Our 164th Year
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Down-to-earth expressions Santa Barbara expresses itself with outdoor art and comments
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rtists and writers are taking to the streets and sidewalks during the COVID-19 pandemic. To see their works, just look down. At left, one resident recreated Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa painting, but with the twist of a mask on her face and a cat in her arms. Below, feelings were expressed on the 700 block of State Street. For more photos, see Sunday’s News-Press
COURTESY SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT
A National Transportation Safety Board report has given more details about the May 20 crash of a single-engine airplane at Ralph Dunlap Elementary School in Orcutt.
Report issued on Orcutt plane crash NTSB says plane descended like ‘corkscrew’ in fatal crash By MITCHELL WHITE NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
MONA LISA
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
CHARLOTTE ALEXANDER PHOTO
One witness told investigators the Cirrus SR20 aircraft involved in a fatal crash last week at an Orcutt elementary school descended “like a corkscrew” as it fell to the ground, killing the pilot on impact. The National Transportation Safety Board released its aviation accident preliminary report Friday on the May 20 crash that occurred near the playground of Ralph Dunlap Elementary School. The pilot, later identified as 38-year-old Tigran Garabedyan of Burbank, was a student pilot conducting a cross-country flight, according to the report. Mr. Garabedyan’s flight instructor told investigators
the pilot had been in flight training since September 2019, accumulating about 50 flight hours. The May 20 flight was his third solo flight and his second cross-country endeavor, according to the report. Mr. Garabedyan and his instructor, who was not named in the report, had flown the same route as the accident flight at least two times prior to the crash. Mr. Garabedyan flew the route one time on his own about one week before the accident. Several witnesses observed the airplane prior to the crash. One witness reported the plane was flying “lower than normal” and observed the airplane “oscillate, followed by an engine power increase and then the airplane straightened out,” the report read. Please see crash on A2
SB police chief pens letter on death of George Floyd By MITCHELL WHITE NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
City to consider discontinuing shuttle service By CHRISTIAN WHITTLE NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
In light of massive budget deficits, the city of Santa Barbara is considering discontinuing the Downtown and Waterfront Shuttle service, according to a budget presentation given by Transportation and Parking Manager Rob Dayton during the city’s Wednesday’s budget meeting. “The city is subsidizing about $4.65 a ride. We were already talking to MTD about reducing this service, but in the wake of suspended service and expected revenue we’re proposing to cancel this service,” said Mr. Dayton. Mr. Dayton said the cut was necessary given the millions the city will have to make up in its budget for the coming fiscal year due to the coronavirus pandemic. City staff are predicting a 25% reduction in revenues, according to
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Mr. Dayton. The city has worked with Santa Barbara MTD to subsidize the electric shuttle service since the early 1990s. The service is structured through a memorandum of understanding that is renegotiated every few years. MTD operates the services and provides partial funding, while the city uses downtown parking funds to pay for a “fair buy down” and gets credit for the fares that people pay. Mr. Dayton pointed out that ridership has been declining by hundreds of thousands over the years. “It’s not a mystery that ridership has been going down,” said Mr. Dayton. However, any renegotiation of the agreement would have to be ratified by the City Council and the SBMTD board. Those discussions have not
yet been initiated, according to SBMTD spokesperson Hillary Blackerby. “We expect that there will be conversations for that effect,” said Ms. Blackerby. The service was suspended along with several others on April 6, after the coronavirus pandemic led to a massive drop in ridership. SBMTD is projecting that the shuttle service will remain paused for the remainder of the fiscal year. “That’s what we’re budgeting, but we’re open to negotiate with the city to see if things change budget-wise,” said Ms. Blackerby. “We want to be a long term partner for downtown. That may look different, it may look the same, but those are things that we have a little time to have discussions on.” While there is naturally uncertainty over what downtown and the waterfront will look like
in the coming year, Ms. Blackerby said SBMTD is looking to have the necessary formal and informal conversations with the city about the future of the service. The MTD Board will also consider opening up other agreements with the city and colleges for renegotiation during their meeting Tuesday in light of their fiscal emergency declared in March. From SBMTD’s perspective, the service is simply on hold. “For now, as far as we’re concerned, and as far as the agreements are right now, it’s suspended. They’re not paying any subsidies and we’re not paying anything to operate it,” said Ms. Blackerby. “It is a two-party agreement, so it does take two to tango on this one.” email: cwhittle@newspress.com
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L O T T E RY R ESU LT S
Comics................. A6 Local................. A 2-8 Obituaries............. A8
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 2-5-11-14-44 Meganumber: 21
Soduku................. A5 Weather................ A8
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he death of unarmed black man George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis has resulted in mass protests, riots and continued calls for social justice across the country. The now former police officer who was captured on video kneeling on the neck of Mr. Floyd, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Late Thursday, Santa Barbara Police Chief Lori Luhnow issued a signed letter to the city of Santa Barbara, calling the incident “preventable” and encouraging thorough dialogue. “Certain events in policing, whether involving police action or inaction, evoke such a depth of emotion that I feel a moral imperative to address them,” Chief Luhnow wrote. “I believe this to be the responsibility of all police leaders, whether thmessage is to defend
COURTESY PHOTO
Chief Lori Luhnow
unpopular actions of police officers, or, as in the case of George Floyd, bring attention to harmful and hurtful actions by officers whose poor decisions tarnish the profession. “I am deeply disturbed by Mr. Floyd’s death. It was preventable and should not have happened.” Chief Luhnow explained that Please see letter on A8
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 10-13-32-41-51 Meganumber: 3
Friday’s DAILY 4: 1-7-0-3
Friday’s DAILY DERBY: 09-01-10 Time: 1:47.42
Friday’s FANTASY 5: 9-13-15-17-29
Friday’s DAILY 3: 4-8-2 / Evening 0-1-3
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 38-58-59-64-68 Meganumber: 21