Santa Barbara News-Press: December 12, 2022

Parade of Lights

Unity Shoppe Telethon raises about $400,000

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Unity Shoppe hosted its annual holiday telethon Friday evening, raising approximately $400,000 to support their efforts throughout the year.

“I think the energy was really good,” Unity Shoppe Executive Director Tom Reed told the News-Press. “We brought some folks back that had been a part of the telethon in the early days. Kenny Loggins was interviewed during the last hour. Kenny caught a vision of what Barabra Tellefson shared with him in the early 80s, even though we were working out of cardboard boxes in a small office space. We also had Don Katich, a tv producer who started with the telethon in the early days, and Lance Orozco, an on-air personality that helped with the pitch. We had a generous donor that promised to match us if we reached $75,000 during the telethon and we did achieve that match. We also had several large donations over $20,000. We raised approximately $400,000, and I think by the time it is all counted we will be very close to half a million.”

“With loyal financial and volunteer support as its foundation, Unity Shoppe strives to be a yearround trusted community safety net which expands the social and economic equity of the underserved, helping them regain their footing in the shortest time possible, especially when confronted by an unforeseen crisis that might otherwise result in welfare dependence or homelessness,” according to Unity Shoppe’s website.

“We started with opening comments from KEYT-TV. Then the city fire truck drove up and donated a bunch of toys. Dana Newquist also drove up in his 1937 antique fire truck filled with toys and decorated for Christmas. We had nonstop interviews and cameras in the food store and Santa’s toy shoppe. We also had cameras at the phone bank, cameras in the event center and cameras outside with the lights. It’s pretty dynamic so you don’t get bored watching. We had great entertainment: Brad Paisley, Glenn Phillips, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald. Katy Perry also submitted a video and Ms. Perry’s parents, Mary and Keith Hudson were also in attendance. There was a segment honoring my retirement in which I sang a Christmas song I wrote as well,” said Mr. Reed.

“We had varied entertainment, which is often why people tune in. That is why this has become a tradition in Santa Barbara which I think will continue. We always sing ‘It’s Christmas Once Again In Santa Barbara,’ by Barry deVorzon, together on stage to end the telethon,” he added. To learn more or donate, go to https://unityshoppe. org.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

threw one curve after another.”

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

City taxpayers actually lost at least $750,000 because of the city’s refusal to assign a lease to the Flightline Restaurant to operate at Santa Barbara Airport, according to Flightline owner/ restaurateur Warren Butler.

In addition to the $225,000 the city agreed to pay to settle a lawsuit Flightline filed against Santa Barbara, Mr. Butler said the city paid $250,000 to hire a Ventura attorney to represent it, and lost more than $250,000 in revenue/rent it could have earned had the restaurant been allowed to operate these past three years.

“They started the process and kept holding things up and delaying it by not assigning it” to Flightline, instead of acting in a ”quick, reasonable and timely manner and not trying to change the lease.”

Mr. Butler said he took over operating the then-High Sierra Grill in 2017 with plans to rename it to Flightline and change the concept to one that celebrated the city’s rich aviation history.

“The whole aviation community loved what we were doing,” he said. The city not only ended up losing money, he said, but cost residents “by what they took away from the community. We were going to be a gem, something special.”

Instead, the Flightline restaurant closed, and now sits in a dilapidated, unleasable condition, he said.

The city agreed to pay $225,000 to Flightline Restaurant as part of a Nov. 15 settlement agreement to avoid going to trial which included a mutual release from further litigation by either side,

The city agreed to settle after Superior Court Judge Donna Geck rejected the city’s request for a summary judgment against Flightline and instead said the case could go to trial.

“The city decided they wanted to settle and not go forward,” Mr. Butler said. “The bottom line is the judge ruled in our favor and said these guys have a legitimate case against the city and what they’ve done.”

This all began back on March 26, 2015 when High Sierra Grill entered into a

lease agreement with the city to operate a restaurant at 512 Norman Firestone Road in Santa Barbara, the former site of the Elephant Bar restaurant. Plaintiffs Manuel Perales, Mario Medina, and Paul Ybarra executed personal guarantees for the restaurant.

The 10-year lease had three fiveyear extensions for a total of 25 years the restaurant could have operated. Mr. Butler contended the city could have reaped close to $1 million in revenue over that time period.

In 2018, the plaintiffs requested their lease be assigned to Flightline Restaurant.

But on or about Aug. 19, 2019, the city formally denied the request. As a result, High Sierra Grill closed the restaurant it was operating.

“They were not acting in good faith by going forward in terms of assigning the lease,” Mr. Butler said.

He said some city officials wanted instead to develop the side of the airport where the restaurant stood as part of the airport Master Plan.

“In the end they wanted to get out of it,” he said. “They tried every trick in the book. They delayed it for years and

On or about Dec. 11, 2019, the plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging Breach of Written Lease, Breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, Interference with Contract, Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage, Interference with Contract, Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic advantage, and breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing.

Then, on or about April 8, 2020, the city filed its cross-complaint for rent and damages, seeking unpaid rent and other sums allegedly due.

The plaintiffs alleged the city acted unreasonably in denying its request to assign the lease to Flightline. The city denied it was being unreasonable.

The ensuing litigation and amended complaints lasted three years before the city agreed to settle the dispute.

“They had to settle because they knew what had been done was not legal and they were going to lose,” Mr. Butler said.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

Man arrested after fatal shooting in Lompoc

BY KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Lompoc Police Department has arrested Benito Martinez, 20, on suspicion of shooting a man who died from his wounds.

On Friday at approximately 11:25 p.m., officers responded to the 600 block of North Fourth Street in Lompoc regarding a shooting. When officers arrived, they located a 22-year-old man on the ground with bullet wounds. Officers began providing life-saving measures until relieved by paramedics.

Lompoc police said the victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Detectives responded and were able to identify the alleged shooter as 20-year-old Benito Martinez, according to Lompoc police. Mr. Martinez was later arrested by the police department in the early morning hours on Saturday.

The investigation is still ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Lompoc Police Department Detective Bureau.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Boats decorated in Christmas lighting glide past Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara during the annual Parade of Lights event on Sunday. For more photos, see page A4.

Gem Faire takes place in Santa Barbara

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Gem Faire took place in Santa Barbara from FridaySunday at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, featuring more than 60 vendors.

The News-Press had the opportunity to speak with Paul Szymborski of Rooster’s Rocks and Crystals, one of the vendors at this year’s Gem Faire.

“For people that have an open mind and believe in crystals there is a lot of energy flowing in the morning,” said Mr. Szymborski. “On Friday, we were open in the morning to wholesalers and we opened to the public at 11 a.m. Even with the rain today we are pretty busy … The crowds are of all ages from senior citizens to parents with kids and a wide range of nationalities represented.”

Mr. Szymborski, a Ventura resident, said he’s taking part in his first Gem Faire after being introduced to the events by a friend. While his booth was one of only a few that were selling cut rocks that “are not polished or touched up,” he said that “most vendors (were) selling jewelry and a couple vendors (were) selling polished crystals and gems.” Stones available at Mr. Szymborski’s booth included crystal quartz, rose quartz, agates, amethysts, smokey quartz ad selenite.

“You need to have an open mind. The gems have different meanings. Amethyst has the power of dreams to make them come true and help intuition and give guidance. The darker the purple of the amethyst and

the better the cut, the better the type of amethyst. Selenite represents the moon goddess and is energized by leaving it in the full moon and it takes away bad dreams. Turquoise represents luck and personal power. Rose quartz represents self-love and unconditional love,” said Mr. Szymborski.

According to the website, “The gem faire is one of the largest gem, jewelry and bead shows in the United States. With nearly 40 shows a year, Gem Faire brings to the west coast, and some areas of the midwest, quality gems,

beads, crystals, minerals findings and earth treasures directly to your town. Gem Faire vendors offer quality merchandise at manufacturers’ prices. You’ll discover fine jewelry, costume jewelry, precious & semi-precious gemstones, millions of beads, sparkling crystals, gold & silver, tools, jewelry supplies and boxes all under one roof! Gem faire dealers are direct importers, wholesalers and manufacturers, so you are buying from the source!”

“For people who believe in what crystals are about and what they

can do, this is the place to come,” said Mr. Szymborski.

Rooster’s Rocks and Crystals can be found every Thursday in the front entryway of the flea market at Earl Warren Showgrounds, and also at the Ventura swap meet and the Carpinteria swap meet (the last Saturday of every month). He can also be found back at the next Gem Faire in February.

To learn more about the Gem Faire go to https://gemfaire.com/ event/santa-barbara-ca-23/. email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Goleta Holiday Parade canceled due to rain

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

It turned out to be an eighth of an inch of rain but the forecast of precipitation Saturday morning was enough to cause the Goleta Lions Club to cancel this year’s Goleta Holiday Parade.

“The Goleta Lions Club, organizers of the Goleta Holiday Parade, made the decision this morning, Dec. 10, 2022, to cancel tonight’s parade due to rain in the forecast,” Jaime Shaw, a City of Goleta community relations assistant, announced in a news release Saturday.

“We will miss seeing your faces tonight and

wish you a happy holiday season.”

The parade was originally scheduled to be held a week earlier, on Dec. 3, but organizers postponed it to Saturday because of rain at that time.

The National Weather Service, based in Oxnard, said that as of 4:08 p.m. Sunday, rainfall for the past 24 hours as measured at Santa Barbara Airport/Goleta measured 0.81 inches.

The Lions Club, an “all-volunteer” service club that has served the Goleta Valley for more than 80 years, vowed the parade would return in 2023.

“We have spent hundreds of volunteer hours preparing for the 2022 Holiday Parade,” the club said. “We all are super happy that we will

be finally getting some rain!!! BUT we are sad to have to change our plans.”

They offered parade entrants two ways of getting refunds.

“First we would retain your entry donation and reserve you a spot in the 2023 Parade on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023.

“OR Second, we will refund your donation by check in the mail. Because all our staffing is voluntary, this will occur by Jan. 15, 2023. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

“If you have questions, please notice us by emailing edholdren45@outlook.com” email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Paul Szymborski of Roosters Rocks & Crystals waits for customers during the Gem Faire at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara on Sunday.

A variety of crystals sold by Roosters Rocks & Crystals.

Jewelry was among the products sold at the Gem Faire.

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

Police investigate possible shooting near Stearns Wharf

SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara police are investigating a possible shooting Friday night near Stearns Wharf.

At approximately 8:45 p.m., the police department received multiple 9-1-1 calls about a possible shooting at the area near the

wharf’s base at Cabrillo Boulevard and State Street.

Santa Barbara police and Harbor Patrol officers arrived on the scene and found one victim and gave the victim aid, said Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, the public information officer for the Santa Barbara Police Department. Sgt. Ragsdale said paramedics came to the area and transported the victim to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. He added that he did not have information on the victim’s condition.

Sgt. Ragsdale said the suspect was last seen

fleeing on foot before the police arrived. He said the suspect or suspects are still at large. He also said the incident appears to be isolated and that there is no apparent immediate threat to the public.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Santa Barbara Police Department at 805-882-8900.

— Dave Mason

Two-car crash on Hwy. 154

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY - County firefighters responded to an early morning accident involving two cars on Highway 154, one mile east of the Cachuma entrance.

One of the vehicles caught fire after two occupants were assisted to safety by bystanders, said Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Scott Safechuck, the department’s public information officer.

Three patients with minor injuries, one female and two males, were transported by two ambulances to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

Highway 154 was closed for approximately 20 minutes before a tow truck removed the vehicles from the highway and the highway was reopened. The accident occurred at 12:53 a.m.

Capt. Safechuck, citing rainy conditions, urged motorists to consider using Highway 101 as an alternative route when possible.

Police respond to an area near Stearns Wharf Friday night after reports of a possible shooting.

— Neil Hartstein

SBCC men’s basketball wins home opener over Desert

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

The SBCC men’s basketball team came out on top in its home opener on Thursday, leading for most of the night in a dogfight with Desert and winning its second straight, 83-74 to begin the 2022 SBCC Classic.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After five lead changes in the first minutes of the game, the Vaqueros (3-8) went ahead on a three-pointer by Jaelen Bates and never trailed again. Bates – who finished 3-of-3 from the field with seven points and three assists – also hit one of two late Vaquero daggers to fend off the resilient Roadrunners (0-7) late in the game.

Bates’ fadeaway on the baseline with 2:22 to go put Santa Barbara up 71-64. That shot came just a couple minutes after a timely three by

guard Trevor Lee, which turned a four-point lead into seven. The lead would never go below five points again.

Lee (22 points) was one of three SBCC starters to score at least 15 points. He was highly efficient while reaching the 20-point mark for the second straight game, going 8-of12 overall and 2-for-2 from deep.

The only player to outscore Lee on the night was forward Aidan Mandel, who joined in setting a new season-high. In his first performance at the Sports Pavilion, the freshman notched his team-leading third double-double with 24 points (10-18 FG) and 10 rebounds. He also tallied four steals, three assists and two blocks.

The team’s leading scorer this season at 17.2 points per game, Mandel has now scored at least 22 points in five of his last eight outings.

Mandel scored the first four points of the second half and Lee knocked down a triple to

put the home side up 40-30 at the 17:12 mark of the second half. Several minutes later, point guard Wilfrid Nado hit another three in transition to give the Vaqueros their largest lead of the night, 49-38.

Nado ended his night with 15 points and led all players with a career-best eight assists. As a team, Santa Barbara finished with a seasonhigh 25 assists.

NEXT UP

SBCC will move on in the winner’s bracket to face Bakersfield (4-4), which defeated Long Beach (7-4) in the final game of the night 92-87. The Vaqueros take on the Renegades at 7 p.m. on Friday night.

Michael Jorgenson works in communications/ media relations at Santa Barbara City College. email: sports@newspress.com

UCSB cross country teams end seasons at NCAA Regionals

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

The UCSB men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in their final team race of the season at the NCAA West Regionals hosted by the University of Washington. The teams raced on a cold and windy course at Chambers Creek, which was the site of the PGA Open a few years back.

The women raced first on a 6K course against some of the top teams in the NCAA. The team held their own in such a competitive field, finishing in 17th out of 35 teams. The UCSB women’s team moved up 10 spots since last year’s race with the top five runners all finishing under 21 minutes. The Gauchos’ top finisher came in 82nd out of 249 runners was Shelby Nelson. The

junior from Alameda finished the race with a time 20:42.2 to help her team in this race.

Coming up close behind her was freshman Ava Maier who came across the finish line at 20:44.0 while senior Sarah Chaves ran a 20:45.4. Rounding out the top five for UCSB were juniors Stina Johansson and Lauren Lum, who earned times of 20:49.7 and 20:56.2, respectively.

On the men’s side, the team came out of the race in 15th out of 31 teams on this 10K course, putting them in the Top 15 across the region. Freshman Ethan Godsey continued his phenomenal freshman season as the first Gaucho across the finish line. The Agoura native ran a time of 30:07.9 for an 80th-place finish.

Following up behind him was Gus Marshall, who ended the race with a time of 30:20.8.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

SBHS boys basketball loses to Spring Valley

The Santa Barbara High boys basketball team lost a close game against Spring Valley out of Nevada, falling by a score of 53-49.

The score stayed close throughout the contest, with the score knotted up at 21 after the first half, and Spring Valley only outscoring Santa Barbara by four points in the second.

“We had a lot of open looks, but could not get consecutive shots to fall to create a run,” said Santa Barbara Coach Corey Adam, who added that he was “proud of the boys for playing through some adversity this week.

Three sophomores led the way for Santa Barbara in the contest, with Carter Battle returning from an injury to score 13 points while Luke Zuffelato and DJ Wilson contributed 12 and nine, respectively.

The Dons fell to 4-7 after the loss.

SY fall to Porterville at Arroyo Grande Tournament

The Santa Ynez boys basketball team fell to Arroyo Grande Saturday, losing 66-55 at the Arroyo Grande Tournament.

The Pirates were led by Caleb Cassidy with 23 points and 20 rebounds, Jackson Ollenburger with 15 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Kenna Ofaeli with seven points and ten rebounds.

Grabbing the third scoring spot for the Gauchos was senior Brandon Cobian who finished this race with a time of 30:31.8. The remaining two runners to come across the finish line for UC Santa Barbara were Esteban Magana and Preston Bowlds. The junior came across the finish line at 30:39.9 while the freshman ran a 30:50.3.

With this race, the men’s and women’s teams conclude the 2022 season. Most of these athletes will be back in action for the track and field season. The Gauchos’ schedule will be released in the coming weeks.

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

SM girls water polo falls in semifinals, earns third place

The San Marcos girls water polo team lost a close game to Los Alamitos in the semifinals, keeping the score close throughout the contest before finally falling by a score of 11-9.

Senior Regam McEachen had two goals, three earned ejections and one steal while sophomore Lucy Haaland-Ford added one goal, one earned ejection and five steals.

Following the tough loss, the Royals went on to play Long Beach Wilson for third place. San Marcos came out firing, leading 5-0 at the end of the first quarter and maintaining a strong lead until finally winning 13-5.

Senior Ava Stryker played a dominating game, recording seven goals and three steals, while Elaia Hamilton led a tough defensive effort with 11 blocks.

“I’m proud of my girls. Although unfortunate to lose, we missed a lot of shots and there are areas of growth for us. We will get better and it’s all part of the process. Win or lose, I like this team and would not trade it for anything else,” said San Marcos Coach Chuckie Roth.

San Marcos returns to action on Tuesday against Oxnard before taking on Ventura on Wednesday, Santa Barbara on Friday and Foothill High on Saturday.

- Matt Smolensky

Santa Ynez will return to action Tuesday against Cate.

TONY PETRUCCI / NEWS-PRESS

fire in the sky

Narcan could be required in California gas stations, schools following rise in fentanyl deaths

By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – California could move to require opioid antagonist kits, which can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, in public spaces like libraries, gas stations and schools under new measures introduced by California lawmakers this week.

California saw over 6,800 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2021, up from more than 5,500 opioid-related overdose deaths reported in 2020, according to the state’s Overdose Surveillance Dashboard. The state estimates 5,722 overdose deaths in California are attributable to fentanyl – a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Fentanyl deaths among youth have soared in California in recent years, shooting up more than fourfold among teens ages 15 to 19 and nearly sevenfold among 20-to-24-year-olds from 2018 to 2021, according to an analysis by the Mercury News.

Many take fentanyl not knowing they are doing so. Mexican drug cartels have been lacing pills that look like other opioids and smuggling them into the U.S.

The rise in overdose deaths has caught the attention of several California lawmakers, who in the first week of the 2023-2024 legislative session, introduced several new bills requiring

opioid antagonist kits, like Narcan, to be available in public spaces in the event of an overdose.

One measure, Assembly Bill 24 by Assemblyman Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, would require a person who owns or manages a bar, gas station, public library or single-room occupancy hotel in a county experiencing an opioid overdose crisis to post an opioid antagonist kit and instructional poster in an area accessible to employees. Managers would also be required to restock the kit after each use and could face a fine of $1,000 or jail time for violating the provisions in the bill.

The bill would also require the state’s Department of Public Health to provide the kits free of charge, but there is no cost estimate for the bill available at this time.

Two other bills – one introduced by a Republican and the other introduced by a Democrat – would require schools to have Narcan kits available in the event of an opioid overdose and provide training to staff on how to use opioid antagonist kits.

Assembly Bill 19, introduced by Assemblyman Joe Patterson, R-Rocklin, would require each public school in California to maintain at least two doses of an opioid antagonist in case of an overdose.

Though an official cost analysis of the bill is yet to be completed, Assemblyman Patterson estimates requiring two doses of Narcan at each of the 10,000 public schools in California

would initially cost the state “less than 1.5 million for [the] most expensive dose.”

“In [the legislature], this is the definition of ‘budget dust,” Assemblyman Patterson tweeted on Friday. “Hand sanitizer costs more.”

Another bill introduced this week by Senator Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, would require schools to include strategies for the “prevention and treatment of opioid overdoses” within their school safety plans and require new training for school staff on the use of opioid antagonists.

The bill was inspired by a workgroup in Santa Clara County that was formed to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and partners with the Santa Clara County Office of Education to provide training to school staff.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, a member of the working group, told reporters last month that Narcan was used by staff members at two different schools earlier this year to save the lives of two teens, as previously reported by The Center Square.

“We have a crisis of fentanyl poisoning and death among our youth that we must meet with urgency and the sweeping action it requires,” Ms. Cortese said in a statement. “I am committed to working with our educational partners and community to reverse the alarming rise in fentanyl overdoses and deaths. Through universal preventative measures, we can save lives.”

California’s deficit of affordable housing units highest in the nation

By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – All 50 states in the nation have a deficit of affordable housing units, but no state has a shortage as high as California.

According to a new analysis from Fitch Ratings, California has a deficit of 1.4 million affordable and available housing units for households earning at or below 50% of area median income. That’s more pronounced than other states with large gaps in their affordable housing stock, which include Texas, New York, Florida, New Jersey and Illinois.

Fitch’s report notes that the “foundation of the affordable housing problem is a deficiency in the general housing supply” across the nation. The report estimates that only seven homes were built for every 10 households between 2010 and 2016, creating “intense competition” for existing affordable housing stock.

“The U.S. population continues to increase, albeit at a slower rate over the past 15 years. With construction not keeping pace, the strain on housing affordability is notable,” the Fitch report states.

On top of lagging supply is the issue of rising housing costs.

With 30-year fixed mortgage rates rising significantly this year and topping 7% in October 2022 coupled with elevated home prices, homeownership is “out of reach for many low income borrowers, thereby exacerbating the affordability gap,” according to Fitch.

The housing crisis in the Golden State is not new. California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom have highlighted the state’s housing shortage and introduced legislation aiming to address it in recent years. So far, the efforts have had little effect.

California’s housing prices have been higher than the rest of the nation for decades, but the gap started to widen between 1970 and 1980 when the prices went from 30% higher than U.S. levels to 80% higher, according to a 2015 assessment from the Legislative Analyst’s Office. In order to have kept California housing prices from growing faster than the nation between 1980 and 2010 would have required 70,000 to 110,000 additional units each year, according to the LAO.

Additionally, California’s new

housing production “fails to make up for decades of undersupply,” and there are roughly 2.93 Californians for every occupied housing unit, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

When running for governor in 2017, Gov. Newsom, who was the lieutenant governor at the time, promised to lead an effort to develop 3.5 million new housing units by 2025. But as of this year, only 13% of those homes have been permitted, and he’s settled on a new goal: 2.5 million homes by 2030, as reported by CalMatters.

To spur housing production, California lawmakers have introduced several measures in recent legislative sessions to reduce minimum parking

requirements near public transit that can stall housing development, streamline the process to subdivide an existing lot and open up underutilized commercial spaces for housing development.

Housing and homelessness still remain high priorities for the governor and lawmakers heading into the 2023-2024 legislative session. Several bills to address affordable housing development have already been introduced in the first week of the new session, including one that would make it easier for churches and nonprofit colleges to build housing on their excess land and another to prohibit landlords from demanding a security deposit higher than one month’s rent.

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Today Tue.

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W

Cuyama 46/31/c 49/28/pc

Goleta 59/38/c 58/38/s

Lompoc 56/36/sh 57/35/s

Pismo Beach 56/35/c 57/36/s

Santa Maria 56/35/c 57/34/s

Santa Ynez 56/34/c 58/33/s

Vandenberg 55/39/c 56/39/s

Ventura 55/39/c 57/41/s

Bakersfield 51/37/c 53/34/pc

Barstow 50/31/sh 52/30/s

Big Bear 35/14/sn 38/13/s

Bishop 43/21/s 43/18/s

Catalina 50/45/r 51/46/s

Concord 53/36/c 52/33/pc

Escondido 53/38/r 57/36/pc

Eureka 52/33/c 52/33/s

Fresno 52/37/pc 53/34/pc

Los Angeles 55/42/r 58/41/s

Mammoth Lakes 29/7/c 30/3/s

Modesto 53/33/pc 53/34/c

Monterey 54/39/pc 56/39/s

Napa 55/32/pc 54/29/pc

Oakland 54/36/pc 53/36/pc

Ojai 53/32/c 55/34/s

Oxnard 55/40/r 58/42/s

Palm Springs 55/40/c 60/42/s

Pasadena 53/39/r 57/40/s

Paso Robles 54/31/c 54/28/s

Sacramento 53/32/c 50/32/pc

San Diego 56/45/r 60/44/pc

San Francisco 53/40/pc 54/41/pc

San Jose 54/35/pc 55/35/pc

San Luis Obispo 57/35/c 59/36/s

Santa Monica 55/40/r 59/39/s

Tahoe Valley 31/9/pc 32/9/pc

Atlanta 61/47/pc 52/43/c

Boston 37/25/s 41/24/s

Chicago 41/32/c 42/37/c

Dallas 62/56/c 70/46/t

Denver 54/19/c 31/17/sn

Houston 72/66/c 80/61/t

Miami 82/66/s 81/69/pc

Minneapolis 36/29/pc 36/32/i

New York City 42/27/pc 41/29/s

Philadelphia 45/28/c 45/28/s

Phoenix 58/41/sh 56/38/pc

Portland, Ore. 46/34/c 44/30/pc

St. Louis 47/35/c 51/49/r

Salt Lake City 34/25/sn 31/21/sf

Seattle 45/34/c 41/32/pc

Washington, D.C. 47/31/pc 47/28/s

a.m. 3.3’ 11:36 a.m. 4.7’ 7:35 p.m. 0.3’ Dec. 14 3:25 a.m. 3.7’ 7:10 a.m. 3.3’ 12:29 p.m. 4.2’ 8:21 p.m. 0.5’

Beijing 39/20/s 27/10/s

Berlin 31/26/c 30/22/c

Cairo 76/59/s 73/60/pc

Cancun 83/71/s 84/75/pc London 36/28/pc 36/28/c

Mexico City 73/51/s 75/54/pc Montreal 27/20/s 29/20/s

New Delhi 78/51/pc 76/49/pc

Paris 34/25/pc 35/30/c

Rio de Janeiro 87/73/t 84/73/t

Rome 57/43/s 52/43/sh

Sydney 81/59/t 82/60/s Tokyo 55/45/s 56/47/sh

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Above, some of the participants in the Parade of Lights greet the spectators on Sunday. At right, fireworks light up the sky over Santa Barbara following the event.

California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom have highlighted the state’s housing shortage and introduced legislation aiming to address it in recent years.

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

Life theArts

CALENDAR

Buellton celebrates holidays

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

To kick off the holiday season, the Buellton Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Winter Fest on Dec. 4, where visitors got to play in 20 tons of snow at Village Park while enjoying live music, sipping wine and beer and doing some holiday shopping.

Highlighting the event was the lighting of the Christmas tree at 7 p.m. It will be on display through December and into the new year.

“We served more than 400 people. The kids wrote letters to Santa, took photos with him and Mrs. Claus and were given a bag of craft kits to take home and assemble,” said Kathy Vreeland, executive director of the chamber.

“This was a one-of-a-kind experience that was fun for the whole family and a perfect way to kick off the winter holidays.

“The event drew people from around the Central Coast who came out for the festivities. This is a time of year we get into the holiday spirit, and the snow is always a big hit for the kids,” she added. “Some of them have never seen snow or may not have the opportunity to go to places where it does snow, so we enjoy the opportunity to bring it to Buellton.”

Also helping with the event were Santa Ynez Valley Community Outreach and the Buellton Recreation Department.

This year, for the first time ever, the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden at 151 Sycamore Drive in Buellton is offering the Enchanted Garden Holiday Lights Festival, an immersive light experience, during three weekends in December.

The last one will be Friday through Sunday. The first two were Dec. 2 through 4 and Dec. 9

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 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. 13

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit “Parliament of Owls” runs through Feb. 5 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, see sbma.net.

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 805-9655400.

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 805-9655400.

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, 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 805-9655400.

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.

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS Holly Goldberg helps assemble pillow packages for the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation during last year’s Mitzvah Day at the Congregation B’nai B’rith in Santa Barbara. This year’s three-hour event, set for Dec. 18, will feature 10 community projects, starting with a breakfast at 9 a.m. at the congregation, 1000 San Antonio Creek Road, Santa Barbara.

Festivities include real snow and twinkling lights

At top, when they’re not at the North Pole, Santa and Mrs. Claus spend time at Santa’s Workshop in Buellton. They enjoy the Winter Fest each year. Above, ornaments hang from a tree at the Enchanted Garden Holiday Lights Fest.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Families enjoy the snow scene at Village Park during the recent Winter Fest in Buellton.

At top, a light display saying “Happy Holidays” is lit up for everyone to see at the Enchanted Garden Holiday Lights Festival in Buellton. Above, Christmas carolers sing at Buellton’s Winter Fest.

Emotional progress

Most successful couples commit to making emotional progress in their relationships.

They agree that one of their goals is to keep growing as a couple, and they find different ways to do this. Those who cherish their relationships know that if they do not move them forward, their relationship will devolve and their intimacy will disappear.

If you spend a little time daily thinking about what you want your relationship to be, you can actually move it in that direction. Thoughts inspire actions and can help you create some magic in ways you may have thought were no longer possible.

Here’s how to do it. Create a picture in your mind of what you want and need. Discuss your vision with your partner and, after both of you agree on it, take several minutes out of your day to contemplate this image. Visualization can make a very big difference in your lives, and it will be even more powerful if you do it together.

Bringing up this topic may be the most difficult part, as your

partner may not see things the same way you do. Even if your partner is on the same page, it can be challenging to broach the subject. Saying “Hey honey, I think we need to increase our emotional progress” may be a bit awkward.

Instead, I suggest that you do an evaluation of where you are and where you’d like to be. If you both find that you’d like some growth in this area, making emotional progress will be easier than you might have thought.

It starts with the commitment that you want your relationship to be the best it can be. Trust that you are in this relationship to grow, and focus on that. Couples who gently explore each other simply get more from life together. We all know people who seem to live very small lives, which is fine. But if your relationship is crying for more, you need to stretch yourselves, or you could break.

Making emotional progress is not only good for the health of your relationship, it is good for the health of your physical bodies. People who continue to grow in various areas of their

lives live longer and stronger. Those who do not wish to participate in life usually end up lonely and wishing they had done more to change their circumstances.

Couples who employ these techniques have better interactions, fewer arguments, and generally get along well. When you are unwilling to get bogged down in emotional mire, you are free to explore and move your love in a positive direction. The wonderful part is that when you both know that you want the same thing, it doesn’t really matter who makes the choice of how you get there.

Happy couples know that doing things differently and making a commitment to being the best they can be are huge steps in keeping everyone and everything on the right path. From here, you have nowhere to go but forward.

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.

Scene at East Beach

Annual rose pruning event returns Jan. 14

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department will host its annual Rose Pruning Day on Jan 14 from 9 a.m to 1 p.m.

A January tradition for almost 40 years, volunteers are invited to spend the morning at the A.C. Postel Memorial Rose Garden in Mission Historical Park to prune the approximately one-acre garden in preparation for spring growth.

The annual event was canceled in both 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic and returned in 2022 with a record-breaking turnout of more than 100 volunteers. The

department is seeking up to 150 volunteers for the 2023 event.

“Volunteers are vital to maintaining more than 1,500 rose bushes,” said Ramiro Arroyo, parks supervisor. “Being able to do all this work in one day means we’re ready to mulch and feed the roses as soon as new growth starts in February. This promotes better growth, and we end up with an even better-looking garden than the year before.”

No special experience is required to volunteer, as pruning demonstrations will be provided by Santa Barbara Rose Society members and resident rosarian Dan Bifano. Volunteers are asked

to bring their own gloves and tools, including hand pruners, loppers and small handsaws.

Parks and Recreation staff will be onsite to help sharpen and sanitize tools as needed. Sturdy clothes, including long sleeves and pants, and sun protection are recommended.

In the event of rain, the event will be moved to the following Saturday, Jan. 21.

For more information about the event or additional volunteer opportunities, call the Parks Division at 805-564-5433.

email:

mmcmahon@newspress. com

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

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1

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.

3 p.m. The Quire of Voyces, an a cappella choir based at Santa Barbara City College, will perform its “Mysteries of Christmas” concert at St. Anthony’s Chapel at the Garden Street Academy, 2300 Garden St., Santa Barbara. Tickets are sold weekdays at the Garvin Theatre box office at the SBCC campus or at the door 30 before the concert.

8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas

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

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 9 a.m. to noon: Mitzvah Day features community projects at Congregation B’nai B’rith, 1000 San Antonio Creek Road, Santa Barbara. Ten goodwill projects will take place at the congregation and throughout the community. The program begins at 9 a.m. with breakfast, followed by a welcoming address at 9:30. For more information, visit cbbsb.org/ mitzvah.

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,

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.

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.

3 p.m. The Quire of Voyces, an a cappella choir based at Santa Barbara City College, will perform its “Mysteries of Christmas” concert at St. Anthony’s Chapel at the Garden Street Academy, 2300 Garden St., Santa Barbara. Tickets are sold weekdays at the Garvin Theatre box office at the SBCC campus or at the door 30 before the concert.

— Dave Mason

Adding to the festivities is holiday caroling by the Santa Ynez Valley Chorale and a local duo, Billy Hurbaugh and Jillian Haig. email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS

Nature casts its light on East Beach.

— Dave Mason

COURTESY PHOTO

Volunteers work on pruning at the A.C. Postel Memorial Rose Garden. The next volunteer session is set for Jan. 14.

COURTESY PHOTO

The Christmas spirit shines bright on a tree in Buellton during this month’s festivals.

By Horoscope.com

Aries: A large weight should lift from your shoulders today, Aries. The air has started to clear, and the winds of communication have started blowing again. Listen closely to the buzz in the air. You can learn a lot by tuning into other people’s fantasies. Make sure you keep an open mind and open heart.

Taurus: People may be abrasive today, Taurus, but you will find after careful assessment that they don’t mean any harm. More than likely they aren’t fully informed. They’re acting on misinformation. There’s likely to be a cloudy haze in the air. Everyone will have an opinion on the best way to go about tackling an issue. Rely on your own cunning to cut to the core of the problem.

Gemini: Don’t criticize the situation until you’ve come up with a better solution, Gemini. Be creative. You can accomplish much if you approach the situation confidently. Pessimism won’t help find a solution. Relax and let your intuition guide you. Feel free to speak with confidence and strength.

Cancer: Your thoughts may have a dreamy quality today, Cancer. You will find that things are less stable than they have been for the past few days. Don’t get discouraged by pessimistic people. Offer your own creative solutions. You have a great deal of wisdom to share with others whether you realize it or not.

Leo: Your emotions are soaring, Leo, and you should feel free to indulge in your greatest fantasies. Take a break from reality for a while. Let your inner child play. You should enjoy a greater self-confidence that you can use effectively to influence other people. Beware of anyone who asks you to make a solid commitment today.

Virgo: Reward yourself with two desserts today, Virgo. Take a bubble bath. Share your fantasies with others and express yourself fully. Don’t feel like you have to say yes to every favor that is asked of you. Save some of that nurturing energy for yourself. Feel free to help others in need, but don’t do it at the expense of your emotional and physical bank account.

Libra: The weightiness of the past few days seems to be lifting. You will find a slight breeze building that will help fuel your fire, Libra. By building a solid foundation, you’ve created a reliable launching pad from which to take off. Communicate what you’ve learned with others. Allow your opinion to be heard.

Scorpio: Now that you have a solid grip on your situation, unexpected things may come along that change the rules again, Scorpio. It may feel like the chair you just got comfortable in has suddenly been pulled out from under you. Don’t get angry. Just realize that this is probably a sign that you need to move on. Keep things new and exciting.

Sagittarius: Use gadgets and electronic devices to make life easier today, Sagittarius. Why take the time to chop food by hand when you can use the food processor? Realize that there is most likely an easier way to tackle any task. If something seems too hard, ask for advice how to do the job more quickly and efficiently. Information exchange will play a big role in your day.

Capricorn: Be careful of the information that comes your way today, Capricorn. People may make unwarranted claims and false accusations. The day has a dreamy, innovative quality to it that asks you to venture out on a limb. If all your chores are taken care of, feel free to go exploring - mentally or physically.

Aquarius: Maintain an air of detachment, Aquarius. Feel free to delve into your fantasy world and let your emotions carry you to another realm. Today is one of those days when you might come up with a new invention that could become the next must-have item for every kitchen in the country. Let your imagination take you away.

Pisces: You may find that things are much lighter than they were the past couple days, Pisces. This is a good time to let your physical body take a rest and let your mind and fantasy world take over. Take a hot bath and soak for a while. Relax your brain and detach from your duties and obligations.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Monday, December 12, 2022

“If I had a nickel for every time I had no idea what was going on, I’d be wondering why I was getting all those nickels.” — graffiti.

Bridge can give rise to complex situations. I recall times when I failed to grasp a deal’s subtleties until I was thinking about it in bed that night.

Today’s North-South bid to four spades, and West led the queen of clubs: king, ace. East shifted to the queen of hearts. South won, cashed the K-Q of trumps and led a club. West took his jack and led another heart, and declarer won, drew the missing trump with dummy’s ace and ran the clubs. Making four.

ENTRIES

The contract should have failed: East must let the king of clubs win. Then South lacks the entries to use the long clubs. He will lose only one club but also two diamonds and a heart.

It’s a complex deal: South always succeeds by playing low from dummy on the first club. If West shifts to a heart, South wins, takes the K-Q of trumps and leads a club to dummy’s ten effectively.

hold: 9 6 5 9 5 A 10 9 8 2 Q J 8. Your partner opens one heart, you respond 1NT, he

bids two clubs and you return to two hearts. Partner then bids three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s three clubs shows five or more clubs and game interest. After your weak “false preference,” he wouldn’t bid again just to say he has extra club length. Your decision is close. Pass. But since you have a side ace, a raise to four clubs would be defensible. South dealer N-S vulnerable

Sudoku puzzles appear on the Diversions page Monday-Saturday and on the crossword solutions page in Sunday’s Life section.

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.

SharedEquity

Buellton

Goleta

HopeRanch

Lompoc

OtherSBCountyProp

ManufacturedHomes

New GOP oversight chair demands ‘accountability’ for ‘catastrophic’ Afghanistan withdrawal

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – House Oversight Republicans pledged to use their newfound majority to hold President Joe Biden “accountable” for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan last year.

That withdrawal, the subject of much controversy, left 13 U.S. service members dead, billions of dollars of military equipment behind and plunged Afghanistan into chaos as the Taliban quickly took power.

U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., was selected to chair the Oversight Committee and pledged in his acceptance to dig into what went wrong in Afghanistan and who is responsible. That investigation is one of several piquing Republicans’ interest as they lead the House for the next two years.

“The destructive path paved by the Biden Administration ends when Republicans have the gavel in January,” he said. “We will continue our investigations into the national security threat posed by the Biden family’s influence peddling and shady business schemes, President Biden’s border crisis, COVID origins and U.S. taxpayer dollars used to fund dangerous research in Wuhan, the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, President Biden’s energy crisis, waste and mismanagement of pandemic relief funds, and more.”

Rep. Comer did not waste time on the Afghanistan front. The same day as his chairmanship announcement, he sent a letter to several Biden administration officials

demanding relevant documents, information and communications.

“It has been over a year since the Biden Administration’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal and the American people have not received any answers about this national security and humanitarian catastrophe. U.S. servicemen and women lost their lives, thousands of Americans were abandoned, billions of taxpayer dollars are still unaccounted for, military equipment fell into the hands of the Taliban, progress for Afghan women has stalled, and the entire region is under hostile Taliban control,” Rep. Comer said. “Under a Republican majority, the Biden Administration’s obstruction of this investigation will be met with the power of the gavel. We owe it to the American people to provide answers, transparency, and accountability.”

Recently released Gallup polling shows that Afghanis report a spike in suffering since the U.S. withdrawal. As The Center Square previously reported, Gallup released polling data of Afghanis earlier this month, which

Rescinding vaccine mandate for military isn’t enough, Liberty Counsel argues

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – If Congress were to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for U.S. military service members, that still won’t be enough to undo the damage the mandate caused, Orlando-based religious freedom legal defense organization Liberty Counsel argues.

The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday passed a draft version of the $858 billion National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a provision that repeals Department Secretary Lloyd Austin’s COVID19 vaccine mandate for military members. If the provision remains, and the bill passes, and it’s signed by President Joe Biden, Austin’s Aug. 24, 2021 mandate would be repealed within 30 days of the bill going into effect.

According to the draft language, “Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall rescind the mandate that members of the Armed Forces be vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to the memorandum dated August 24, 2021, regarding ‘Mandatory Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination of Department of Defense Service Members.’”

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “Repealing the COVID shot mandate for military members is a good step in the right direction, but it is not enough. Liberty Counsel will continue to fight to permanently enjoin the Department of Defense from violating service members’ religious freedom rights.”

On Dec. 14, Liberty Counsel is presenting oral arguments at the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Marines and a Navy Commander of a warship. In January 2023, it’s returning to court seeking to convert the classwide preliminary injunction to a permanent injunction for the U.S. Marines. Congress repealing the mandate isn’t enough to undo the damage caused to service members whose religious accommodation requests (RARs) were denied, Liberty Counsel maintains. More importantly, repealing the mandate won’t prevent the Department of Defense from implementing a similar type of mandate in the future or address the problem of its widespread denial of RARs.

Regardless of what Congress passes, Liberty Counsel says it will continue pursuing permanent injunctions against the DOD’s “flawed religious accommodation policy for immunizations, to prevent it from reinstituting a similar COVID-19 shot mandate, and to undo the adverse treatment against service members who filed religious accommodation

The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday passed a draft version of the $858 billion National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a provision that repeals Department Secretary Lloyd Austin’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for military members.

requests.”

Prior to Mr. Austin issuing his COVID-19 vaccine mandate last August, the DOD issued an RAR policy on immunization. The military branches’ widespread denial of RARs filed by service members, district judges and the inspector general of the DOD found, violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA), raising a bigger problem, Liberty Counsel notes.

Under RFRA, the military is required to consider each RAR filed individually, which judges found all branches didn’t do.

“Instead, the military issues generalized statements to justify the mandate,” Liberty Counsel argues. “Since this RAR policy applies to all immunizations, not just COVID-19, the policy must be enjoined and the DOD must comply with RFRA.”

Liberty Counsel is pursuing its lawsuits, Mr. Staver says, because “the military must comply with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.”

Other rights must also be wronged, he argues: “all service members who have been punished, demoted, and discharged must be reinstated and their records cleared. Our military members who love God and America have been horribly abused and they must be honored again.”

Earlier this year, in its case, Navy SEAL 1 v. Austin, the group filed a declaration that revealed “shocking evidence of the abuse, intimidation and retaliation military members are facing over the Biden shot mandate,” including at least two service members who committed suicide.

“These military members are suffering mental anguish and great harm for standing up for their sincerely held religious convictions,” Mr. Staver said at the time. “Others who have taken the shots are being physically injured. Joe Biden’s shot mandate is inflicting cruel and unusual punishment on America’s finest members of the military. This abuse must end.”

found that 98% of surveyed Afghanis “rate their life so poorly that they are considered suffering” while a quarter say their life right now is “the worst possible.” The poll also found that 39% say they expect their life in five years will be “the worst possible.”

“Between 2021 and 2022, the percentage of Afghans who have been unable to afford food they and their families need shot up 11 points to 86%,” Gallup said. “This is not only a new record high for Afghanistan, but it also statistically ties the world record for any country over the past 16 years (87% set by the Central African Republic in 2010).”

Critics have blasted President Biden for Afghanistan as well as Ukraine, saying sending such large sums overseas without enough oversight is a recipe for disaster.

“Supporting our allies doesn’t mean blindly sending tens of billions of dollars with ZERO accountability,” U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., a veteran, wrote on Twitter. “Biden’s ‘shoot first and ask questions later’ approach is exactly how we wound up with the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

Feds doling out $2.3B to ‘expand and modernize’ intercity passenger rail

By T.A. DEFEO THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – The federal government is looking to dole out nearly $2.3 billion to “expand and modernize” intercity passenger rail across the country.

But a leading transportation analyst says that Amtrak, the nation’s passenger railroad, doesn’t have any plans to break even.

The Federal Railroad Administration announced the money in a Notice of Funding Opportunity published in the Federal Register. The money, part of the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program, is from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which some lawmakers call the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“This is a historic opportunity to modernize intercity passenger rail and Amtrak service to underserved communities across the nation,” Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said in a statement.

The FRA will administer the program. Federal officials noted that previous grants have funded rehabilitation projects, including the Piedmont Corridor in North Carolina and the Kalamazooto-Dearborn rail corridor in Michigan.

“Amtrak’s announced expansion and modernization plan for its national network isn’t surprising given the unprecedented funding Congress made available for this purpose,” Marc Scribner, senior transportation policy analyst for the Reason Foundation, told The Center Square.

“But it is important to remember that Amtrak does not anticipate to break even on any of these routes, which are forecasted to lose up to $514 per passenger by FY 2027 and which will require perpetual federal bailouts,” Mr. Scribner added. “This underscores that Amtrak’s primary customers are politicians in Congress, not American travelers.”

Recipients can use the money for various initiatives, including establishing or expanding passenger service. That includes privately operated intercity passenger rail service.

The money is available for projects not located on the Northeast Corridor. Officials said they plan to announce money for Northeast Corridor projects “later this year.”

In a statement, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called the grants “one of the two most significant investments in the past 50 years to modernize passenger train service across the country.”

Ohio gets court date for Google lawsuit

By J.D. DAVIDSON THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Ohio has a court date for the first-of-its-kind lawsuit against Google.

Delaware County Common Pleas Court set May 14 as the date Attorney General Dave Yost begins his case against the internet search giant in an effort to have it declared a common carrier and subject to government regulation.

“By manipulating search results to self-preference its own products, Google is tilting the playing field against consumers and against emerging competitors,” Mr. Yost said. “It’s time to bring those unfair practices to an end.”

As previously reported by The Center Square, a Delaware County judge ruled in May the state’s lawsuit could move forward.

The lawsuit, filed nearly a year before that ruling, claims Google intentionally prioritizes search results for its products

over organic search results and harms competitors by featuring its products and services prominently on its results pages.

It also says the Californiabased company has a duty to offer sources or competitors rights equal to its own, claiming it should not prioritize the placement of its own products, services and websites on search results.

Mr. Yost said he wants those equal rights to extend to advertisements, enhancements, knowledge boxes, integrated specialized searches, direct answers and other features.

The lawsuit does not seek monetary damages.

Mr. Yost claims Google hurts Ohioans by not offering all the information in order for someone searching to make the best decision. He used searching for a flight as an example, saying if Google returns its own search results to steer someone to Google Flights, the person will not see offers from competitors such as Orbitz or Travelocity.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan, the subject of much controversy, left 13 U.S. service members dead, billions of dollars of military equipment behind and plunged Afghanistan into chaos as the Taliban quickly took power.