourth place with a total of 90 points while the women finished in fifth with 85 points. This was the final meet of the 2023 season for the Gauchos as they look to see if any of their athletes will earn a spot in the postseason.

Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB. email: sports@newspress.com

California introduces new tools in fight against addiction

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - An alliance with the national nonprofit Shatterproof, Blue Shield of California and the California Department of Health Care Services has been formed to address drug addiction and provide recovery resources.

Almost 3 million Californians have become dependent on illegal substances. The announcement by the department introduces an avenue to confidentially seek lifesaving treatment.

“Our new partnership will help all Californians find and compare addiction treatment facilities for substance use disorders so they can make informed decisions about their care,” said Director Michelle Baass.

The alliance brings new tools like the Shatterproof Treatment Atlas, a one-stop treatment resource that locates treatment centers, lists accepted insurers (including commercial and government sponsored coverage), shows payment options, discloses use of best practices, lists types

Arizona GOP calls for more aggressive response to border crisis

By CAMERON ARCAND

CONTRIBUTOR

THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) — Arizona Republicans are asking for more aggressive action on the southern border at the state and federal level, as the end of Title 42 is raising more questions than answers.

On the state level, a group of state House Republicans, Reps. Lupe Diaz, Michael Carbone, and Michele Pena, Gail Griffin, and Tim Dunn, urged Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs to make use of all the resources currently available to mitigate the crisis.

“The State of Emergency in Arizona’s border counties that former Governor Ducey declared on April 20, 2021, is still in effect and continues as long as these conditions exist,” the lawmakers wrote. “And over $240 million remains in the Border Security Fund, which the Legislature established to prevent illegal entry into the country, solidify infrastructure, and combat other harms at the border. We call upon you to take immediate action and activate all available state resources to keep our communities safe from these dangerous and unprecedented threats.”

Gov. Hobbs held a news conference earlier this week where she criticized the Biden administration but stopped short of declaring an executive order sending National Guard troops down to the border, yet said it may be on the table.

of treatment offered and documents testimonies of patient success.

Endorsed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the web-based platform is managed by Shatterproof, an non-profit with a mission to “save lives and make treatment available to everyone who needs it.”

The website helps Californians find several options for the treatment of addiction including outpatient, intensive outpatient, residential, and hospital inpatient addiction treatment.

Ms. Baass noted, “The substance use crisis is a public health threat facing the state and nation. Nearly three million Californians have a substance use disorder, but only a fraction receive treatment.”

The atlas also features an assessment tool allowing users to gauge their risk and severity levels and make informed choices about which treatment options are best suited with some initial guidance.

Alongside the web-site, the department has introduced Unshame California to reduce the stigma that prevents

users from seeking help. The awareness campaign promotes lived experiences as a means to enlighten the public on the impact addiction can have on neighbors, friends, family members, and coworkers, reflective of California’s diverse population. The campaign will offer monthly webinars, training and resources, all aimed at reducing the stigma attached to drug addiction.

More than $450 million was invested by the department in fiscal year 2022-2023 in opioid prevention and treatment grants.

“DHCS will work with key collaborators throughout the state to implement Treatment Atlas in a way that’s responsive to the state’s needs,” said Tyler Sadwith, Deputy Director of Behavioral Health. “DHCS will also engage with key stakeholders in the state, collect and analyze data from the platform, and ensure the platform is maintained with up-to-date information.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2023-24 budget designated $97 million to confront addiction and illegal drugs.

Almost 3 million Californians have become dependent on illegal substances. The announcement by the department introduces an avenue to confidentially seek lifesaving treatment.

Meanwhile, Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin wrote a letter to President Biden directly, calling for “additional emergency resources” to help the county deal with humanitarian concerns.

“Your administration has procrastinated and failed to deliver a policy that streamlines due process, addresses security concerns, and preserves human dignity,” Mr. Galvin wrote.

“Unfortunately, for Arizona generally, and Maricopa County specifically, the federal government is needlessly creating a humanitarian issue with very real consequences for the economy and security on our communities which are still reeling from the social impact of the pandemic,” he later added.

Maricopa County does not touch the southern border, but it is the most populated county in the state. According to Fox 10 Phoenix, some NGOs will use Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as a sendoff point to get migrants to where they hope to end up.

When it comes to resources being granted, Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls asked the president to declare a national state of emergency to have more resources brought to smaller border communities like his, The Center Square reported Thursday.

Reserves expected to further decline in Fiscal Year 2024

BUDGET

Continued from Page A1

RESERVE FUNDS

The General Fund has a reserve policy target of 10% contingency reserves and 15% disaster reserves of the city’s annual operating expenditure budget. As of the end of FY2022, the General Fund had $39 million in reserve, which met the city’s reserve policy target.

“The city has strategically used reserves during the Great Recession, Thomas Fire and most recently during COVID to sustain our operations, continue to meet the needs of the community and reduce impacts to staffing,”

Mr. DeMartini said. “With exercising a great deal of fiscal management, the city made it through each economic event and has committed to replenishing reserves when they’ve been used.”

That replenishment is crucial,

he said.

Reserves are projected to be below policy target by the end of Fiscal Year 2023, and they are projected to further decline into FY24 with the use of reserves in order to balance the budget, he said.

“It is a priority to address our reserves, and through Vision 2030 (considering additional revenues and exploring program efficiencies and expenditure reductions), staff will work to ensure we meet the target reserve policy.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

MORE ON TUESDAY

This series concludes with Finance Director Keith DeMartini talking to the News-Press about the City of Santa Barbara’s future.

Reports suggest about 23,000 migrants headed toward Del Rio

BORDER

Continued from Page A1

and security concern,” he said, “including but not limited to the risk of injury or loss of life and property.”

He also said he “determined that extraordinary measures must be taken to protect all people in and coming through the county.”

Neighboring Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino also issued a disaster declaration “in response to the imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from the Border Security Disaster.”

His declaration cites the Texas declaration stating, “the surge of individuals unlawfully crossing the Texas-Mexico border posed an imminent threat of disaster for a number of Texas counties.”

He did so after the city of Brownsville issued a disaster declaration over a week ago and after 15,000 mostly Venezuelans illegally crossed into the U.S. in one week overwhelming Border Patrol in the last week of April.

Since then, RGV Sector Chief Gloria Chavez

Suspects

arrested following car, foot chase

WARRANT

Continued from Page A1

While they were on their way, a sheriff’s dispatch relayed that the suspects were seen fleeing the area in a Fiat. Deputies spotted a vehicle matching that description near McDonald’s in Buellton.

When deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspects fled, and the driver, later identified as Mr. Reyes, entered the opposing lanes of traffic, driving southbound in the northbound lanes of Highway 101, officials said.

In the interest of public safety, deputies discontinued their pursuit of the vehicle and shared the suspect and vehicle description with the California Highway Patrol, who located the vehicle further south on the 101 in the southbound lanes.

CHP tried to stop the vehicle, and the driver again entered the opposing lanes and the pursuit was terminated, officials said. Law enforcement set up a spike strip on Highway 101 near Las Varas Canyon, where officers successfully disabled the vehicle that was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes.

After a short foot pursuit, Mr. Reyes was taken into custody at 5:28 a.m.

Mr. Arciniega was successfully tracked by a sheriff’s K9 unit to his hiding place in a palm tree and apprehended at 6:30 a.m.

Deputies recovered two catalytic converters from the suspects’ vehicle. email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

reported that agents encountered 8,078 illegal foreign nationals the first weekend in May, including 16 smuggling cases. The last weekend in April, they apprehended 6,371 people, including 10 smuggling cases. And this was before the public health authority Title 42 ended May 11.

By May 9, CBP was holding in custody over 27,000 foreign nationals who’d just illegally entered the RGV in Texas from Mexico, a Border Patrol agent stationed there told The Center Square. “Of that 27,000, a little over 5,000 are processed waiting for their next phase in the process,” the agent said. “Every sector is near 150% capacity,” the agent said, referring to nine U.S. Customs and Border Protection sectors along the southwest border, five of which are in Texas.

Since then, on May 11, the agent told The Center Square that 15,000 Haitians were expected to breach the Anzalduas Bridge Port of Entry. The Army National Guard, Texas Department of Public Safety, Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations staff were all “staging” and processing had stopped. When asked what staging meant, the agent replied they were preparing for “violence.”

Further west, Del Rio is also bracing for impact. Its police department issued an alert on May 11 stating that apprehensions in one day increased from 800 to 1400, with 800 in custody. “Unconfirmed intel reports are stating that there are approximately 23,000 migrants possibly heading toward Del Rio, however, they are traveling in groups of 1,000 or less.”

These announcements came after the El Paso mayor declared a state of emergency as mostly single military age men remain homeless in its downtown streets and Texas DPS continues to combat cartel and gangrelated crime stemming from the border.

Gov. Greg Abbott deployed the Texas National Guard to the RGV and El Paso, blaming President Joe Biden for creating the crisis.

He said Texas was “being overrun by our own federal government. Texas is being undermined by our own federal government and our efforts to secure our border. It’s only Joe Biden and his open border policies that’s hindered our ability to secure the border.”

Despite this, he said, “Texas is doing more than any other state in the United States of America to defend the southern border.”

The Santa Barbara Airport is operated by the city’s Enterprise Fund and not by the General Fund.

COURTESY SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

These catalytic converters were recovered by deputies from a vehicle after a pursuit.

Life theArts

Cunning cougar

Late P-22 and wildlife advocate to be honored at Wildling Museum event

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Beth Pratt and Cougar

P-22 will be honored at Wildling Museum’s Wilderness Spirit Brunch from 11 a.m.

to 1 p.m. Sunday at Craft House at Corque, 420 Alisal Road in Solvang.

The main festivities will include presentation of the 2023 Wildling Museum’s Wilderness Spirit Award, an annual recognition of a person or group that strives to bring awareness to wilderness protection and preservation.

Ms. Pratt is California regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation, whose work aligns with the Wildling Museum’s mission of bringing art and nature together as a means of preserving wild spaces.

She has worked as a longtime advocate for California cougars,

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 5 p.m.: The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Road, has reopened its permanent mineral exhibit of rocks and crystals that is on view in the small hall off the museum’s central courtyard. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. The exhibit, which opened April 22, is included in museum admission. Members are always admitted free. For others, prices vary from $14 to $19. For more information, visit sbnature.org/ minerals.

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.

1 to 4 p.m. today and appointment on weekdays: “Holly Hungett: Natural Interpretations” is on view through May 20 at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara’s gallery, 229 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 1 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.

MAY 16

most notably Los Angeles’ famous P-22, who was euthanized last December after living for more than a decade in Griffith Park.

Ms. Pratt initiated the Save L.A. Cougars campaign effort to build a southern California wildlife crossing across Highway 101, resulting in the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills, currently under construction with an anticipated 2025 completion date.

The crossing, which broke ground on Earth Day, April 22, 2022, is the largest wildlife crossing of its kind in the world and will help save a population of mountain lions from extinction.

“I am very excited that the Wildling Museum is honoring Beth Pratt with this year’s Wilderness Spirit Award,” said Kevin Patterson, Wildling Museum board president. “Beth was instrumental in bringing the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the largest in

FYI

The Wildling Museum’s Wilderness Spirit Brunch will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at Craft House at Corque, 420 Alisal Road in Solvang. General admission is $150, and VIP admission is $250. Registration is required in advance. For more information, call 805-686-8315 or visit www.wildlingmuseum.org/ news/2023-wilderness-spirit-brunch.

the world when completed, to fruition. Her energy and breadth of knowledge are truly inspiring.”

A lifelong advocate for wildlife, Ms. Pratt has worked in environmental leadership roles for more than 25 years and in two of the country’s largest national parks: Yosemite and Yellowstone.

As the California regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation, she said,

“I have the best job in the world — advocating for the state’s remarkable wildlife,” Although most of her career has been spent in national parks, she now focuses most of her work on helping wildlife and people thrive together in cities. Her innovative conservation work has been featured by The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC World Service, “CBS This Morning,” the Los Angeles Times, Men’s Journal, The Guardian, NPR, AP News and more. Di Angelo Publications released her new book, ”I Heart Wildlife: A Guided Activity Journal for Connecting With the Wild World,” in 2020, and Heyday Books published ”When Mountain Lions are Neighbors: People and Wildlife Working It Out In California” in 2016. Her new book,”Yosemite Wildlife,” will be published by the

Yosemite Conservancy in 2024.

Ms. Pratt has also contributed essays to the books “The Nature of Yosemite: A Visual Journey” and “Inspiring Generations: 150 Years, 150 Stories in Yosemite.”

She also has given a TEDx talk about coexisting with wildlife called, “How a Lonely Cougar in Los Angeles Inspired the World,” and is featured in the documentary, “The Cat That Changed America.”

Ms. Pratt spends much of her time in Los Angeles but makes her home outside of Yosemite, “my north star,” with her five dogs, two cats and the mountain lions, bears, foxes and other wildlife that frequent her backyard.

Sunday’s event will include a pre-reception mixer with Ms. Pratt at 10:15 a.m. for VIP ticket holders before the brunch buffet and live auction.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

5 p.m.

“Ending Sexual Violence on Campus: A Holistic Approach” — a panel discussion featuring UCSB faculty, students and staff — will take place at UCSB Henley Hall. Sponsored by the Capps Forum on Ethics and Public Policy, it is free and open to the public. Panelists include Erin Khuê Ninh, associate professor and chair, Asian American Studies; Ariana Alvarez, director and Title IX officer, Office of Title IX and Sexual Harassment Policy Compliance; Cierra Sorin, PhD candidate, sociology; Leila Loose, co-chair, Students Against Sexual Assault; and Briana Miller, director, Campus Advocacy, Resources and Education. For more information, contact the Capps Center at 805-8932317 or info@cappscenter.ucsb.edu.

MAY 18

3 to 5 p.m. A recruitment reception for volunteer docents will take place at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St. The year-long training course begins each September. For more information or to attend, visit www.sbma.net/docent or contact education@sbma.net.

MAY 20 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The 37th annual California Strawberry Festival will be held from at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura. General admission is $15. For active military and their dependents with IDs and seniors 62 years and older, admission is $10, and for ages 5 to 12, admission is $8. Children 4 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.castrawberryfestival.org or upon entry to the festival.

MAY 21 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The 37th annual California Strawberry Festival will be held from at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura. General admission is $15. For active military and their dependents with IDs and seniors 62 years and older, admission is $10, and for ages 5 to 12, admission is $8. Children 4 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.castrawberryfestival.org or upon entry to the festival. 2 p.m. Free concerts take place at 2 p.m. Sundays through July 9 at Hitching Post Wines’ tasting room, 420 State Route 246, Buellton. For more information, visit hpwines.com.

JUNE 3

4 to 7 p.m. Zoo Brew, the Santa Barbara Zoo’s annual fundraiser that caters to beer and animal lovers alike, will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. with a VIP hour from 3 to 4 p.m. The zoo is at 500 Ninos Drive, Santa Barbara. General admission tickets are $75 per person and include unlimited beer tastings and one Zoo Brew 2023 commemorative tasting cup, and VIP tickets are $110. All proceeds benefit the animals at the Santa Barbara Zoo. For more information, call 805-9625339.

— Dave Mason

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

MONDAY, MAY 15, 2023

Los Angeles. At right, an auction for an Alaskan cruise and other prizes will take place during The Wildling Museum’s Wilderness Spirit Brunch.

PHOTOS COURTESY BETH PRATT

Beth Pratt, California regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation, is a longtime advocate for California cougars.

Getting things done

Why does it seem that we never have enough time to get all the things we need to get done, yet we can always make time for what we want to do? What a great trick it would be if we could convince ourselves that we actually wanted to do the things we need to do.

Often I’ll think about what’s on my to-do list for much longer than it would take to simply get the jobs done.

Eventually, I reach the point as I’m thinking about a task that I perceive as undesirable where I finally say to myself, “Let me just get it over with so I can get it out of my head.”

This form of procrastination is quite normal. We each have only so much energy, and we all need some relaxation and time to have fun. Unfortunately, life and just being human can get in the way. It’s how you handle it that can make the difference between enjoying this experience and feeling frustrated with your life.

When what you need to do becomes overwhelming, it can

Shelters

Local animal shelters and their nonprofit partners are looking for homes for pets.

For more information, go to these websites:

• Animal Services-Lompoc, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc.

• Animal Shelter Assistance Program in Goleta, asapcats.org. ASAP is kitty corner to Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter in Goleta, bunssb.org. BUNS is based at Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Companion Animal Placement

be hard to discern between what to do first and what to do next. The easiest answer to this confounding question is to do whatever is immediately in front of you. Once you complete that task, the next one will appear. The trouble is we usually ignore what’s in front of us and look for a distraction. When this happens, you must repeat to yourself, “No distractions. I need to stay on task,” then return to the job at hand.

Sometimes it’s hard to get an entire task completed in one sitting. Believe me, there have been a few columns written one paragraph at a time. It’s fine to break your challenges into bite-sized chunks, and in many cases, it will make doing the job much easier. Remember that this isn’t a race — you can’t lose by making yourself more comfortable.

Of course, when you know you have so many things to do, you may find it difficult to rest until they’re done. Trying to relax while your to-do list is spinning in your mind isn’t going to work. However, if you can get a little done now and

remind yourself that you will do more in upcoming days, you will find it easier to release the tension.

For those who are really stuck and can’t seem to move their lives in a positive direction on any level, there may be more serious issues going on. If this sounds like you or someone you care for, please consider seeking some professional help. If freezing up is related to depression, it’s important to do something about it as soon as you can. Making your life the best it can be is not for the faint of heart. It does take effort. Sometimes you have to grab yourself by the scruff of the neck and pull yourself up, so you can achieve the happiness that you most certainly deserve. It’s up to you.

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 28 million readers. He is available for video consults worldwide. Reach him at barton@bartongoldsmith.com or 818-879-9996. He has lived and practiced in Westlake Village for more than two decades. His column appears Saturdays and Mondays in the News-Press.

seek homes for pets

Assistance, lompoccapa.org and facebook.com/capaoflompoc. CAPA works regularly with Animal Services-Lompoc.

• K-9 Placement & Assistance League, k-9pals.org. K-9 PALS works regularly with Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation, sbcanimalcare. org. (The foundation works regularly with the Santa Maria Animal Center.)

• Santa Barbara County Animal Services in Goleta: countyofsb.org/ phd/animal/home.sbc.

• Santa Barbara Humane (with

Adam Licsko paintings on view at Silo 118

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Silo118 will present the work of Adam Licsko in his premier Santa Barbara exhibit from Saturday through June 30. An opening reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m at the gallery, 118 Gray St.

light and shadow, cool and warm colors, beauty and its opposite.

Mr. Licsko, who paints in oil on canvas, makes fine archival prints of some of his paintings which are available in a range of sizes. His paintings range in size from 48-to60 inches and 24-by-24 inches.

Numerous celebrities collect his work.

campuses in Goleta and Santa Maria), sbhumane.org.

• Santa Maria Animal Center, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc. The center is part of Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society/DAWG in Buellton, syvhumane.org.

• Shadow’s Fund (a pet sanctuary in Lompoc), shadowsfund.org.

• Volunteers for Inter-Valley Animals in Lompoc: vivashelter. org.

— Dave Mason

RADIO FOR HERE FROM HERE

ARE YOU TIRED OF PAYING TOO MUCH FOR GARDENING SERVICES?

Mr. Licsko, a California-based artist who also lives in Arizona part-time, has been painting professionally since 2001. His work portrays a hard-line perception of the world around him, emphasizing the contrast between

Mr. Licsko’s work is well known in both Southern and Northern California, where he has exhibited extensively. He has pieces in the following collections: Nissan, Amgen Cancer Research Institute, Seagate Technologies, Raytheon, Loyola Marymount University, Cisco Systems and State Farm.

When not painting, Mr. Licsko is an inventor, designer and published author. In 2005, after a serious back injury, he designed and received a patent for a deceptively simple device that maintains proper posture while carrying heavy or awkward loads. He worked freelance as a codesigner with George Lucas’s ILM. Mt. Licsko and his partner, Jeremy Leiber, co-created All Aspects Apparel based out of Los Angeles. email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

Santa Barbara Education Foundation brings hope to students by raising $110,000

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara Education Foundation hosted the Hope Awards on May 5 to celebrate individuals and programs supporting students in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. The annual event raised more than $110,000 in funding for the foundation to continue making a positive impact on SB Unified student outcomes. More than $55,000 of the proceeds will go toward teacher grants, which fund the purchase of much-needed, project-based supplies and tools and encourage the development of creative and innovative teaching in the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

A performance by the La Colina Junior High School Advanced Band kicked off the festivities, and culinary arts students from Santa Barbara, San Marcos and Dos Pueblos high schools served a variety of salads, savory treats and desserts. High school students Kavya Suresh and Isa Mireles served as the evening’s emcees.

More than 150 attended the 2023 Hope Awards event, which was held again this year at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum.

It also honored Abe Jahadhmy, former San Marcos High School athletic director, and state Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, for their work on behalf of local students.

Mr. Jahadhmy, who has been a coach and educator in the community for more than 35 years, began working with local youth at the Goleta Boys and Girls Club in 1975. After earning his credential, he began teaching and coaching at San Marcos High School. In 2004, he became the athletic director for SMHS, where he continued to help guide student-athletes until his recent retirement.

“There is nothing I’m more proud of in my life than being able to influence youth that I worked with to give back to the community. Whether it’s financially, volunteering or being there to have empathy for people that need support, that’s the most important thing that I could have given,” said Mr. Jahadhmy when

accepting the award.

Sen. Limón, who was born and raised in Santa Barbara, has always prioritized education and has worked continuously to serve her community as an educator, leader and advocate.

In her acceptance speech, she said, “I am someone who had incredible teachers in our schools who believed in me, who pushed harder to ensure that I would succeed. I am someone who, at the core, has the belief that investment, human investment, yields community outcomes.”

She concluded by saying, “We don’t forget, ever, the teacher who made an impact on us. And that is what tonight is about, ensuring that we give the resources to those teachers.”

Santa Barbara Education Foundation promotes private support of Santa Barbara’s public education system, serving over 12,500 students in 19 schools. For more information, visit santabarbaraeducation.org.

email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

Adam Licsko’s “Both Sides of the Fence”

Thought for Today

“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt

HOROSCOPE

By Horoscope.com

Monday, May 15, 2023

Aries: You were born with a certain grace and beauty, Aries. Today you will be able to cultivate your love for beautiful things. You may feel like trying on designer clothes or expressing your innate aesthetic sense by painting. Today your five senses will guide you with the help of your imagination and your artist’s temperament.

Taurus: You have some very urgent desires, but they remain a secret to everyone else. In solitude, you cultivate your interest in philosophy and mysticism. Today, it’s as if you’re absent from the world. Your body and actions are in the real world, but you have gone so far into yourself that it will be hard for people around you to get you out!

Gemini: Your judgment about people relies too much on general opinion, Cancer. As soon as you meet someone, you accept what others think about him or her without trying to find out more. This lack of curiosity could lead you to make a hasty decision about someone today.

Cancer: Your judgment about people relies too much on general opinion, Cancer. As soon as you meet someone, you accept what others think about him or her without trying to find out more. This lack of curiosity could lead you to make a hasty decision about someone today.

Leo: Do you have a tendency to give more weight to popular opinion than your own feelings, Leo? Maybe you only want to see movies that everyone talks about, listen to the popular music, or read best sellers. In short, your tastes are exactly like most of America’s.

Virgo: Your thoughts are leaning toward the past, Virgo. You aren’t moving backward, but you may want to get in touch with your roots in order to move into the future. You would also like to better understand of the mistakes of the past.

Libra: People can read you like a book today, Libra. Because of the current planetary positions, you’re a bit touchier than usual. Your

reactions to certain situations are written all over your face. You’re blushing and your hands are sweating and trembling. Each of your gestures reveals emotion. This would be a great time to be in love.

Scorpio: Your excellent analytical skills may not be up to par over the next few days. You seem overwhelmed by your emotions. You have a hard time hiding your feelings and processing the information you receive. Instead of trying to understand people, you tend to interpret their actions and imagine things that aren’t true.

Sagittarius: The planetary aspects invite you to explore strong expressions of feeling, Sagittarius. A declaration of love, autobiography, spiritual confession, apology, or reconciliation. All these kinds of communication bring a kind of intimate revelation. This might be what you need in order to take advantage of the powerful inspiration of the moment.

Capricorn: This is an excellent time to share your feelings with the person you love, Capricorn. It might seem a little scary to you. You’re usually a reserved person, but you may surprise yourself with the passionate declarations that reflect your happiness now. Take advantage of this, because things could change over the next few days.

Aquarius: You may feel like walking barefoot, comforting your friends, or playing with children. There’s a tenderness and openness in the air that affects everyone. It will be like a wonderful day in the country, where everyone is happy to see each other, hug, and tell old family stories for the hundredth time.

Pisces: The current planetary aspects are heightening your natural compassion for other people. Your relationships will be at the front of your mind today, Pisces. You feel good about yourself and other people can tell! People are attracted to you and wish to partake of your healing serenity. Listen without judgment as people pour out their hearts.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency Monday,May15,2023

UnluckyLouieandtheplayerwe callHarlowtheHaloarediametrically opposed.Goodluckshinesin Harlow’sfacelikegoodhealth;Louie wouldhavewonalotteryforaticket ontheTitanic.

“Theman’serrorsnevercost,” Louiegrumbles.

Inateammatch,LouieandHarlow playedat3NT,andWestledtheten ofclubs:deuce,king,ace.

“Harlowledthequeenofhearts next,”Louietoldme,“andEasttook theace!Harlowwontheclubreturn, ledahearttothetenandEast’s jack,andhad10tricks.IfEasthad correctlyduckedthequeenofhearts, theHalowouldhavebeeninserious trouble.”

BETTERPLAY

“Myplaywasbetter,”Louiesaid. “AtTrickTwoIledthethreeof heartstodummy’sten.Eastwonand returnedaclub;nodefensewould beatthecontract.Iwonandledthe queenofheartstodummy’sking, assuringanovertrick.”

IfEastletthetenofheartswin, Louiewouldleadalowheartfrom dummynext. Keepthefaith,Louie.Harlow’s luckwillrunout.

DAILYQUESTION

Youhold: AQ10 Q3 A754 AQJ6.You open

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-Saturday and on the crossword solutions page in Saturday’s Life section.

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. Everynumber 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

oneclub,yourpartnerrespondsone spade,youjumpto2NTandhebids threehearts.Whatdoyousay?

ANSWER: Noteveryonewould havebid2NTwiththishand,but that’swateroverthedam.You shouldshowyourspadesupportnow, butthecorrectcallisfourspades, suggestingstrongthree-cardsupport andslammishvalues.Youwould takeathree-spadepreferencewith J73,KJ3,AQ3,AKJ6.

Southdealer N-Svulnerable

Classified

In leading pork producing states, California’s law may alter farming

Supreme Court upholds law for state that produces 0.1% of nation’s pork

By VICTOR SKINNER THE CENTER SQUARE CONRTIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – North Carolina hog farmers could take a major hit from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Thursday that upheld a California animal cruelty law regulating pork sales in that state.

“Right now we’re still trying to digest the ruling to understand exactly what it says,” Roy Lee Lindsey, CEO of the NC Pork Council, told The Center Square. “It was a very complex opinion.” Agriculture is North Carolina’s largest industry, and the state is home to the top two hog producing counties in the country: Duplin County with nearly 2 million hogs, and Sampson County with more than 1.8 million. Bladen County is 11th nationally for hog production, while Wayne County is 17th.

Overall, North Carolina consistently ranks in the top three pork producing states at about 4.2 billion pounds annually, behind only Iowa at about 13.2 billion pounds and Minnesota at about 4.6 billion, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest producer, operates the world’s largest plant in Tar Heel – a small Bladen County community between Elizabethtown and Fayetteville. The industry has economic output of more than $10 billion for the state and 19,298 jobs, according to 2019 N.C. State University data. The Supreme Court, with a 5-4 decision that was nonpartisan, upheld a California animal cruelty law that requires pork sold in the state to come from sows raised with a minimum of 24 square feet of space.

Private Party rentals of more than 80 people would only be allowed between December 1 and April 30. No more than a total of 1,983 total guests can attend special events or rentals in a single year. Staffing for these events will follow the Policy and Procedure Statement for Special Events Staffing on file with the County to ensure adequate staff are available in the case of an emergency. If any of these limits are exceeded in any single year, the Garden shall be required to make a corresponding reduction in the applicable limit for the following year. No more than 205 people (including staff, volunteers, visitors, and guests) shall be on-site at any one time between May 1 and November 30 and no more than 255 people shall be on-site at any one time between December 1 and April 30. Staff, and their families, who reside on-site shall not be counted towards these limits. During construction, construction workers shall not count towards these limits. Attendance for individual classes and educational programs (i.e. trainings and lectures) shall comply with the maximums identified in the project description. All special events shall conclude by 9 pm, and all guests and workers

The ruling seemingly outlaws common metal enclosures used in the industry for breeding pigs for producers who want to sell pork in California, significantly reducing capacity.

“It has an impact as a whole across the country,” Mr. Lindsey said. “Its impact is not going to be limited to one state or two states, it’s going to affect all of us.”

In a prepared statement released later in the day, Mr. Lindsey added, “Hog farmers in North Carolina do not understand how the State of California should have any say in how hogs are raised in NC. Every day, hog farmers across North Carolina work to provide the proper care for OUR hogs. Just as we have for generations, our farmers will continue to work on continuous improvement – being just a little better every day – in everything we do. That includes raising animals responsibly, producing safe food, caring for the environment, caring for our employees, and investing in our communities.

“This is not a message of doom and gloom. NC hog farmers, and hog farmers across the country, are resilient. They have faced challenges before and always found a way forward. Proposition 12 is just THE latest in a long list of challenges our farmers will overcome.”

The National Pork Producers Council predicts the ruling will result in higher prices for consumers and fewer small farms.

“We are very disappointed with the Supreme Court’s opinion,” said Scott Hays, a Missouri pork producer and president of the national council. “Allowing state overreach will increase prices for consumers and drive small farms out of business, leading to more

Lawmakers to review Arizona school choice

By CAMERON ARCAND

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — A bipartisan committee in the Arizona House of Representatives will delve into how the universal Empowerment Scholarship Account funds are managed.

An ad hoc committee on the “governance and administration” of the accounts is intended to look at how the money is used while also looking at the outcomes and demographics of those who are using the new program.

According to a statement from the House, Speaker Ben Toma and Minority Leader Andres Cano agreed to establish the study committee, which is expected to have a report put together by the end of 2023.

Both Gov. Katie Hobbs and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne will also play

a role in the committee, a document from the House says.

The announcement comes both the state Legislature voted on a budget with some reluctant Democrat support, with a large reason being that the universal ESA funds were not capped.

Groups like Save Our Schools Arizona, which opposes ESAs, said that they would not support a budget that did not make major cuts to the program, The Center Square reported Tuesday.

Former Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed the ESA program into law in July 2022. The program’s intention is to give parents more opportunities to use funds originally dedicated toward per-student public school funding to help go toward charter school tuition, homeschooling, and other education-related expenses.

Oregon governor shares plans for wildfire season

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and wildfire management agency leaders provided a briefing in preparation for wildfire season, including precautionary measures the state should take.

“Wildfires will forever impact our region and much of our country. The threats will continue to grow as we grapple with hotter, drier conditions due to climate change,” Gov. Kotek said. “But we have choices in how we prepare and respond. We can create fire-adapted communities. We can develop safer and more effective responses to support fire personnel.”

Gov. Kotek and leaders from various government agencies addressed several topics.

Gov. Kotek said that drought intensity across Oregon is less severe than last year, although some areas face persistent droughts.

“Many regions have experienced a high volume of spring rain and are benefitting from a strong snowpack,” the governor’s office said.

The state will likely experience a delayed wildfire season, “given favorable winter

moisture,” according to the governor’s office.

“Wildfire prevention efforts, including public information campaigns, early fire detection, leveraging aviation and ground assets for early deployment for a safe and aggressive initial attack are all key to our success this year,” the release said.

The governor warned that eastern Oregon could face a challenging wildfire season and needs to be prepared, especially in rural areas that depend on volunteer fire services.

“There will also be competition for national resources as the west continues to grapple with more complex fire seasons,” the release said. “Oregon will continue to rely on Oregon’s Fire Mutual Aid System, which deploys local fire departments across the state to protect our communities.”

Additionally, the governor’s office said the state has invested in its wildfire protection system, and those investments will continue.

“Leveraging our statewide wildfire coordination system, utilizing technology and advanced firefighting equipment to our advantage, and taking early and aggressive action will be keys to success,” the governor’s office said.

‘Transparency wins’: WA candidates must reveal donors of money moved to new campaigns

By BRETT DAVIS THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission has unanimously voted to issue new guidance related to the transfer of surplus funds from previous campaigns to new campaigns, making such funds subject to disclosure and contribution limits in political races. The decision by the state’s campaign finance watchdog comes on the heels of several candidates declaring a run for state office up and down the ballot following Gov. Jay Inslee’s May 1 announcement that he would not be seeking an unprecedented fourth term.

“I think there’s a general sense that transparency wins,” PDC Chair Fred Jarrett said during Thursday morning’s special meeting, noting public comments skewed heavily in favor of Option 2, which requires candidates attribute funds transferred from a previous campaign to their original sources and count them toward the contributor’s limit for the new campaign.

The other choice, Option 1, would have allowed candidates, with permission from donors, to continue transferring contributions left over from a previously completed election campaign to a new campaign for a different office without attributing the funds to their sources or counting them toward the contributor’s limit for the new campaign.

The issue came to light when politically active Seattle attorney Tallman Trask asked

for clarification on the rules governing surplus accounts.

“Voters cannot access accurate information about the actual source of transferred surplus funds, and those funds are maybe effectively exempted from the otherwise applicable contribution limits,” he told the commission during the meeting. “In that the transferred surplus funds act a lot like a shell contribution. The only record voters can access do not reflect the true contributor and the hidden contributor may be able to sidestep contribution limits.”

consolidation.

“We are still evaluating the court’s full opinion to understand all the implications. NPPC will continue to fight for our nation’s pork farmers and American families against misguided regulations.”

California’s law stems from Proposition 12, approved by voters as an animal cruelty law in 2018 to allow sows room to turn around and lie down during gestation. The American Farm Bureau Federation and National Pork Producers Council challenged the law, arguing nearly all of the pork sold in California comes from hogs raised elsewhere.

The pork industry noted that nearly threequarters of farmers raise sows in pens that do not comply with the law, which could cost the industry up to $350 million.

California produces one-tenth of 1% of the nation’s pork. The Biden administration encouraged justices to side with pork producers. Justice Brett Kanvanaugh wrote within his dissent, “If one State conditions sale of a good on the use of preferred farming, manufacturing, or production practices in another State where the good was grown or made, serious questions may arise under the Import-Export Clause.”

The Humane Society of the United States was a party to the case and cheered the Supreme Court’s decision not to restrict the California law.

Kitty Block, CEO of the Humane Society, said, “It’s astonishing that pork industry leaders would waste so much time and money on fighting this common sense step to prevent products of relentless, unbearable animal suffering from being sold in California.”

McMorris Rodgers critiques Biden’s Energy Secretary on US independence from China

By TIMOTHY SCHUMANN

THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) –Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, called on Department of Energy, or DOE, Secretary Jennifer Granholm to testify before the Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee to “answer questions about how her agency plans to use its budget to implement the Biden administration’s misguided efforts to shut down American energy.” “Foundational to our lives and our future is access to affordable, reliable energy. Today, I am deeply troubled that DOE, under your leadership, has put America on a dangerous path that harms our energy security and benefits our adversaries, mainly China,” said Ms. McMorris Rodgers in her opening statement, addressing Secretary Granholm prior to testimony.

“DOE is spending hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to force an energy transition on Americans with the false promise of 100% wind, solar, and battery powered energy, the supply chains for which are basically controlled by adversarial China,” continued Ms. McMorris Rodgers in her opening statement. “At the same time, the administration is threatening to ban natural gas stoves and other home appliances that Americans rely on.”

The critique comes the day after the DOE announced $26 million in funding for a “solar and wind demonstration program [including] eight projects at 15 sites in 13 states and Puerto Rico” in which “research teams consisting of utilities, laboratories, universities, and industry will test how wind and solar plants can more reliably transmit clean energy.”

Another project, announced on the day of Ms. Granholm’s testimony, was covered in a DOE blog post titled “Making the Switch to Induction Stoves or Cooktops.” This announcement touts President Joe Biden’s Investing in America plan which “will soon allow many Americans that replace their gas or conventional electric cooktop with an induction cooktop will be eligible for rebates up to $840.”

King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn, a Republican, also weighed in on the issue, making it clear he was speaking in his capacity as a private citizen. He noted the more time-consuming process for changing the rule – as opposed to the PDC issuing new guidance – might be a better way to go at a time when several campaigns are already under way in a state where Democrats dominate.

Thursday’s decision, however, could have the most immediate impact on Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson, whose campaign moved approximately one-third of a $3.8 million surplus account into his gubernatorial campaign, according to PDC records, before the commission’s vote on Thursday.

A day after Gov. Inslee said he would not be running for reelection, Mr. Ferguson announced that he had launched an exploratory bid for governor.

The same plan that DOE Secretary Granholm trumpeted her support for via Twitter on the day of her subcommittee testimony.

Ms. McMorris Rodgers closed out her opening remarks with critiques of Secretary Granholm herself. “DOE is responsible for two of the nation’s most critical missions: maintaining our nuclear weapons and ensuring America’s energy security,” said Ms. McMorris Rodgers. “The actions taken by DOE under your leadership and the alarming comments you’ve made commending China and suggesting the U.S. follow the Chinese Communist Party’s lead have failed to reassure me that DOE’s priorities are aligned with the needs of Americans or the national and energy security interests of the United States.”