Santa Barbara News-Press: December 19, 2022

‘A day of Giving’

Proposed development under review in Carp

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The City Council, Planning Commission and Architectural Review Board will meet today to review conceptual plans for a three-story mixed-use development in Carpinteria’s downtown core that would include apartments, commercial space and covered parking.

Staff is recommending the three bodies receive public comment and provide conceptual review and comments on the proposed mixed-use development for a 0.87acre lot at 4745 Carpinteria Ave. currently occupied by Sun Coast Rentals.

The council, commission and board will meet at City Hall, starting at 5:30 p.m.

“The purpose of the conceptual review process is to allow an applicant to submit tentative plans in order to receive advisory comments and suggestions from the city’s decision makers,” staff said. “These advisory comments shall constitute a conceptual review only. A conceptual review and recommendation are not binding upon the Planning Commission or City Council as to any further determinations to be made with respect to the project.

“The city decision makers shall be wholly free to render a different determination and/or decision upon formal review of the project.”

Upon completion of the conceptual review process, the next step for the applicant would be to submit a formal application for the project. Once the city has

deemed the application complete, environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act would be conducted, followed by formal review by the Architectural Review Board and Planning Commission, appealable to the City Council.

The proposed concept contemplates a commercialresidential mixed use development on the western edge of the city’s downtown core in place of an existing equipment rental business. The project represents an opportunity for higher density infill development, including both expanded visitorserving commercial leasable space and one- and two-bedroom workforce rental housing, including a number of incomerestricted affordable units, on an under-utilized site on the Carpinteria Avenue corridor.

“Downtown mixed-use developments that provide opportunities for both new/ expanded commercial development in the downtown and desperately needed new workforce housing … concentrate (such) housing near job centers and existing businesses, and in close proximity to essential services (including, but not limited to, transit),” staff said. “Higher density mixed use developments also help to foster a more lively and vital downtown district by introducing additional yearround residents to the area to supplement seasonal tourism.

“The redevelopment of the site with a multi-story mixed use building creates an opportunity

see CARP on A4

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara residents flocked to Congregation B’nai B’rith on Sunday morning to celebrate “A Day of Giving” by helping with 10 community projects ranging from feeding the hungry to providing candy snowmen for kids with cancer to supporting Ukrainian soldiers on the front line to serving terminally ill adults and their families by making end-of-life dreams come true.

The temple at 1000 San Antonio Creek Road invited the community to participate in the goodwill efforts as part of Mitzvah Day – A Day of Giving to Benefit the Community.

“Mitzvah Day is CBB’s annual community-wide day of service,” Elizabeth Gaynes, the congregation’s executive director, told the News-Press. “People of all ages come together for a morning filled with good work helping others.”

Ms. Gaynes said the first Mitzvah Day took place in 2005, and that the congregation has held another 14 Mitzvah Days since then.

“One of the core values of Judaism is ‘tikkun olam,’ a Jewish concept defined by acts of kindness performed to perfect or repair the world,” Ms. Gaynes said. “Congregation B’nai B’rith is a diverse, inclusive community of individuals and families building together a warm and vibrant house of living Judaism.

“The annual day of service has expanded to Tikkun Olam Initiatives that happen all year long, as well as many Mitzvah projects as part of the school curriculum,” she added. “Mitzvah

Day is a great way to get a taste of community service work, to do this work together, and to learn more about our local nonprofit partners here in Santa Barbara and around the world for ongoing volunteer connections.”

To make the 10 community projects possible, Congregation B’nai B’rith worked with many local nonprofits. The projects

Please see MITZVAH on A4

Brass players perform Christmas favorites

Free concert takes place in Storke Placita Plaza

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara’s annual Christmas Brass Extravaganza brought holiday cheer Saturday to Storke Placita Plaza.

The core of the group is Santa Barbara’s City College brass

players, along with brass players from other local schools, members of the community and even musicians from across the globe.

“This annual event was begun at SBCC in the late ’80s or early ’90s by the band director at the

Please

Congregation B’nai B’rith helps with community projects on Mitzvah Day

Above, volunteers create festive snowman candy bars for the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation to give to children fighting cancer. At right, volunteers make animal treats.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Volunteers assemble lunch bags and basic hygiene items for the monthly Wednesday Navigation Center at Santa Barbara Rescue Mission during Mitzvah Day at the Congregation B’nai B’rith synagogue in Santa Barbara on Sunday.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

The Big Christmas Brass Show plays holiday tunes to the public in a free show at Storke Placita in downtown Santa Barbara on Saturday. Please see BRASS on A4

sports@newspress.com

UCSB men’s basketball defeats Vikings

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

Walking into the Viking Pavilion, UCSB men’s basketball (8-2) was ready for another road contest this season as they made the trip North to Portland to take on the Portland State University Vikings. The Gauchos had never played in this gym but were undefeated against the Vikings heading into the game.

After 40 minutes of play and a combined 51 fouls among the two teams, the Gauchos were the ones to come out on top, winning 85-73 over the home team.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Gauchos came out strong, taking a nine-point run early in the first half. However, this scrappy Portland State team wasn’t going to let UCSB get away with a lead for too long. The Vikings battled against the Gauchos, tying the game multiple times throughout this game. Once the clock hit zero in this first half, UCSB earned

back their nine-point lead sitting on top of the Vikings 39-30.

Leading the team in points at the half is graduate student Andre Kelly. The transfer from Stockton finished the first half with nine points while shooting 50 percent from the field and grabbing four rebounds. Along with Kelly’s efforts, senior Miles Norris and sophomore Ajay Mitchell each tallied six points each.

At the start of the second half, the Gauchos continued to add pressure. They eventually went up by 10 at the first media timeout with Mitchell scoring six points in four minutes. He continued applying pressure, continuing to add on to his point total for the game while his teammates followed suit. UCSB went from no players with double-digit points in the first half to end with four players in that category. With their hustle and perseverance, the Gauchos were able to end the game with their biggest lead of the night, grabbing the 85-73 win.

Westmont’s Berberabe records third triple-double in win over Irvine

By RON SMITH WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

For the third time in her career and the second time this season, Westmont guard Stefanie Berberabe recorded a triple-double in today’s game against Westcliff (7-3). The Warriors from Santa Barbara (11-0) defeated the Warriors from Irvine by a score of 60-40.

Berberabe tallied 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists on Saturday afternoon to record the program’s fifth triple-double and help lead the Warriors to their 11th win of the season. She also had four steals.

“From the start of the game

you could see that she was dialed in – she had five rebounds in the first quarter,” noted Westmont’s head coach Kirsten Moore. “Stef makes so much happen with her aggressiveness and her intelligence. What she does is remarkable.”

Junior forward Destiny Okonkwo led the Warriors in scoring, going seven of 11 from the floor on her way to a season-high 15 points and five rebounds.

“Destiny has been such an anchor for us on our defense,” said Moore. “I am super excited to see her playing with the confidence that she deserves to have on

on A3

Pioneer Valley AD honored

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

- Leading the Gauchos tonight was of course Mitchell. He was on fire in the second half to finish the night with 25 points. He also distributed the ball well to his teammates, adding on five assists. He also crashed the boards with the best of them, securing seven rebounds.

- Norris finished with his second double-double of the season and his ninth game registering doubledigit points. He ended the night with 12 points while also adding on 10 rebounds, the third-best on the team in points and best on the team in rebounds.

- Along with those two, Calvin Wishart and Andre Kelly also finished with double-digit points. Wishart ended up with 13 while adding on two steals while Kelly had 11 points, going four-for-seven from the field.

- Josh Pierre-Louis was an impactful player for UC Santa Barbara before fouling out of the game. The senior from Plainfield, New Jersey ended the game with a team-high three steals while also shooting 50 percent from the field, securing eight points.

UP NEXT

The Gauchos have one final non-conference game of the season as they compete in the Jerry Colangelo Classic in Phoenix, Az. UCSB will take on Appalachian State with a 3 p.m. tip at the Footprint Center.

Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB.

email: sports@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO

Pioneer Valley High School Athletic Director Anthony Morales has been selected to receive the Central Section Athletic Director of the Year Award.

Please see WESTMONT

DP girls basketball crushes l omP oc

The Dos Pueblos girls basketball team dominated against Lompoc on Saturday, winning by a score of 63-23.

“We are starting to really gel as a team,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Manny Murillo. “It was a great bounce back game for us after our overtime loss on Thursday.”

Dos Pueblos started out with a relatively strong 16point first quarter before scoring 11 in the second. The team exploded in the third quarter, more than doubling its score with a 28-point performance before turning in a relatively tame fourth quarter with eight points.

Leading the team was Justin Katz with 22 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Gianna Nichols scored 18 points, including four from beyond the arc, and added two rebounds. Other notable performances included: a ten rebound showing from Savannah Riley; a four point and five rebound outing from Sierra Jewell; a balanced attack from Carly Letendre including six points, four steals, two assists and two rebounds; and a 6-point performance by Dianna Meza.

“We achieved one of our five team goals we have for this season, which was everyone got a bucket in a single game,” said Murillo. “This shows how much of an unselfish team they are to have that on their vision board. They all want everyone to succeed. I’m proud of them.”

Dos Pueblos improves to a 4-3 overall record with the win. The team returns to action against defending CIF Div. 1 champion Viewpoint today.

boys basketball falls

sm

to bishoP montgomery

The San Marcos boys basketball team lost to Bishop Montgomery on Saturday by a score of 7032 in a first rounds matchup at the Mission Prep Christmas Classic.

“Proud of our guys for the way they battled against a highly ranked and very talented team in Bishop Montgomery,” said Coach James Kinzler. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to compete against such a quality program as we continue to learn and grow as a group.”

Micah Jacobi led the way for the Royals with 9 points and Jack Wilson added 7.

San Marcos will continue at the Mission Prep Christmas Classic from today through Wednesday. sm boys soccer shuts out sb

The San Marcos boys soccer team shut out Santa Barbara, winning the game 2-0.

“The first half was dominated by Santa Barbara. They were organized and defended really well, winning first and second balls,” said San Marcos Coach Paul McLean. “I thought we responded with more intensity in the second half and created good opportunities. (Luke) Sheffey and (Leonel) Olivo scored excellent free kicks.”

The Royals are 5-0 and play at the prestigious

South Torrance tournament this week where they open with Bell Gardens and San Pedro.

DP

boys basketball loses to ca Pistrano Valley

The Dos Pueblos boys basketball lost to Capistrano Valley on Saturday, falling 67-52.

With the non-league loss, Dos Pueblos falls to 1-6 overall. The team has an 0-2 league record.

sm girls water P olo comes away with close win

The San Marcos girls water polo team won a close game against the Foothill Knight of Orange County on Saturday, edging out their opponents 11-10.

“There’s many stand out performances, however Reagan McEachen was dominant at the center forward position and Ava Stryker was able to find the back of a goal three times in the second half,” said Coach Chickie Roth.

“We had a lot of impressive performances and it takes a team to win,” said Roth. “We distributed the goal scoring amongst the team. We came out very aggressive and finished aggressively. This group has a lot of heart.”

The Royals will next play on Dec. 29 and 30 at the Newport Beach tournament.

sy boys soccer wins against bishoP Diego

The Santa Ynez High boys soccer team beat Bishop Diego on Saturday, winning 4-1.

Santa Ynez score two goals in each half, with the first two coming from Tristan Amezcua and Spencer Silverman. Aiden Tapia recorded assists on both.

Tapia and Amezcua teamed up again for Santa Ynez’ first goal of the second half while Braiden Melville scored the team’s fourth goal with an assist from Silverman.

The Pirates return to action with a league game against Righetti High School.

DP boys soccer falls to Pacifica

The Dos Pueblos boys soccer team lost to Pacifica on Saturday, falling by a score of 3-2.

Dos Pueblos Coach Matt York singled out the performances of Kaj Laub, Matt Sillers and Ethan Foong. Laub and Sillers scored the team’s goals and were noted for their effort and hustle. Foong anchored the defense and also displayed good energy throughout the game, said York.

Laub’s goal was the first of the game, but was soon matched by a successful penalty kick for Pacifica.

Dos Pueblos took the lead again on Sillers’ goal, but was unable to hold on as Pacifica first tied and then took the final lead.

With the loss, Dos Pueblos falls to 1-4 in league play, with an overall record of 1-5.

- Matt Smolensky

‘I was really pleased with our defensive effort’

WESTMONT

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the offensive end. She was so aggressive and gave us an inside presence. She impacted the game on both ends of the floor tonight.”

Kate Goostrey contributed 10 points to Westmont’s cause, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the third quarter that enabled the maroonclad Warriors to pull away from their namesake in blue.

Westmont held Westcliff to just four points in the fourth quarter but had trouble generating much offense of their own, posting just 13 points.

“We were struggling to finish from the perimeter,” acknowledged Moore. “We haven’t had access to our gym all week and it has been finals. There are probably a lot of reasons why, but we can’t make excuses. It was definitely not the sharpest offensive effort out there.”

Murchison Gymnasium was closed for floor renovations this week and did not open until this morning.

“I was really pleased with our defensive effort, especially to start the game and in the third quarter,” expressed Moore. “Our starting group was getting it done on the defensive end of the floor and setting the tone that way. Even though we were struggling offensively, it was good that we could count on our defense.”

In the second quarter, Westcliff

found some offensive rhythm and outscored Westmont 15-13. A layup in the final seconds by Berberabe gave Westmont a 26-19 advantage headed into the intermission.

Defense continued to be the byword for the beginning of the third quarter. Westcliff’s Eva Taylor (12 points) scored the only points of the first four minutes with a layup at the 7:50 mark, reducing Westmont’s advantage to just five points (26-21).

With six minutes to play in the penultimate period, Goostrey nailed a 3-pointer to score Westmont’s first points of the second half and put the Warriors up 29-21. On the ensuing possession, Westcliff had to contend with Westmont’s pressure in the back court and committed a 10-second violation. The Westmont defense forced three 10-second calls during the game.

Sydney Brown (6 points, 7 rebounds) inbounded the ball to Berberabe who found Goostrey alone in the left corner. The sophomore guard drained another 3-pointer, giving Westmont a double-digit advantage (32-21).

Westmont scored the next four points on a left-handed hook shot by Okonkwo and a pair of free throws by Brown. The 10-0 run produced a 36-21 advantage for the home team. Westmont maintained its 15-point lead in the balance of the third quarter, finishing on top of Westcliff 42-27.

With three minutes to play in the final frame, Berberabe pilfered the ball from Westcliff’s

Neyha Lali, then drove the length of the floor. Her layup gave Westmont its largest lead of the game (57-35). It was also Berberabe’s 10th point and completed the triple-double.

Berberabe’s first career tripledouble came just 10 months ago in the quarterfinals of the 2022 GSAC Championship when she recorded 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a game against San Diego Christian. Exactly one month ago (November 17), the senior guard produced her second triple-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists against Arizona Christian.

With the win, Westmont heads into the Christmas break undefeated for the first time in program history.

The Warriors will put their unbeaten record on the line on Thursday and Friday, December 29 and 30, when they host the Westmont Holiday Classic. At noon on Thursday, Westmont will play Southeastern of Lakeland, Florida (6-6). Then at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, the Warriors will take on the Eutectics of Health Sciences and Pharmacy from Saint Louis, Missouri (9-3). The tournament will be held concurrently with the 45th Tom Byron Classic hosted by Westmont Men’s Basketball.

Ron Smith is the sports information director at Westmont College.

email: sports@newspress.com

Feds settle with Colorado trucking firm in discrimination case

By JOE MUELLER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Justice reached a settlement with a nationwide trucking company based in Colorado for discriminating against non-U.S. citizen workers.

The department began an investigation of Navajo Express after a non-U.S. citizen filed a complaint alleging the company refused to accept valid documentation proving permission to work. The company also allegedly demanded a different document from the applicant.

The investigation found the company routinely required lawful permanent residents to show their permanent resident cards, commonly called

“green cards,” to prove they had permission to work although the applicants had already presented other valid documentation. The investigation also found the company had a policy of unlawfully requiring permanent residents to provide new permanent resident cards when their old permanent resident cards expired.

“When employers reject workers’ valid documentation proving their permission to work and demand other types of documentation, they construct unnecessary hurdles that can mean the difference between a worker getting a job or not,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement announcing

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‘We love giving back with this free concert and spreading a little holiday cheer’

time, Dr. Charles Wood. We still use SBCC brass players as the core of the group. We are also joined by junior high, high school, UCSB (students) and any brass players in the community,” Eric Heidner, director of bands at SBCC, told the News-Press.

“We even get some people from out of town. We have had people play with us from as far away as Switzerland and Australia,” he said. “Our players range in age from elementary school children to senior citizens in their 80s.”

Songs performed included classic holiday favorites such as “Deck the Halls,” “Jingle Bells,” “Angels We Have Heard On High,” and “Holly Jolly Christmas,” as well as a few exotic ones such as “Mele Kalikimaka” and even a few Hanukkah tunes, according to Mr. Heidner.

Participation was open to all brass players (trumpet/cornet, horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba). The rehearsals began at 9 a.m. Saturday in the SBCC Band Room and wrapped up around 11 a.m. Then everyone headed over to Storke Placita Plaza, in the 700 block of State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. The free concert started around noon and ended around 2:30 p.m.

The full brass choir played first, followed by the Trombone Choir, followed by the Tuba Ensemble.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Mr. Heidner said. “There

are people participating of all levels and ages.

We always have a very enthusiastic crowd. There are always a lot of people just walking by that don’t even know about the concert.”

“It’s our way of giving back to the community who have supported us,” he said.

“We love giving back with this free concert

and spreading a little holiday cheer at this time of year. We all could use it, especially this year.

“Brass players love playing during this time of year so keep a look out for us.”

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Ten projects supported by congregation members

itZVAH

were completed Sunday morning at the congregation’s site on San Antonio Road as well at two offsite locations.

Among the projects is one that supports Ukrainian soldiers.

“We are supporting soldiers in Lviv, Ukraine, by collecting and sending cold weather gear and medical supplies, as well as writing notes of support for the troops,” said Ms. Gaynes.

Other projects included:

• Blood Donation: People donated blood to help replenish local blood banks through Vitalant.

• The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation: Participants created festive snowmen candy bars to give to children fighting cancer in time for their holiday party.

• Lunch for the Hungry: They assembled lunch bags and basic needs items to be delivered to the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission. Completed bags will be distributed at the temple’s Wednesday Neighborhood Navigation Center at the Rescue Mission.

• Scrap-booking for Dreamers: The Dream Foundation serves terminally ill adults and their families by making end-of-life dreams come true. Volunteers were asked to create beautiful scrapbook pages as a memento for families.

• Animal Mitzvah: People made treats, toys and warmers for animals in the local shelters.

There was a flurry of volunteer activity

Barbara on Sunday.

• Hanukkah Treats for Seniors: Participants assembled Hanukkah candles and treats for our seniors at local retirement homes.

• Operation Gratitude: OG is a nationwide nonprofit providing Americans with opportunities to honor our military. Those

More than $40,000 in civil penalties to be paid

trucking

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the settlement. “The Justice Department will continue to hold employers accountable for discriminating against workers because of citizenship, immigration status or national origin.”

The settlement terms state Navajo Express will pay more than $40,000 in civil penalties to the U.S. government. The company also will train staff on the Immigration and National Act’s (INA) anti-discrimination provision and review and revise employment policies. The company, with headquarters in Denver, also will be subject to federal monitoring for a two-year period.

Federal law allows all workers to choose which valid, legally acceptable documentation to present to prove their identity and permission to

work, regardless of citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Both U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, are all eligible for several of the same types of documents to prove permission to work. These can include a driver’s license or an unrestricted Social Security card.

The INA’s anti-discrimination policy prohibits employers from asking for specific documents because of a worker’s citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Employers must allow workers to present whatever acceptable documentation the workers choose and can’t reject valid documentation that appears to be genuine.

If a lawful permanent resident provides an unexpired permanent resident card to prove permission to work, employers must not request new documentation if the card later expires, according to federal law.

participating made paracord bracelets that are added to care packages and have proven to be life-saving.

Offsite products involved volunteers interested in tree gleaning at private homes and donating the produce collected

to local food charities, and others who visited Vista Del Monte Retirement Community to share Hanukkah music and other Jewish songs.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Project site currently occupied by equipment rental business

to gain additional utility out of a rare large, but under-developed site in the city’s Downtown ‘T’ district.

“While three-story construction has been controversial in the city in the past, the contemplated proposal may offer a means of preserving a two-story façade along Carpinteria Avenue, while also providing a meaningful number of new housing units and meeting the project’s required parking (as adjusted by Density Bonus Law) in a manner that reflects the (desired) character for the downtown Carpinteria Avenue corridor (i.e., transitioning Carpinteria Avenue into an integrated downtown street similar to Linden Avenue),” staff said.

The project site is presently occupied by a long-time tenant operating an equipment rental business with a large outdoor yard devoted to the storage and parking of various equipment, machinery and/or vehicles available for hire.

“Arguably, the existing use provides an important service to the community, but caters more to residents than visitors despite the property’s (partial) visitor-serving commercial designations,” staff said.

The proposed mixed use concept includes 6,000 square feet of commercial leasable space, situated along the site’s Carpinteria Avenue frontage, and distributed between two floors.

The ground floor would be 3,800 square feet in area and oriented directly to the sidewalk on Carpinteria Avenue. The second floor would contain an additional 2,200 square feet of commercial space and a 650 square-foot-patio space overlooking Carpinteria Avenue.

“Cumulatively, this new square footage would provide expanded opportunities for new visitor-serving commercial development to be introduced at the west end of the downtown core, and present an opportunity to activate or reinvigorate commercial activity in this part of the downtown,” staff said. “In order to maintain consistency with the intent of these policies, future commercial tenants would need to be visitor-serving in nature.”

The proposed mixed use development would be composed of a 24-unit, 26,400-square foot, two-story apartment complex built atop a ground-level 22,500-foot-concrete parking podium, and the 6,000 square-foot, two-story commercial building fronting Carpinteria Avenue. All existing site improvements would be removed to facilitate the proposed development.

Cumulative square footage for the proposed project would total approximately 54,900 square feet. Maximum building height to the top of the proposed three-story element would be approximately 36 feet.

The contemplated two-level, 24-unit apartment building would be composed of 13 one-bedroom units and 11 two-bedroom units.

The lower level of the apartment complex would house 15 units total, each of which

would be approximately 960 square feet in size. The upper level of the apartment complex would be occupied by the remaining nine units. Four of the units on the upper level would be 960 square feet each in size. The remaining units on this upper level would be larger in size at 1,632 square feet.

The contemplated concept calls for utilizing the state’s Density Bonus Law to allow for the inclusion of additional dwelling units beyond what the city’s maximum density would allow for under the current zoning designation in exchange for designating a certain number of the apartment units as income-restricted rentals.

More specifically, the project calls for setting aside 10 units for households that fall within the moderate-income level (80% to 120% of the area median income) in exchange for a density bonus for six additional units.

Pursuant to Density Bonus Law, the concept proposal also requests the use of incentives or concessions from the local jurisdiction’s development standards in order to facilitate the construction of the project and/or to accommodate the increased density. In this case, the project proposes to utilize three incentives or concessions to reduce required parking, allow for increased building height beyond the maximum allowed by the city, and allow for building lot coverage in excess of city zoning requirements for the Planned Residential Development zoned portion of the property.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

Today Tue.

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W

Cuyama 59/33/s 57/31/pc

Goleta 61/40/s 63/40/pc

Lompoc 62/38/s 61/35/pc

Pismo Beach 60/39/s 62/40/pc

Santa Maria 62/40/s 61/39/pc

Santa Ynez 64/37/s 63/35/pc

Vandenberg 60/43/s 61/42/pc

Ventura 62/46/s 61/45/pc

Bakersfield 55/38/s 57/38/pc

Barstow 55/33/s 59/35/s

Big

Bishop 51/27/s 58/27/pc

Catalina 57/48/s 58/49/s

Concord 51/41/pc 58/41/c

Escondido 66/37/s 65/40/s

Eureka 52/42/c 52/47/r

Fresno 55/40/pc 57/39/pc

Los Angeles 65/46/s 66/45/pc

Mammoth Lakes 38/22/pc 41/20/c

Modesto 52/39/pc 55/37/pc

Monterey 56/42/pc 57/43/pc

Napa 53/38/pc 59/38/c

Oakland 53/42/pc 58/42/c

Ojai 63/43/s 66/43/pc

Oxnard 61/45/s 61/45/pc

Palm Springs 68/44/s 67/47/s

Pasadena 65/44/s 67/44/pc

Paso Robles 60/34/pc 62/33/pc

Sacramento 49/39/pc 57/41/c

San Diego 64/41/s 63/46/s

San Francisco 53/45/pc 57/45/c

San Jose 55/42/pc 59/42/c

San Luis Obispo 63/40/s 65/41/pc

Santa Monica 64/44/s 64/45/pc

Tahoe Valley 42/24/pc 41/33/c

Atlanta 50/38/c 43/38/sh

Boston 41/29/s 41/28/s

Chicago 28/25/c 36/18/pc

Dallas 44/38/r 52/35/pc

Denver 51/19/pc 41/18/pc

Houston 50/44/r 55/41/pc

Miami 79/68/s 80/69/r

Minneapolis 13/0/sn 7/-6/pc

New York City 40/29/s 40/30/s

Philadelphia 41/27/s 43/28/s

Phoenix 63/41/s 64/40/pc

Portland, Ore. 42/32/c 39/33/c

St. Louis 37/30/c 40/25/pc

Salt Lake City 35/27/pc 37/29/sn

Seattle 35/27/pc 35/26/sn

Washington, D.C. 43/29/pc 44/30/pc

8:59 p.m. 3.6’ 2:32 p.m. -1.1’

Beijing 36/15/pc 38/18/pc

Berlin 39/36/c 45/40/pc

Cairo 76/57/pc 72/55/pc

Cancun 80/73/sh 84/68/s London 57/49/c 53/40/r

Mexico City 71/54/s 71/53/pc

Montreal 32/22/pc 31/21/c

New Delhi 72/47/pc 73/47/pc

Paris 51/47/c 54/45/r

Rio de Janeiro 76/72/r 77/72/r

Rome 60/41/s 59/42/pc

Sydney 68/57/pc 70/56/pc Tokyo 50/38/s 52/40/s

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

during Mitzvah Day at the Congregation B’nai B’rith synagogue in Santa

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

The Big Christmas Brass Show plays in downtown Santa Barbara on Saturday.

Life theArts

CALENDAR

‘R.E.S.P.E.C.T.’

Theatrical concert in Santa Barbara to honor Aretha Franklin

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

FYI

made that song a declaration of a woman’s independence,” Ms. Sajous noted.

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Please email them a full week before the event to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@ newspress.com.

TODAY 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Interlopings: Colors in the Warp and Weft of Ecological Entanglements” is an exhibit that runs through March 12 at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The exhibit features weavings dyed with pigments from non-native plants on Santa Cruz Island. The weavings were created by artists Helen Svensson and Lisa Jevbratt. For more information, see sbbotanicgarden.org. 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. 31

8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform its annual New Year’s Eve concert, featuring music varying from The Beatles to James Bond to Broadway, at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Pops conductor Bob Bernhardt will conduct the concert, which will feature renowned soprano Mela Sarajane Dailey. There will also be champagne, noise-makers and, of course, party hats. To purchase tickets, go to thesymphony.org or thegranadasb.org or call the symphony at 805-893-9386. 9 p.m. The Boogie Knights and Spazmatics will perform during the New Year’s Eve Disco Boogie Ball at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez.Tickets cost $50. To purchase, go to chumashcasino. com/entertainment.

JAN. 3

‘R.

E.S.P.E.C.T.” is a theatrical concert celebrating the music and life of the Queen of Soul: Aretha Franklin.

“We have found a way to integrate her personal life story, her family, her career and how it evolved from her being a singer in her father’s church in Detroit to touring the country with Martin Luther King Jr. to evolving into the pop star that she became, the singer we know, the legend,” said director Christina Sajous.

The program, which features three women and one man singing Ms. Franklin’s music and telling the story of her life, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 3 and 4 at The Granada, 1214 State St.

The American Theatre Guild presentation is an adaptation of McGee Entertainment’s Australian touring show, “RESPECT—The Aretha Franklin Story.”

“There were some things we had to tweak,” Ms. Sajous told the News-Press Friday by phone from her home in New York City. She said she worked with her creative team to adapt the theatrical concert, originally intended

for an Australian audience, for an American one. And she said this adaptation emphasizes Ms. Franklin’s activism in working with Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.

Photos and videos on an LED screen behind the singers complement the storytelling experience.

“You will see some images you might have seen in social media and the news,” Ms. Sajous said. “There may be some new images you might not have seen, images to support the storytelling.”

The concert also celebrates Ms. Franklin’s hits such as “Natural Woman,” “Think,” “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me” and “Chain of Fools.”

Ms. Sajous noted how Ms. Franklin made her mark on Otis Redding’s “Respect.”

“She flipped the gender psychology of that song and

She explained the four singers, who take turns with the lead vocals, are called “hosts.” “What we discovered in this process is there’s an Aretha in all of them. All four hosts are the people who are telling the story.”

Ms. Sajous said that by the end of the concert, the audience will realize Ms. Franklin was both an icon and a human being.

“Sometimes we look at celebrities, and we put them on a pedestal,” said Ms. Sajous. “We forget they’re a human being. But any mistakes she made, doesn’t make her a bad person. It makes her a human being.”

She said Ms. Franklin’s story is one that many people can identify with and that she hopes audience members can find the Aretha inside themselves.

Ms. Sajous said the tour started in October with a performance at Kings Theater in Brooklyn and that audiences have responded well.

In fact, she said, in Detroit, audience members couldn’t get enough of the Aretha Franklin story and her music. “We saw the audience dance its way out.”

email: dmason@newspress.com

7:30 p.m. The American Theatre Guild will present the North American debut of “R.E.S.P.E.C.T,” a theatrical concert celebrating the music of Aretha Franklin, at The Granada, 1214 State St. Tickets cost $59 to $114. To purchase, go to granadasb. org.

JAN. 4

7:30 p.m. The American Theatre Guild will present the North American debut of “R.E.S.P.E.C.T,” a theatrical concert celebrating the music of Aretha Franklin, at The Granada, 1214 State St. Tickets cost $59 to $114. To purchase, go to granadasb. org.

JAN. 21

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform its “Plains, Trains & Violins” concert at The Granada, 1214 State St. The concert includes Miguel del Aguila’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, “The Journey of a Lifetime” (El viaje de una vida) with violin soloist Guillermo Figueroa and the concert world premiere of Elmer Bernstein’s “Toccata for Toy Trains.”

The

COURTESY PHOTO The exhibit “Parliament of Owls” runs through Feb. 5 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara.

COURTESY PHOTO

“R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” director Christina Sajous, above, said the Aretha Franklin story is one that many people can identify with.

The American Theatre Guild will present the North American tour of “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” a theatrical concert celebrating the music of Aretha Franklin, at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 3 and 4. The Granada, 1214 State St. Tickets cost $59 to $114. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JEREMY DANIEL PHOTO

JULIA DRUMMOND PHOTOS

Singers perform Aretha Franklin’s hits and tell her story during “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” which the American Theatre Guild will present Jan. 3 and 4 at The Granada.

How to lower your anxiety in stressful situations

Have you been feeling stressed and anxious lately?

Don’t get down on yourself about it, because it’s a natural response to difficult times.

Let’s look at the components of stress to better understand how to decrease its impact.

In life-threatening situations, or situations that feel life threatening, we have a fight-orflight response. Less intense situations may bring up a freezeor-faint response. Depending on what’s going on, you can fall into either or both categories.

These responses are automatic. They originate in the very core of the brain.

Stress isn’t all bad. It can motivate and stimulate us into action. Without stress, some people might not even get out of bed in the morning. Stress reminds us to respond to life.

However, your reaction to stress can increase or decrease your levels of anxiety, so it’s important to pay attention to how you respond.

Responding negatively to stress

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1

orchestra will also perform Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”). Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JAN. 22

3 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform its “Plains, Trains & Violins” concert at The Granada, 1214 State St. The concert includes Miguel del Aguila’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, “The Journey of a Lifetime” (El viaje de una vida) with violin soloist Guillermo Figueroa and the concert world premiere of Elmer Bernstein’s “Toccata for Toy Trains.” The orchestra will also perform Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”). Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

4 to 5 p.m. “Roy Dunn: Capturing Imagery of Our Wild Neighbors” will take place 4 to 5 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, 1511-B Mission Drive, Solvang.

— Dave Mason

results in increasing your sense of tension and anxiety, so how do you remain neutral or respond positively instead?

Here is a simple visualization. Picture the mind as if it were a tea kettle boiling and full of steam. To stop the noise, let the steam out a little bit at a time, and do that continually.

Whether you have more or less stress than anyone else matters less than the way you handle — or more accurately, don’t handle — the stress that you have. How you respond to stress can set the tone for the entire day and any interaction with another human being.

Stress is a signal to begin using coping exercises.

First, try using a stress coping statement, an affirmation like “You’re going to be all right” or “This is going to be so easy.” These positive statements have the power to lower anxiety. Many times, people overlook this type

of coping mechanism because it seems too simple. But sometimes simple is simply the best option.

After using coping statements, confront the stressful situation. Your stress level will likely rise, so continue to use stress coping statements (positive self-talk) to direct your thinking in another direction.

Tricks for selfcalming include visualizing your last vacation or pondering where you might like to travel.

Letting your mind roam to happier places will help you get unstuck. Thinking and/or talking about things totally unrelated to what is causing you stress will ease your tension.

Deep breathing and relaxation exercises help as well. For example, if you are undergoing a stressful medical exam, it will help to relax as the doctor talks you through the exam. Listen but also close your eyes if you

like, and breathe deeply. At the end of the procedure, reinforce your success with the experience by giving yourself a mental pat on the back. This will remind you of how well you did and will make you even more relaxed the next time. Telling yourself “I did very well. Next time it will be a breeze!” also works great.

Being prepared for stress can help you cope better with it, so you will be less anxious in the moment. The above exercises create a holding pattern for your anxiety. Once you have even the slightest success with them, you will want to use them again and again. Maintaining self-calm is a positive addition to anyone’s life.

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.

Wildlife museum to present photography program

SOLVANG — The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature has announced an upcoming presentation with wildlife photographer and cinematographer Roy Dunn.

“Roy Dunn: Capturing Imagery of Our Wild Neighbors” will take place 4 to 5 p.m. Jan. 22 at the museum, 1511-B Mission Drive, Solvang.

The program will take a look at Mr. Dunn’s work in camera trapping and ethical wildlife

photography. The presentation will also feature stories behind his photography in the museum’s main floor exhibit, “Wildlife on the Edge: Hilary Baker.”

Mr. Dunn is well-known for his expertise in photographing hummingbirds interacting in flight, using high-speed flash techniques and equipment he personally developed. More recently, Mr. Dunn has focused his efforts on Southern California mountain lion conservation, which

involve state-of-the-art camera traps.

Admission to the museum is $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers. Registration is encouraged.

For more information, contact the museum at info@ wildlingmuseum.org or call 805686-8315.

To see Mr. Dunn’s photos, go to www.humanstohummingbirds.com.

— Dave Mason

Chumash Casino Resort donates $12,000-plus to cancer center

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians presented the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center Thursday with a donation of more than $12,000 for breast cancer research and treatment.

The donation is part of the Chumash Casino Resort’s annual Project Pink campaign, which is in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Throughout October, the resort sold pink-colored snacks, sweets, specialty desserts and drinks in its various eateries, with a portion of the proceeds going toward the campaign. This year’s sales totaled $6,331, and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation matched that amount, dollar for dollar, resulting in a $12,662 donation to Ridley-Tree Cancer Center. (The center has facilities in Santa Barbara and Solvang.)

“We are so grateful to the Chumash Casino Resort and its employees for a successful Project Pink campaign and are honored to receive this financial gift,” said Matt Baumann, vice president of oncology at Ridley-Tree Cancer Center. “These funds will allow us to become even more equipped during a challenging season as we advance breast cancer research and treatment, improving survival and quality of life for thousands of patients. We consider it a privilege to serve those facing a cancer diagnosis and are deeply touched when members of our community recognize this commitment and offer their support.”

The Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara, which is the main fundraising arm for Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, is dedicated to ensuring superior care for all residents of Santa Barbara County, regardless of means.

“We commend the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians for their yearly commitment to the care of breast cancer patients from Santa Barbara County and beyond through their Project Pink campaign,” said Lori Willis, the foundation’s executive director. “These proceeds will be put right to work to support Ridley-Tree Cancer Center’s programs and services which are essential to the treatment of breast cancer.”

October’s Project Pink campaign was led by a team of chefs who recreated the familiar lineup of Project Pink sweets and debuted an assortment of new ones. The newest items making their debut for this year’s campaign included cherry matcha cake, pink velvet whoopie pie and pistachio rosewater tart.

“Year after year, our hardworking Food and

Beverage team demonstrates its dedication to shedding light on breast cancer awareness,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “We are proud to see these much-needed funds go toward improving the survival and quality of life of patients in Santa Barbara County.”

For more information on the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, visit https://cfsb.org/giving-to-cfsb/give-now/.

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has donated more than $25 million to hundreds of groups, organizations and schools in the community and across the nation as part of the tribe’s longstanding tradition of giving. To find out more about the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation and its giving programs, visit www. santaynezchumash.org.

ROY DUNN PHOTO

Roy Dunn took this photo of a mountain lion, using camera trapping technology — remote cameras triggered by sensors.

COURTESY PHOTO

The Chumash Casino Resort presents a large donation to the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center. The money was raised by a team of resort chefs, who created Project Pink sweets.

By Horoscope.com

Aries: Think of today as a wellearned rest day, Aries. You’re usually the one people turn to when they need consolation. Today, in spite of the tension in the air, your words seem to have no effect. Let other people take care of themselves for a change. You can spend your time quietly reading a good book.

Taurus: Today take stock of all that’s occurring on the home front, Taurus. Think back over the last few months and you will see how much of your attention has been on work rather than loved ones. There’s probably some fallout as a result. Fortunately, a few days in close touch with family will put everything right.

Gemini: Think long and hard before making commitments, Gemini. Much is at stake, especially where your love life is concerned. It’s likely that a proposal is coming your way. Do you know how you will answer? Events may have you feeling like you’re at a crossroads when actually you’re more on track than ever. The key lies in trusting your instincts and remaining true to your ideals.

Cancer: You will be busy today, Cancer. Nevertheless, you still may end the day with your desk piled high with projects - not because you’re unproductive, but rather because you’re popular and your work is valued. You may be wishing you weren’t quite so valuable! Don’t get stressed about all you have to do. No one expects you to get it all done immediately.

Leo: You’ve been working exceptionally hard, Leo. Today is a good day to recharge your batteries. It seems everyone wants a piece of you. You may have reached the point where you have nothing left to give. It’s OK to say so. If possible, take the phone off the hook and reserve the day for yourself.

Virgo: Today could be a turning point for you, Virgo. Is it possible that you’ve finally learned how to say no? You’re the one everyone asks for help. You spend so much time on other people’s problems that you have little energy left for you. This situation ultimately helps no one. Put yourself first and there will be plenty of you left for others.

Libra: Today’s planetary positions urge you to assert

yourself, Libra, but take care not to take this encouragement too far. You tend to go a bit overboard when making a point. There are times (and this is one) when subtlety is more powerful. Try being low key and open rather than uptight and defensive. You have a warm personality, so why not let others experience it?

Scorpio: You have a strong creative component to your personality. You should use it more. Today’s planetary positions will influence both your creativity and productivity. You will likely find yourself working as never before, and with better results. Take advantage of this phase while it lasts! This is your moment to prove to others just what you’re capable of.

Sagittarius: You’re highly sensitive and highly intellectual, Sagittarius. This is a wonderful combination and part of what makes you a superstar. Today’s planetary positions challenge you to think how you can best combine these two key components of your personality. Have you considered writing? It might provide the sort of balance you seek.

Capricorn: You may be inclined to stay in bed today with the latest best seller, Capricorn. Who wouldn’t want to spend the day this way? Alas, that isn’t going to happen. The planets are practically pulling the covers off you and pushing you out of bed. There’s work to be done! And more importantly, there are people you need to talk to right now.

Aquarius: You have a lot to offer, Aquarius. Everyone appreciates what you have to contribute. Yet you’ve been unable to give yourself credit for all that you’ve accomplished. It would be worthwhile to take some time to contemplate why this is so. You have a strong need to be loved, but you must first love yourself.

Pisces: Whether you acknowledge it or not, there’s a child inside you who needs tending, Pisces. You’re proud of the person you’ve become - and well you should be. But you’re the product of who you once were. Today’s planetary positions suggest you acknowledge all parts of your past - the good and the bad.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Monday, December 19, 2022

Cy the Cynic struggles with his weight, especially during the Christmas holidays; he needs a seasonally-adjusted bathroom scale.

“I’ve been attending too many parties,” Cy told me in the club lounge. “I’m playing like a goat because I’m preoccupied with my weight.”

“‘Desserts’ spelled backward is ‘stressed.’” I remarked.

Cy was today’s South in a matchpoint duplicate event and, like every North-South in the game, his partnership got to four hearts. West led the jack of spades, and Cy won with the king and took the A-K of trumps. When West discarded, Cy tried the A-K and a third diamond. Alas for him, East won and cashed his jack of trumps — and another diamond.

HIGH TRUMP

Cy made his contract, but his matchpoint score was abysmal. Cy can cash one high trump but must next lead a low diamond. He wins East’s spade return and cashes his other high trump.

West discards, but Cy can take the A-K of diamonds and ruff his last diamond in dummy, making a useful overtrick.

5 4 6 5 4 5 4 3 A 7 6 5. Your partner

deals and opens one spade. The next player bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Go ahead and bid two spades. A “free bid” of a new suit would in some circumstances suggest a sound hand, but a “free raise” has no such implication. Even though your hand is a minimum for a single raise, don’t suppress a fit for your partner. If you don’t raise now, you may never get another chance.

South dealer Neither side vulnerable

Codeword is a fun game with simple rules, and a great way to test your knowledge of the English language.

Every number in the codeword grid is ‘code’ for a letter of the alphabet. Thus, the number 2 may correspond to the letter L, for instance.

All puzzles come with a few letters to start. Your first move should be to enter these letters in the puzzle grid. If the letter S is in the box at the bottom of the page underneath the number 2, your first move should be to find all cells numbered 2 in the grid and enter the letter S. Cross the letter S off the list at the bottom of the grid.

Remember that at the end you should have a different letter of the alphabet in each of the numbered boxes 1- 26, and a word in English in each of the horizontal and vertical runs on the codeword grid.

PUZZLE

Graduation rate up, chronic absenteeism spikes in California public schools

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - The high school graduation rate recently hit an all-time high in California, new data shows.

The California School Dashboard, restarted for the first time since 2019, went live on Thursday this week. It showed that the state’s four- and five-year high school graduation rates hit all-time highs in 2021–22, while the state’s chronic absenteeism rate followed the same trends as other states, according to a press release from the California Department of Education’s office.

The data showed that the state’s four-year high school graduation rate climbed to 87% in the 2021-2022 school year, up from 83.6% in 2020–2021.

However, in the same stretch, the state’s chronic absenteeism rate skyrocketed.

California defines chronic absenteeism as students missing 10% of the days they were enrolled for any reason; the rate increased from 14.3% in 2020–2021 to 30% in 2021–2022.

However, the state’s Department of Education notes that this surge was normal due to the coronavirus pandemic and that states like Florida, Ohio, and Michigan had rates exceeding 30%.

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and the California Department of Education (CDE) are trying to find ways to reduce chronic absenteeism, according to the Department.

The Department notes that one issue may have been the lack of students vaccinated against coronavirus since the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) approved the coronavirus vaccine for five- to 11-year-olds in November 2021. It also says the booster wasn’t approved for children in that age range until October 2022.

“In response to higher absenteeism rates and other challenges, many local schools and districts launched attendance campaigns, practices, and policies,” the California Department of Education press release said.

“Last spring, Superintendent Thurmond honored six school attendance review boards (SARBs) for exemplary practices to reduce chronic absenteeism and improve student attendance.”

It said that these programs are in addition to the $23.8 billion California extra that the state put in its state budget in hopes of combatting learning loss.

Here are what those investments include, according to the state’s Department of Education:

• The California $4.7 billion Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health: All young people ages zero to twenty-five will have ready access to mental health support both inside and outside of school.

• Universal free meals: All students, regardless of income, have access to two free school meals per day—up to 12 million meals per day statewide.

• Expanded learning time: Elementary

California working with philanthropic groups on pilot guaranteed income program

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - California is launching a universal basic income pilot program, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced.

California is launching its Guaranteed Income Pooled Fund. The program is, “a philanthropic endeavor to help organizations fund their Guaranteed Income Pilot Programs by helping pilot projects unlock more than $25 million in grants from the state,” according to the release.

“As people across the country struggle with global inflation, this guaranteed income pilot program provides some much-needed support and breathing room for the most vulnerable Californians,” Gov. Newsom said in the press release. “This publicprivate partnership will accelerate our ability to get money to these individuals and families, showcasing Californians coming together to support one another.”

Under the program, the Pooled Fund will support guaranteed income pilot projects that need additional resources to launch, sustain, or enhance their pilot.

These pilot projects will collectively serve more than 1,975 Californians – primarily former foster youth and pregnant women – by providing them with $600 to $1,200 per month, for 12 to 18 months, according to the release.

To receive state funding, pilot project awardees must match 50% or more of the State’s award.

Contributors to the pooled fund include the Sierra Health Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust, and the Weingart Foundation. The state expects further contributions from other organizations.

California Wellness Foundation Vice President of Programs Lori Cox said it’s vital to run tests to see if a universal basic income could benefit society.

“Income security is essential to health and wellbeing. We are proud to participate in the Guaranteed Income Pooled Fund, as it leverages the state’s historic investment for exploring how unconditional, unrestricted cash can improve the lives and trajectories of Californians most in need,” Ms. Cox said in the release. “And we look forward to selected pilots contributing robustly to the public policy discussion.”

Manuel Santamaria, Vice President of Community Action at Silicon Valley Community Foundation, also sees a benefit to a guaranteed income. He said that he thinks it will benefit low-income and minority communities.

“Investing in the Pooled Fund aligns naturally with our work to advocate for equitable policy and sustainable income strategies for low-income communities of color,” he said in the release. “We are proud to join our foundation peers to invest in this opportunity and to amplify the collective impact of philanthropic resources on these critical pilot programs.”

Plus, Miguel A. Santana, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation, thinks this program could help shape future public policy.

“We’re proud to support the state’s Guaranteed Income Pooled Fund Pilot and to further invest in innovative and transformative programs that can change lives,” Mr. Santana said in the release. “With equity at the center of the GI Pilot’s design, we’re looking forward to deepening our understanding and learning about guaranteed income initiatives, and to contribute to California’s history of leading the way on public policy.”

The Asset Funders Network, Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, the Economic Security Project, and Social Finance form an advisory council that will review funding applications from those interested in the State-funded Guaranteed Income Pilot program.

“Pooled Fund partners expect to host an upcoming funder briefing to provide the philanthropic community with more information regarding this and other opportunities to support guaranteed income initiatives in the state,” the governor’s office said.

school students from low-income households, foster youth, and English Learners will have access to enrichment programs year-round and nine hours per day. At full scale in 2025, the $4 billion-per-year effort will serve an additional 1.5 million students per year.

• The Community Schools Partnership Program: Roughly one out of every three schools in California will receive $4.1 billion to focus more on student and parent engagement, expanded access to mental health supports, and wraparound services.

Superintendent Thurmond and the CDE will continue hosting the Learning Acceleration Webinar series.

The initial webinar event called “Learning Acceleration” featured local educational agencies and other education partners, “sharing tools and strategies to support student recovery and learning acceleration.” The CDE hosted it in October.

Other webinar events they have hosted included the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant on November 10 and Learning Acceleration Webinar: Mathematics on December 14.

Additionally, CDE’s new webinar series on student attendance will begin on January 18.

“Each webinar will explore how chronic absence can be woven into a key area of existing work and will include the voices of practitioners offering concrete examples of how they combat chronic absence in their own schools and communities,” according to the release.

Illegal entries into Vermont surge in November

Border Patrol agents, residents save Mexicans, Haitians from dying from freezing temperatures

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Foreign nationals illegally entering the U.S. are increasingly entering through Vermont at an unprecedented rate.

In October, the Swanton Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which includes all of Vermont, saw a 676% increase in apprehensions of illegal foreign nationals compared to last year, according to Border Patrol data.

Agents apprehended 334 people from 19 countries in October, and the “upward trend continues,” Swanton Sector Chief Border Patrol Agent Robert Garcia said.

Since then, the numbers have gone up. According to preliminary data for November obtained by The Center Square from a Border Patrol agent, Swanton Sector agents apprehended 445 illegal foreign nationals and reported 313 gotaways – individuals who evaded law enforcement as they made their way into the U.S. illegally.

The preliminary data excludes Office of Field Operation data, meaning official totals are likely higher although U.S. Customs and Border Protection doesn’t make gotaway numbers public.

In November, agents reported a record more than 93,400 gotaways who illegally entered through the southern border.

Agent Garcia this week described a successful apprehension of five Mexicans hiding in the brush near the U.S./Canada border in Troy, Vermont. Agents were assisted by a BP canine named Kora who tracked them down. After performing a records check, agents discovered that one of them had been previously removed from the U.S. twice in 2016 and was caught illegally entering through Vermont this time.

A few days earlier, agents rescued a disoriented family from Mexico in Vermont and a Haitian in northeastern New York. Agent Garcia put out a warning on social media, saying, “Reminder: crossing the border illegally is not only a crime, it’s dangerous.”

On Dec. 2, BP agents, assisted by a local resident, rescued a Mexican family with small children in Churubusco, New York, who were disoriented due to weatherrelated trauma as they illegally crossed into the U.S. from Canada.

After stopping a vehicle of a suspected human smuggler near the U.S.-Canada border, agents learned through roadside interviews that a group of Mexicans was attempting to navigate a heavily wooded area in near-freezing temperatures.

A local resident contacted the Border Patrol after finding them and providing them with shelter.

Agents then learned that some of them, including the children, had lost or abandoned their wet shoes and were walking barefoot in near-freezing temperatures when they were rescued. Agents at the Burke Border Patrol Station provided them with clothing.

“Attempting to cross the border illegally carries with it many consequences, not just administrative and criminal actions against the violator. This event could have turned tragic,” Burke Station’s Patrol Agent in Charge Richard Parker said, while also thanking

In October, the Swanton Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which includes all of Vermont, saw a 676% increase in apprehensions of illegal foreign nationals compared to last year, according to Border Patrol data.

the agents and residents for saving their lives.

On Dec. 3, an agent on patrol witnessed an individual collapse in downtown North Troy, Vermont. The individual was verbally unresponsive and in obvious physical distress. The agent requested Emergency Medical Services and additional agents arrived to provide support until EMS arrived. The individual, a Haitian in the U.S. illegally, was transported to North Country Hospital in Newport, where he was admitted for hypothermia and other medical issues exacerbated by prolonged exposure to rain and cold temperatures. He was later transferred to University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington for further treatment.

Medical expenses of illegal foreign nationals, unless paid for by a nonprofit, are largely passed on to local taxpayers. Small rural Texas border counties, for example, are paying a disproportionate share that even Democratic officials say they can’t absorb. The Democratic mayors of Washington, D.C., New York City and Chicago have all declared emergencies saying their cities can’t afford to care for the influx of people being released into the U.S. arriving in their cities by bus from Texas.

“The dangers posed by trying to cross the border illegally, especially during winter months, are very real and can be fatal,” Patrol Agent in Charge Michael Shick said, adding that these types of rescue efforts are “a perfect example of the work that agents encounter and are prepared to deal with on a daily basis.

“Although this incident resulted in a rescue, the reality is that this situation could have ended in a recovery and as we get deeper into the winter months the likelihood of these types of encounters ending poorly rises exponentially.”

Swanton Sector agents are responsible for securing the land border between Canada and Vermont, New Hampshire, and northeastern New York. U.S. citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activity to Border Patrol at 1-800-6893362.