Santa Barbara News-Press: June 05, 2023

santa Maria Elks Rodeo wows sold out crowds

nEWs-PRE ss sPECiAL

Pandemonium ensues as riders entertain the crowd while trying to catch loose horses during

Elks Rodeo on Sunday.

By LIAM HIBBERT NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Long and winding lines of cowboy hats, boots and blue jeans formed day after day in the grass parking lot off US 101’s exit 167 in Santa Maria this weekend. From Thursday to Sunday the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo had sold out tickets on all event days.

Thousands of locals and traveling rodeo fans filed into the bleachers and surrounding Midway section to watch various rodeo events – everything from mutton busting (kids riding sheep) to steer wrestling (where a cowboy jumps off a moving horse onto a running steer) – and even a skydiver who parachuted in with a massive American flag.

“It’s been a great rodeo. It’s awesome, this is one of my favorite rodeos around California,” said Austin Whitmore with the booming sound of the announcer in the background. Mr. Whitmore has been a lifelong rodeo fan and is the owner of Cowboy Fresh, a cowboy clothing store. “I used to ride bulls. I don’t ride anymore but I’m still a big fan.”

One act after another wowed the crowd at the event as the sky slowly changed colors and darkened while the dirt was tossed around

Please see RODEO on A2

santa

Barbara searches for answers on homelessness

City council members consult with other cities, author of ‘San Fransicko’

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of News-Press articles this week about homelessness in Santa Barbara.

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

When the Santa Barbara City Council’s new Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness was created in April 2022, its members quickly

realized they couldn’t even begin to address the complex, seemingly unmanageable, issue by themselves.

So they turned to others, spending a year gathering information on the systems currently in place to address the problem. They talked to key city staff,

Please see HOMELESS on A3

Westmont baseball wins NAIA World Series

Warriors defeat Lewis-Clark State 7-6 to bring home title

Dog pile. National Champions. World Series Winners. Uncontainable Joy. There were high fives, there were hugs and there were tears of utter happiness.

endings. A fly ball to right at historic Harris Field was caught by Bryce McFeely for the final out and the celebration was on. Westmont won the 66th Avista NAIA World Series, defeating the hosts, Lewis-Clark State (37-18), by a score of 7-6.

A team – brothers, really - had done what they had set out to do months ago. They had to overcome many challenges and adversity. They had to adjust to a new head coach (Tyler LaTorre) and deal

Please see WORLD SERIES on A4

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

the last day of the 80th annual Santa Maria

A skydiver lands at the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo bearing a massive American flag on Sunday.

‘You’re going to laugh, you may cry, it’s everything all in one’

RODEO

and cut up by the running animals and human participants.

The event Saturday night started out with a mix of American classics – the National Anthem was sung, followed by two women who rode standing on horses dressed in red, white and blue while ‘God Bless the USA’ was pumped in over the speakers.

“There’s nothing more patriotic.

It’s the heart and soul of, not just the Central Coast, but of America. It’s about going back to our roots,” Elks Rodeo Media Director Johnna Clark told the News-Press. Mrs. Clark was dressed in a full pink and glitter western outfit, part of the event’s breast cancer awareness fundraiser. “You’re going to laugh, you may cry, it’s everything all in one.”

Right from the start, the emotional rollercoaster predicted by Mrs. Clark appeared evident. After the patriotic opening, a Christian prayer was held in which the announcer asked for Jesus to protect the riders, fans and animals for the night. People sat quietly, some bowing heads, while the announcer spoke.

Soon after, the first event began – team roping. In this event, two men held a rope connected to a horse while another tried to sneak up behind it, put a saddle on it, and ride the bucking animal around.

It was a hectic event as ropes were lost and riders bucked. One cowboy was thrown off his horse so hard he hit the ground and was knocked out on impact, which caused worry and fear throughout the stadium.

A semicircle of staffers – both on feet and in saddle – was formed to protect the unconscious cowboy from stray horses, until after several minutes he was strapped into a stretcher and carried out of the dirt, now conscious. Shortly after, event staff asked the crowd to cheer for the man and his fellow riders, before quickly starting the next event.

Other events showed a gentler side of things, such as dances led by staffers and kids dressed as cowboys who tried to ride little sheep, an event called mutton busting.

In the area that surrounded the stadium, called the Midway Section, the atmosphere was carnival-like. All the classic fairground attractions were

available – lemonade, hot dogs, a beer garden and a petting zoo – as well as rodeo-specific cowboy hat shops and gun salesmen.

For an event that just rounded off its eightieth year, the Santa

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - Farmworkers in the California counties of San Mateo, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Kern, Madera, and Merced will soon benefit from $16 million in grants announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand home ownership.

“These grants will help make the California Dream a reality for dozens of farmworkers by helping them become homeowners – and help them lay a foundation for future generations to build upon,” Gov. Newsom stated.

The San Mateo County Department of Housing which is purchasing 28 manufactured housing units for San Mateo County, will provide 10 housing units for homeownership opportunities for extremely low-income households and displaced households from dilapidated housing conditions. The other 18 units are prioritized to purchase homes for

to bring people in from throughout the state and give them the entertainment and sense of community that they keep coming back for.

survivors of the tragic Half Moon Bay farm shooting last January, which left 2 Mexican nationals and 5 Chinese immigrants dead. Most of them were married and some had children.

San Mateo County was awarded $5 million.

It is unclear how the units will be provided to spouses with children, living outside the US. The remains of both Latino victims were expected to be returned to Mexico.

“We are so grateful to Governor Newsom and the State of California for this vital influx of resources in support of our efforts to ensure that every farm working family in Half Moon Bay and San Mateo County is living with dignity in safe, healthy, and affordable housing,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller.

The California Center for Cooperative Development in Fresno County will use their grant of $5 million to help qualified low-income farmworkers purchase the sites on which their homes are located.

email: lhibbert@newspress.com

People’s Self-Help Housing will use their grant of $4,004,000 to build 16 homes for farmworker families in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County. The grant will also fund the development of 49 other low-income homes.

Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay was awarded $1,202,500 to fund a current lowincome project located in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County. The grant will assist five units with funding, under the First-time Homebuyer Mortgage Assistance Program and Technical Assistance for Self-Help Housing Grant.

In Kern, Madera, and Merced counties, Self-Help Enterprises will provide first-time homebuyer mortgage assistance to low-income farmworker families in the form of loans from their grant of $999,370.

The awards from the Department of Housing and Community Development will be disbursed through the Joe Serna, Jr. Housing Grant program which has a focus for lowincome farmworker housing.

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Maria Elks Rodeo

still manages

“It makes us so appreciative of the community that we live in,” Mrs. Clark sums up. “I think that’s what this is a reflection of.”

Continued from Page A1

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

At left, this year’s Miss Rodeo California McKensey Middleton greets spectators during the last day of the 80th annual Santa Maria Elks Rodeo on Sunday. At right, Grant Peterson competes in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Steer Wrestling event.

Participants of the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo Parade stroll down Broadway in Santa Maria on Saturday.

A young participant in the parade is carried by an appropriately-sized mount.

$16M in grants will make ‘California Dream a reality for ... farmworkers’

City consults representatives from Santa Monica, Houston

HOMELESS

Continued from Page A1

representatives from local partner agencies (both government and nonprofit) and community representatives already working on the issue.

The goal? To glean their insights and experiences from their frequent interactions with people experiencing homelessness.

And for a different perspective, they turned to District Attorney John Savrnoch to understand the justice system and its role.

But that still wasn’t enough.

Committee members decided to expand their quest for knowledge beyond the borders of Santa Barbara County, going national in their search for experts on the subject.

And they found some, including representatives from the cities of Santa Monica and Houston and national best-selling author Michael Shellenberger, and invited them to Santa Barbara to meet in person.

THE CITIES

“Santa Monica and Houston were contacted since they are cities that frequently come up when looking at innovative approaches to addressing the root causes of homelessness,”

Councilmember Eric Friedman, an Ad Hoc Committee member, told the News-Press.

“Most state and federal funding comes with strict criteria,” he said, so Santa Monica has come up with its own dedicated funding source for homeless programming “which enables it to focus resources more strategically and on local populations.”

And Houston has the Mayor’s Office for Homeless Initiatives, “which focuses on the policies that get to the root issues on homelessness.”

Some of the key takeaways from these discussions, he said, are the need to have enough shelter beds to find places to stabilize people and then work with them to find long-term supportive housing.

“They also have an independent nonprofit that manages the Continuum of Care rather than a government agency (in our case the county). The Ad hoc Committee is interested in learning more about this approach.”

THE AUTHOR

In 2021, Michael Shellenberger published the book “San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities,” a criticism of progressive social policies.

“After I and some community members read it, we had questions as to the ideas he presented,” Councilmember Friedman said. “I was able to find contact information for him, and he agreed to talk with the Ad Hoc.

“At a high level, he focuses on the need to have temporary housing to stabilize individuals and work with them to get them to accept services. Rather than placing people in permanent housing right away, he argues that

permanent housing with services needs to be a goal to work toward.

“When the Ad Hoc was formed, I thought it would be informative for us to learn more about his research … in particular in how addiction is addressed in our state and areas for improvement.”

Mr. Shellenberger, 51, has long been a controversial figure, both in politics and in his positions on hot-button issues. For example, he disagrees with most environmentalists on the impact of global warming, claiming “it’s not the end of the world.” His positions and writings on climate change and environmentalism have drawn harsh criticism from environmental scientists and academics, who call his arguments “bad science” and “inaccurate”.

He applied a similar, conservative approach in his book on homelessness, “San Fransicko.”

One book reviewer, Manhattan Institute fellow Charles Fain Lehman, summarized Mr. Shellenberger’s topic thusly: “Many major municipalities are marred by violent crime, homelessness, uncontrolled mental illness and general disorder. This all in spite of an ever-advancing cadre of progressive leaders, who promise their latest tax hike will finally target the ‘root causes’ of the breakdown.”

Another reviewer, Benjamin Schneider, writing in the San Francisco Examiner, described the book’s thesis this way: “(P)rogressives have embraced ‘victimology,’ a belief system wherein society’s downtrodden are subject to no rules or consequences for their actions. This ideology, cultivated in cities like San Francisco for decades and widely adopted over the past two years, is the key to understanding, and thus solving, our crises of homelessness, drug overdoses and crime.”

Although receiving mixed reception from writers and journalists in the popular press, critics again have assailed his positions and writings, this time on homelessness, claiming he wrongly applies conservative culture war clichés to the housing problem.

“Michael Shellenberger claims to have once been a progressive, but that the failure of so-called progressive cities (particularly San Francisco) to solve the crisis of homelessness turned him into a conservative,” Peter Dreier wrote in the April 2022 issue of the American Prospect magazine. “Now he’s become an evangelist for conservatism. ‘San Fransicko’ is his confession. He maintains that Mr. Shellenberger “distorts and misuses facts when it suits his arguments.

‘San Fransicko’ is a tirade against permissiveness — cities that allow homeless people to live and sleep on sidewalks, in parks and tent encampments in residential neighborhoods and business districts, polluting those spaces with drug needles, urine, feces, empty bottles of alcohol, and unkempt people unmoored from reality.

“Shellenberger argues that

homelessness is not primarily the result of poverty and the shortage of affordable housing. It is, he claims, really a problem of mental illness and substance abuse. He blames what he calls ‘pathological altruism’ — progressive municipal officials and do-gooders who refuse to enforce vagrancy laws that would bring order and civility to urban streets.”

Mr. Shellenberger was a Democratic candidate for California governor in 2018, placing ninth in a field of 27 candidates with 0.5% of the vote. He supported recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021 and ran as an independent candidate for governor in 2022 on a platform calling for, among other things, homelessness reform through the removal of homeless encampments and mandatory treatment for drug addiction and mental illness. He placed third in a field of 26, receiving 4.1% of the vote.

THE COMMITTEE’S FINDINGS

After gathering input from key staff, representatives from local partner agencies and the community, the district attorney and experts on homelessness, the Ad Hoc Committee set about coming up with a set of findings

and recommendations, which it presented at a special City Council meeting on May 11.

“For me, the key takeaways from the committee are improving coordination with other agencies and finding a way to provide continuous services to individuals, especially at the cross jurisdictional lines; the need for more interim housing as a priority rather than permanent housing as a first step; and a need to a local funding sources which would enable us to focus just on the individuals who are from here,” Councilmember Friedman said.

“There are also challenges with getting individuals to accept services, but those are structural at the state level and something to be advocated for in conjunction with other cities, both in the TriCounties and beyond.”

A countywide Point-In-Time Count in January conducted by the Continuum of Care determined there are 786 homeless persons living in Santa Barbara who are scattered throughout the city, including downtown, the waterfront, eastside, uptown and other areas.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

An apparent homeless campsite occupies the creek bed running underneath Hope Avenue in Santa Barbara on Thursday.

COURTESY MICHAEL SHELLENBERGER/SHELLENBERGER.ORG/SHELLENBERGER-FOR-GOVERNOR/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en Michael Shellenberger, author of “San Fransicko.”

DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO Santa Barbara City Council member Eric Friedman

California Senate passes proposal to liquidate investments in fossil fuels

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - California could soon be moving away from investing state pension funds solely for providing for the financial benefits of its public employees, to investing in institutions that match the state’s policies.

The Fossil Fuel Divestment Act (SB 252), introduced by Senator Lena A. Gonzalez in January, passed with 2310 on the senate floor on May 25. The bill now moves to the assembly for consideration.

“The bill would prohibit the boards of the Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) from making new investments or renewing existing investments of public employee retirement funds in a fossil fuel company,” the legislation stated.

SB 252 is one of three bills in the Climate Accountability Package that “align public investments with climate goals, and raise the bar on corporate action to address the climate crisis.”

“These bills leverage the power of California’s market to continue the state’s long tradition of setting the gold standard on environmental protection for the nation and the world,”

Sen. Gonzalez said “Despite these forward-thinking actions, California’s multibillion dollar retirement pension funds are actively investing billions of dollars in the very fossil fuel companies that are the primary cause of climate

change.”

If enacted, the bill would require the boards to liquidate investments in fossil fuel companies on or before July 1, 2031 and require the boards to file a report with the Legislature and the governor annually beginning February 1, 2025. The reports would include a list of fossil fuel companies from which the board has liquidated their investments.

The change follows a growing movement towards ESG investments, which looks at the environmental, social, and governance standards of a company to determine the value of investing. The company’s climate policy, how it gives back to the community it serves, its values, and its diversity in leadership can all come under consideration.

CalPERS and CalSTRS together, have the investing power of $469 billion and $327 billion, respectively. The bill uses that investment power to push businesses to climate action. CalPERS invests approximately $7.4 billion in the 200 largest fossil fuel companies.

CalSTRS invests in 174 fossil fuel companies with a combined market value of approximately $4.1 billion.

SB 252 will prohibit CalPERS and CalSTRS from making any new investments in the top 200 fossil fuel companies, and requires any current investments to be liquidated by 2031. An additional 5-year off-ramp contingency is written in, should the funds encounter specified market conditions.

“The fossil fuel era is over. Our future lies in climate-safe investments that

California Senate passes $25 minimum wage for healthcare workers

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

will protect our planet and economy,” said Sen. Gonzalez. “The Climate Accountability Package will help us achieve a fossil-free future by aligning public pension investments with our values and by empowering Californians with the information they need about the companies that are helping advance our climate goals, the ones that aren’t, and the real financial risks of fossil fuels. I am thankful to my Senate colleagues who voted in support of this bill package, and I urge members of the Assembly to help us ensure its success as it moves forward.”

The investment strategies of states appear to have been drawn along party lines instead of market values. While California is actively working to divest itself of all things fossil fuel, states like Oklahoma, North Dakota, Texas, Florida, West Virginia, Arkansas and others have shown resistance to the concept of ESG investing.

“The energy sector is crucial to Oklahoma’s economy, providing jobs for our residents and helping drive economic growth,” Oklahoma State Treasurer Todd Russ said. “It is essential for us to work with financial institutions that are focused on freemarket principles and not beholden to social goals that override their fiduciary duties.”

A state law passed last year in Oklahoma, excludes financial institutions that boycott oil and gas companies from doing business with the state. So far 13 financial institutions have been excluded from doing business with Oklahoma.

(The Center Square) - A $25 minimum wage bill for healthcare workers was passed on Wednesday in the California Senate. The partisan bill did not receive a single Republican vote in its 21-11 passage.

Authored by Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), and championed by the Service Employees International Union, the bill proposes to increase the state’s minimum wage for healthcare workers.

Healthcare workers at general acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, medical offices and clinics, behavioral health centers, dialysis clinics and residential care centers as well as as certified nursing assistants, patient aides, technicians, and food service workers, among many others can all expect a wage increase, if the bill becomes law. All paid work performed on the premises of any covered health care facility, regardless of the identity of the employer qualifies for the increase.

The proposed wage increase would be incremental at first. Starting on June 1, 2024 the minimum wage would rise to $21 per hour for one year, then increase to $25 per hour if it passes in the assembly.

A report by UC Berkeley’s Labor Center estimates an increase in operational costs at health facilities by 3% as a result of a $25 minimum wage which would elevate pay by about $5.74 for each eligible healthcare worker.

SB 525 has massive union support.

SEIU represents 2 million members in healthcare, the public sector and property services in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Last week members marched on the state Capitol, then descended on to the headquarters of the California Hospital Association and California

Pair of Warriors named to All-Tournament Team

WORLD SERIES

Continued from Page A1 with injuries. They had a rough start to the season in the first game and they had a rough first series in the conference play. However, they believed in each other and came to embrace their new coach.

“We have gone through so many ups and downs,” said senior captain Robbie Haw. “One thing we told each other is that we were going to stick together. Regardless of the decisions we would make, we would make sure the culture of Westmont would stay. That was the main thing.

“We didn’t lose anyone. It was a testament to everyone being on the same page together. Whenever there was miscommunication or frustration with what was going on, everyone was together on it. We communicated with each other and we got through it.

“It was awesome knowing that coach Ruiz wasn’t leading. He changed the entire culture. You can give him credit for this win here. He is the one that generated the culture here. He is the one that taught us how to win, how to have fun and how to be brothers. LT (LaTorre) enforced that. He didn’t try to change it or flip in on its head. He did an unreal job. It was such a joy to be a part of seeing both those guys coach.”

“We fought,” said senior pitcher Chase Goddard of the Warrior’s perseverance throughout the season. “We were getting poor rankings and we just fought and kept fighting. I don’t know how many runs we have scored in the eighth (67), but it goes to show how tough and gritty these guys are.”

“To be able to do what we just did with a brand new head coach who came in wanting to win was incredible,” expressed the team’s other senior captain, Paul Mezurashi. “I think it speaks to the character and to the future of this team. As seniors, we were left with one job – to keep the legacy and make sure the standard is still set high. I think we were able to do that.

“It started with the guys who came before – guys like Toby Dunlap, Grant Gardner, Travis Vander Molen, Drew Bayard and Sean Coyne. They set the standard for me and all of us. This is a credit to them as well.”

In the game, Lewis-Clark State got on the board first when Isaiah Thomas led off the second with a home run over the left field fence.

Westmont did not let the Idahoan Warriors lead for long. In the bottom of the second, McFeely led off with a single to center field. Parker O’Neil reached on a throwing error that allowed McFeely to take third and O’Neil to occupy second. One out later, Liam Critchett knocked a two-RBI single up the middle to put the Warriors from Montecito in front 2-1.

After Brady Renck tripled off the left-center field fence to start off the bottom of the third inning, Ryan DeSaegher singled through the left side to bring Renck home and increase the Warrior lead to 3-1.

Westmont added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Haw walked with one away, then gained second on a single to right by Renck. DeSaegher’s ground ball to second produced another error by LC State that plated Haw and gave the Warriors runners at first and second. McFeely furthered Westmont’s cause with a single through the left side, making the score 5-1.

The game took a turn in the top of the fifth when LC State’s Charlie Updegrave delivered a three-run home run to left field, drawing the Lewiston-based Warriors to within one.

Chase Goddard, who had started the game for Westmont on just three day’s rest, struck out the next two batters to end the inning, then left the game with a 5-4 lead.

“I started to get tired on short rest for the first time, but I felt good and I wanted to get us a win,” said Goddard, who allowed four runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked just one.”

In the top of the sixth, Aiden Holly took the mound for the Warriors. A single, a walk and a wild pitch gave LC State runners on second and third with one out. However, like Goddard, Holly struck out of the next two batters to get out of the jam. Altogether, Westmont pitchers struck out 11 batters.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, McFeely looked to have grounded into the final out of the inning when he hit a bouncing ball back to LC State’s pitcher, Drake George. George fielded the ball, but his throw to first was errant, allowing McFeely to reach third. The ball was retrieved by Updegrave, but his throw back into the infield was also misdirected and allowed McFeely to score.

Up 6-4, in the top of the seventh, Westmont found itself dealing with some traffic on the bases. With two outs, senior Gabe Arteaga was called upon to pitch for the Warriors. The threat appeared to be over when Pu’ukani De Sa popped the ball up. However, the ball disappeared into the twilight sky and fell into the infield for a single while one run scored. A second run crossed the plate on a Warrior error before Joe Canty grounded out to third to end the inning with the score tied at six.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the eighth. With Haw on first – the result of an error – and two away, Lewis-Clark elected to intentionally walk Ryan DeSaegher.

That brought up McFeely who earned a seven-pitch walk, loading the bases. Parker O’Neil stepped to the plate and watched two pitches go by – both balls. On the third pitch, O’Neil swung, but fouled the ball out of play.

O’Neil took two more pitches outside of the strike zone and found himself trotting to first base with an RBI as Haw crossed the plate to put the Warrior up 7-6.

Now with a one-run lead, Arteaga headed back to the mound for the top of the ninth. After striking out the first batter, Arteaga walked Sa. Then, Arteaga coaxed Jakob Marquez into flying out to center, putting the national championship just one out away. On the second pitch to Leo Rivera, popped up the ball to right field.

“I feel like every big, last out goes to McFeely,” said Arteaga. “So, once it went to the right side, I knew it was over. I knew Feely had it.”

Indeed he did. Cue We Are the Champions.

“I couldn’t believe that was the moment,” said Haw of the final out. “Pure joy and happiness.”

“We did it,” was Goddard’s first reaction. “It’s awesome. It’s a great feeling.”

Arteaga was awarded the win – his third of the year against one loss. He pitched two and one-third scoreless innings, giving up two hits (including the one lost in the sky), struck out two and walked one.

“I knew I had to fill up the zone and that my defense was helping me out,” said Arteaga.

“We have had solid guys behind us all year. It gave the staff confidence all year to go out

there and fill up the strike zone.”

Following the game, an emotional LaTorre was filled with gratitude for his first season at Westmont. “There are many people that are a part of this – the president of the school, Dr. Beebe, our athletic director and former head coach Robert Ruiz, and the whole athletic department. The journey of this team was set forth years ago. Robert Ruiz was brought in to save the program and he did that, getting us to Lewiston last year.

“Players came back this year with a new head coach. None of our guys left. None of them wanted to transfer anywhere else. Elijah Ontiveros, our assistant coach, communicated with them and they trusted in him when he told them about who was coming in.

“I am truly indebted to Elijah and Robert Ruiz and Dave Odell and our entire athletic department for pushing me to be the best coach I could be. I am so humbled to be a part of this athletic department.

“It is a community. This group of players are not alone. At Westmont they are not alone. They have faith in something greater than themselves. They have family members that push them to go on their journey and their faith walk. That shows on the field. Our guys have faith. Even if we had lost on the field, our guys have faith. That is the Westmont Way. It is balanced - it is school, it is spiritual, it is social and it is athletics. These guys are not just playing baseball, they are playing for something bigger.”

That something bigger was expressed by Arteaga, who will be the pitching coach at Santa Barbara High School next year. “These guys changed who I am on and off the field. It changed my life.”

“Nine months ago, my life changed when I got the opportunity to coach here,” said La Torre. “Not only for myself, but for my family. Moving to the Santa Barbara area changed my life, my perspective and the way I coach. It’s all for these players. I’ll do anything for these guys and I know they will do the same for me. They never lost belief in anything we were trying to do. It means the world.”

The Warriors beat five of the tournament’s 10 teams, going 5-1 in Lewiston. When added to the GSAC Tournament and the Opening Round Tournament victories, Westmont went an impressive 11-1 in postseason play. By winning 48 games, the Warriors set a new program record, exceeding the previous record, set just last year, by three.

In a postgame award ceremony, two Warriors were named to the All-Tournament Team. DeSaegher, who hit .375 (9 of 24) over six games and drove in 11 runs, was named as the All-Tournament third baseman.

Lucien Wechsberg, who made three appearances, was named as a pitcher to the All-Tournament team. Wechsberg pitched five and two-third innings and recorded two saves. He did not allow a run and surrendered just five hits. He struck out seven and did not permit a walk.

With the final out, Westmont ended its more than seven-decade sojourn with the NAIA by claiming its 10th national championship. It is the first national championship for baseball and the first by a men’s team in 51 years. The only previous men’s team to win a national title was men’s soccer in 1972.

Eight women’s teams have claimed the NAIA’s red banner: women’s soccer five times (1985, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003), women’s basketball twice (2013, 2021) and women’s tennis once (1982).

Primary Care Association to demand a $25 minimum wage for healthcare workers.

“This bill imposes a top-down wage increase for all healthcare workers that does not account for the current economics of health care or the unique circumstances of health care providers in local communities in a state as large and diverse as California. SB 525 will in fact reduce access to medical services, increase health care costs, and diminish health care employment opportunities,” Rony Berdugo, Vice President, State Advocacy for the hospital association said in a letter to the Senate appropriations committee in April.

A study by the California Hospital Association estimates that the total annual increase in cost to the health care system will be about $8 billion beginning in 2024, rising to $11.3 billion (in constant 2024 dollars) by 2030.

“This comes at a time when California hospitals continue to grapple with an unprecedented financial crisis, and patients are already seeing a degradation in their access to health care services,” said Carmela Coyle, President & CEO, California Hospital Association, Sacramento.

The group is part of a broad coalition opposing this bill.

Hospitals in California experienced staffing shortages pre-Covid and the pandemic pushed many healthcare workers to exhaustion, further exacerbating the situation. Then, the state mandated vaccine requirement resulted in more nurses leaving the profession further straining understaffed hospitals. One in five hospitals in California risk closure according to the Kaufman Hall report. The state’s hospitals have suffered a financial loss in excess of $20 billion over the past three years, despite federal Covid relief funds.

Life theArts

‘At the Edge’

New exhibit graces gallery at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

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.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The James Castle exhibit is on display at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Admission is free from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. For more information, see sbma.net.

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.

JUNE 7

6 to 8 p.m. The Wharf Merchants Association is continuing its free concert series, now held on the first Wednesday of each month through October, at Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara. The June 7 concert will will feature live music by Do No Harm. Do No Harm is a five-piece, multi-genre, Santa Barbara band, playing rock, R&B, soul, Motown, disco, blues, Latin, country and jazz hits. Other bands in the series will be: Double Wide Kings on July 5, Tequila Mockingbird on Aug. 2, The Academy on Sept. 6 and Down Mountain Lights on Oct. 4.

JUNE 9

6 to 7:30 p.m. The Pearl Chase Society’s Kellam de Forest Speaker Series will continue at the Carrillo Recreation Center.

100 E. Carrillo St., Santa Barbara.

This is the third installment in the series. Author and editor Douglas Woods will discuss the transformation of Santa Barbara’s architecture following the great earthquake of 1925 to a model Spanish Revival-style city. For more information or to make a reservation, call 805-403-7053.

JUNE 10 2 p.m. Chaucer’s Books will host Miss Angel for its Read With Pride event.

By JULIA MCHUGH

‘At the Edge,” a new exhibit now on view at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s Pritzlaff Conservation Center Gallery, goes to the frontlines of the garden’s conservation work on the Channel Islands to present graphic and photographic stories from two of their ongoing research projects.

One section profiles the 30-yearlong effort to rescue island mallow, a shrub native only to the Channel Islands, from certain extinction.

The other illustrates a study that uses DNA meta-barcoding of the diets of island foxes.

“At the Edge” is on view in the Garden’s Pritzlaff Conservation Center Gallery daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through July 30.

Admission is free with garden admission, but reservations for admission are required and can be made by visiting www. sbbotanicgarden.org/visit/hoursreservations.

“This exhibit is a wonderful look at a side of the garden many

don’t yet realize exists,” said Kevin Spracher, the Garden’s interpretation and exhibitions curator. “It showcases two incredible conservation projects on the Channel Islands led by our team, which is just a fraction of the work we’re doing to conserve native plants and habitats here in Santa Barbara and across California. We hope they inspire everyone who visits.”

ISLAND MALLOW RESTORATION

A wall-sized map shows the Channel Islands to scale and their arrangement in the Channel. Photos from each island are juxtaposed, showing how they change from northmost Tuqan (San Miguel Island) to Kiinkepar (San Clemente Island) in the south. On a clear day, three of the islands — Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel — are visible from outside the Gallery. The island mallow (Malva assurgentiflora) would have gone extinct if not for the collection and restoration efforts of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, National Park Service and others. The effort spanned more than 30

FYI

“At the Edge” is on display through July 30 at the Pritzlaff Conservation Center Gallery at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara. Due to the garden’s limited parking and increased visitation, advance reservations are required for nonmembers and recommended for Garden members. Each reservation ensures entry and includes parking for one vehicle. Carpooling is advised. Garden hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last reservation at 4 p.m. Reservations are available by specific date and time at www. sbbotanicgarden.org/visit/hoursreservations.

years, starting in 1992 when Steve Junak, the garden’s Clifton Smith Herbarium curator, collected seeds from the dwindling population on ’Anyapax (Anacapa Island). Island mallow then vanished from the island, a victim of human activities such as ranching and overgrazing by sheep and cattle. Dots on the wall map mark the areas of current garden restoration

efforts, including the recovery of island mallow on ’Anyapax (Anacapa Island). Future island mallow plantings are planned on additional islands.

ISLAND FOX SCAT

Scientists study animal diets by analyzing undigested remains in scats (known to non-scientists as “poking through poop”). Called morphological analysis, this method is time-consuming and imprecise. Though some parts of what an animal eats remain intact as they pass through the digestive tract, many foods are softer and leave no trace after digestion.

Recent advances in DNA analysis now allows researchers to get a better idea of what animals eat. This has proved useful for garden researchers studying the islands’ top predator, the island fox, that are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter.

In spring 2019, the garden’s Invertebrate Field Team gathered 63 scats across five sites on Kiinkepar (San Clemente Island) for DNA meta-barcoding analysis. The exhibit features a visual representation of the meta-

barcoding process and a collage of high quality, close-up images of what was found in the scat, including a surprising number of native plants.

CHANNEL ISLAND NAMES IN THE EXHIBIT

The original island names used by Native peoples are used throughout the exhibit. There is little consensus on the spellings of these names, so the curators consulted a variety of scholars and sources in order to make accurate and consistent choices.

• ’Anyapax (Chumash, Anacapa Island).

• Limuw (Chumash, Santa Cruz Island).

• Wima (Chumash, Santa Rosa Island).

•Tuqan (Chumash, San Miguel Island).

• Xaraashnga (Gabrieleno/ Tongva, San Nicolas Island).

• Pimu or Pimugna (Gabrieleno/ Tongva, Santa Catalina Island).

• ’Ichunash (Gabrieleno/Tongva, Santa Barbara Island).

• Kiinkepar (Gabrieleno/Tongva, San Clemente Island).

email: dmason@newspress.com

There will be a story time reading of “Julian is a Mermaid” as well as other select children’s books at 2 p.m. June 10 at the store, 3321 State St., Santa Barbara. “Julian is a Mermaid” is a picture book written and illustrated by Jessica Love and was the 2019 winner of the Stonewall Book Award. For more information, visit www. chaucersbooks.co

7 p.m. A concert will feature South of Linden, The Vonettes, Ron Solorzano of Mestizo and The Youngsters at Alcazar Theatre, 4916 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria. Cost is $15 for general admission. You can buy two tickets for $25 at https://www.thealcazar.org/ calendar/11838-south-of-lindenfirends.

JUNE 15

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony and vocalist Tony DeSare will perform Frank Sinatra’s hits at The Granada, 1214 State St. Tickets for “An Evening with Sinatra” can be purchased at granadasb.org.

— Dave Mason

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2023

REPRESENTATIVE OF SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

PHOTOS COURTESY SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

At left, this is a collage of images related to “At the Edge.” At right, the island fox is featured in the “At the Edge” exhibit.

DENISE KNAPP PHOTO

This photo of Catalina Island is part of “At the Edge,” a new exhibit at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

Foundation golf tourney raises

$95,000 for rehab equipment

LOMPOC — Vandenbug Village Hospital District Foundation raised $95,000 with its 2023 Flower Valley Golf Classic tournament in May, its 32nd year hosting.

The event was at the Mission Club in Vandenberg Village and involved 144 golfers, including Erica Culwell, Sara Grummere, Marc Wilkerson and Alex Bein — the 1st Low Net Team winners.

Darren Savella won the Longest

Drive award and John Gutierrez won the Straightest Drive. The Low Gross Team consisted of Rick Chavez, Howard Hall, Andrew Jones and Dale Ekstrum.

“We’re pleased with the outcome of this year’s Flower Valley Golf Classic,” said Foundation President and Co-founder Alice Milligan. “Our committee worked especially hard to make this a great event. We are grateful to our many sponsors, donors, golfers,

volunteers and to the Mission Club, for helping us make this event possible — and successful. The new Rehabilitation Services equipment will be a tremendous asset for the hospital district.” For more information, call Foundation President Alice Milligan at 805-736-4005 or Foundation Coordinator Susan Xiong at 805-737-5762.

— Liam Hibbert

Shelters seek homes for pets

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

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

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

Pride flags rise in Goleta to mark special month

GOLETA — In honor of LGBTQ+

Pride Month, pride flags have been raised at Goleta City Hall, Goleta Valley Community Center and the Goleta Valley Library.

Speaking at the City Hall while the flag was raised, Mayor Paula Perotte said, “I am proud to be here today to celebrate and to send a message to our residents and everyone who visits Goleta that we are an inclusive city. We are a city that loves and values the LGBTQ+ community, and we are a city that knows we are stronger when we stand together and when we celebrate together.”

“As a gay man who represents this city, I am especially proud to be standing with you today to raise this flag at City Hall,” said Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards. “More than ever we need to speak up against assaults on our community, and it is important that the city take a stand in support of our LGBTQ residents and against hate. By raising this Pride flag we are letting our community know that Goleta is a city where LGBTQ people are welcomed and treated with dignity and respect.”

Pacific Pride Foundation Executive Director Kristen

Flickinger added, “At this moment, when elected officials are being asked to take a stand for the rights of LGBTQ+ people, the city of Goleta is renewing its commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, not only during Pride season, but every day. Pacific Pride Foundation is proud to be a partner in this work.”

The Goleta City Council will proclaim June as LGBTQ and Pride Month during its meeting at 5:30 p.m. June 6 at Goleta City Hall, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta.

— Liam Hibbert

Talk to cover legal protections for people with disabilities

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Ventura County Deputy District Attorney Melissa McMurdo and Senior Victim Advocate Kellie Tyndall will visit the Ojai Library at 2 p.m. June 30 to host “The Intersection of Disability and Domestic Abuse: Interrupting the Cycle.” This free workshop will be an overview of the legal protections of people with disabilities. Ms. McMurdo will explain the theoretical foundations of how disability is conceived by society by discussing the medical model versus the social model of disability. This discussion lays the foundation for an explanation on how perpetrators exploit people with disabilities. Ms. McMurdo

and Ms. Tyndall will also explain the common myths and stereotypes of victimization.

Financial abuse and domestic violence will be a major topic during the discussion, specifically on how these are two areas in which people with disabilities can be targeted.

Finally, the workshop ends with a discussion on the resources available to those who are crime victims, both in and outside the criminal justice system.

In 2013, Ms. McMurdo joined the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office as a deputy district attorney. Since that time, she has successfully tried dozens of jury trials. She is currently assigned as the on-site prosecutor at the Family Justice Center.

Ms. McMurdo engages in public outreach to educate the

community about domestic violence, the intersection of the criminal justice system and disability, and legal issues that affect seniors.

Other than being the Senior Victim Advocate at the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Ms. Tyndall is a member of Ventura Financial Abuse Specialist Team. Ms. Tyndall collaborates with other groups and agencies across the United States to educate the public, families and providers about exploitation and fraud against seniors and vulnerable adults with disabilities.

In her caseload, Ms. Tyndall serves victims of financial abuse across the United States and internationally.

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

Juneteenth celebration returns to Solvang

SOLVANG — The Juneteenth celebration will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. June 16 at the Craft House at Corque in Solvang.

The theme of the night is Harlem Nights Renaissance.

Juneteenth National Independence Day is a federal holiday in honor of the last emancipated slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865 — over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863. Early Bird general admission

to the event costs $99 per person and includes dinner. Ticket prices will go up after June 8 and close June 14.

Guests are encouraged to dress in their best roaring 20s-themed attire. There will be an auction featuring art pieces by Kahinde Wiley (the artist who made President Barack Obama’s official portrait), Jean-Michel Basquiat, and a mixed-media sculpture by Faith Ringgold, a Harlem native and art professor at UCSD.

Along with the auction there will be stand-up comedy, spoken word poetry, live music, a 360 photo booth, and a southernthemed dinner buffet featuring fried green tomatoes, crab cakes, fondue, shrimp and grits, and Café DuMonde beignets with coffee. More event information and ticket sales can be found at juneteenthsyv.com.

— Liam Hibbert

The 1st Low Net Team winners at the Flower Valley Golf Classic are, from left, Marc Wilkerson, Sara Grummere, Alex Bein and Eric Culwell.

COURTESY PHOTO

A Pride flag is positioned next to the U.S. flag in front of the Goleta Valley Community Center in Goleta.

Diversions

Thought for Today

—

HOROSCOPE

By Horoscope.com

Monday, June 5, 2023

Aries: Money matters might be weighing on the mind of a close friend or lover, Aries, and he or she might seek your advice. A creative project may require a larger expenditure of money, time, or other resources than you originally thought. This could make you wonder if you will be able to continue with it. It might take some tweaking on your part, but you should be able to complete it as planned.

Taurus: You might have visitors, Taurus, or even a hot date scheduled for tonight. By midafternoon you might feel too tired to go out and wonder if you should cancel. It’s best to keep your activities low-key. Have coffee and cake at home instead of going out, and get the cake from a bakery! Your evening should be full of exciting, stimulating conversation.

Gemini: Deliveries that you expect could be delayed, Gemini. Today you might learn something shocking about a neighbor or relative. The gossip might spread rapidly through your community. This could have you reeling even though it might be exaggerated. You might visit a few people nearby or spend a lot of time on the phone trying to learn the truth. Don’t take anything you hear at face value.

Cancer: Some good but surprising news could come your way today, Cancer. Perhaps a family member or friend will call or drop by with a surprising development that directly affects you. In the evening, go out together and celebrate. Don’t forget to include your special someone in your celebration plans.

Leo: Today may start out frustrating, Leo. Be prepared! Some equipment might go on the blink and it could take a while to get it fixed. A temporary separation from your partner could also be disappointing. You may have a lot of physical energy for which you have little immediate outlet. Take a long walk. This would not only provide an energy outlet but also clear your head.

Virgo: Your level of artistic inspiration is high today, Virgo. Dreams or meditation may bring up some spiritual insights and revelations, and you may promptly

forget them upon coming out of your dream or meditative state. This could prove frustrating! Try writing them down even if you only remember snatches. This can help bring them to the surface again. You will want a record of them anyway.

Libra: Some upsetting news regarding money could throw you into a dither today, Libra. Perhaps a check you’ve been expecting hasn’t arrived on time. Maybe the bank has made an error regarding your account. It isn’t anything that can’t be straightened out, though it’s going to be a pain making all the calls.

Scorpio: A setback in your career might have you feeling disoriented, Scorpio. Equipment might be involved. Don’t go crazy. It’s only temporary. Your determination, efficiency, and practicality should take care of it in no time. Basically, you’re probably feeling optimistic about the future and unlikely to change that energy any time soon.

Sagittarius: A delivery that you were expecting from far away might be delayed, Sagittarius, causing you to wonder if it might have been lost. It hasn’t. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do but wait. Mechanical equipment could also go out of whack, necessitating a call to a repair service.

Capricorn: Today you may feel especially passionate, Capricorn, and desire a romantic encounter. You might even have a hot date scheduled. Don’t be surprised if it has to be postponed for reasons beyond anyone’s control. You might try to sublimate those feelings through creative activities.

Aquarius: A visitor with a few problems might come to your door in search of advice and sympathy, Aquarius. He or she might also have some other news that could shock you. A professional crisis might make it necessary for you or your partner to spend most of the day away from home and family.

Pisces: Tasks of any kind are likely to seem like the labors of Hercules today, Pisces. Overwork and strain could have you feeling a little under the weather. It might be a good idea to take some time alone to rest. If you can’t, at least try to take things easy.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Monday, June 5, 2023

My friend the English professor says that people who use wrong words should have the humidity to admit it. I could make a similar comment about declarers who face several finesses and try the wrong one first.

Against 3NT, West led the queen of clubs, and South won with the king to finesse in diamonds, his long suit. East won and had no club to return, which was just as well: He led the ten of hearts, and West took the king and returned a heart.

EIGHT TRICKS

South had eight tricks: four diamonds, a heart, two clubs and a spade. He ran the diamonds, but when he finessed in spades, West took the king and led his last heart, and East took three hearts. Down two. When South finessed in diamonds first, he risked losing to East, the “dangerous” defender who might lead a killing heart. South must win the first club in dummy and finesse in spades. West wins, but no return can hurt South. He will have time to finesse in diamonds and win at least nine tricks. This week: “avoidance.”

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. 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

heart, you bid two diamonds and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: You have two options.

If you judge to commit to game — and your two aces and heart honors would make that view quite reasonable — you might aim toward 3NT by bidding three clubs. If you judge to settle for a game invitation, raise to three hearts. Your Q-J of hearts in support are as good as three low hearts. South dealer N-S vulnerable

“You should do what other people do, unless you have a very good reason not to.”

Jordan Peterson

States say in lawsuit illegal immigration is costing them millions

By KIM JARRETT THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) - Illegal immigrants cost states tens of millions of dollars, and a new rule will worsen the situation, 18 attorneys general argue in a lawsuit filed against the Biden administration.

The Department of Homeland Security’s new “Circumvention of Lawful Pathways” rule requires migrants crossing the border to cite a specific reason for seeking asylum, with some exceptions.

One of those exceptions – the use of a U.S. Customs Border and Patrol app – is likely to increase illegal immigration, the attorneys general said in their lawsuit.

Migrants who use the app to make an appointment at a point of entry will be allowed into the U.S. to apply for asylum, according to the rule. They can also apply for a two-year work authorization.

The Biden administration said the proposed rule would curb illegal entry at the borders. The attorneys general said it is a “smoke screen.”

“The federal government has an obligation to the states and to the people of this country to enforce federal immigration laws and protect our national borders,” said North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley. “But rather than enforcing our border security laws, the federal government is encouraging illegal aliens to schedule their entry into this country through a phone app, after which they predictably disperse around the country without any meaningful oversight.”

States are bearing the costs of illegal immigration “through education programs, state medical costs, incarceration of illegal aliens who commit crimes, and welfare programs,” the attorneys general said. North Dakota has between 6,000 and 9,000 illegal immigrants, which cost the state between $27 million and $36 million a year, according to the lawsuit.

Indiana has about 207,000 illegal immigrants that cost the state about $9.2 million annually.

“In a truly Orwellian twist, the federal government has depicted this latest measure as a tool for reducing illegal immigration,” said Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita. “As a matter of fact, this new rule would make it even easier to illegally immigrate into the United States — and everyday Hoosiers right here in Indiana would pay the price.”

The attorneys general said the rule violates the Administrative Procedures Act, which determines how federal agencies can propose regulations. They are asking the court to declare the rule unlawful under the APA and stop the Biden administration from enacting certain portions.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in western North Dakota, is also signed by the attorneys general of Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

Fight against DEI picks up steam nationwide

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The legislative fight against Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in education is picking up steam nationwide.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. introduced the Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act, which would ban accreditation officials from considering an educational institution’s DEI or affirmative action policies when determining accreditation.

DEI departments have exploded at universities in recent years with a spike in new administrators who enforce liberal equity and racial policies at the educational institution. These programs usually embrace the idea of systemic racism, speak of the U.S. as a deeply racist nation, and push for the most aggressive side of the LGBTQ agenda.

In recent years, more and more federally recognized accreditation agencies have implemented DEI requirements for applicants, forcing schools to embrace progressive ideas on race and gender or risk losing their accreditation.

“Wokeness should not be mandatory,” Sen. Rubio said in a statement after introducing the bill, which the Florida senator argues “seeks to prevent a politicized Department of Education from further forcing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies into higher education.”

Practically, DEI enforcement manifests in various ways. In a fact sheet published by the Department of Education, the agency touts President Joe Biden’s emphasis on DEI and lays out several examples of potential DEI activities.

From the DOE:

• diversity, equity, and inclusion training;

• instruction in or training on the impact of racism or systemic racism;

• cultural competency training or other nondiscrimination trainings;

• efforts to assess or improve school climate, including through creation of student, staff, and/or parent teams, use of community focus groups, or use of climate surveys;

• student assemblies or programs focused on antiharassment or antibullying;

• investigations of, and issuance of reports concerning the causes of, racial disparities within a school; or

• use of specific words in school policies, programs, or activities, such as equity, discrimination, inclusion, diversity, systemic racism, or similar terms

The federal agency goes out of its way to argue that these activities do not “create a hostile environment on the basis of race.”

U.S. Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, are helping lead the effort to undo these federally backed requirements for accreditation.

“We need to make sure that no school is judged based on whether a DEI agenda is used,” Sen. Scott said.

Sen. Lee said the effort “safeguards against manipulating the accreditation process to advance ideological agendas.”

The Senate effort is the latest pushback against DEI. State

Stitt joins other governors in sending troops to the southern border

By MERRILEE GASSER THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - Gov. Kevin Stitt will send Oklahoma National Guard troops to the southern border, joining other Republican governors who have made similar commitments.

Gov. Stitt said he is responding to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s call for reinforcements for the ongoing border crisis.

“As Governor, the decision to deploy members of the National Guard is not one I take lightly and, as the parent of a deployed soldier, I am acutely aware of the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of our National Guard and their families during deployment,” Gov. Stitt said. “However, I believe it is in the best interest of Oklahoma and the nation to take decisive action to address the federal government’s utter failure to secure our southern border.”

lawmakers and governors have already begun taking on DEI policies, as The Center Square previously reported.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill last week that will end taxpayer funding for DEI programs at public colleges and universities.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court is taking on the affirmative action issue and may prohibit the policy. The high court is expected to issue a ruling in the coming weeks on the case, which considers the race-based admissions policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Specifically, the ruling in this case could have a major impact on schools’ affirmative action policies and how they discriminate based on race, especially whether schools receiving federal funding can continue to do so.

Students for Fair Admissions, a nonprofit group boasting 20,000 members, filed the relevant lawsuit against Harvard and the University of North Carolina in 2014. The lawsuit alleges that the policies discriminate against white and Asian-American applicants. Both SFFA cases have been defeated in lower courts, but now the Supreme Court will have its ruling out imminently.

Gov. Stitt did not say when or how many troops he would send.

Twelve other Republican governors have said they will help with securing the border. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem also announced this week she is sending at least 50 National Guard troops to the Texas border. Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota committed to sending 100 troops, and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders said she would send 80. West Virginia’s Gov. Jim Justice announced his plans to send 50 guard troops, Tennessee is sending 100, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia committed to sending troops.

In total, Republican governors are supplying the help of 1,305 national guardsmen and 231 law enforcement personnel, according to a letter signed by 13 governors. “President Biden has abandoned his constitutional responsibility to secure the border and continues to fail to prevent millions of migrants from illegally crossing into our country. The illegal flow of criminals, drugs, and contraband moving across our border create an untenable situation for all states,” the letter said. “In response, Republican governors are providing support where Biden failed. The personnel and resources from our states will enhance Governor Abbott’s Operation Lone Star security mission to deter and repel unlawful border crossings along the southern border.” Gov. Stitt said he sent a letter to President Biden along with 25 other Republican governors in September asking for a meeting on the border crisis within 15 days but never received a response, the governor said.

“Republican governors continue to step up to the plate when President Biden refuses to lead; and by deploying our brave National Guard Troops, we are sending a strong message that we remain dedicated to defending our borders and upholding law and order in our nation,” said Gov. Stitt.

More Ohio state troopers headed to Texas border

By J.D. DAVIDSON THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that 14 Ohio state police members will join National Guard troops from across the county to help law enforcement maintain surveillance of the Texas border.

The troopers and supervisors plan to travel to Texas in the coming weeks and spend two weeks on the border. They will not be able to make arrests.

It’s the second group of troopers sent to the state, following a deployment of 14 in July 2021 in response to a request

from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Ohio has maintained a presence at the southern border since October 2020 when Gov. DeWine sent 115 members of the Ohio National Guard to support border operations at the request of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Guard Bureau. Since then, Gov. DeWine has sent nearly 225 guard members to Texas, and 125 of those remain on active duty. A new rotation of 50 guard members is expected to be sent to Texas in October.

Gov. DeWine’s office and the Ohio Department of Public Safety

did not immediately have taxpayer cost estimates for the Ohio trooper deployment.

As previously reported by The Center Square, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to all 50 governors last month asking for help as the Title 42 rule ended with the pandemic health emergency. The rule allowed the government to expel illegal immigrants because of the health emergency.

South Dakota announced Thursday it would send troops. In addition to South Dakota, 23 other states have committed to helping secure the southern border, including Arkansas, Florida, North

Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia. Also recently reported by The Center Square, undocumented immigrants cost states tens of millions of dollars, and a new rule will worsen the situation, 18 attorneys general argue in a lawsuit filed against the Biden administration. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in western North Dakota, is also signed by the attorneys general of Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

DEI departments have exploded at universities in recent years with a spike in new administrators who enforce liberal equity and racial policies at the educational institution. These programs usually embrace the idea of systemic racism, speak of the U.S. as a deeply racist nation, and push for the most aggressive side of the LGBTQ agenda.