Santa Barbara News-Press: December 05, 2022

Arise 5K raises over $20,000 for Bethel House

Rowse calls for end to ‘hyperbolic rhetoric’ about lower s tate s t.

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

On Saturday, over $20,000 was raised by Arise International, a nonprofit founded by local residents Keith and Mary Hudson, with its second annual 5k along Cabrillo Boulevard to benefit the Bethel House. The Bethel House is a women’s rehabilitation facility that is part of the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission.

Registration for the 5k started at 9 a.m. and the cost was $25. The walk started at 10 a.m.

“The funds raised are earmarked for redesigning the front and back patios where families come in and the design will be done by Cindi Weinert,” Mary Hudson, CEO of Arise International, told the NewsPress.

The News-Press asked Ms. Hudson how the event went: “It was great! Since it rained until 2 a.m. last night, most people probably thought it was canceled, but it stayed dry and it was great. We had Stretch Lab, Art by Tanda, Montecito Gourmet Deli, F45 Gym, the Easter Team, The Turner Foundation, Bella Vista Estates, Adam’s Angels, Santa Barbara Trolley Company and Sol Wave. The William Lion Penzner Foundation was our major donor.”

Ms. Hudson is also the mother of Katy Perry, who lives in Montecito with her fiance Orlando Bloom. Ms. Perry did not run in the race

Participants in the event dash to the finish line. Please see ARISE on A4

Applications received for Fire & Police Commission vacancies

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The city has received two dozen applications for the five vacancies on the new Fire & Police Commission, and two have former law enforcement experience, city officials said.

All applicants are from the City of Santa Barbara because it is required to be a qualified elector of the city to be eligible to serve (as it is a Chartered Commission), Barbara Andersen, senior assistant to the city manager, told the News-Press.

“From the information provided in the applications, two applicants have former law enforcement experience,” she said.

The Santa Barbara City Council voted unanimously to create the newly constituted commission assigning additional civilian oversight duties in an effort to improve transparency, accountability and public trust.

“We are creating, with the passage of this ordinance, a framework,” Councilwoman Meagan Harmon said at the time.

“It is the single most significant step toward meaningful civilian oversight in our city’s history. That is a big, big deal.”

The city’s goal is to have the new commission up and running in January. Commission members’ terms will expire Dec. 31, 2026.

The City Council is scheduled to interview the applicants on Tuesday, and to make appointments to the board the following Tuesday, Dec. 13, Andersen said.

Applicants that do not participate in the interview process will not be eligible to be appointed to serve on the commission, said Ms. Andersen.

She will serve as an independent police monitor who receives and processes complaints about alleged police misconduct, provides an ongoing analysis of complaint trends and prepares reports for the commission in coordination with the police department. An outside expert will be retained

to guide the monitoring process. During its deliberations, council members took pains to ensure that former firefighters and law enforcement officers could apply for a position on the board. Some people had questioned whether there might be at least a perception of bias on the part of ex-law enforcement officers serving on the civilian oversight board because of their ties to former colleagues they once considered as close as family members, but councilmembers rejected that notion in favor of their up-close and personal law enforcement experience while on the job. Under the new ordinance, reports detailing the total number and type of internal and external complaints received and subsequent action taken, as well as the number of officers disciplined and the level of discipline imposed, will be provided to the commission for its review.

The commission also will review and discuss individual investigations in open session with the police chief once investigations are disclosable under the California Public Records Act.

Moreover, the police chief will make presentations to the commission regarding any officer-involved shootings. Those presentations will occur once the agency conducting such an investigation makes its determinations of finding.

The 24 applicants are Anne Bauman, Blanca Flor Benedict, Vito Rolf Bialla, Rachel Bishar, Walter Scott Burns, John D. Cross, Linda Esparza Dozer, Dieter John Dupont, Suzan Garner, Eric J. Grossman, Paul E. Hannah III, Richard G. Heller, Daniel Robert Herlinger, Gary Jon Hill, Glen H. Hodges, Robert C. Meltzer, Joseph Navarro, Lizzie Rodriguez, Augustina T. Russell, Raymond L. Szabo, John Joseph Thyne, Tracy C. Trotter, Rodney D. Utt and Ana Alicia Zepeda.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Mayor

Randy

Rowse is appealing to Santa Barbara residents and business owners to “collectively work together to focus on solutions” to the

chronic problems some say plague lower State Street and to “celebrate small victories and improvements” that have been made to date.

The mayor said continued “hyperbolic rhetoric” about

Mayor Randy Rowse

Please see STATE

Participants of the Arise 5K Annual Walk Run stroll on the coastline along Santa Barbara on Saturday.

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

C.A.R.E.4Paws holds second annual Howliday Donation Drive-Thru

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

On Saturday, C.A.R.E.4Paws raised over $4,000 dollars and collected 1.5 tons of food during its second annual Howliday Donation Drive-Thru to collect money and donations for pet families in need to keep pets safe, healthy and homebound.

Supporters were able to drive through and drop off dog and cat food and monetary donations with the C.A.R.E.4Paws team to support the organization’s intervention services.

“The event went really well, especially as we were worried about rainfall. We collected 13001400 lbs of dry food and 500600 lbs of wet food, for a total of about 1.5 tons of food. I would say we had at least 50 donors drive through. There was a steady flow of cars coming through,” Isabelle Gullö, Executive Director and Co-founder of C.A.R.E.4Paws, told the News-Press. “We collected $4,410 dollars in general donations, in addition to a $20,000 donation from longtime donor of C.A.R.E.4Paws, Lyn Proctor. This donation is specifically earmarked for a third, 37-foot mobile unit to add to the existing

mobile veterinary clinics of C.A.R.E4Paws. Lyn Proctor has significantly donated to this mobile unit in the past and came

through with this surprise holiday donation. The total cost of the unit is $350,000 and we only have $80,000 left to raise thanks to

“Slated

Lighting up lives

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

Driver uninjured after collision with tree

SANTA BARBARA – The driver of a vehicle that sped into a tree Sunday morning off the 101 freeway was extricated by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, but was found to have no injuries, officials said. The 9:30 a.m. accident occurred

on southbound Highway 101 south of Nojoqui Summit. The male driver/single occupant of the vehicle, who was in his 20s, was “lucky to be alive,” Capt. Scott Safechuck, the department’s public information officer, said.

The highway’s southbound #2 lane was closed by CalTrans for vehicle removal.

“Please drive safe!” Capt. Safechuck said.

– Neil Hartstein

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

The Hospice of Santa Barbara’s 39th annual Light Up a Life event was finally held in-person Sunday at the Lobero Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara after two years of being virtual due to Covid.

The Christmas tree is lit during the event.

Lyn’s generous donation.

to roll out in April 2023, this unit will join the two existing

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

A sign greets donors to the C.A.R.E.4Paws Howliday Donation Drive-Thru event at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara on Saturday.

Please see HOWLIDAY on A4

UCSB men’s basketball tops Tigers

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

Students took a break from studying for finals to come out to The Thunderdome as the UCSB Men’s Basketball team (5-2) took on the University of the Pacific Tigers. After 40 minutes of play, the Gauchos were the ones to come out of this game with the win, taming the Tigers with a score of 82-71.

“In college basketball, it’s not easy to win at home or on the road,” said Coach Joe Pasternack. “Pacific has some really good players and so do we. Our team had to play together and compete hard, and I feel our guys did that for a majority of the game.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Gauchos were the first team on the board, scoring on a driving layup from Ajare Sanni. Despite scoring the first basket, the Tigers hung right with the Gauchos. After the last media timeout of the half, UCSB ran away with the lead, going on an eight-point run late in the half. This helped the Gauchos finish out the first half strong with the 37-29 lead as Josh Pierre-Louis made a basket during the last second of play.

Miles Norris had an impressive first half performance, leading the team with nine points while shooting 50 percent from the field. Sanni has also kept up with his teammate, recording eight points while making four of his

Bishop Diego dominates at Bird Cage Classic

The Bishop Diego High girls basketball team defeated Coastal Christian on the third day of the Bird Cage Classic, winning 53-28. The team remains undefeated in the tournament.

Galilea De La Cruz led the team in scoring with ten points. She was followed by Diana Mendez, Citlali Morales, Lily Simolon and Jiali Coronado, who each scored eight points.

“We played great team defense in the first half … I’m really happy with how we are playing as a team right now,” said Coach Jeff Burich.

Bishop Diego’s record improved to 7-1 with the win.

On the fourth day of the tournament, Bishop Diego kept their record clean with wins over Thousand Oaks (48-30) and Santa Maria (59-31)

De La Cruz and Simolon again led the way against Thousand Oaks with 18 and 12 points, respectively. Simolon scored the first eight points of the game, which again saw strong defense early from Bishop Diego.

Later, Simolon led in scoring against Santa Maria with 14 points and 12 rebounds, followed by De La Cruz with 11 points and Lara Heinichen with 10. The game also featured tight defensive play from Jiali Coronado, Jaymi Coronado and Citlali Morales.

“These girls are really playing well this early in the season. I’m very pleased with their communication and supportiveness of each other,” said Burich.

Bishop Diego returns to action tonight against Santa Ynez.

- Matt Smolensky

five shots.

Once they were back on the court for the second half, the Gauchos picked up where they left off. UCSB started the half off by shooting 100 percent from the field in the first three minutes to grow their lead. However, the Tigers started clawing away at the lead the Gauchos created, trying to take this game from the good guys.

That didn’t happen for very long. The Gauchos came back on fire in the second half, keeping the Tigers from making any field goals in four of the last five minutes.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

• Sanni led all Gauchos on the court today, having quite the game. He led all players on the court with 22 points while going eight for 12 from the field for his best game of this young season. He also had no fouls and recorded three steals.

• Ajay Mitchell was a force to be reckoned with as always. He ended up second on the team in points with 19, shooting 73 percent on the day while making 100 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

• Also finishing this Saturday matinee with more than 15 points was Norris. The senior ended this game with 18 points while grabbing nine rebounds and blocking three shots put up by the Tigers.

• Andre Kelly has been making his mark on Gaucho fans since coming to The

SPORTS ROUNDUP

SM boys basketball falls to Simi Valley

The San Marcos boys basketball team lost to Simi Valley on Friday, falling 84-60 at the Bob Hawking Tip Off Showcase.

Simi Valley took control in the first quarter with hot shooting, especially from beyond the arc.

Leading the way for San Marcos was Wyatt Miller with 22 points, while Jack Wilson managed 19.

“I am proud of the way we came out and fought in the second half,” said Royals coach James Kinzler. “We’re learning and growing as a group, and this was another great test for us against a talented Simi team. I’m looking forward to seeing how our guys respond as we gear up for league games starting on Monday.”

The Royals will begin league play today with a home game against Oxnard at 7 p.m.

- Matt Smolensky

DP wrestling places 6th at Newbury

Park Invitational

The Dos Pueblos wrestling team competed at the Newbury Park Invitational on Saturday, placing sixth out of 28 teams at the event and scoring 114 total points.

“Overall, the coaches are very happy with the results … There’s a good start to the season, and we plan to build from here,” said Coach Jesse Plowman.

Francisco Espinos placed first in the 106 lb. weight class for Dos Pueblos, while Sam Ramos placed second at 145 lbs., Shaun Vague placed third at 132 lbs., Sylis Penniman placed third at 182 lbs. and Ivan Medina placed seventh at heavyweight.

“All of the kids wrestled hard,

Thunderdome. He is the only athlete on the floor to finish with a double-double. By the time 40 minutes was up, Kelly had 11 points and 11 rebounds which led to his second double-double of the season.

• Josh Pierre-Louis may not have the points in this game, but he was a tremendous help on the offense for the Gauchos. He finished the game with eight assists, a new season-high.

• The team made high-caliber shots, and it showed in their shooting percentage as they shot at a 59 percent clip compared to the Tigers who shot at 49 percent.

• After this win, the Gauchos now have a record of 27-3 in The Thunderdome since Nov. 2020.

UP NEXT

The Gauchos will have one week of practice before they are back on the road as they head down Route 101 to face the Waves of Pepperdine University. Tipoff for this evening game is at 5 p.m. with a live stream available through the West Coast Conference Network. Live stats and radio will also be available through ucsbgauchos.com.

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

and their wins in the tournament contributed to our overall standings (even if they didn’t place),” said Plowman.

The team will host its first match on Tuesday against Buena.

- Matt Smolensky

Cate drops close game to Camarillo to close Nordhoff Invitational

The Cate School boys basketball team lost a heartbreaker to Carmarillo in the Nordhoff Invitational’s tournament championship, falling 62-59 in a game that remained neck-andneck up until the final buzzer.

Babacar Pouye led the way for Cate with 25 points and 14 rebounds. He was followed by Jengus Ercil with 19 points, while Tyler Martinez contributed 13. Both Pouye and Ercil made the all-tournament team.

“What an awesome game to be a part of, and the growth we showed in the last four days and today will benefit us come league and playoffs,” said Coach Andy Gil. “Looking forward to practice this week and cleaning up small defensive rotations.”

Cate will return to action on Wednesday with an away game at Buena, followed by a Friday game at Santa Clara Oxnard to open league play.

- Matt Smolensky

Carp girls basketball claims victory over Coastal Christian

The Carpinteria High girls

Musk expected to expand Twitter operations in Texas

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Before and after billionaire Elon Musk acquired the social media company Twitter, he’d been invited by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and others to relocate its headquarters to the Lone Star State. While Mr. Musk hasn’t committed to doing so, he said setting up “dual headquarters” was more likely, according to a report.

Tech publication The Verge reported Mr. Musk told employees at a recent meeting there were “no plans” to relocate Twitter’s headquarters to Texas but having “dual-headquarters” in California and Texas was more likely.

“If we want to move the headquarters to Texas, I think it would play into the idea that Twitter has gone from being left-wing to right-wing, which is not the case,” Mr. Musk added, according to The Verge. “This is not a right-wing takeover of Twitter. It is a moderate-wing takeover of Twitter.”

In October 2021, Mr. Musk announced he was moving Tesla’s headquarters from Palo Alto, Ca., to Austin after a public conflict with state Democratic lawmakers over lockdown policies and increasing taxes levied on businesses. Both policies contributed to historic numbers of residents and businesses exiting

California over the past two years. As California saw population losses for the first time in recorded state history under Gov. Gavin Newsom, Texas continues to lead the nation in population growth.

After Mr. Musk moved to Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott welcomed him at the governor’s mansion. When news broke in April of Mr. Musk’s plan to acquire Twitter, Gov. Abbott tweeted, encouraging Musk to “bring Twitter to Texas to join Tesla, SpaceX & the Boring company.”

Texas farmer and businessman Jim Schwertner also offered Mr. Musk 100 acres of free land to relocate Twitter headquarters to Williamson County, roughly 38 miles north of Austin.

State Rep. Tan Parker told FOX Business that Texas would literally “roll out the red carpet” for Mr. Musk to move operations to Texas. He said, “Elon made a tremendous decision, the right choice, when he brought Tesla to Texas, when he brought SpaceX to Texas. I think it’s no different in his decision-making here for Twitter, he realizes that Texas is the most business friendly state in America, that we are open for business.”

Mr. Musk’s geotechnical engineering infrastructure company, the Boring Company, is headquartered in Pflugerville, about 18 miles south of Austin. His private foundation is

headquartered in Austin as of 2020, and SpaceX and his neurotechnology company, Neuralink, also have offices in Austin. SpaceX’s rocket launch operations are headquartered in Boca Chica, south of Brownsville. In April 2021, Mr. Musk began publicly advertising and asking future employees to come work for him and to move to Austin and Brownsville.

After taking ownership of Twitter, Mr. Musk fired roughly two-thirds of Twitter’s employees and began reversing a range of policies that had been implemented, which he says “suppressed free speech.”

He most recently began publicizing internal communications of fired staff who he claims were censoring user content based on political ideology and affiliation. Some staff were reportedly working with the Democratic National Committee and Biden staff to censor content, according to the “Twitter files” made public by Mr. Musk.

“Twitter acting by itself to suppress free speech is not a 1st amendment violation, but acting under orders from the government to suppress free speech, with no judicial review, is,” Mr. Musk tweeted. In response, Texas Congressman Troy Nehls said, “Release the names of government officials. Investigations are coming.”

basketball team defeated Coastal Christian on Saturday in the Bishop Tournament, winning by a score of 54-32.

The team was led by Jamaica Cook with 18 points and 13 rebounds, Amarisse Camargo with 17 points and 11 rebounds and Charlotte Cooney with 16 points and five rebounds.

“I’m proud of our team for their dedication, commitment and willingness to compete,” said Coach Henry Gonzales. “We played five straight games this past week and 12 games in 17 days. We have taken positive steps every day and look forward to starting league play … at Nordhoff and Channel Islands.”

- Matt Smolensky

Carp boys basketball falls to Rio Mesa

The Carpinteria boys basketball team played Rio Mesa in the fourth and final game of the Nordhoff Tournament, coming away with a 78-62 loss.

Kainoa Glasgow led the Warriors with 27 points, while Carlo Suarez contributed 11. Carpinteria falls to 1-7 with the loss.

The Warriors will open Citrus Coast League play on Wednesday at Nordhoff.

- Matt Smolensky

or (877) 399-8089 Toll-Free.

Payments may also be made in person at the County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Offices between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. , Monday through

holidays excepted, at the addresses listed above.

Bethel House provides services to between 14 and 22 women annually

ARISE Continued

“It was great because of the music DJ Fab had going and we also had Drew Wakefield, of Cork and Fork Radio 805. Jude Foukuier of Ventura City Church also prayed before the event began,” said Ms. Hudson.

Annually, between 14 and 22 women live in the Bethel House and experience amazing transformations in their lives due to extensive treatment classes held there weekly, according to

Ms. Hudson.

“We go in every week and do Bible studies,” she said.

“We hold conferences twice a year in Hawaii and at Ventura City Church and sponsor 40 women every conference out of domestic violence shelters, for two nights and three days coaching them on how to leave their past behind and become victors not victims. I have been doing this for 16 years. They are worthy and have self worth. They don’t have to be under, they can be over. They are valuable to God and everyone else; they just need a new self-identity,” said Ms. Hudson.

To donate, go to https://www. arise5k.org/donate.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

At left, participants of the Arise 5K Annual Walk Run make their way along the coast in Santa Barbara on Saturday. At right, Keith, Mary, and David Hudson stand in front of the balloon arch during the event.

was wonderful to see how our community came out to support those who need help’

howlI dAy Continued from Page A2

to donate food and money. It was wonderful to see how our community came out to support those who need help with extra resources and pet food for animals,” said Ms. Gullö.

Since its establishment in 2009, C.A.R.E.4Paws has worked to help families keep their pets by providing access to critical resources for low-income, senior, disabled and unhoused community members. In fact, since the pandemic started, C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Companion Pet Assistance program has distributed one million pounds of pet food throughout Santa Barbara county, compared to 4,000 pounds total in 2019.

“It was definitely joyful with a great team of volunteers cheering people on as they drove through

Most of the food is provided through Pet Resource Centers operated in conjunction with several animal and human welfare partners. These resource centers are located at Santa Barbara County Animal Services’ (SBCAS) shelters in Lompoc, Santa Maria and Santa Barbara as well as at People Helping People in Solvang, Good Samaritan Shelters, Unity Shoppe and the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission.

“We are not a shelter; everything we do is to keep pets healthy in homes for life. We provide services to low income, seniors, disabled and the unsheltered. Thousands of

pet families are struggling in the aftermath of COVID-19 to put food on the table and feed their pets,” said Ms. Gullö.

Some food is also provided during community events. For example, during weekly visits to Santa Barbara’s Alameda Park, volunteers provide food for pets of the unsheltered along with blankets and flea treatment. Once a month, C.A.R.E.4Paws brings A’s Mobile Grooming to the park to bathe dogs of the unhoused for free, a service also provided monthly in Santa Maria with Doggie Parlour.

“We could not be more grateful for the community’s support for this event and C.A.R.E.4Paws’ programs. Together, we are preventing suffering and pet homelessness and keeping animals with the people who love them,” said Ms. Gullö.

In addition to Saturday’s donation drive, pet food and monetary donations can be dropped off yearround, countywide with several of C.A.R.E.4Paws’ business and animal welfare partners, including Dioji K-9 Resort & Athletic Clubs, ASAP (Animal Shelter Assistance Program) in Goleta, Montecito Pet Shop, La Cumbre Feed, Advanced Veterinary Specialists, Plaza Deli, George’s Pet Shop, SYVHS/DAWG in Santa Ynez, and at the Pet Resource Centers at Barbara County Animal Services’ three shelters.

All locations are listed at www.care4paws.org/drive. Supporters can also donate funds and contribute food through C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Amazon Wish List available at https://www. amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/ 2TWE4150GPL1X?&sort=default. email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Rowse: ‘Refusal to see or acknowledge any progress is

head-in-the-sand

Continued from Page A1

these problems does nothing to improve the situation.

“At some point, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy,” he told the News-Press. “I can point to programmatic improvements, but people who want to repeatedly complain about everything they see are going to do so regardless. If we don’t celebrate small victories and improvements, the trajectory of our efforts will eventually decline.”

He pointed in particular to criticism by Kelly Brown, owner of The Natural Cafe at 508 State St., about aggressive panhandling by some homeless people and the public consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs, speeding bikers/skateboarders posing safety risks to pedestrians and rats feeding off of scraps falling off of outdoor parklet tables; and by downtown landlord Vince Brown, co-owner of the building housing Hayward’s 1890, an outdoor furniture store at 7 Parker Way, who complained about homeless persons “doing drugs” and sleeping in nearby alleyways.

“The city has really done nothing to improve this area of town,” Mr. Wood previously told the News-Press.

Mayor Rowse acknowledged these problems persist but insists the city is tackling these issues the best it can.

“The issues that Vince and Kelly talk about are chronic and vary from time to time by matters of degree,” he said. “Hyperbolic rhetoric which paints downtown as a western Calcutta only serves to make the problem worse by warning people to avoid the area.”

City officials note they have programs in place or in the works to trap the rats, separate bikers/skateboarders from pedestrians, clean the street and sidewalks, and help the homeless get the services and shelter they need, while police work to enforce the law against public consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs.

Mayor Rowse noted Sunday that the city has conducted a recent deep cleaning of State Street, and has hung more string lights for the holidays to literally brighten up the downtown area.

He suggested that business owners leave on their entryway lights as part of a “team effort to liven up the street” while at the same time improving security downtown.

In addition, he said city staff has increased its outreach to engage people and business owners on the east and west sides of State Street to listen to their concerns.

“”We’ve really upped our outreach,” he said. “Staff is really trying to double down on their efforts to the extent they can given our resources.”

And yet the criticism continues, including from people who live outside the city.

thinking’

“I live in Solvang and recommended a restaurant on State Street to a neighbor,” Sally Howell told the News-Press in an email. “She said, ‘Never mind. Haven’t been there in a long time and won’t go there now no matter how good it is.’ Then it occurred to me that I felt exactly the same! I haven’t either and I won’t either. Bravo to you and to the News-Press for keeping this on the front page! I believe this is the very best way to rattle some cages!”

Mayor Rowse said her “rattle some cages” retort is one he hears constantly.

“It’s one I’ve heard each of the 50 years I’ve lived here,” he said. “I’m always tempted to ask those commenters for their solutions, with the qualifier that the answer be legal and somewhat moral. Crickets is the usual response.

“It doesn’t mean the solutions shouldn’t be sought, but the refusal to see or acknowledge any progress is head-in-the-sand thinking. People have said to me before, ‘you should check with — city and see what they do.’ Ironically, that same city asked me just prior how we handle the same situation. You never reach perfection but improvement is only in the effort and the recognition of same.

“The focus has to be on restoring State Street,” he said. “We need to focus on Santa Barbara and what it’s going to take to make us better.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

Today Tue.

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W

Cuyama 54/38/pc 52/39/c

Goleta 63/44/pc 62/41/pc

Lompoc 60/44/pc 59/37/pc

Pismo Beach 59/44/pc 58/42/pc

Santa Maria 60/44/pc 59/38/pc

Santa Ynez 61/41/pc 60/36/pc

Vandenberg 59/45/pc 56/40/pc

Ventura 60/46/pc 61/43/pc

Bakersfield 60/43/pc 57/42/sh

Barstow 62/41/c 59/36/pc

Big Bear 47/27/c 44/21/pc

Bishop 58/23/s 49/22/pc

Catalina 56/45/c 54/46/c

Concord 57/44/sh 52/39/c

Escondido 65/48/c 62/43/c

Eureka 52/36/r 53/34/s

Fresno 60/43/pc 55/43/pc

Los Angeles 65/48/c 60/45/c

Mammoth Lakes 37/7/sn 31/10/c

Modesto 59/42/sh 52/38/c

Monterey 57/43/pc 55/40/sh

Napa 59/41/r 56/34/c

Oakland 57/45/sh 54/42/c

Ojai 59/39/pc 57/35/pc

Oxnard 63/46/pc 62/43/pc

Palm Springs 69/47/c 67/47/pc

Pasadena 63/47/c 60/42/c

Paso Robles 59/41/pc 55/36/pc

Sacramento 57/43/pc 54/36/c

San Diego 65/54/c 62/51/c

San Francisco 58/46/sh 55/43/c

San Jose 58/44/sh 55/39/c

San Luis Obispo 61/43/pc 56/41/pc

Santa Monica 62/48/pc 60/45/c

Tahoe Valley 36/18/sn 33/14/c

Atlanta 53/51/r 66/60/r

Chicago 44/33/c 44/34/pc

Dallas 77/63/pc 74/64/c

Denver 52/25/pc 50/25/c

Houston 80/68/pc 81/68/pc

Miami 81/68/pc 84/69/pc

Minneapolis 29/10/pc 26/17/pc

New York City 48/43/s 55/52/r

Philadelphia 52/38/s 55/53/r

Phoenix 71/55/pc 64/49/sh

Portland, Ore. 45/35/c 46/39/c

St. Louis 56/43/c 50/41/sh

Salt Lake City 42/27/sn 41/24/c

Seattle 41/36/c 42/38/r

Washington, D.C. 52/41/s 54/50/r

SANTA

Dec. 5 7:12 a.m. 6.1’ 12:47 a.m. 1.7’ 8:40 p.m. 3.7’ 2:23 p.m. -0.3’ Dec. 6 7:42 a.m. 6.2’ 1:19 a.m. 2.0’ 9:28 p.m. 3.7’ 3:01 p.m. -0.5’ Dec. 7 8:11 a.m. 6.2’ 1:50 a.m. 2.3’ 10:13 p.m. 3.6’ 3:37 p.m. -0.6’

by 10 people in an urban environment. Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022 Storage 61,069 acre-ft. Elevation 692.69 ft. Evaporation (past 24 hours) 2.4 acre-ft. Inflow 13.2 acre-ft. State inflow 0.0 acre-ft. Storage change from yest. +14 acre-ft.

Today Tue.

Beijing 37/16/s 42/19/pc

Berlin 36/34/c 37/34/sf

Cairo 73/59/s 71/58/pc

Cancun 83/73/s 83/75/s London 47/39/c 44/32/c

Mexico City 73/53/s 71/53/s

Montreal 43/34/pc 41/38/sh

New Delhi 74/50/pc 74/49/pc

Paris 39/35/c 42/31/c

Rio de Janeiro 82/74/t 79/72/sh

Rome 65/51/sh 64/47/pc

Sydney 82/65/t 72/60/pc Tokyo 51/42/r 50/43/r

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

but did show up after the event, Ms. Hudson told the News-Press.

About 150 people participated in the 5k, Ms. Hudson estimated.

Since its establishment in 2009, C.A.R.E.4Paws has worked to help families keep their pets by providing access to critical resources for low-income, senior, disabled and unhoused community members.

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is returning three years after an abrupt cancellation due to state mandates at the onset of COVID-19 that limited crowds to no larger than 250 at any events within California.

The SBIOS, which attracts 8,000 to 10,000 visitors, is one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious orchid shows in the United States.

The 75th Annual International Orchid Show will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 10-12 at Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, with the theme “Orchids-The Adventure Returns.”

As the event rises from the ashes, organizers implore orchid lovers to consider a tax-deductible donation to support the staging of the 2023 show and, more importantly, to secure its future.

“We’ve had to rebuild this beautiful event from the ground up over the last three years and are so grateful to finally bring the wonder of orchids back to the public,” said Lauris Rose, president of Santa Barbara International Orchid Show.

“However, as the show evolves, it faces the new realities and challenges of a world changed by the pandemic. It urgently depends upon the financial support of fellow orchid lovers to raise seed money for upcoming shows.

“This world class show brings together growers of all levels, people who just love the beauty of orchids, and all who just love and are nurtured by nature. Everyone loves this show deeply. We welcome one and all not just to visit and enter an orchid wonderland, but also to celebrate Santa Barbara County’s rich history.”

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

FYI

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show will take place March 10-12 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Tickets will be sold at the showgrounds’ box office each day of the show. Tickets can also be purchased at sborchidshow.com; prices start at $20.

Life theArts

Orchid show is returning to Santa Barbara

CALENDAR

Los Rancheros Pobres donate gate to Hearts erapeutic Equestrian Center

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center recently celebrated the grand reveal of its new entry gate, which was donated by members of Los Rancheros Pobres, a men’s horseback riding club originating in Santa Barbara in 1952.

The Pobres celebrate and memorialize the Western ways of the early Santa Barbara ranchers.

Led by Dr. Lorne Everett, past president of the Pobres, the entry took three years of planning and was designed after the gate to President Reagan’s Rancho del Cielo, while other Western wood and metal designs were evaluated for aesthetics and longevity.

The final entry is made of metal and stone with a repurposed wood sign. A bronze donor plaque celebrating the gate’s donors is located in the stone on the left. The entry is the most recent addition to Hearts’ new facility, which stands at the top of a steep road incline and provides a majestic visual as one enters Hearts’ new home.

Los Rancheros Pobres’ first gift to Hearts was also spearheaded by Dr. Everett and included the construction of a structure housing a motorized lift in 2018. The motorized lift assists in comfortably retrieving individuals from their wheelchair or other seated position onto the back of a horse.

Adding the motorized lift and lift structure has allowed Hearts to include more individuals in its therapeutic riding program.

Hearts recently finished building a new and more efficient facility. The new facility is adjacent to the prior one at 4420 Calle Real and shares the same entrance road.

Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center provides equine-assisted

A sign shows that the new gate was donated by Los Rancheros Pobres.

services to inspire, strengthen and motivate children and adults with disabilities in Santa Barbara County. Since its inception in 1985, Hearts has served more than 200 individuals each year with the help of 18 specially trained horses.

Hearts also has programs for U.S. military veterans and at-risk youth.

Los Rancheros Pobres meet every week for lunch in the Rancheros Room at Harry’s Plaza Cafe in Loreto Plaza. The Pobres also host two three-day trail rides each year at various locations in Santa Barbara County.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

FYI

For more information about Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center and its programs, visit www.heartsriding.org or contact info@heartsriding.org.

DEC. 7 4 p.m. The Hoodlum Friends will perform at 4 p.m. at Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara. The concert is free. 5 to 7 p.m.: A free candlelight concert series takes place on the steps of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.

7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

DEC. 8 7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

DEC. 9 4:30 to 6 p.m. A reception for the “Wings” juried exhibit will take place at at the Santa Barbara Tennis Club, 2375 Foothill Road.

7 p.m. The Grace Fisher Foundation will present “A Winter Music Showcase” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. The fifth annual showcase will feature everyone from the Santa Barbara Folk Orchestra to Jackson Gillies, WIll Breman, State Street Ballet Professional Track Dancers, the Westmont Chamber Singers, UCSB Maurice Faulkner Quintet and more. Tickets cost $18 to $60. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

DEC. 10 4 and 8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

DEC. 11 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The 36th annual Holiday Parade of Lights will feature a full day of activities at the Santa Barbara Harbor, topped with the parade of lights and its theme, “Deck the Hulls.” For more information, go to santabarbaraca.com/events/36thannual-holiday-parade-of-lights-atthe-harbor.

2 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

DEC. 12

5:30 to 7:30 p.m.: The Downtown Community Holiday Mixer will take place at the Broad Street Oyster Co., 418 State St. The $25 ticket price includes a drink and appetizers.

DEC. 14

5 to 7 p.m.: A free candlelight concert series takes place on the steps of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.

7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

DEC. 15

7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

DEC. 16

8 p.m. Johnny Mathis will perform at the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom, 3400 State Route 246, Santa Ynez. Tickets for the Santa Ynez concert are $69 to $109. To purchase,

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Email them to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@newspress.com.

CIRO COHELLO PHOTO

A free candlelight concert series will take place Dec. 7 and 14 on the steps of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

Orchids are known for their fragrant and colorful blooms. They will be celebrated during the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show in March.

COURTESY PHOTOS

When you know you can totally trust your mate, it removes a large potential for worry. It also builds your internal security so that you not only feel good about your partner, but you also feel better about life. Having an honest relationship creates a kind of buffer between you and the difficulties of the world. Having a mate you can trust and rely on also makes it easier to take those risks that help us grow.

Many people feel that little white lies, which may spare their partner some grief, are okay, and in some cases that’s true. But you can’t have a culture of honesty in your relationship just some of the time. If you tend to omit or color the truth, so things look better, it could actually damage your relationship at a core level. Trying to “protect” your partner or just trying to avoid looking bad can

Relationship honesty

create more trouble than it’s worth. It is best to be above board in all your dealings.

When asked about what qualities they want in a partner, most people will list “honesty” among them. Unfortunately, most of us have had the experience of being lied to. When you have a relationship and a family, you need to know that everyone is on the same page, and this is hard to do unless both of you are being honest.

What honesty gives you is a great deal of comfort. Knowing you can implicitly trust your mate allows you to be your best self, and your relationship will continue to thrive because you are able to give each other the positive energy you need to navigate life’s ups and downs.

Honesty is not just about telling the truth, either. It is also about telling the truth in a way that your partner will hear it and benefit from it. We all want to hear how great we are, of course, but we can also benefit from making some slight adjustments in how we do things.

This is where a little honesty from someone you love and trust will help you make the small changes that can make your world a better place.

In this case, honesty needs to be tender.

If you have to say something to your loved one that may be upsetting to him or her, I suggest you do it as gently as possible. “Brutal honesty” has gotten a lot of press lately, but I have seen it do more damage than good. You need to present your issues

with some degree of kindness. If not, your message may be buried in an avalanche of hurt feelings. You will both be much more able to communicate if your hearts are not wounded in the process.

Honesty is a way of life, not just a behavior. Keeping it paramount in your relationship will bring in more good and keep the bad stuff at bay. Knowing you can totally trust one another brings a type of freedom and comfort that helps your relationship work in the best way possible.

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. His column appears Saturdays and Mondays in the News-Press.

Assisted Living Locators urge adult children to have a long term care plan

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The holiday season is a time of giving and sharing special moments with your family. As you decorate the tree and bake those cookies, it might be wise to remember another important gift you can give to your aging parent — the gift of a long-term care plan.

Assisted Living Locators

Santa Barbara, a local senior placement and referral service, is urging adult children to have a very merry long-term care plan to make sure their parents have personalized care and support when they need it.

As parents get older, many will turn to their adult children to help them in the next steps of senior living. Many of these adult children live an average of 450 miles from their parents and are having to assume the role of a long-distance caregiver. According to the National Center on Caregiving, approximately 5 million to 7 million adult children in the U.S. are long-distance caregivers.

Owner/Senior Care Advisor Tracey Chudacoff stated that adult children, especially those who are long distance caregivers, should use the holiday season as an opportunity to assess the current

lifestyle of aging parents and evaluate what can be improved to strengthen their loved one’s health and happiness.

“No matter what stage of life your parents are in, talking about long-term care and creating a plan now for the future can help them live their life on their own terms,” she said.

“Assisted Living Locators is

a

She noted that Assisted Living Locators website also offers an easy-to-use Assessment Tool that

can quickly provide insight if it’s time to find a new environment and appropriate senior housing for an aging parent.

Ms. Chudacoff advises adult children to set these long-term planning goals in 2023:

— Prepare and gather essential medical and financial documents for their aging loved one

— Make a plan for paying for long-term care

— Connect with the right kind of support and resources.

“The challenge families with aging parents face today is finding a single source for reliable assistance for a long-term care plan,” she said. “Assisted Living Locators has a full roster of services for seniors around their need for in-home care or senior living arrangements. From relocation to respite care to alternative solutions for paying for long-term care, our comprehensive resources can help you prepare for the future.”

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

FYI

For more information, call Tracey and John Chudacoff at 805-953-5511 or visit assistedlivinglocators.com/ care-advisor/santa-barbara.

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

In recognition of her passionate and outspoken advocacy for women’s health, Dr. Katrina Mitchell is the recipient of the Lois Phillips Founder’s Award from the Association of Women in CommunicationsSanta Barbara Chapter.

The award will be presented at the chapter’s holiday reception at 5 p.m. Dec. 14 at Villa Wine Bar, 618 Anacapa St.

Lauren Bianchi Klemann, AWC-SB’s Member of the Year, will also be honored at the event.

Dr. Mitchell is a breast surgeon, lactation consultant, and perinatal mental health provider at Sansum Clinic and Ridley-Tree Cancer Center.

During the pandemic, Dr. Mitchell wrote and published the “Physician Guide to Breastfeeding” to address the breastfeeding challenges and complications resulting from isolation, restricted contact with medical professionals and incorrect advice from unreliable sources.

In the months since the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Dr. Mitchell has been a vocal advocate for women’s dignity, bodily autonomy and access to health care as a fundamental human

right.

She has called for the establishment of a Santa Barbara task force, composed of community leaders, healthcare providers and stakeholders, to address the full spectrum of women’s healthcare needs, from puberty to post-menopause.

Dr. Mitchell subsequently formed the Women’s Health Collective, which met for the first time in October.

More than 100 women attended, varying widely in ages and backgrounds.

The WHC will present its community needs assessment findings to local health care leaders with hopes of garnering support and resources to make effective change.

Presented by Dr. Lois Phillips, founder of the Santa Barbara Chapter of the AWC, the award recognizes an individual woman who used the power of communication to do something innovative, to communicate a “big idea” and to speak publicly about a current and/or controversial issue.

Past recipients include Kristine Schwarz, Beth Pitton-August and Jen Baron.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit awcsb.org/2022-holiday-party.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

go to www.chumashcasino.com. The Chumash Casino Resort is a 21-and-older venue. 8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

DEC. 17

Noon to 3 p.m. The free Big Brass Tuba Christmas Concert will take place in Storke Placita, which is between 722 and 724 State St. and is adjacent to De la

Guerra Plaza in Santa Barbara. The Youth Makers Market will be in the same block. 2 and 7 p.m. State Street Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara High School student Olivia Pires will play Clara at the 2 p.m. matinee. Professional State Street Ballet dancer Emma Matthews will portray Clara at the 7 p.m. show. Tickets vary from $38 to $121, with a discounted price of $26 for children 12 and younger in select price zones. To purchase, go to granadasb.org. A student discount is also available for purchase in person at The Granada’s box office. 8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

DEC. 18

2 p.m. State Street Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Dos Pueblos High School student Sophia Kanard will play Clara. Tickets vary from $38 to $121, with a discounted price of $26 for children 12 and younger in select price zones. To purchase, go to granadasb.org. A student discount is also available for purchase in person at The Granada’s box office. 2 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

free service that can help you explore and understand elder care options,” said Ms. Chudacoff. “Our senior care advisers meet with each family to learn about their loved one’s needs, living conditions and personal preferences in order to build a care plan.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Pictured are Tracey and John Chudacoff. Ms. Chudacoff is the owner/senior care adviser for Assisted Living Locator.

COURTESY PHOTO

Katrina Mitchell

—

SUDOKU

— Helen Keller

By Horoscope.com

Aries: You will be in an excellent mood, Aries, and find your positive attitude amplified as you communicate with more and more people. The one thing to watch out for today is laziness. There may be a great deal of it going around, especially in your camp. Don’t waste the good energy of the day sitting around and doing nothing.

Taurus: Speak your mind clearly, Taurus. Other people aren’t mind readers like you are. If you keep waiting for someone to figure out what you’re thinking, it will be a long time before the truth comes out. Give people a break and let them know what’s going on inside your head. Communication is important, and today it begins with you.

Gemini: You can soar to great heights on a moment’s notice today, Gemini. There’s a fastpaced, socially minded quality to the day that will encourage people to share more of themselves with others. You will find a great deal of support from many different people now. Welcome this help with open arms.

Cancer: Try to see the positive in people, Cancer. Relax and don’t get so worked up over your internal drama. You’re the one responsible for creating this turmoil. Find comfort in a creative project. Do something that you love to do that makes you truly happy.

Leo: You should find that the adventurous side of you has the support of your emotions, Leo. These two parts of your spirit are working in harmony to help you stretch beyond your limits. Push into new realms and ask questions when you don’t understand something. This is the only way you will learn, develop, and grow mentally and emotionally. Don’t assume learning stops when you leave school.

Virgo: Dress in your very best today, Virgo. Feel free to kick up your heels and have some fun. This is a great time to communicate with friends, socialize if possible, and have a fabulous time. Put your worries aside and join in some lighthearted fun and merriment. Keep a smile on your face and you will find that you can walk

through any door you choose.

Libra: You will find that the more peaceful and understanding you are today, Libra, the better off you will be in general. Doors will open and people will welcome you with great fanfare. Be the diplomat instead of the warrior. Focus on the positive aspects of the equation instead of the negative.

Scorpio: Make sure you leave things in better condition than you found them, Scorpio. This is a good time to tidy your personal space and the environment. This is also a great time to do some online shopping for yourself. Just be careful that you don’t spend too much money.

Sagittarius: This is one of those days in which it’s easier to be yourself, Sagittarius. Don’t feel like you need to change your personality to fit a situation. You naturally add an important dynamic to the group. Your detached, unbiased, and knowledgeable view of the situation will be an important asset to today’s events.

Capricorn: Communication is a key part of the day, Capricorn. You will find that a great deal of information is available to you when you ask for it. You can pull from many different resources, so don’t be afraid to tap the different wells available to you. Emotionally, this may not be the best day for you, but you can overcome this as long as you keep a lighthearted, optimistic approach.

Aquarius: Bring things back into balance, Aquarius. You’ve probably been so focused on yourself that you’ve completely forgotten about others. It’s time to fill in the rest of the equation and take into account what other people feel. Balance is crucial in every part of your life so that you maintain a healthy viewpoint.

Pisces: This is a good day to look at the big picture and discuss your ideas with others, Pisces. As you walk down the street, make sure you pay attention to what’s going on around you. If you continue to be preoccupied by one issue, you may never see some of the other important pieces of the greater whole even though they’re obvious to everyone else.

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Monday, December 5, 2022

Unlucky Louie gave me a ride to the club, and we stopped at a red light.

“I’ll give you the definition of impatience,” Louie said. “It’s the interval from the time the light turns green until the car behind you honks.”

And Louie was proved right. Honk!

Louie was absent when they passed out patience. When he played at today’s six spades, a minor-suit lead would have been fatal, but West led a heart. Louie took dummy’s ace and cashed six rounds of trumps. East-West discarded carefully, and Louie lost two diamonds at the end.

“Unmakeable,” Louie sighed. “We should have stopped at game.”

CLUB SHIFT

Patience! Instead of the ace of hearts, Louie should play a low heart from dummy, using the power of his eight. East wins with the ten and shifts to a club.

Louie wins and leads the jack of hearts: king, ruff. He takes the A-K of trumps and leads the nine of hearts: queen, ruff. Louie can then go to dummy with a high club to take the high six of hearts for his 12th trick.

partner opens one spade, you bid two hearts, he rebids two spades and you try 2NT.

Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner suggests six spades, four diamonds and minimum opening values. If he had a hand with, say, 16 high-card points and the same shape, his second bid would have been three spades or a more flexible two diamonds. Pass. Your game chances are shaky at best.

East dealer N-S vulnerable

CODEWORD PUZZLE

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.

New Hampshire Dems rip plan to move primary date

By CHRISTIAN WADE THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – New Hampshire Democrats are blasting a proposal from President Joe Biden to move South Carolina’s primary date ahead of the Granite State in the party’s presidential nominating cycle.

The Democratic National Committee is meeting in Washington this week to approve the party’s 2024 presidential calendar, which could upend the state’s first-inthe-nation presidential primary status.

President Biden has proposed that South Carolina’s primary go first, with New Hampshire and Nevada coming afterward, followed by Georgia and Michigan.

But members of the state’s all-Democrat congressional delegation ripped President Biden’s plan and vowed that New Hampshire will remain first, even if it faces sanctions from the party.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen called President Biden’s plan “shortsighted” and said it “risks splintering attention from candidates, denying voters crucial opportunities to connect with candidates and hear their visions and policy priorities.”

“In New Hampshire, it doesn’t matter how much money you have, where you come from or who knows your name – in our primary, everyone has a fair shot,” she said in a statement. “It’s tremendously disappointing that the president failed to understand the unique role that New Hampshire plays in our candidate selection process as the first primary state.”

The Democratic lawmakers said regardless of what the DNC decides this week New Hampshire will continue to be first in line in the presidential nominating process.

Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., who won another term in the

Nov. 8 midterm elections, said he was “deeply disappointed” by President Biden’s decision to “try to upend the presidential nominating calendar” but pointed to a New Hampshire law requiring the state to be first in line.

“As our law stipulates, New Hampshire will go first, and I will continue to work with state and party leaders to uphold our law and ensure our primary remains first on the calendar,” he said.

If President Biden’s proposal for a new calendar is approved by the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee, it must still be approved by the full DNC. It’s not clear when a decision will be made.

New Hampshire’s first-in-thenation primary gives the 11thsmallest state by population outsize influence on presidential politics.

Flashy national campaigns with multimillion-dollar advertising budgets turn into shoe-leather operations where candidates knock on doors, walk through neighborhoods in downtown and press the flesh at local haunts.

But some Democrats argue that the predominantly white electorate New Hampshire and Iowa – which holds its presidential caucuses ahead of New Hampshire’s primary – isn’t representative of Democratic voters or the nation as a whole.

To be sure, this isn’t the first time that the Granite State has had to defend its pole position in the nation’s presidential nominating process.

In 2012, Nevada and several other states proposed to shift their primaries forward during the contested Republican contest.

Then-New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner threatened to schedule the state’s primary in December 2011 to prevent it from losing its first-in-the nation status.

The proposal by other states eventually fizzled out.

Seven more counties express support for declaring invasion at border

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Forty Texas counties have now declared an invasion at the southern U.S. border with Mexico, or have expressed support for Texas declaring an invasion. More are in the process of doing so, according to sources who’ve spoken to The Center Square.

The most recent to join the invasion call include the judges and commissioners of Collin, Fannin, Leon, Navarro, Shackelford, Somervell and Waller counties.

They are calling on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to formally declare an invasion and repel it, which he has yet to do. The governor cited the invasion clauses of the Texas Constitution and U.S. Constitution in a Nov. 14 letter to county judges and in a Nov. 16 letter to President Joe Biden. He also wrote letters to the heads of the Texas Military Department and Department of Public Safety.

In his letter to judges, Gov. Abbott refers to a July 7 executive order he issued two days after the judges of Kinney, Goliad and Terrell first declared an invasion. The executive order doesn’t declare an invasion, it authorizes Texas law enforcement officers to apprehend illegal foreign nationals and return them to ports of entry. After Gov. Abbott tweeted content from part of the letter to judges without providing context, many misreported that he declared an invasion.

As a Trinity University professor explained to KSAT News, “You can’t declare the invasion via Twitter. There is a process to name it, to give a date to it, to put it out in kind of a public way.”

Neither Gov. Abbott’s July 7 executive order nor his letter to the president declare an invasion; no signed and dated formal invasion declaration exists on the governor’s website.

The Republican Party of Texas and judges have called on Gov. Abbott to repel the invasion by preventing entry of illegal foreign nationals and returning those who do enter illegally to Mexico. While Gov. Abbott’s November letters use the word “repel,” Texas law enforcement officers working through Operation Lone Star haven’t prevented entry of thousands of people illegally entering Texas every day or returned them to Mexico. Currently, they are continuing standard operating procedure of turning over illegal foreign nationals they apprehend to U.S. Border Patrol agents.

As a result of Gov. Abbott’s directives, law

Neither Gov. Abbott’s July 7 executive order nor his letter to the president declare an invasion; no signed and dated formal invasion declaration exists on the governor’s website.

enforcement officers working through OLS have apprehended more than 328,000 illegal foreign nationals, made over 22,100 criminal arrests with over 19,600 felony charges reported, as of Dec. 1. Texas has also bused more than 14,000 people who illegally entered Texas to four so-called sanctuary cities, according to state data.

Prior to Gov. Abbott’s November letters, judges and commissioners in Collin, Fannin and Leon counties signed resolutions in September recognizing “an invasion against the state of Texas.” They called on the state “to take all steps necessary and allowable under the U.S. and Texas constitutions” to secure the border and “repel the invasion at our border.” They also called “for additional measures to secure the border, stop the invasion at the border, and protect our communities,” citing cartel-driven human and drug trafficking that’s created “a security threat and humanitarian disaster with overwhelming consequences” to Texans.

In October, Navarro, Shackelford and Somervell counties took action.

Navarro County’s resolution expresses “support for the governor to take necessary action to stop chaos on our border,” stating “the health, safety, and welfare of Texas residents are under an imminent threat from unprecedented levels of illegal immigration, human trafficking, and drug smuggling coming across the U.S. border from Mexico.”

Shackelford County Judge Robert Skelton signed a disaster declaration similar to one signed by Lavaca County’s judge. Notably, it states that the rural county located roughly two hours west of Ft. Worth is under invasion. The border crisis, the judge said, has created a “security threat and humanitarian disaster with overwhelming consequences to the residents of Shackelford County and Texans.”

He also sent a copy of his declaration to Gov. Abbott, his assistant told The Center Square. The declaration requests Gov. Abbott to “declare the existence of an invasion on its border with Mexico and take necessary action to preserve and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Texas.”

The commissioners of the rural county of Somervell, located roughly an hour southwest of Fort Worth, also passed a resolution to

secure the border. Judge Danny Chambers, who signed it, said they did so because “it was the right thing to do. Northern counties are impacted too,” he told The Center Square. “Every county is.”

The resolution refers to Mexican cartels as “paramilitary, narco-terrorist organizations that profit from trafficking people and drugs” into the U.S., refers to the border crisis as a “security threat and humanitarian disaster,” expresses support for “border counties under invasion,” supports OLS efforts and requests Gov. Abbott “to secure the Texas border and repel the invasion at the border.”

Roughly one week after Gov. Abbott sent his November letters, Waller County was the first to pass a resolution calling on him to secure the border. Notably, the county was the first to refer to the cartels as having “command and control over irregular warfare operations into the United States, exploiting unsecure borders to solidify their power structure with billions of dollars in profit, using migrant warfare to obfuscate the trafficking of drugs and people by utilization of irregular techniques, tactics and procedures.”

The county also points to Gov. Abbott designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, formally acknowledging “that non-state actors are conducting irregular warfare operations and breaching the sovereignty and national security of the United States and furthering Governor Abbott’s formal diplomatic representation to the United States that the State of Texas is not protected against an invasion.”

These seven counties join 33 whose border security resolutions or declarations remain in effect.

Combined, the 40 counties include Atascosa, Burnet, Chambers, Clay, Collin, Ector, Edwards, Ellis, Fannin, Goliad, Hamilton, Hardin, Hood, Hunt, Jack, Jasper, Johnson, Kinney, Lavaca, Leon, Liberty, Live Oak, Madison, McMullen, Montague, Navarro, Orange, Parker, Presidio, Shackelford, Somervell, Terrell, Throckmorton, Tyler, Van Zandt, Waller, Wharton, Wichita, Wilson, and Wise.

Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin is the only mayor in Texas or the U.S. to declare an invasion.