Santa Barbara News-Press: June 24, 2023

Luck and love

The Theatre Group at SBCC to launch 2023-24 season with ‘Guys and Dolls’ - B1

Musk’s cause

William Haupt III says Twitter owner needs help to end online censorship - C1

U.s. charges Chinese companies, executives with fentanyl trafficking

By BRETT ROWLAND

THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Top prosecutors filed charges Friday against several Chinese companies and their executives for illicit fentanyl production, a new tactic to stem the flow of the powerful drug into the United States.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest of two people and unsealed three indictments in New York charging China-based companies and their employees with crimes related to fentanyl production, distribution. and sales resulting from precursor chemicals.

“We have charged, for the first time ever, four chemical companies based in China and eight Chinese nationals for the

Nation’s largest public pension fund compromised by cybersecurity breach

By RIA JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – The California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) was recently informed of a cybersecurity breach, which allowed an unauthorized third party to download its data.

Personal information for retirees of the state, public agencies, school districts and retirees of the Judges’ Retirement System and Legislators’ Retirement System was accessed when the MOVEit Transfer Application used by PBI Research Services/ Berwyn Group (“PBI”) was compromised on June 6. It included full names, social security numbers and names of former employees and their family members.

CalPERS announced the breach on June 21.

The MOVEit Transfer Application encrypts data and is used by CalPERS to facilitate accuracy in payments to retirees and beneficiaries and prevent instances of overpayments or other errors. PBI provides MOVEit Transfer services to CalPERS.

It also verifies benefit information. The MOVEit Transfer app is used by thousands of organizations worldwide that were also impacted by the breach.

PBI has since resolved the vulnerability affecting CalPERS retirees and their survivors and reported the incident to law enforcement.

CalPERS’ information systems were not affected by the breach. Still, CalPERS has implemented new security protocols for its website, call centers and offices. Monthly pension payments will continue in accordance with member preferences.

CalPERS has partnered with Experian to offer a two-year credit monitoring and identity restoration service to members whose information was stolen. Impacted members were sent a letter detailing instructions on how to access the services.

If you have not received this letter and believe you have impacted personal information, please call 833-919-4735. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. PT and Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT (excluding major holidays).

Additionally, CalPERS advises its members to regularly review and monitor their accounts and credit history for signs of unauthorized transactions or activity and contact local police if they suspect fraud or identity theft.

Additional information on recovering from identity theft can be accessed at FTC consumer advice online.

CalPERS is the nation’s largest public pension fund, serving more than 2 million members in the retirement system and administering benefits for more than 1.5 million members and their families.

trafficking of fentanyl precursor chemicals into the United States,” United States Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a news conference. “These companies and their employees knowingly conspired to manufacture deadly fentanyl for distribution in the United States.”

U.S. authorities arrested two of the eight Chinese nationals.

Prosecutors said the companies took steps to disguise the precursor chemicals at the molecular level and provided instructions to recipients on how to change the chemicals back upon arrival.

“They add what are known as masking molecules to their fentanyl precursor chemicals,” Mr. Garland said. “Once these masking molecules are added, the chemical signature of the precursor is changed. That

means when it is shipped, it appears to be a new, non-fentanyl precursor substance.”

When the companies’ clients received the products, the companies provided instructions for the buyer to easily change it back into the fentanyl precursor, Mr. Garland said.

“The Justice Department will not rest or relent in investigating and prosecuting every link of the fentanyl supply chain, including the [People’s Republic of China] companies and executives who produce and export vast quantities of the precursor chemicals the drug cartels need to peddle their poison,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said at the news conference.

“There can be no safe haven.”

In the Southern District of New York, prosecutors charged the China-based

chemical company Hubei Amarvel Biotech Co. Ltd., which is also known as AmarvelBio, and its executives and employees Qingzhou Wang, 35; Yiyi Chen, 31; and Fnu Lnu with fentanyl trafficking, precursor chemical importation, and money laundering offenses.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency arrested Mr. Wang and Mr. Chen after they were expelled from Fiji on June 8, officials said. Mr. Wang and Mr. Chen were detained in Honolulu and will appear in Manhattan federal court when they get to New York. Mr. Yang remained at large as of Friday afternoon.

Amarvel Biotech, a chemical manufacturer based in the city of Wuhan, COURTESY PHOTO United States Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Please see FENTANYL on A3

Escape from north Korea

Defector Yeonmi Park tells her story, warns about the dangers of today’s ‘woke left’

By LIAM HIBBERT NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The Young America’s Foundation hosted its meeting for high school students around the country to learn about conservative ideology and get a chance to listen to Yeonmi Park, the famous North Korean defector.

The meeting at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort invited roughly 250 high school students from around the country — although mostly from California — to listen to Yeonmi Park tell the story of when her family fled from North Korea.

She used the story as a warning for the United States to turn into a dictatorship if the “woke left” gained power.

“I was abducted at birth. Before I was born in my mother’s tummy, they decided what my life would be,” said Ms. Park on what it was like to be born in North Korea.

“There’s really no limit to what lies governments can create to control people,” Ms. Park said during the Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable Series luncheon.

The talk was part of the June High School Conference at the Reagan Ranch. The conference, which started Wednesday, concludes today.

The speaker on Friday, Ms. Park, escaped North Korea in 2007 and faced unimaginable hardship before and after defecting, which included being sold into slavery in China. After she lived in South Korea for a few years, she went to New York to write her widely successful memoir “In Order to Live.” She then attended the Ivy League Columbia University, which she now denounces.

“The professors at Columbia University were teaching the exact same things that my teachers in North Korea were teaching,” Ms. Park told the high school students at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. “I heard professors saying that humans are a disease.”

The criticism of Columbia University and other left-leaning institutions is relatively new in Ms. Park’s speeches. A popular public speaker since her time in South Korea, Ms. Park has begun

Please see PARK on A6

“There’s really no limit to what lies governments can create to control people,” said Yeonmi Park, the famous

in Santa Barbara.

Art Without Limits closes in Montecito

By LIAM HIBBERT NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Art Without Limits closed permanently this week after a tough couple of years during the pandemic.

The Montecito art store focused on mentorships for artists looking to hone their skills and turn professional, as well as programs to get the interest of younger kids in the arts. Jodi McLeod, the executive director and daughter of the founder, announced the shop had officially ended on Thursday.

“It’s been a couple years since it’s actually been running because COVID hit so hard,” Mrs. McLeod told the News-Press Friday. “Helping the artists was in me, helping to continue my mom’s legacy.”

Art Without Limits started back in 2009 when Julie McLeod, a former Broadway performer and Jodi’s mother, established the shop to help get artists’ careers on the way.

“She wanted to help artists and she came up with many programs — oneon-one mentorships, where we would pair artists that needed help in getting their career going,” said Mrs. McLeod. “We also did BizArt, which were conferences on different areas of art, business-wise.”

Like many small service businesses, Art Without Limits closed largely because of the pandemic. However, there is still a chance that it might not be closed for good.

“I’m sad to see it go, but it might not. Someone is possibly interested in taking it over,” Mrs. McLeod said. “I want to make sure they’re in line with what we did with it and carry on my mother’s dream.”

email: lhibbert@newspress.com

Columnist

ARTHUR VON WIESENBERGER / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

North Korean defector, during a talk before the Young America’s Foundation

Bill Gates in China, John Fetterman’s brain, transgender nonsense and Democratic pain

“BILL GATES UNVEILS $50 MILLION PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINESE UNIVERSITY THAT CONDUCTS MILITARY RESEARCH”

We knew Bill Gates was a very wealthy nerd.

What we did not know till now is that he is also naïve.

Even after the COVID-19 pandemic, Bill still wants to appease (be exploited by) the Chinese government and continue to dirty his hands with dangerous bio research.

China’s dictator Xi Jinping would not see Elon Musk when the world’s richest man visited China a few weeks ago. But he welcomed Bill Gates earlier this week with open arms: “Thanks for the $50 mil, sucker!”

They apparently discussed “global health.” As in, mission accomplished? Or maybe more to come?

Little doubt that his presumably tax-exempt donation is, for Bill, partly about keeping slave labor in China greased along, maybe even ramp up the production of Microsoft’s hardware for Xbox and PCs in Shanghai.

If this country had a genuine Justice Department, Bill Gates would be investigated for aiding and abetting a country hostile to the United States.

But since Mr. Gates is the (COVID and Jeffrey Epstein) darling of the liberal establishment (add: Biden family familiarity with Chinese money), D.C. will probably kiss his butt instead. At least one U.S. senator is not buying it.

“RAND PAUL RIPS BILL GATES’ ALLEGED TIE TO GAIN-OF-FUNCTION RESEARCH: ‘FUNDING THE BIGGEST DANGER TO MANKIND’ ”

Says U.S. Sen. Rand Paul RKentucky: “The blame should go not only to Chinese authorities but to Anthony Fauci and all those who advocated this. Look, Bill Gates is the largest funder of trying to find these viruses in remote caves and bring them to big cities” such as Wuhan, where, in a lab “these viruses” are manipulated and combined “with other viruses to create viruses that don’t exist in nature.”

Indeed, U.S. investigators appear to have confirmed that …

SCIENTISTS WORKING AT WUHAN INSTITUTE OF VIROLOGY ALONGSIDE CHINESE MILITARY ‘WERE COMBINING WORLD’S MOST DEADLY CORONAVIRUSES TO CREATE MUTANT STRAIN CAPABLE OF SPARKING A PANDEMIC JUST BEFORE THE COVID OUTBREAK BEGAN”

And — surprise, surprise — in the autumn of 2019 China was already developing a COVID vaccine.

“ ‘I, UH, WOULD JUST, UM, REALLY LIKE TO, YOU KNOW— THE 95, 95, 95. YOU KNOW?’

JOHN FETTERMAN’S BIZARRE RESPONSE WHEN ASKED ABOUT PHILADELPHIA HIGHWAY COLLAPSE IN THE SENATE”

Everyone knows that the U.S. senator from Pennsylvania John

Fetterman is brain-challenged, from both a stroke and clinical depression.

These issues should have been the reason for him to recuse himself from running for office (or be disqualified).

May his ongoing humiliations (which are very sad) be laid at the doorstep of the Democratic Party for enabling him into a position that makes a mockery of both the United States Senate and the voters who elected him.

“JOHN FETTERMAN IS SLAMMED FOR WEARING HOODIE & SHORTS TO ACCOMPANY BIDEN ON TOUR OF COLLAPSED PHILLY FREEWAY”

I rest my case.

And move on to …

“BIDEN LEAVES AMERICANS CONFUSED AS HE BIZARRELY DECLARES: ‘GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.’”

Uh, it is not only John Fetterman who is suffering brain issues.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away last September and ever since the correct phrase is “God save the KING.”

Thereafter, President Joe Biden got confused about how to leave the stage… until an escort hurriedly arrived to guide him out.

Little wonder that …

“71% OF AMERICANS & HALF OF ALL DEMOCRATS SAY BIDEN, 80, IS TOO OLD TO BE PRESIDENT & MOST VOTERS SAY THEY ARE WORSE OFF SINCE HE TOOK POWER”

And if he refuses to actively compete in the Democratic primaries …

“BIDEN COULD LOSE FIRST TWO CONTESTS TO RFK JR.”

New Hampshire Democrats are not happy about playing secondfiddle to South Carolina.

Their primary has always been first — and they like it that way.

If Joe Biden does not want to campaign and debate, Democratic voters (those with good sense, anyway) should swing to Robert Kennedy Jr.

“ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. IS A THREAT TO YOUR HEALTH — AND OUR DEMOCRACY”

Not!

This is just another eructation of mainstream narrative hysteria due to R.F.K. Jr’s rise in popularity.

You know it when you see it: They always begin by putting the words “a leading anti-vaxxer” after his name. This hatchet job in the Los Angeles Times is a wee bit different from the other character assassinations because it also insults other big names who operate outside mainstream media.

Podcast host Joe Rogan, who gave R.F.K. Jr. three hours of air time for an interview last week, is called “that outstanding ignoramus.”

And Elon Musk is “hampered by his towering ignorance.”

Hmm. A towering ignorance is what made Elon the world’s wealthiest man?

And then it tries to use R.F.K. Jr’s own family against him,

ROBERT ERINGER NEWS REVUE

pointing out that other Kennedys view him as “an outlier.”

Not to be confused with his Democratic opponent, an “outright liar.”

The reason for the vitriol spewed in this story is then made clear: R.F.K. Jr. “could cut into the vote for a responsible Democrat.”

Waah!

Sorry, bud, it is already happening. On top of which, R.F.K. Jr. IS the responsible candidate!

Clearly, the Biden bunch are getting desperate. And so is Big Pharma. Let us hope their assassination of R.F.K. Jr. is constrained to character only.

“MEGHAN MARKLE & PRINCE HARRY BRANDED ‘F------ GRIFTERS’ BY SENIOR SPOTIFY EXECUTIVE”

Apparently, the pair “failed to meet the productivity benchmark required.”

Which in simple language means they were lazy and got booted out the door.

“UK STUDENTS IDENTIFY AS HORSES, DINOSAURS, MOONS AMID NEOGENDER ‘FURRY’ TREND”

This is nothing new.

A subculture encompassing therians and “furry fandom” has been around for a while. There are two main categories: individuals who believe their souls are non-human but connect spiritually to an animal species, such as a canine or rodent, and individuals who enjoy dressing up as anthropomorphic cartoon characters. (A convention of such folk called Further Confusion— or FurCon for short—takes place annually in San Jose.)

Add “otherkins” are those who identify as mystical or fantasy beings, such as fairies or dragons.

How long until California advocates surgeries on children who identify themselves this way?

A fair question as …

“CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR WARNS PARENTS TO ‘FLEE’ STATE AFTER ‘GENDER-AFFIRMATION’ BILL ADVANCES”

Huh-what?

Assembly Bill 957.

This would amend Section 3011 of the Family Code.

It means the following: Parent denial of their child’s “gender identity” will be considered “child abuse,” thus giving a court authority to replace parents as custodians of their own children.

This is another step in the direction of Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” at its worst: Your children no longer belong to you; they belong to the state. And the state says, children have the

right to decide if they are boys or girls and, with the government’s full backing, to undergo transgender surgery without parental permission.

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote was 8-1 in favor of advancing this bill.

Will California become one large insane asylum?

It is already becoming a battleground as …

“MASSIVE BRAWL BREAKS OUT AMONG PROTESTORS OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD PRIDE MEETING”

The chant “Whose kids? Our kids! Whose schools? Our school!”

The LGTBQ folks took exception to that notion and physically attacked parents.

One protestor put it this way: “We do not want children medicalized, indoctrinated.”

Another: “We don’t have any problem with LGBTQ. You want to be LGBTQ, when you’re 18 go ahead. But at 8 years old, they are not ready for that.”

“L.A. MOM SLAMS CPS AFTER IT TOOK AWAY HER DAUGHTER AND LET HER TRANSITION INTO MAN – BEFORE SHE KILLED HERSELF THREE YEARS LATER AGED JUST 19”

Who: Yaeli Martinez.

What: Removed from her home at age 16 by Child “Protection” Services.

Why: Yaeli’s parents did not affirm her transgender identity.

Where: Los Angeles County.

When: Yaeli committed suicide in September 2019.

How: Says Yaeli’s mother, Abigail Martinez, “The school was telling her to go to LGBT groups behind my back. She was not a boy trapped in a girl’s body. She had mental health issues. My daughter was given testosterone instead of therapy.”

Addressing a California legislative committee last week, Abigail said: “I beg you, stop pushing gender ideology. I don’t want any parent to feel what I feel every day.”

Memo to parents: You need to keep a check on school teachers and administrators to determine if, behind your back, your children are being influenced to question and change their gender.

“GARLAND DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM HUNTER PLEA DEAL”

That’s what an attorney-general does when his boss’s son gets off easy and the scales of justice go somewhat askew.

“A DOG WAS STABBED IN NYC’S CENTRAL PARK FOLLOWING ‘VERBAL DISPUTE’ BETWEEN TWO OWNERS”

Dogs are the angels of this world. Anyone who stabs a dog should be hanged by their ankles and stuck with any number and variety of sharp objects for 11 days and nights.

Robert Eringer is a longtime Montecito author with vast experience in investigative journalism. He welcomes questions or comments at reringer@gmail. com.

Rent control may be on California ballots for the third time in four elections

By VICTORIA ANTRAM BALLOTPEDIA VIA THE CENTER SQUARE

Justice for Renters, an initiative campaign sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), submitted signatures on June 20 to place an initiative on the Nov. 2024 ballot in California to prohibit the state from limiting local rent control measures. This would be the third rent control initiative sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in four election cycles. The two prior initiatives in 2018 and 2020 were defeated with about 59% of voters opposing both measures.

The 2024 initiative is designed to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which was enacted in 1995. The act prohibits rent control on single-family homes and houses completed after Feb. 1, 1995. By repealing the act, the initiative would allow cities and counties to limit rent on any housing and limit the rent for a first-time tenant. Any local laws currently inoperative under Costa-Hawkins would take effect upon its repeal.

Proposition 21 (2020) would have also repealed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act and allowed local governments to enact rent control on housing that was first occupied over 15 years ago, with an exception for landlords who own no more than two homes with distinct titles or subdivided interests. AHF spent $40.6 million in support of the initiative. Opponents received $83.6 million to

The 2024 initiative is designed to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which was enacted in 1995. The act prohibits rent control on single-family homes and houses completed after Feb. 1, 1995.

campaign against Proposition 21. Proposition 10 (2018) would have also repealed Costa-Hawkins and allowed local governments to adopt rent control on any type of housing similar to the 2024 initiative. AHF contributed $22.5 million to the campaign in support of Proposition 10. Opponents received $71.4 million to campaign against Proposition 10.

The 2024 initiative needs 546,651 valid signatures (5% of the votes cast in the 2022 gubernatorial election) to qualify for the ballot. The secretary of state has not reported the total of unverified signatures submitted to local election officials. If the total number is equal to at least 100% of the required signatures, then local election officials perform a random check of signatures submitted in their counties. If the random sample estimates that more than 110% of the required number of signatures are valid, the initiative is eligible for the ballot. If the random sample estimates that between 95 and 110% of the required number of signatures are valid, a full check of signatures is done to determine the total number of valid signatures.

Proponents filed the initiative on Dec.

22, 2022. On Feb. 27, 2023, the initiative was cleared for signature gathering. On April 21, sponsors of the initiative reported collecting at least 25% of the signatures required. Seven ballot measures have qualified for the ballot in California in 2024. One of the measures also relates to housing. The state legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to repeal Article 34 of the state constitution, which requires local voter approval via a ballot measure for federal and/ or state government-funded housing projects classified as low rent. It is set to appear on the March 5 primary ballot, but the state legislature is considering a bill that would move it to the November ballot. The other six measures, including two veto referendums, are related to pandemic prevention, the state’s minimum wage, remediation for labor violations, vote requirements for new taxes, regulation of fastfood working conditions, and oil and gas well regulations. In California, an average of 82 ballot initiatives were filed between 2010 and 2022 with about nine initiatives qualifying for the ballot each election cycle.

WENDY McCAW . . . . . . . . . . . . . Co-Publisher

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Texas OLS: More than 500

buses sent to sanctuary cities

There have been nearly 400,000 apprehensions since Gov. Abbott launched the border security initiative

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Since Texas’ border security mission Operation Lone Star launched more than two years ago, the multi-agency effort has led to the apprehension of nearly 400,000 foreign nationals who entered the U.S. illegally.

Since last April, Texas has sent over 500 buses of foreign nationals to six so-called sanctuary cities.

Gov. Greg Abbott provided an update Friday on Operation Lone Star achievements, saying Texas is continuing “to fill the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure the border. Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to President Joe Biden’s open border policies.”

Since March 2021, Texas OLS officers have apprehended more than 384,000 illegal foreign nationals and made more than 29,000 criminal arrests with over 28,000 felony charges reported. They’ve also seized over 419 million lethal doses of fentanyl, more than enough to kill everyone in the United States. Last year, Texas began its busing strategy to “provide much needed relief to border communities” by busing people north who’d illegally entered the U.S. and were unlawfully released into Texas, Abbott argues. The first destination city was Washington, D.C., including dropping off buses in front of Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence. Since last April, Texas has bused more than 10,000 illegal foreign nationals to Washington, D.C.

By August of last year, Texas expanded the busing strategy to two additional cities, having now bused more than 8,200 to New York City and over 2,600 to Chicago.

Last November, Texas added another city, Philadelphia, and has so far bused over 1,600 people there.

This year, Texas expanded the busing strategy to two more cities: Denver and Los Angeles. Since May, Texas has bused over 210 people to Denver and since June 14, over 40 to Los Angeles.

All told, Texas has bused more than 21,050 people to six sanctuary cities since last April.

Busing is voluntary and free to passengers. All adults must sign waivers, including guardians and

Denying a child’s new gender could soon cost parents custody in California

parents of minors being transported.

While many have criticized Gov. Abbott for his busing strategy, the Democratic-led city of El Paso has transported more people to New York City and Chicago than the state has this year.

According to El Paso’s “Migrant Situational Awareness Dashboard,” the city has arranged the transportation of 13,972 people to New York City and Chicago as of June 23, via plane, train and charter bus.

Unlike the city of El Paso, which has received over $10 million in federal taxpayer money since last July, Texas taxpayers are funding Texas’ busing strategy.

And Gov. Abbott notes that while Democratic mayors and governors in the six states are complaining about receiving busloads of 50 people at a time, Texas has borne the brunt of illegal entries, dealing with over 4,000 a day in a light month like May.

Last month, for example, Border Patrol agents in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s three busiest sectors in Texas reported over 130,500 apprehensions and gotaways, those who illegally enter and intentionally evade capture. That’s over six times more people than Texas bused to sanctuary cities over the last year, and doesn’t count all of the five Texas sectors.

Del Rio Sector agents apprehended 30,840 people who’d illegally entered the U.S. in Texas and reported over 14,500 gotaways last month, according to data The Center Square exclusively obtained from a Border Patrol agent. Rio Grande Valley Sector agents apprehended nearly 40,000 and reported over 2,000 gotaways, a low number compared to previous months, some suggest because far fewer agents are in the field.

El Paso Sector agents reported 26,774 apprehensions and over 16,000 gotaways.

The judges and commissioners of at least 42 Texas counties have declared an invasion at the southern border, with more expected to do so, and dozens of counties have issued disaster declarations citing a surge of crime stemming from the southern border.

While Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has maintained the border is secure, Abbott and 24 other Republican governors who’ve pledged to support OLS argue the opposite. So far, hundreds of personnel from law enforcement agencies and national guard units from over 10 states are currently in Texas supporting OLS.

New Mexico senator introduces bill to improve acequias drought protections

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Two United States senators introduced a bill to ensure acequias, gravitydriven irrigation, have the same access to USDA disaster

assistance programs as other agricultural systems.

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, DN.M., and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, filed the ACEQUIA Act to make sure that parciantes, who operate them, qualify for drought and other disaster assistance.

The law would also codify existing USDA policy that does not require parciantes to get a special-use permit to conduct routine maintenance and in-kind improvements on federal land.

“For generations, New Mexicans

Please see DROUGHT on A4

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

Wildfire preparedness meeting planned

MONTECITO — There will be a community meeting hosted by the Montecito Fire Department at El Montecito Presbyterian Church on wildfire preparedness.

The meeting at 1445 East Valley Road will take place at 6 p.m. June 28. There will be a review of the

fire department’s “Ready! Set! Go!” Safety guide and discussion on how to better prepare for wildfire season.

— Liam Hibbert

Santa Barbara fire extinguished

SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara city firefighters knocked down an early morning structure

Tax revenues up in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA — The city of Santa Barbara is seeing more money from its sales and transient occupancy (tourist) taxes.

Santa Barbara reports significant increases in tax revenues of both kinds over last year’s numbers. The city of Santa Barbara received $6.6 million in sales tax revenue during the quarter ending March 31, which is 2.5% above the same quarter last year and 11.1% above budget.

The city has collected $21.5 million in sales tax through the March quarter, which is the third

FENTANYL

Continued from Page A1

in Hubei province, China, exported precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl and its analogues, according to the indictment and court records. The company advertised online and targeted customers in Mexico and guaranteed “100% stealth shipping,” according to court records.

Two indictments were unsealed in the Eastern District of New York that alleged criminal conspiracies by companies and

fire. No injuries were reported, and the cause remains under investigation.

The Santa Barbara City Fire Department dispatched three fire engines, one truck company and a battalion chief to the scene in the 700 block of Carpinteria Street.

The fire was called into 9-1-1 around 3:07 a.m. Friday and was put down in around 45 minutes.

— Liam Hibbert

quarter of the city’s fiscal year. For fiscal year 2023, the city’s sales tax revenue budget is $26.6 million.

The city of Santa Barbara collected $2.7 million in transient occupancy taxes in May 2023.

TOT revenues in May 2023 were about 9% above the monthly budget, showing a rebound in hotel activity in line with the expectation of strong spring and summer months. Year-to-date, TOT revenues are coming in 10% over budget.

The city has collected $28 million through May, the 11th month in the city’s fiscal year. The city’s adopted TOT budget for all funds is $28.3 million, of which $23.6 million is budgeted in the General Fund.

— Liam Hibbert

By RIA JOSEPH THE

SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

CENTER

(The Center Square) – The California Senate appears ready to consider legislation next week that makes refusal to affirm a child’s gender a matter of concern in a custody dispute.

AB 957- The TGI (Transgender, Gender-Diverse, and Intersex) Youth Empowerment Act, was first introduced by Assembly Member Lori Wilson, DSuisun City, in March.

The bill “empowers parents who support their TGI children by clarifying once and for all that affirming a child’s gender identity is in the best interest of the child, allowing courts to consider a parent’s affirmation of their child’s gender identity when making decisions about visitation and custody. The bill will also require courts to strongly consider that affirming a child’s gender identity is in the best interest of the child when one parent does not consent to a minor’s legal name change to conform with the minor’s gender identity. AB 957 will provide affirming parents the support they need when encountering civil procedures in court that pertain to affirming and uplifting the lives of their TGI children,” a release by Assemblymember Wilson’s office stated.

The bill has had several provisions amended in consultation with committee members to remove clauses that cover if a non-conforming parent objects to name changes, as well as other name change stipulations with regard to a minor to affirm gender identity.

“The bill was originally introduced to amend both Family Code 3011 and the Code of Civil Procedure …The amendments taken do not substantially differ from its previous version. Our bill was always amending section 3011 of the family code,” Assemblymember Wilson stated at the June 13 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the bill.

Republicans do not trust the intention of the Democratic majority and hint that this bill may just be the beginning of drastic changes to family law and that perhaps the removed clauses, some of which were hostile to parents who did not affirm the child’s preferred gender, would make their way back in other bills.

Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, said, “After eleven years, I’ve come to the conclusion we need to start protecting parents.”

Having described how legislation has crawled into aspects of parenting regarding education and medical care, he said, “Now we have this, where if the parent does not support the ideology of the government, they (the children) will be taken away from the home.

“Today, it only involves divorce proceedings ...but I can assure you, it’s not going to end with divorce proceedings. In the past..when I’ve seen parental rights atrophied, I’ve encouraged people to keep fighting. I’ve changed my mind on that. If you love your children, you need to flee California! You need

to flee.”

His statements roused a round of applause from those in attendance opposing the bill.

Existing law governs the determination of child custody and visitation in contested proceedings and requires the court, for purposes of deciding custody, to determine the best interests of the child based on certain factors, including, among other things, the health, safety, and welfare of the child.

The bill would require the law to “include a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity as part of the health, safety, and welfare of the child.”

Despite assurances from Assemblymember Wilson that the bill is not referencing the criminal code and would not be used as a means to charge a parent as abusive, Erin Friday, leader of Our Duty, noted that the bill is the first of its kind to codify that a parent who does not affirm a child’s gender identity, as abusive.

“It matters not the age of the child, the absurdity of the identity adopted..mental health issues or persistence. AB 957 unambiguously states that the ‘health, safety and welfare’ of the child includes a parent’s affirmation of a child’s gender identity. If it passes, it would be child abuse if one does not affirm a child’s gender identity, not just in custody cases. The triad of words ‘health, safety and welfare’ will be used by CPS, judges and police to take children away from parents like me who knew better than to concretize their child’s gender identity.”

Ms. Friday is also the parent of “a girl who used to believe she was a boy.”

She went on to give an example where the courts last year had already removed a child from his parents for “health, safety and welfare” reasons under which the new bill would include gender affirmation.

Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, said, “We need to remember that all the arguments that we hear against so many parts of this bill and against acknowledging the existence of trans kids, those have all been made against gay and lesbian kids, that you can change them, that it’s not real, that it’s a phase, that they’re confused, that it’s a mental health problem. Let’s not pretend...that the attacks on and the attempts to erase trans kids...that it’s not also an attack on gay and lesbian kids. It absolutely is.”

The bill has been ordered to a third reading and could be heard Monday.

employees based in China to make and distribute fentanyl in the United States.

The first charged Anhui Rencheng Technology Co. Ltd.; Anhui Moker New Material Technology Co.; Shutong Wang; and Shifang Ruan, aka Eva, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, manufacture of fentanyl, and other related offenses.

The second indictment charged Hefei GSK Trade Co. Ltd, aka Hebei Gesuke Trading Co. Ltd. and Hebei Sinaloa Trading Co. Ltd.; and Ruiqing Li with similar offenses.

“Today, we target the very beginning of the fentanyl supply chain: the Chinese manufacturers of the raw chemicals used to make fentanyl and its analogues,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York said at a news conference.

“We’ve charged a Chinese precursor chemical company. And that’s not all. We’ve charged and arrested some of the individuals who work at the company. That includes a corporate executive and a marketing manager. They’re in American handcuffs. And they’re going to face justice in an American courtroom.”

‘Today, we target the very beginning of the fentanyl supply chain’

Republicans do not trust the intention of the Democratic majority and hint that this bill may just be the beginning of drastic changes to family law.

Former Texas congressman joins crowded GOP field seeking presidency

By DAN MCCALEB THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Former Texas U.S. Rep. Will Hurd said Thursday he is joining the race seeking the Republican nomination for president.

A moderate and critic of former President Donald Trump, Mr. Hurd represented Texas in Congress from 2015 to 2021.

“This morning, I filed to be the Republican nominee for president of the United States,” Mr. Hurd told CBS News.

Mr. Hurd joins a crowded field of Republicans seeking to unseat President Joe Biden in 2024. Mr. Trump is the front runner, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and seven other candidates.

“If we nominate a lawless, selfish, failed politician like Donald Trump – who lost the

House, the Senate and the White House – we all know Joe Biden will win again,” Mr. Hurd, a former CIA clandestine officer, said in an announcement video Thursday.

Dan McCaleb is the executive editor of The Center Square. He welcomes your comments. Contact Dan at dmccaleb@ thecentersquare.com.

The median age of Americans is approaching 40

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The median age of Americans is getting closer and closer to 40 years.

The median age in the United States increased by 0.2 years to 38.9 years between 2021 and 2022, according to Vintage 2022 Population Estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

“As the nation’s median age creeps closer to 40, you can really see how the aging of baby boomers, and now their children – sometimes called echo boomers – is impacting the median age. The eldest of the echo boomers have started to reach or exceed the nation’s median age of 38.9,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Population Division. “While natural change nationally has been positive, as there have been more births than deaths, birth rates have gradually declined over the past two decades. Without a rapidly growing young population, the U.S. median age will likely continue its slow but steady rise.”

Some states have already passed the four-decade median mark. At 44.8, Maine has the highest median age in the nation. Maine is followed by New Hampshire at 43.3. In all, 17 U.S. states – a third of the total – had a median age above 40 in 2022, according to the Vintage 2022 Population Estimates.

At the other end of the spectrum, the states with the lowest median ages were Utah (31.9), the District of Columbia (34.8) and Texas (35.5).

At the county-level, the range was more significant. The median age of the nation’s 3,144 counties spanned from 20.9 to 68.1 in 2022, according to the Vintage 2022 Population Estimates.

Seven counties had median ages at or above 60 in 2022. They were Highland County, Virginia (60.0); Charlotte County, Florida (60.2); Jefferson County, Washington (60.4); Harding County, New Mexico (60.5); Jeff Davis County, Texas (61.7); Catron County, New Mexico (62.1); and Sumter County, Florida (68.1).

In counties with populations of at least 100,000, several of the oldest were in Florida, including Sumter County (68.1). Sumter County, which is home to a large retirement community, has long been the nation’s oldest. Others include Citrus County (57), Sarasota County (57.5), and Charlotte County (60.2).

The youngest counties were often the homes of large colleges and universities.

Seven counties among those with resident populations of at least 100,000 had a median age below 30: Utah County, Utah (25.7); Cache County, Utah (25.8); Onslow County, North Carolina (27.6); Tippecanoe County, Indiana (28.8); Clarke County, Georgia (29.1); and Brazos (26.7) and Webb (29.8) counties in Texas.

Members of Congress want answers on hospice fraud and abuse

By RIA JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – In a June 21 letter to Inspector General Christi A. Grimm, five Members of Congress requested a briefing with the Office of the Inspector General to become apprised as to how widespread reports of fraud and abuse at Medicare Certified Hospices were, and what was being done about such illegal activity.

“Unfortunately, a surge of newly certified hospices have been engaged in unlawful, unethical practices, resulting in alarming reports of fraud and abuse that threaten both patient safety and fiscal responsibility,” the letter by Representatives Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., Mike Carey, R-Ohio, Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, Michelle Steel, R-Calif., Darin LaHood, R-Ill. and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., said.

A November 2022 article by ProPublica highlighted the pressures put on hospice personnel to find and recruit increasing numbers of patients into hospice care, even when statistics for those quotas did not square with the request. It also illuminated strategies devised by hospice operators to turn a profit even when patients weren’t terminal and spent long periods in hospice care.

In an industry as unregulated as the hospice care business, the government’s main defense against hospice fraud depends on whistleblowers, the article revealed. Violation of the federal False Claims Act was reported in 7 out of 10 of the largest hospices by former employees in 2021.

“Hospice is an important service that should be there in some of life’s hardest moments, but fraud is plaguing the system in Southern California. My colleagues and I are demanding answers,” a tweet by

Representative Michelle Steel commented.

“Many fraudulent hospices also employ a “churn and burn” strategy through which they apply for new licenses to continue billing Medicare with no change in the number of enrolled patients,” the letter continued. “State auditors in California discovered a recent surge in new hospices, particularly in Los Angeles County with some of these hospices appearing to have been set up with fictional patients and medical staff.”

The letter noted that in January last year a statewide moratorium on licenses for new hospice facilities served only to push questionable hospice operations towards states east of California.

Because of the variety and scope of Medicare hospice fraud, the congress members articulated support for the Office of the Inspector General in addressing the cancerous fraud and questioned whether sufficient oversight was in place for procedures governing state licenses, accreditation, and certification.

“Any inadequacy could harm a critical Medicare benefit that in most cases provides high-quality and person-centered care for patients and families,” it pointed out.

Hospice care is special because it provides for patients in the most vulnerable position i.e. in end-of-life circumstances, giving them the dignity and comfort they deserve, the congress members noted in the letter, but it also serves to avoid expensive and unnecessary Medicare costs associated with inpatient hospital stays and emergency department visits.

The congress members requested updates on hospice fraud caseloads, resources sufficiency to address the proliferation of fraudulent providers, noticeable trends, and the plan of action the Office of the Inspector General is taking to confront the situationwithin 14 days.

Utah sues over new EPA ozone protection rule

By TOM JOYCE

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Utah Attorney

General Sean Reyes is suing the federal Environmental Protection Agency due to its newly-released power plant regulations.

The EPA implemented the Ozone Interstate Transport Rule. It requires states to implement a plan to reduce interstate air

pollution.

The move has drawn backlash from many of Utah’s elected Republican politicians.

Gov. Spencer Cox, Attorney General Reyes, Senate President J. Stuart Adams, House Speaker Brad Wilson, U.S. Senators Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, and Congressmen Chris Stewart, John Curtis, Burgess Owens, and Blake Moore issued a joint statement

Please see UTAH on A6

bill makes sure that our parciantes get equal access to disaster assistance’

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have taken care of our acequias, which are essential to our way of life. Our farmers and ranchers are dependent on this intricate, community-owned, and managed irrigation system that delivers water throughout local regions,” Sen. Luján said in a news release.

“As drought conditions in the West have taken a toll on farmers and their crops, USDA programs have provided critical financial support for certain agricultural operations but failed to include acequias. That’s why I’m introducing this bipartisan legislation that ensures acequias have access to drought relief

KANOFSKY, Lisa A

04/01/1966 - 01/08/2023

Lisa A Kanofsky, 56, passed away on January 8, 2023, in San Luis Obispo, CA. She was born April 1, 1966, in Santa Barbara, CA to Francis and June Kanofsky. Lisa was a loving mother and devoted friend, known for her passion creating art, reading books, and travel.

Lisa attended Santa Barbara High and later pursued higher education at Antioch University Santa Barbara, CA and Brooks College of Fashion Design. Lisa discovered her love of Pilates while working at the Santa Barbara Pilates Studio with her friend Kristen Williams. She then went on to open her own, Studio 154 Pilates in Santa Barbara. Later in life, she opened San Luis Obispo Pilates.

In addition she also worked as a private duty nurse, art teacher, and owned Le Pari Fashion Boutique in Santa Barbara, CA. In her free time, Lisa enjoyed creating art, sculpting, teaching, and practicing Pilates. Lisa is survived by her son, Gavin and will be dearly missed by all who knew her. May she rest in peace.

A memorial service will be held on June 26th, 2023, at 3 p.m. at the Laguna Lake Mobile Home Park inside the clubhouse. 1801 Prefumo Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405.

Obituary notices are published daily in the Santa Barbara News-Press and also appear on our website www.newspress.com

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and other disaster assistance programs to ensure this sacred tradition will be protected for generations to come.”

Sen. Cornyn praised Sen. Luján for leading the way on this topic.

“Drought conditions make it much harder for farmers and ranchers to provide the goods and services our country depends on, and community-operated irrigation canals called acequias have long supported Western communities,” Sen. Cornyn said in the release.

“This bill would support those who manage acequias by ensuring they have access to vital disaster assistance programs, and I am grateful for Senator Luján’s leadership on this issue.”

Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., will

file a companion bill in the House. Rep. Leger Fernández said this funding access is important in the aftermath of wildfires New Mexico has endured.

“Our acequias are essential to New Mexico’s long historical practice of farming and ranching with respect and reverence for our lands and waters. As a former mayordomo, I know firsthand what it means to protect these precious waters that bring life and growth,” Rep. Leger Fernández said in the release. “In the wake of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, many of our precious watersheds were damaged or destroyed. This bill makes sure that our parciantes get equal access to disaster assistance from USDA.”

‘This

COURTESY PHOTO

Former Texas U.S. Rep. Will Hurd

A moderate and critic of former President Donald Trump, Mr. Hurd represented Texas in Congress from 2015 to 2021.

Business/Real Estate

SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 2023

Monetary policies can exacerbate inflation

Remember when

Hostess Cupcakes were two for 5 cents?

Remember when gas was 25 cents a gallon?

My parents bought their Santa Barbara home in the early ’70s for a little more than $20,000. And they thought that was a high price at the time!

You could go to a restaurant and buy a cup of coffee for 10 cents!

My first “real job” as a “box-boy” at Safeway paid $1.10 per hour.

My, how inflation has changed all that!

Inflation refers to the sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services over time, eroding the purchasing power of money. Inflation has become a hot topic recently as economies around the world grapple with rising prices and its potential impact on individuals, businesses and governments.

One major cause of inflation is excess demand relative to supply — referred to as “DemandPull Inflation.” When consumer demand surpasses the capacity of producers to meet it, prices tend to rise. This scenario often occurs during periods of robust economic growth, fueled by increased consumer spending and investment.

Another significant factor causing inflation is referred to as “Cost-Push Inflation.” This occurs as a result of the rise in production costs. Factors such as higher wages, raw material costs, or taxes imposed on businesses can force companies to increase their prices, leading to inflationary pressures.

Monetary policies can exacerbate or cause inflation. Changes in the money supply and central bank policies can contribute in a big way to inflation. When central banks

inject large amounts of money into the economy through measures like “quantitative easing,” it can significantly increase the money supply causing higher inflation.

Inflation erodes the purchasing power of money, reducing the amount of goods and services that can be bought with a given amount of currency. This will impact individuals and families, especially those with fixed incomes and savings. Their wealth will gradually lose value in an inflationary environment.

High and unpredictable inflation rates can create uncertainty in the economy.

Businesses may face difficulty in planning and making investment decisions, as they struggle to predict future costs and prices.

Hyperinflation has led to social and political unrest throughout history, exacerbating economic instability. We have seen this most recently in Venezuela during the first year of Nicolas Maduro’s presidency, and it continues today.

Heavy money-printing and deficit spending were the culprits in this instance.

During its current inflationary period, the Venezuelan government says that the yearly inflation rate dropped from 686% in 2021 to 234% in 2022. It remains one of the highest inflation rates

Study: Hospital mergers add to inpatient pediatric services decline

By VICTOR SKINNER

THE

in the world. Ninety-four percent of Venezuelans live in poverty, and over 20% of Venezuelans have left their country. Inflation can redistribute wealth within an economy. Debtors benefit from inflation, as they can repay their debts with devalued money. Conversely, savers and creditors may suffer as the real value of their assets declines.

The government can implement prudent fiscal policies to address inflation. Measures like reducing budget deficits, controlling public spending and implementing tax reforms can help create a stable economic environment and reduce inflationary pressures.

In today’s globalized world, international cooperation is crucial in managing inflation. Countries can coordinate monetary and fiscal policies to prevent the spillover effects of inflation, stabilize exchange rates, and foster sustainable economic growth.

Inflation, while a complex phenomenon, can have farreaching effects on economies and societies. Understanding its causes and consequences is essential for policymakers and individuals alike.

By employing a combination of effective monetary and fiscal policies, coupled with structural reforms, economies can navigate the storm of inflation. It is important to strive for stability, ensuring sustainable economic growth and improved living standards for all.

Encourage our leaders to make courageous monetary decisions, and above all, stay the course!

Tim Tremblay is president of Tremblay Financial Services in Santa Barbara (www. tremblayfinancial.com).

Western energy transmission project breaks ground

By CHRIS WOODWARD THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – A new project that will transmit renewable energy across the Western U.S. broke ground this week.

U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, and local officials attended a ceremony Tuesday for the TransWest Express project, which broke ground in Carbon County, Wyo., and will move energy from Wyoming to California and improve grid reliability.

“The TransWest Express Project will play a major role in our nation’s energy security, ensuring that home-grown clean energy can form the backbone of our electric grid as we rebuild a stronger, more resilient transmission system,” Ms. Granholm said in a news release.

Gov. Gordon called the project another example of how Wyoming is a leader in energy.

“Today we celebrate the contribution our resources can make, and we are glad to be able to provide energy to primarily California and Nevada consumers, who want what Wyoming has to offer,” Gov. Gordon said. “Once completed, Wyoming will be home to the largest wind farm in the United States.”

The Biden administration has been pushing wind energy as a way of moving the U.S. away from fossil fuels toward alternative energy sources. Still, Gov. Gordon views it as one more source of energy in an all-of-the above approach that includes everything from fossil fuels to nuclear and renewables.

“There is room in Wyoming for all,” the governor added.

The project will connect with Wyoming’s PacificCorp system, Utah’s Intermountain Power systems, NV Energy in Nevada, the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, and the California Independent System Operator.

The project is expected to be operational in 2027.

Groups oppose hiring requirements at oil refineries

By J.D. DAVIDSON THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Opposition surrounds a proposal in the Ohio House that would increase hiring requirements at oil refineries in the state, including a mandate that employees demonstrate fluency in English.

The National Federation of Independent Business and Americans for Prosperity-Ohio turned their arguments against House Bill 205 to the Senate after it passed the lower chamber earlier this week. It has not been assigned to a committee in the Senate.

The two groups were joined by other business, industry and oil and gas groups that opposed the legislation to create new safety standards for construction workers at oil refineries. The new safety measures would:

• Require an apprenticeship credential to complete construction work.

• Require completion of a 30hour safety and health hazard recognition and prevention course approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

• Require English language proficiency.

“Setting these training standards is a critical piece of protecting the health and safety of both Ohio workers and the public,” said Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron. “It is also critical that the construction work completed at our refineries be completed proficiently so that the refineries avoid shutdowns.”

But NFIB Ohio Director Chris Ferruso said the bill injects state government into hiring and would create a slippery slope.

“Our small business members don’t think the government should dictate who a private business can and can’t hire,” Mr. Ferruso said. “These decisions should be left to the individual employer, not the government that’s trying to apply a one-size-fits-all solution to a

CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – New research suggests hospital mergers are contributing to a decline in inpatient pediatric services across the country, a symptom of a broader trend of consolidations reducing health care access.

A study published this week in JAMA Pediatrics highlighted increasingly centralized pediatric services in recent decades, due in part to closures among small rural hospitals, and explored the nexus between the two. The publication is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine gathered data on general and pediatric hospitals across the country from annual surveys by

the American Hospital Association between 2011 and 2020.

The assessment of 5,104 hospitals found the share providing inpatient pediatric services declined from 41.5% to 32.6% over the decade. Primary analysis of 1,088 hospitals showed 235, or 21.6%, joined a hospital system between 2011 and 2020.

“Hospital consolidation, as measured by newly reported membership in a health system, was associated with closure of existing inpatient pediatric services within five years, potentially exacerbating this trend,” researchers wrote.

“These findings are limited by the nature of a survey-based dataset, which is vulnerable to non-response bias.”

The research is the latest of several studies that conflict on the impact hospital mergers have on patient outcomes, costs and access. A 2021 study from the

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found decreases in mortality rates for heart failure, stroke, and pneumonia at rural hospitals after mergers.

Other research cited by American’s Health Insurance Plans shows mergers hurt hospital competition, leading to higher prices and “modestly worse patient experiences, while “process measures of quality were inconclusive.”

The increased patient costs and reduced access to care from hospital mergers, particularly in rural areas, is an issue North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell has repeatedly highlighted since taking office in 2017. Mr. Folwell, a Republican candidate for governor, pointed to the recent study in JAMA Pediatrics as evidence the state should do more to vet mergers to protect patients and taxpayers from the consequences.

‘problem’ that doesn’t really exist. As written and amended, HB205 is limited in scope, but it would set a dangerous precedent for every industry in the state.”

AFP-Ohio State Director Donovan O’Neil agreed and said the proposed legislation would be costly and open rights for unions.

“HB205 is simply the restoration of last session’s HB235, a terribly misguided bill that would’ve implemented unnecessary requirements on oil refinery hiring practices,” Mr. O’Neil said.

“This new bill would expand the government’s authority over Ohio’s refineries, streamline exclusive privileges for unions who are pushing this legislation, and would inevitably have a monetary ripple effect, resulting in higher costs for everyone. Legislators must understand that this antifree market policy transcends the oil industry in the state, and would thwart economic prosperity for all Ohioans.”

North Dakota AFB could get billions in National Defense Authorization Act

By KIM JARRETT THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) - North Dakota’s Minot Air Force Base could get $3.7 billion to fund the modernization of its ground-based strategic deterrent, according to U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.

The U.S. Air Force is replacing its Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile with a new system called “Sentinel,” according to information from the Air Force Weapons Nuclear Center.

The money is included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, Sen. Cramer said.

“We live in dangerous times where American leadership and resolve is needed more than ever,” said Sen. Cramer, a Senate Armed Services Committee member. “North Dakota plays a pivotal role in our national security, and I am grateful this bill supports our servicemen and women and their families while investing in the military assets and facilities across the state.” The Minot base could also get $770 million for its B-52 commercial engine replacement program and an additional $40.8 million for its Nuclear Command, Control and Communication program, according to a news release from Cramer.

The bill asks the Air Force Secretary to consider options to return the runway at Grand Forks Air Force Base to its original width. The North Dakota Army National Guard and Air National Guard will receive $7.5 million for two projects.

Also included in the funding are $5 million for North Dakota State University’s work on multi-material protective systems and an identical amount for a project involving the U.S. Marines Corps Advanced Training Technology Demonstration.

The NDDA was moved out of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Friday. It now goes to the full Senate.

Illinois’ program of taxpayers subsidizing noncitizen health care criticized from all sides

By GREG BISHOP THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Gov.

J.B. Pritzker’s move to freeze part of the program of taxpayers subsidizing the health care of non citizens continues to get pushback.

Tovia Siegel with Healthy Illinois Campaign said grassroots groups and lawmakers protested Friday in Chicago. They’re demanding the governor reverse his decision to freeze the program of health care for noncitizens between the age of 42 and 64.

“Ultimately we do want all ages regardless of immigration status to be covered,” Ms. Siegel told The

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to draw a connection between the leftleaning politics in the United States and the dictatorship in North Korea.

The connection has made her unpopular with the prominent liberal institutions she used to speak for, and more aligned with the conservative side of politics.

“I am very grateful to Young America’s Foundation for giving me this platform to be the voice for the voiceless,” said Ms. Park.

She also highlighted some less mainstream conservative issues.

Center Square. “These are lowincome immigrants.”

In 2020, Illinois approved state taxpayer subsidies to cover noncitizen health care for those over 65. The program was expanded in 2022 to include those 42 and older. Estimated costs without any controls was more than $1 billion for the coming fiscal year.

The overall budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 has taxpayers on the hook for $550 million for the program. State Sen. Steve McClure, RSpringfield, said the entire idea is not sustainable. “If you put money here, you

don’t have other money to go into other places, so in fact that’s exactly what you’re doing,” Sen. McClure told WMAY. “It’s really frustrating for all of us.

Earlier this month, Gov. Pritzker announced he would implement copays for the noncitizen health care program of up to $250 and freeze the program for those between the age of 42 to 64. The 65 and up program will be frozen if more than 16,500 noncitizens enroll.

Sen. McClure said there are limited taxpayer funds and criticized supermajority Democrats for not realizing that when they approved funding

migrant health care.

“You don’t necessarily think about what you’re doing and sometimes you get into things that you sort of start to realize were a bad idea and I think that is reflected in the governor’s decision to change the policy up a little bit,” Sen. McClure said. While federal dollars are not allowed for such a program, Ms. Siegel said that’s not necessarily true. “There is federal reimbursement under emergency Medicaid for anything that’s deemed an emergency which is actually a pretty wide range,” Ms. Siegel said.

Yeonmi Park holds her book, “While Time Remains.”

“We all have to denounce these organizations like Hollywood,” said Ms. Park about Hollywood’s connections to China’s Communist Party. “The entire Hollywood is a propaganda machine against America,” Which gotapplause. Her speech also touched on what she sees as the dangers of the Black Lives Matter movement and the increased transgender rights of recent years.

After Ms. Park’s speech was done, students asked her questions such as how to stop America from becoming like North Korea.

“Don’t read anything that is a New York Times bestseller,” said Ms. Park. “(And) we should never, ever give up our guns.”

Both responses received a large applause, the second bringing the crowd to their feet.

Wendy P. McCaw is co-publisher of the News-Press.

email: lhibbert@newspress.com

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Continued from Page A4

condemning the decision.

In it, the politicians said Utah had taken responsible action to reduce its emissions while protecting the quality of life of its citizens.

“Utah’s measured, all-ofthe-above energy policy has powered decades of prosperity by providing some of the country’s most reliable and affordable energy,” the lawmakers wrote in a statement posted to the governor’s Twitter account. “This balanced and commonsense approach has powered our state, fueled our economy, and maintained a high quality of life for Utahns.

We have also dramatically decreased emissions and ozone on our own. However, the Biden administration has turned to executive rulemaking to enact policies that will force early closures of Utah power plants,

putting reliable, affordable, and dispatchable power significantly at risk – and only in a few years.”

The lawmakers think the move will hurt the state’s ability to produce affordable energy.

“The Ozone Interstate Transport Rule released by the Environmental Protection Agency harms Utahns and threatens our ability to provide affordable and reliable baseload energy to our state,” the lawmakers wrote.

“We will not stand by as the administration encroaches on Utah’s reasonable, responsible, and realistic approach to powering our state.

“As Utah’s elected state leaders, we stand united in pushing back against the administration’s egregious power grab that harms Utahns,” they added. “We will each fight for a responsible energy policy that embraces efficiency and is based in reality because keeping the lights on is the only option.”

‘Pushing back against the administration’s ... power grab’

‘Hollywood is a propaganda machine’

Campaign to hike

minimum wage

for

restaurant workers gets pushback from owners

By KEVIN BESSLER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – There is an effort in Illinois and around the country to raise the tipped minimum wage, but there is some pushback.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, tipped employees will make $8.40 an hour in Illinois, but more in Chicago.

The group One Fair Wage is calling on employers to pay the full minimum wage with tips on top. President Saru Jayaraman said the move would attract more workers and has worked in other states.

“Minnesota already passed it decades ago and they have actually higher restaurant sales and small business growth rates than Chicago and Illinois,” Ms. Jayaraman told The Center Square.

Her group has launched a national campaign saying workers who earn the tipped minimum wage are more vulnerable to sexual harassment and wage theft.

There is some pushback to the proposal. Illinois restaurant owner Matt Idzikowski told Rockford TV station WTVO the costs would have to be recouped somewhere and most likely would be passed onto the customer.

“Although people are making more money, the cost of the items that they are buying are probably going to go up about the same pace,” Mr. Idzikowski said.

In Michigan, the issue has gone to the state’s highest court on whether to increase the state’s minimum wage for hourly and tipped workers.

A restaurant owner there told Bridge Michigan that menu prices will skyrocket.

“I’m going to have to charge a ridiculous price for any single item,” said Roberto Ortega, owner of El Mariachi in Novi.

“Their tips are going to decrease because I’m going to have to charge more to the guests.

Others point to California where the minimum wage was hiked to over $15, causing tipped workers to log fewer hours and make less money.

In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson campaigned on the issue, saying low-wage restaurant workers deserve more.

“I see any effort that we put forth as a government to secure the economics for working people certainly places us in a far better position to have a sustainable economy,” Mr. Johnson said.

Today, 43 states allow subminimum wages.

Report: Empty offices pose financial challenges for U.S. cities

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – U.S. cities face continuing challenges from remote work, including declining commercial property values, struggling public transit systems and the possibility of weaker tax collections.

A credit-rating agency said that trifecta could put new pressures on municipal budgets. The report S&P Global Ratings examined how the trends could affect big cities across the country. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it radically changed how and where employees work. The effects from the pandemic continue and evolving workplace policies have hit the urban cores of many large cities.

“The COVID 19 pandemic dramatically accelerated remote work trends, increasing work-fromhome frequency by the equivalent of about four decades of pre-pandemic growth,” according to the S&P report.

Public transit ridership cratered during the COVID-19 pandemic and ridership recovery has been slow. As passengers abandoned public transit during the pandemic, many systems were kept alive by more than $70 billion the federal government gave transit agencies throughout the country in relief packages. That federal money is expected to run out in the coming years. Some transit agencies are already looking at new tax proposals to fill the gap amid the slow recovery. For example, the Chicago area’s Regional Transportation Authority’s five-year strategic plan calls for consideration of 11 tax and fee hikes. The transit agency said the tax increases were necessary to prevent the collapse of public transit in the Chicago area.

The S&P report said that some cities are better-positioned to handle these challenges than others.

“Despite the challenges facing commercial real estate due to [returnto-office] trends, we do not expect a broad-based decline in general obligation credit quality among large U.S. cities, particularly those with a foundation of strong credit characteristics and the capacity to proactively manage emerging risks. For those facing significant disruption, several potential stabilizers could either blunt or slow the direct budgetary spillover from [return-to-

office] stagnation, which we expect will create some room for budgetary accommodation,” according to the report. “We also find that the pace of downtown recovery is not following a one-size-fits-all formula: Factors such as location, local unemployment, industry composition, and commute times point to different cities having markedly different recovery paths. We believe that cities that don’t see RTO trends moving in the right direction are more susceptible to a downward spiral of a reduction in both tax revenue and attractiveness of downtowns and are at the greatest risk of experiencing pressures to credit stability.”

While S&P Global Ratings remained optimistic about the short-term outlook, the longer-term outlook is unclear.

“Although we believe that most large cities are equipped to meet near-term challenges if they are proactive in identifying potential revenue shortfalls and formulating timely solutions to sustain structural budgetary balance, significant outyear uncertainty remains, given that conditions in the commercial real estate market are still evolving,” the S&P authors wrote.

Office vacancy rates mean fewer people are spending time and money in city centers.

“WFH Research finds that downtown spending has decreased by $2,000-$5,000 per person annually since the start of the pandemic,” according to the report. “Although such figures point to what should be weaker city revenue collections, we’ve still observed strong revenue performance overall.”

Those office vacancy rates could grow.

“Cushman & Wakefield expects national vacancy rates will increase through 2023 and peak in 2024, before beginning a comeback that will depend on location-specific factors such as the pace of local jobs recovery,” according to the report.

An influx of federal money during the pandemic helped fill the coffers of the nation’s largest cities, which could provide a financial cushion.

“In the past decade, the largest U.S. cities have enjoyed strong economic growth, despite near-panic circumstances that prevailed at the onset of the pandemic. The last three fiscal years were characterized largely by revenue overperformance and strengthening balance sheets across the 15 U.S. cities discussed here,”

according to the report. “Many also still have significant federal stimulus money on hand that, while in most cases must be earmarked for spending by the end of 2024, offers some additional nearterm flexibility. Heading into the current fiscal year, most large cities were at a financial and, in some ways, economic high point, which provides some cushion to manage the nearterm budgetary volatility that could accompany pressured valuations or tax appeals from commercial property owners.”

While office vacancies could create challenges for municipal budgets, residential real estate accounts for about 60% of revenue in most cities, according to S&P.

“Despite falling office valuations, it’s possible that stability, or even growth, in other areas could countervail at least some of the expected losses from underperforming office properties, given the relative size of the residential tax base compared with commercial,” according to the report. “It is also worth noting that there’s significant segmentation within the office market itself, so that stable demand for newer, higher assessed Class A office space may blunt the losses expected from the older buildings with high vacancy rates.”

Most cities have the ability to raise taxes.

“Many cities are not subject to property tax rate caps, or, they may be levying well under their statutory cap,” according to the report. “This means that a drop in the assessed value for commercial real estate does not result in a direct loss of tax dollars, but rather shifts the tax burden to other classes of taxpayers – including residential properties, which are almost universally the largest segment of the tax base.”

But large cities may be reticent to hike taxes.

“Many cities will see a tax shift to residential that could, among other things, exacerbate the home price affordability issues that have become endemic in cities for some time,” according to the report. “Along with this shift, policymakers could be more reluctant to raise property taxes, given that doing so would directly affect voting homeowners and renters. And considering the prevalence of dollarrather than rate-based taxation against a backdrop of near universally high housing costs, we believe tax-shifting could become a greater long-term concern in many areas.”

Chasing legal redress, Virginia state senator questions election results

By MORGAN SWEENEY THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) — Virginia state Sen. Amanda Chase said in a statement Wednesday evening that after losing the Republican primary for District 12 to former state Sen. Glen Sturtevant by more than 1%, she would be “seeking legal counsel to address her concerns.”

Sen. Chase claimed in the press release that hundreds of “illegal votes” cast during Virginia’s 45-day early voting window allowed Mr. Sturtevant to clinch the win.

She claims Mr. Sturtevant’s campaign manager was the only Republican present to “certify [the] early voting machines.”

Though pursuing legal action, Sen. Chase is not pursuing a recount because she says a recount will not solve the problem.

“This isn’t necessarily about overturning election results,” Sen. Chase said, as reported by the Virginia Mercury. “This is about holding people accountable who didn’t follow the law.”

Despite this, Sen. Chase has made references to a possible write-in campaign for the seat.

Self-described as “Trump in heels,” Sen. Chase has served two terms representing state Senate District 11, elected to office in 2015 and reelected in 2019. Due to Virginia’s once-a-decade redistricting in 2021, Sen. Chase decided to run for the newly defined District 12 this election cycle.

Mr. Sturtevant, who represented District 10 from 2016 to 2020 but lost his reelection bid, joined the race, as did political hopeful and nonprofit founder Tina Ramirez. Still, Sen. Chase and Mr. Sturtevant emerged as the top competitors among voters.

Sen. Chase has repeatedly supported claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. She was also censured by her fellow Senators in 2021 for calling those that breached the capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, “patriots.”

Report: Rent, home prices led to higher inflation in Rocky Mountain region

By JOE MUELLER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The price of housing in the Rocky Mountain West in 2022 significantly contributed to inflation higher than the national rate, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

As inflation hit 9.1% in June 2022 throughout the nation, it climbed to 10.4% in the Rocky Mountain West, the Rocky Mountain Economist reported. As the national inflation descended to 4% in May, it was 5% in the mountain region.

In addition to shelter, prices of the household essentials of food and energy drove inflation higher and kept it elevated in the region.

“As price growth has shifted away from discretionary items, households faced greater difficulty paying for their typical household expenses,” the report said. “Inflation Hit Higher Peaks in the Rocky Mountain Region, But Is Following the National Descent,” stated. “Yet, the trajectory of inflation continues to move downward, even among non-discretionary categories.”

The price for renting and buying houses in Rocky Mountain states was typically higher than the national rate during the last decade.

“Throughout 2022, the cost of shelter was rising by 5.9% nationally but was nearly five percentage points higher in the mountain region,” the KC Fed stated. “Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming all experienced outsized increases in the cost of housing.”

Excess growth in housing prices has fallen to approximately one percentage point in the region as

New York Gov. Hochul touts ‘historic’ gun seizures, police funding

By CHRISTIAN WADE THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — Gov.

the increases slowed during the first half of this year.

Smaller cities in the Rocky Mountain region had higher shelter inflation. The towns of Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction in Colorado, along with Santa Fe, New Mexico, attracted urban professionals who could work remotely. Annual growth in housing prices in Glenwood Springs rose nearly 30% in April 2022. But as the migration flow from larger metropolitan areas slowed and interest rates rose, housing price growth declined between 10 and 15 percentage points, the report said.

Increases in rent declined or stagnated in 2020 in many larger coastal cities, along with Denver, Albuquerque and Phoenix. However, the declines were smaller in the Rocky Mountain region and the rebound in rents in 2021 and 2022 was higher than many large coastal cities.

“Over the past several months, these gaps have dissipated, and growth in rents has slowed broadly in larger metro areas,” the report said.

While the rest of the nation experienced approximately 13.5% inflation for food, grocery prices in the mountain region peaked at 1.5% above the national average in January.

“The low population density, large distances from food production hubs and transportation infrastructure across the region make food distribution and shipping costs more expensive for the mountain region,” the report stated. “As food production and distribution challenges emerged everywhere last year, they led to even faster cost and price growth in the Rocky Mountain region.”

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City covers western Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, northern New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wyoming.

Kathy Hochul is touting new police data showing a record number of gun seizures in New York as she pumps more money into law enforcement efforts to get illegal firearms off the streets. State law enforcement increased illegal gun seizures by 53% from 2018 to 2022, Gov. Hochul said Thursday, with more than 10,500 weapons confiscated last year, many of them as part of a multistate effort to stop an influx of illegal weapons transported along the Interstate 95 corridor.

“The incidences of gun violence are going down, and a lot of that has to do with the confiscation of illegal guns,” Gov. Hochul said in remarks Tuesday during an event at New York State Police Academy.

Gov. Hochul also touted increased funding for law enforcement agencies, with $36.2 million earmarked for the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative in the recently signed $229 billion state budget for the current fiscal year. The funding will support 28 police departments, district attorneys’ offices, probation departments, and sheriffs’ offices in 21 counties outside of New York

City hardest hit by gun violence and violent crime, the governor said.

Gov. Hochul pointed to data from communities receiving the funding showing that shooting incidents with injuries declined 28% from January to May, while the number of individuals shot decreased 27%, compared to the same five-month period last year.

She argued the state’s efforts to crack down on illegal guns are already having a measurable impact in driving down violent crime, citing recent data showing that murders and shootings are down statewide. New York State Police Superintendent Steven Nigrelli said the additional funding is “crucial” to “stop the infiltration of illegal guns into our state and communities and the violent crimes that are perpetuated with them.” He cited last week’s shooting of New York State Trooper Richard Albert during a traffic stop.

Police union officials have complained they lack resources to deal with illegal gun seizures and an uptick in orders to seize firearms under the state’s ‘red flag’ law, which authorizes authorities to temporarily take guns belonging to people believed to pose a danger to themselves or others.

Last year, the state Legislature approved a plan expanding the list of individuals who can request Extreme Risk Protection Orders under the law, which has resulted in a more than 600% increase in requests, authorities say. The National Rifle Association and other gun rights groups have criticized the state’s red flag law, arguing it lacks due process for seizing legal firearms. Meanwhile, Republicans have criticized Gov. Hochul’s response to a surge in violent crime in the state and blasted Democratic legislative leaders for passing “pro-criminal” bills during the recent legislative session.

State law enforcement increased illegal gun seizures by 53% from 2018 to 2022, Gov. Hochul said Thursday, with more than 10,500 weapons confiscated last year.

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

Life theArts

SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 2023

Luck and love

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

‘Guys and Dolls” is a sure bet.

After all, the Broadway musical has it all: great songs (“Luck Be A Lady Tonight,” “Fugue for the Tinhorns”), romance and humor.

Most of all, it has great characters and a genuine sense of fun.

So it’s a great choice of plays for The Theatre Group at SBCC, which will start its 2023-24 season with the iconic Broadway musical.

“Guys and Dolls” will run July 12-29 at the Garvin Theatre at Santa Barbara City College. Katie Laris is directing the production, with musical direction by David Potter and choreography by Christina McCarthy and Gianna Burright.

The musical romantic comedy is about a highrolling gambler, Nathan Detroit, who’s looking for a location for his high-stakes crap game without getting caught by the New York Police Department. And he wants to win the biggest bet of all with legendary gambler Sky Masterson.

The bet? Can Sky convince Sarah Brown, head of the Save-A-Soul Mission, to have dinner with him in Havana?

The musical’s original producers Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin based “Guys and Dolls’ on Damon Runyon’s 1920s and 1930s short stories about gamblers, gangsters and others in the New York City underworld.

Frank Loesser, who worked as a lyricist for the movie musical, was the composer and lyricist, and “Guys and Dolls” is known for songs such as “I’ve Never Been in Love Before” and “A Bushel and A Peck.”

His song “Fugue for the Tinhorns” stands out for its fun sense of rhythm and begins with the classic line, as a man sings about betting on a horse race: “I’ve got a horse right here; his name is Paul Revere …”

“Guys and Dolls” premiered in 1950 on Broadway. In addition to a whopping 1,200 performances, “Guys and Dolls” won the Tony for best musical.

It was adapted for the 1955 movie starring Marlon Brando as Sky Masterson, Jean Simmons as Sarah Brown, Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit and Felicia Hall as Adelaide, a showgirl who wants to settle down with Nathan. Good luck, Adelaide!

KEYT-TV’s chief weather forecaster Annika

Abbott portrays Sarah Brown in The Theatre Group at SBCC production. She has a bachelor’s of music in vocal performance and has performed in operas such as Mozart’s “Magic Flute”,” Handel’s “Alcina” and Britten’s “A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream.”

And she impressed the audience on July 4 last year when she sang with the Prime Time Band of Santa Barbara at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse’s Sunken Gardens.

On the musical theater stage, she has played Sandy in “Grease,” Lilli Vanessia (Kate) in “Kiss Me, Kate” and Cinderella in Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods.”

Nick Ehlen, a local actor and carpenter, plays Sky Masterson. He studied drama at SBCC before transferring to UC Irvine to earn his bachelor’s in fine arts in theater. He has performed with The Theatre Group at SBBC’s productions of “Something Rotten!”; “Here We Go Again!”; “Looking Back, Looking Forward” and “The Music Man.”

Felicia Hall portrays Adelaide. Ms. Hall has performed professionally for more than 10 years in theaters throughout California, Utah and England. Her awards have varied from Best Female Musical Theatre Artist to Best Actress Professional Artist.

Ms. Hall founded the Hall Studio, where she teaches acting, singing and audition prep to all ages. She is the artistic director of the local Actor Circle company.

Raymon Wallenthin plays Nathan Detroit. He performed in “Now and Then” and “No Body Like Jimmy” at Alcazar Theater. His credits with The Theatre Group at SBCC include roles in “Harvey,” “Murder on the Orient Express,” “Noises Off,” “Bus Stop” and “Born Yesterday.” email: dmason@newspress.com

FYI

The Theatre Group at SBCC will perform “Guys and Dolls” July 12-29 at the Garvin Theatre at Santa Barbara City College. To buy tickets, go to www.theatergroupssbcc. com.

The

Theatre

Group at SBCC to launch 2023-24 season with ‘Guys and Dolls’

CALENDAR

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

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The inaugural “Classics with the Cardinals” car show takes place from at Bishop Diego High School, 4000 La Colina Road, Santa Barbara. Twenty-two categories of classic automobiles will be judged. Food and drinks will be available. Spectator parking and admission is free. All proceeds will benefit the athletic department at Bishop Diego High School.

9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily: The Sistine Chapel Art Exhibition runs through Sept. 4 at the Santa Barbara Mission, 2201 Laguna St., Santa Barbara. Tickets start at $25 for adults, $18 for children, and $22 for seniors, military and students. Each ticket also includes admission to the mission museum. To purchase, go to santabarbaramission.org/ sistine-chapel-omsb or stop at the museum’s gift shop.

Father Joe Schwab is hosting personal tours that delve into the theological and philosophical perspectives of Michelangelo’s art. Groups of 10 or more can contact Donna Reeves for a private tour at development@sboldmission.org.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Road, has reopened its recurring summer exhibit, “Butterflies Alive!” Featuring a variety of butterflies, this experience allows guests to walk through a garden while nearly 1,000 butterflies flutter freely around them. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. The exhibit, which runs through Sept. 4, is included in museum admission. Members are always admitted free. For others, prices vary from $14 to $19. For more information, visit sbnature.org/butterfliesalive.

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

11 a.m. The Mini Show segment of “Series 7: Go for Broke,” The Dance Network’s 10th annual studio showcase, will take place at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $25 for general admission and $15 for students. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater. org.

2 and 8 p.m. Ensemble Theatre Company is performing “Seared,” a comedy/drama about a restaurant, through June 25 at The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Ticket prices range from $40 to $84. To purchase, call the ETC box office at 805-965-5400 or visit etcsb. org. Prices are subject to change.

2:30 p.m. The Junior Show segment of “Series 7: Go for Broke,” The Dance Network’s 10th annual studio showcase, will take place at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $25 for general admission and $15 for students. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater. org.

7 p.m. The Senior Show segment of “Series 7: Go for Broke,” The Dance Network’s 10th annual studio showcase, will take place at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $25 for general admission and $15 for students. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater. org.

8 p.m. “Laughin’ in Santa Barbara” features stand-up comedians from Netflix, Comedy Central, “Conan” and more at Topa Topa Brewing Co.,120 Santa Barbara St., in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. The show will be held outdoors and is for those 21 and older. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25.

To purchase, go to eventbrite. com/e/laughin-in-santa-barbaratickets-645094293397.

JUNE 25 2 p.m. Ensemble Theatre Company presents the final performance of “Seared,” a comedy/ drama about a restaurant, at The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara.

Ticket prices range from $40 to $84. To purchase, call the ETC box office at 805-965-5400 or visit etcsb. org. Prices are subject to change.

— Dave Mason

BEN CROP PHOTOS

Sarah Brown (Annika Abbott) of the Save-A-Soul Mission meets gambler Sky Masterson (Nick Ehlen) in The Theater Group at SBCC’s production of “Guys and Dolls.”

From left are Angie Zevallos, Felicia Hall and Hannah Robinson in “Guys and Dolls.” At left, things aren’t going well between Adelaide (Ms. Hall) and her boyfriend Nathan Detroit (Raymond Wallenthin). She can’t get him to settle down with her!

The little things can make a big difference

It’s the little things you do together that keep your relationship happy and healthy. Just like a living thing, your love needs to be nurtured and protected. Here are a few tips to help you keep that focus and make your romance picture perfect.

1. Keep it kind. When you love someone, there really is no reason for harshness or being mean when you are interacting. If it’s coming from you, it’s time to own up and make it go away. You are strong enough to break this bad habit, and it will make things so much nicer.

2. Spruce things up. The place you live reflects the joy you feel. The thinking is that if you show your home a little love as a couple, those walls will reflect it back to you.

Taking pride in anything you do together is only going to make your bond stronger. Whether you own or rent, the process works.

3. Appreciate your differences. For example, we all deal with our bodies differently. My wife likes to go to the doctor (and lingerie shopping) by herself, while I enjoy having her along when I go to the doctor (and she does buy my underwear). When I’m sick, I want attention, whereas she mostly likes to be left alone when not feeling well. We all heal differently, and that needs to be respected.

4. Dine together often. For me, having dinner alone is a drag, and it’s even a bigger one if I’m dining out. Fortunately, we both love sitting at our dinner table, with the candles lit, enjoying each other.

Sometimes we have music playing, and sometimes we even watch the news.

What’s important and life enhancing is that we are together, being a family.

5. Encourage your partner. Life can be hard, and when it feels like the world is throwing shade at you, having someone in your corner can make all the difference. I know that my other half will be there for me, no matter what happens.

We totally trust each other this way, and it makes dealing with any worries so much easier.

6. Forgive your partner. We all mess up, sometimes in a big way.

It’s important to ask for forgiveness appropriately and commit to not making the same mistake again. You should also forgive yourself.

Saying “I’m sorry” is important if you want to be in a loving relationship — you just don’t want to say it every day. If that’s happening, there’s some imbalance, and you need to talk.

7. Get a relationship checkup.

Once a year, go back to your therapist, minister, high school counselor, or whoever best gives you advice.

Bring them up to speed on what’s been happening and how

No. 0618

Three people join maritime museum board

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum has announced the addition of three board members.

Don Barthelmess, Tom Elliott, and Chad Makela join new Board President Chuck Wilson on the 21-member board of directors.

“We are excited to have Tom and Chad join our board and to have Don return,” said SBMM Executive Director Greg Gorga. “They each bring unique skills and experience that will greatly benefit SBMM.”

you are resolving issues between you. It will serve as a confirmation of your good relational health.

8. Do new things. Couples who do new things together build the brain chemical oxytocin, which is also known as “the cuddle hormone.”

And who doesn’t want more of that? It also builds during lovemaking, in case you run out of other things to try. We recently decided to eat out only at restaurants that are new to us. There are many other little things you can change up to make doing something new together a regular habit. Happy cuddling.

9. Put your partner first. I know I can be selfish, especially when I’m allowed to wander around in my own head unsupervised. By making it a practice to always put my partner first, I know I can’t be selfish when we’re together.

The nice thing is that this practice naturally becomes reciprocal.

If you know the one you love puts you first, then you naturally want to return the favor.

10. Out-nice them. I like being nice to my love, and I thought I did it very well. As it turns out, I married someone who actually out-nices me. Being in a relationship where you get that kind of caring is truly heaven on earth.

Not everyone is capable of making their relationship blissful, but most of us can have a positive impact. All it takes is some conversation and a little effort that is far from unpleasant.

You have the tools. Now put them to work.

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 or 818-8799996.

He has lived and practiced in Westlake Village for more than two decades.

His column appears Saturdays in the News-Press.

WORDS, WORDS, WORDS

All three new board members join with considerable previous maritime experience.

Mr. Barthelmess has been involved in the marine technology industry for more than 45 years.

Mr. Elliot has been involved at the SBMM since 2012.

Mr. Makela has a lifetime of experience in lifeguarding, competitive swimming, paddling, and surfing.

Mr. Wilson’s parents were founding donors of the museum in 2000.

The museum is located at 113 Haarbor Way, Suite 190, Santa Barbara. For more information visit sbmm.org.

— Liam Hibbert

Cowboy Junkies to perform at Lobero

SANTA BARBARA -- The Toronto band Cowboy Junkies will perform July 21 at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara.

Cowboy Junkies are known for their mix of country, folk, rock and jazz.

First formed in Toronto in 1985, the five-person band celebrates its 26th album — “Such Ferocious Beauty “ — with this concert.

The band’s new album, “Beauty,” is a rumination on aging, losing parents, facing mortality and creating space for your life in the midst of the ruin that comes from merely living.

To purchase, go to Lobero.org or call the Lobero box office at 805.963.0761.

— Liam Hibbert

Santa Maria center seeks tutors

SANTA MARIA — Tutors are being hired for the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center’s summer tutoring program.

The six-week position at the Santa Maria center will pay $20 per hour. The tutors will work up to 30 hours per week between noon and 6 p.m.weekdays and Saturdays.

The deadline to apply is June 30.

The ideal candidates are knowledgeable and motivational individuals with previous tutoring experience. The position’s responsibilities include providing assignment assistance, guidance, and instruction to students in grades 7 through 12.The project is coordinated by the People for Leisure and Youth, Inc. (PLAY, Inc.) in partnership with the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department. To apply, visit bit. ly/amcycstp2023. For questions call the Recreation and Parks Department at (805) 925-0951, ext. 2260.

— Liam Hibbert

Author to sign his book ‘The Evolution of Dog Training’

SANTA PAULA — Shannon

Riley-Coyner, author of “The Evolution of Dog Training: From Choke Chains to Clickers, Uncovering the Secrets of Having a Well-Behaved Dog,” has a book signing July 7 at the Bank of Books in Santa Paula.

The book signing will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. at the store, 820 E.

Main St.

Mrs. Riley-Coyner has been featured on a number of television shows and bestselling lists for her work with dogs.

Mrs. Riley-Coyner spent many years as the head dog trainer for PAWS for Healing, a pet assisted therapy organization. She performed temperament testing and assisted in the training of therapy dogs who visited hospitals, veteran groups, special educational facilities and convalescent homes. For more information visit her book signing or visit her website at trulyforcefree.com.

-Liam Hibbert

Shelters seek homes for pets

Local animal shelters and their nonprofit partners are looking for homes for pets. Here are the shelters’ websites.

• Animal Services-Lompoc, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc.

• Animal Shelter Assistance Program in Goleta, asapcats.org.

ASAP is kitty corner to Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter in Goleta, bunssb.org.

BUNS is based at Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Companion Animal Placement Assistance, lompoccapa.org and facebook.com/capaoflompoc.

CAPA works regularly with Animal Services-Lompoc.

• K-9 Placement & Assistance League, k-9pals.org. K-9 PALS works regularly with Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Santa Barbara County Animal

Care Foundation, sbcanimalcare. org. (The foundation works regularly with the Santa Maria Animal Center.)

• Santa Barbara County Animal Services in Goleta: countyofsb.org/ phd/animal/home.sbc.

• Santa Barbara Humane (with campuses in Goleta and Santa Maria), sbhumane.org.

• Santa Maria Animal Center, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc. The center is part of Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society/DAWG in Buellton, syvhumane.org.

• Shadow’s Fund (a pet sanctuary in Lompoc), shadowsfund.org.

• Volunteers for Inter-Valley Animals in Lompoc: vivashelter. org.

— Dave Mason

COURTESY PHOTOS

Clockwise from left, Don Barthelmess, Tom Elliott Chad Makela have joined the board of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

HEATHER POLLOCK PHOTO

Cowboy Junkies have recorded their 26th album, “Such Ferocious Beauty.”

Diversions

Thought for Today

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

— Mark Twain

HOROSCOPE

By Horoscope.com

Saturday, June 24, 2023

ARIES: You may have a hard time figuring out why everyone is so worked up today. Don’t waste your time, Aries. You’re better off accepting that things simply are the way they are and allowing other people to have their drama. Your job is to maintain balance. This may be easier said than done. You’re working with some pretty intense issues, but nothing you can’t handle.

TAURUS: If anyone is capable of dealing with the intense emotional energy of today, it’s you, Taurus. Other people may be angry and unable to stomach the sensitive issues that may arise. Take care, since there may be some major opposition coming at you that disrupts your plans. You will face a practical, grounding force that questions your methods of operation. Use these lessons to your advantage.

GEMINI: Stubborn forces may challenge your easygoing nature today. You would do well to tap into this aggressive energy and use it to follow through on some projects that you’ve left hanging, Gemini. Other people may be unyielding in their positions, but you can easily overcome this by tapping into your flexible, adaptable nature. Don’t get upset and restless. Go with the flow.

CANCER: Stubborn forces may challenge your easygoing nature today. You would do well to tap into this aggressive energy and use it to follow through on some projects that you’ve left hanging, Gemini. Other people may be unyielding in their positions, but you can easily overcome this by tapping into your flexible, adaptable nature. Don’t get upset and restless. Go with the flow.

LEO: This is one of those days in which you need to act or else you will be acted upon, Leo. Stubborn, aggressive forces are working counter to your aims. You will find yourself swept up in the thick of things if you aren’t careful. Don’t get too worried about what other people consider wrong. Have confidence in what you know is right.

VIRGO: The intense energy of the day is helping you streamline your projects and solidify your thoughts, Virgo. Work to manifest the ideas and dreams that constantly swirl in your head. Today is a great day to bring your

SUDOKU

mind into focus and get down to the nitty-gritty. Clean up the scraps off your plate and make room for the next gourmet course to be served.

LIBRA: Suddenly your emotions are much more intense, Libra. You notice that people are on edge and they’re likely to go to extremes in all situations. This is one day to do things with passion. If there is any sort of detective work you need to get done, now is the time to do it. Try not to start any arguments. Others aren’t likely to back down. All-out wars are likely to ensue.

SCORPIO: There’s a strong force working to oppose you today, Scorpio. Another’s unbending attitude may be holding you back from things you’re trying to accomplish. Take the time to see the other side of the situation. You can gain a great deal of perspective and come to a healthy point of balance, thanks to the events of the day. Don’t back down from your viewpoint just because everyone doesn’t agree with you.

SAGITTARIUS: There’s an intensity about the day that may cause you to recoil from certain events and conversations, Sagittarius. Issues could get uncomfortable and perhaps a bit too involved. Other people may want to go to places that you don’t want to go to. Don’t get upset or frustrated.

CAPRICORN: You would do well to join the intensity of the day, Capricorn. You have the ability to unravel any riddle and find the underlying cause of any dispute. There’s a great deal of potential for you to follow through on some major projects today. Work to press through with your ideas. Don’t back down. Your sensitivity is your greatest asset. Feel free to express your emotions.

AQUARIUS: Today might end up being quite combative, Aquarius. There may be people opposing you from all sides. There are apt to be some serious disruptions to your daily routine. Others may be quite stubborn, and you’re apt to fall into a situation in which no one is willing to back down. Whatever happens, you will be called upon to act. This will most certainly be an eventful day.

PISCES: Your flexibility will be tested today, Pisces. You may end up twisting and flexing your body to fit the contours of the day. You will find that if you join forces with the powerful movers, you will get quite a bit done and be successful.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Saturday, June 24, 2023

A tour guide at a Revolutionary War battlefield, dressed in colonialera garb, slipped and fell, fractured a wrist and wound up in an ER. The doctor who saw him was taken aback:

“Sir, just how long have you been waiting?”

Sometimes a defender can wait around for tricks, sometimes not. Against today’s four spades, West led the ace of diamonds: four, seven, queen. He then led a second diamond. Declarer ruffed, drew trumps and lost a club to East’s ace. South ruffed the next diamond and ran the clubs to discard his losing hearts. Making five.

CLEAR THREAT

West needed heart tricks to beat the contract and couldn’t wait to get them; dummy’s clubs were a clear threat to provide discards. At Trick Two, West must shift to the five of hearts. The defense will get two hearts, a club and a diamond. At matchpoint scoring, West might consider shifting to the king of hearts, which might stop an overtrick. At IMPs or Chicago scoring, to shift to a low heart is his best chance for a plus.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold:

Only the opponents are vulnerable. South in

CODEWORD PUZZLE

today’s deal opened four spades as dealer with this hand. Do you agree with his action?

ANSWER: South’s bid was questionable. With 13 high-card points and length in spades, he had no urgency to preempt. Most experts would open one spade. If partner responds two diamonds, you can jump to four spades to show a solid suit but a lack of controls in the other suits.

South dealer E-W vulnerable

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3-by-3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9. that means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box. Sudoku puzzles appear on the Diversions page Monday-Saturday and on the crossword solutions page in Sunday’s Life section.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers to previous CODEWORD

How to play Codeword

Codeword is a fun game with simple rules, and a great way to test your knowledge of the English language. Every number in the codeword grid is ‘code’ for a letter of the alphabet. Thus, the number 2 may correspond to the letter L, for instance. All puzzles come with a few letters to start. Your first move should be to enter these letters in the puzzle grid. If the letter S is in the box at the bottom of the page underneath the number 2, your first move should be to find all cells numbered 2 in the grid and enter the letter S. Cross the letter S off the list at the bottom of the grid. Remember that at the end you should have a different letter of the alphabet in each of the numbered boxes 1- 26, and a word in English in each of the horizontal and vertical runs on the codeword grid.

PUZZLE

N.C. governor rejects ESG bill

By ALAN WOOTEN THE CENTER SQUARE MANAGING EDITOR

(The Center Square) — Saying the state treasurer is handcuffed on best interest decisions, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper late Friday afternoon vetoed legislation to ban ESG policies in state hiring and financial matters.

The measure on environmental, social and governance policies – making government hiring and financial decisions based on merit rather than climate change or social issues – passed the Senate 29-18 and the House of Representatives 76-41. Threefifths – 30 in the Senate, 72 in the House if all are present –approval is needed should the Republican majorities seek to override the veto of the secondterm Democrat, who cannot seek reelection in 2024.

Also vetoed and announced just before the weekend was the North Carolina Farm Act of 2023. Nine Democrats concurred in the Senate’s 37-6 vote, and eight in the House’s 77-38 decision.

On the environmental, social and governance policies bill, Cooper said, “This bill does exactly what it claims to stop. For political reasons only, it unnecessarily limits the treasurer’s ability to make decisions based on the best interest of state retirees and the fiscal health of the retirement fund.”

Five Democratic members of the House supported the measure; there were none in the Senate.

State Treasurer Dale Folwell oversees a pension that pays about $7 billion annually in gross benefits from the public pool of money – 27th largest in the world

– that is roughly four times the state’s annual budget. The N.C. Retirement System is valued at $108 billion, the ninth-largest public pension fund among the states, and one of just 12 states with a AAA credit rating. Screening investments based on how companies address climate change and other social issues is opposed by conservatives. They see it as a forced transition in energy sources, and promotion of social policies. Republicans, throughout the process in committees, championed merit-based choices over ideology.

On the farm act, Gov. Cooper said, “The provision in this bill that severely weakens protection for wetlands means more severe flooding for homes, roads and businesses and dirtier water for our people, particularly in eastern North Carolina.”

NYT CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Plastic dinnerware represents lifestyle of the 1950s

Aunt Kathleen back in the 1960s and 1970s in St. Ann, Mo. — my favorite Aunt on Dad’s side — had plastic dinnerware made in the 1950s called Melmac in her modest house.

I loved to visit my cousins there. I loved the sound of those knives on those Melmac plates around the Formica table in the kitchen. I loved Aunt Kathleen’s Corningware teapot, always full.

She had pearl, pink and turquoise Melmac.

She had no microwave oven in those days, but if there were one in St Ann, we’d have tried to fry that Melmac, my cousins and me. But we happily ate from them for years.

Melmac is a product made of melamine resin (melamine formaldehyde), which is a form of plastic laminate used in Formica and laminate flooring and in today’s whiteboards. Our family’s Melmac was made by American Cyanamid, but melamine, the medium, was “discovered” by a German scientist in the 1830s. It didn’t enter the market until the late 1930s as a fashionable plastic.

Melamine is composed of nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen, but when combined with formaldehyde and exposed to extreme heat, melamine creates a moldable material that, when cooled, is indestructible and dishwasher-safe.

In World War II, it was used on U.S. navy ships as dinnerware, and the companies that made it took off. The fact that it could be dishwashed in a machine was huge. The popularity led plastic factories to produce Melmac wares 24 hours a day.

Aunt Kathleen was onto something. The St. Louis-based company Branchell developed molded tableware with names like Flair, or Forth, or Flex, or Color Flyte, all forward type names.

The 1950s modern lifestyle meant ease. And that meant compatibility with dishwashers, processed foods and the famous designer Russel Wright, who began designing melamine for tableware. Also, a great designer in England discovered the capability of Melmac.

In the 1950s, innovative British designer AH Woodfull (product design unit head of British Industrial Plastics) designed the material in fabulous forms for the table.

“Woody” Woodfull was trained in silversmithing and product design, and in 1946, he became interested in melamine formaldehyde. The future indeed was plastics. And until he retired in 1970, Mr. Woodfull designed

the finest tableware in melamine, including the Gaydon and Melware lines, revered by collectors of 1960s plastic Melmac tableware designs.

In the 1950s and 60s, modern people believed Melmac would supplant ceramic tableware, but Melmac plates could stain and scratch, and only stalwart users kept their Melmac; as did Aunt Kathleen!

Her set of dishes tells a story of modernity.

After World War II, cheap plastic alternatives to traditional materials for the table led to traditional materials for the table again rediscovered in the 1970s — ceramics that are glazed and that could hold heat, and those without gold or silver designs that could be used in the dishwasher.

Mid-century modern collectors love Melmac, especially those sets designed by Woodfull or Russell Wright.

Old Life magazines from the 1950s are full of advertising for Melmac, the “wonder plastic.:

And, because of restrictions on certain materials in WWII, plastics were a cheap alternative to ceramics. The Northern Industrial Chemical Co. of South Boston produced that fabulous airline melamine dinnerware that people my age remember (and stole).

And they hired Russell Wright, whose Melmac designs are now featured in the permanent

collection at MOMA.

Also, Watertown Manufacturing Co. made “Lifetime Ware” in 1946, and their designs are ALSO in MOMA’s permanent collection. Another Melmac great was the factory called Hemco Plastics, which, according to the 1950s magazine Plastic Living (what a name), put that Connecticut factory “on the map” for their Hemcoware kid’s tableware dishes, also in MOMA’s permanent collection.

Value? Pastels of the 1950s and 60s are most sought after. In the 1970’s, those shades of brown, tan, olive and (yuck) mustards don’t sell as well. Solid colors are collected, but those 1950-80s abstracted florals are popular. Melmac died down after a good 40-year run in 1980s. Cousin Michael still has Aunt Kathleen’s set – or maybe just the Corningware?

The designers to research: Lucent, Fostoria, Russel Wright, Raymond Loewy, and female industrial designers Joan Luntz for Brookville Melamine, and Belle Kogan’s Boonton Belle line. Keep your eyes peeled for those sets sold for vintage camper trailers as a must-have accessory. You will spend $800 for a larger set as they work with those bulbous Airstreams and seem to evoke those days of our youth when a plate could also be a frisbee and no one cared.

Dr. Elizabeth Stewart’s “Ask the Gold Digger” column appears Saturdays in the News-Press.

Written after her father’s COVID-19 diagnosis, Dr. Stewart’s book “My Darlin’ Quarantine: Intimate Connections Created in Chaos” is a humorous collection of five “what-if” short stories that end in personal triumphs over present-

Report: Washington ranked 6th best state in nation for ease of hiring

By BRETT DAVIS

THE CENTER SQUARE SENIOR REPORTER

(The Center Square) — When it comes to hiring workers, employers in Washington state have it pretty good.

That’s according to a new report released by WalletHub.

The personal finance website compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on the rate of job openings for both the latest month and the past 12 months in order to determine its state rankings.

Washington ranked No. 46 overall on the list – the higher the number, the fewer employers seemed to grapple with bringing people on board – with a job openings rate for the last month of 5.5% and a job openings rate for the past 12 months of 5.72%.

WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez delved into the Evergreen State’s top-10 ranking.

“Washington employers have the sixth smallest hiring struggle,” she said in an email to The Center Square.

“The job opening rates for both the latest month and the last 12 months are among the lowest in the country, standing at less than 6%.

“This indicates that Washington employers are potentially adapting to the current trends in job requirements that people seek nowadays, such as schedule flexibility and more competitive wages.”

Patrick Connor, the Washington state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, said there is still a way to go to get back to normal.

“Washington’s Main Street family-owned shops and restaurants are open for business and looking for good employees,” he told The Center Square in an email.

“Jobs are plentiful for those willing to show up on time, work hard and improve their skills on the job.”

He continued, “While this most recent WalletHub study allows us to say we’re less bad than most other states in terms of workplace vacancies, our state and every other are still far from full employment.

“Workers should view this as an opportunity to advance in their current position or find one with another employer that is a better fit.

“And, when looking for job opportunities, remember Main Street is hiring!”

Washington bested its Pacific Northwest neighbors in WalletHub’s study, with Oregon ranked No. 41 and Idaho ranked No. 21.

Per the report, the 10 states where employers struggle the most to hire are:

COURTESY PHOTO

Melmac was popular plastic dishware in the 1950s.

County roads, take me home?/ C2

SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 2023

Elon Musk’s vital cause

Twitter owner needs our help to end online censorship

“Entrepreneurship is like eating glass and walking on hot coals at the same time.”

— Elon Musk

Elon Musk grew up during apartheid.

As a teenager, a group of boys assaulted him so badly, he ended up in the hospital. When the attackers weren’t punished and the incident was swept under the table, Mr. Musk developed a hatred for apartheid and a mistrust for justice in South Africa.

Mr. Musk was an electronics nerd, and his only interests were computers and science projects.

During high school, Mr. Musk was beaten again, and that is when he decided to leave South Africa.

After high school at age 18, Mr. Musk left for Canada with $200 in his pocket and enrolled in Queens University.

While attending Queen’s, Mr. Musk received a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania. He received dual bachelor’s degrees in economics and physics. Mr. Musk also attended Wharton School of business, where he developed a marketing plan for a new electronic book-scanning enterprise.

By 1994, Mr. Musk held two internships in the Silicon Valley: one at Pinnacle Research Institute, which built electrolytic capacitors, and another at Palo Alto’s Rocket Science Games. In 1995, he entered Stanford’s school of engineering. But after two days he realized his future was in internet neology.

“I loved going to college, but there comes a time in your life when you’ve had enough.”

— Elon Musk

Mr. Musk tells people, “I came to America because I knew I could succeed at anything I chose to do. I love America!” Mr. Musk owns more technology ventures than he can count. He owns a car company, a solar power plant, a satellite and rocket coterie, X-Com transfer, Neuralink and Starlink Internet, just to mention a few.

Mr. Musk recently forayed into social media when he bought Twitter. With online freedom of speech policed by big tech liberals armed with delete keys, why did it take a successful South African immigrant engineer to expose Twitter’s blatant censorship policies against conservatives? And why did it take a benevolent billionaire to expose Twitter’s connection with the FBI, Department of Justice, CIA, a gang of liberal henchmen, the Democratic Party and yes, even a president-elect?

“Republicans are now the biggest threat to our democracy since America was founded.”

— Joe Biden

Mr. Musk’s purchasing of Twitter provoked outrage from the left, who had denied they were in bed with Twitter. The leftist handbook states they have the power to censor and silence anyone, anytime, any place.

With every episode of Twitter’s nefarious scandal released, Democrats squeal louder.

Even though Elon Musk loves America, if our nation was following the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the world’s richest man wouldn’t have had to spend billions of dollars to restore free speech on Twitter. But Elon Musk can’t end Silicon Valley or Washington’s conservative censorship alone.

The left is in bed with Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google. They erased Parlor from the internet map with a press of a collective button. If Big Tech considers Twitter a threat to their total control of online information, it would be easy for them to pull Twitter off their cloud services and app stores.

Big Tech must be held accountable for violating the First Amendment on internet platforms and for their highly questionable relationship with the Democratic Party, the FBI, DOJ and even the CIA.

However, this must come from the Americans whose rights were violated; who lost the most, and

“I came to America because I knew I could succeed at anything I chose to do. I love America!” said entrepreneur Elon Musk.

that includes the election of many conservative candidates. But who can be trusted to rectify this?

The trouble with Mr. Musk’s free speech strategy on Twitter is his personal resolve in hiring a policing force he can trust to protect free speech. If he were to put the wrong people in charge of Twitter, it would fall back into the hands of progressives and their liberal media allies. Their army of censors would undo everything Mr. Musk has done.

“A job left unfinished, is a job not worth starting.”

—Aristotle

There is no way we can achieve substantive, long-lasting solutions to the violations of internet free speech from our current administration. That would be like asking a criminal how long he would like to remain in jail. We need an independent bipartisan commission to investigate

Twitter’s violations of free speech and every federal agency involved with Twitter and Big Tech’s abusive censorship. This commission must send Congress requirements for upgrading our antitrust laws to police the challenges we face on today’s information highway. They must also remove Big Tech from antitrust amnesty. These laws must have strict nonnegotiable penalties for violations of new antitrust laws and the First Amendment. This includes politicians and federal agencies who collude with Big Tech.

Big Tech has been hiding behind Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act way too long, and it has worn out its usefulness. It simply provides “Protection from civil liability for operators of interactive computer services in the good faith removal or moderation of third-party material they deem lewd, obscene, lascivious, filthy, excessively

violent, harassing or otherwise objectionable.”

Media sites say Section 230 allows them to edit or remove anything they wish. Yet it does not give them authority to ‘’censor political content the left objects to.” They’ve been doing this for years at the request of Democrats and liberal media giants which violates the First Amendment.’

“There are two ways social media limits free speech: censorship and declaring topics off-limit.”

—Dennis Prager

Both Democrats and Republicans “talk the talk but don’t walk the walk” when it comes to Big Tech. Few Democrats will vote for anything that limits their power or control over liberal social media. And since D.C. is crawling with Silicon Valley lobbyists, they’ll never bite

Please see HAUPT on C4

e tide in the world is turning (Part II)

Public and political opinions changed rather quickly for same-sex marriage.

From the events that occurred 54 years ago this week at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village on the night of June 28, 1969, to the Supreme Court officially declaring anti-gay-marriage laws unconstitutional in a 5-4 decision on, coincidentally, June 26, 2015.

By 2015, some 36 states had already approved same-sex marriage, and the decision, although close, was a fait accompli.

Not so long ago, however, being for gay marriage was a political no-no. The following quotes are clear examples of that claim.

President Bill Clinton reflected that he had “long opposed governmental recognition of same-gender marriages and this legislation is consistent with that position,” and then signed the Defense of (heterosexual) Marriage Act on Sept. 20, 1996, helping guarantee his re-election.

Hillary Clinton opined that “marriage

PURELY POLITICAL

has got historic, religious and moral content that goes back to the beginning of time, and I think a marriage is as a marriage has always been, between a man and a woman” in January 2000 during a news conference in White Plains, New York.

Barack Obama affirmed to pastor Rick Warren that he believed “marriage is the union between a man and a woman.

Now, for me as a Christian — for me —it is also a sacred union.

God’s in the mix,” at the Saddleback Presidential Forum in April 2008 No doubt, if we had an honest internet and were able to go back further, we’d find even stronger opposition to same-sex marriage. However, most of us knew they were just kidding back then but were afraid to “come out” in favor of gay marriage lest they lose an election or re-election bid.

My guess is that support for gay marriage among the general public must by now be in the high 60% percentile, maybe even higher, so things and opinions change, and politicians ride that wave of shifting opinion, some nimbly, others not so much.

No one today would dare campaign as someone “against” same-sex marriage. If he or she did so, they could not and would not be elected to any office in the land.

Many now suggest it’s the transgender community’s turn to gain the same level of legitimacy and recognition.

Most of us — it seems to me — really don’t care what an adult decides to do with his or her body, but one does have to wonder how it is that so many believe that children as young as 3 years old (and younger) “know” they were born in the wrong body, that a boy can really be a girl and a girl can really be a boy.

“Blame it on God,” they seem to be saying.

And God’s mistakes appear to be multiplying.

Sonny Bono and Cher’s once lovely daughter Chastity became Chaz long ago.

NBA basketballer Dwyane Wade and actress wife Gabrielle Union’s child is trans, as is Jamie Lee Curtis’s and Christopher Guest’s. So is the child of “Sex in the City” actress Cynthia Nixon, Charlize Theron’s three-year-old (at the time) is transsexual, as are “Breakfast Club” actress Ally Sheedy’s and Annette Benning and Warren Beatty’s offspring.

R. Kelly and ex-wife Drea Kelly have a transexual child, “Real Housewives of New York City” participant Cindy Barshop does too, as does British singer Sade. Angeline Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter preferred to go by a boy’s name, but that may have changed.

Fortunately, this transgender explosion is taking place way out of proportion to the rest of humanity among children born and raised among America’s wealthiest celebrity communities.

So maybe the explosion has been contained.

What is striking is how much this transgender phenomenon has seeped into the general culture. Who’d have believed that there would be a considerably large group of parents who would defend the use of books in elementary schools such as “Jack (Not Jackie)” or “It Feels Good to be Yourself” as appropriate reading material.

“The Hips of the Drag Queen go Swish, Swish, Swish,” written by “Lil Miss Hot Mess” (pen name of one of the founders of “Drag Queen Story Hour”) is described as “a freewheeling celebration of being your

DID YOU KNOW?

Bonnie Donovan

Debate continues over parklets

Did you know construction is alive and well at the Central Library? City of Santa Barbara staff didn’t know this until Tuesday’s unexpected meeting on what to do with parklets. DYK was notified about this meeting set up for Tuesday (the day after the Juneteenth holiday), and it wasn’t listed anywhere. I contacted the city and asked who this was sent out to. Their answer was “Notifications for this meeting went out to Downtown Organization, The Chamber, Coast Village Road Assoc. and Visit Santa Barbara. Also, a press release. The meeting is at 8:30 a.m. in the Faulkner Gallery (at the Central Library).”

To have the meeting at 8:30 am on a workday indicates that the city wanted to accommodate restaurant/ bar workers but not typical workers. Holding this meeting at the Faulkner Gallery, where city staff knew the library was undergoing construction work, impacted those who are hard of hearing.

Parklet supporters and bicyclists packed the room and were overwhelmingly chosen to speak, and this was no accident.

Some people had their hands up the whole time but never got the chance to speak. One such man decided to stand up until he was called on. He stood there awhile and finally got his turn. He was anti-parklet, It was not coincidental that the people chosen to speak publicly were parklet supporters, most likely known to city staff. I had my hand up and even stood up and was never called on.

If you remember, all of us supported allowing the restaurants to operate outside of their establishment (at no cost) during the COVID-19 shutdown to help save their businesses. Well, we succeeded, per restaurant participants during Tuesday’s meeting who said their sales are up.

The financial motives of those in the hospitality industry were not hidden — a 30% increase in revenue due to the added outdoor seating at the expense of the taxpayer!

Looking at recent news coverage regarding expanding restaurant businesses, I would say that not only did these temporary emergency COVID measures keep these restaurants afloat, but they profited to such a degree that they are now able to expand their enterprise to new locations. All at the expense of the public!

Many speakers appeared to not have lived in Santa Barbara for very long. One lady who moved here three years ago said, “She loves that we finally have outside dining ...”

We have had outside dining for decades. Under the Outside Dining License Agreement, restaurant owners rented the sidewalk space outside their businesses. When there was a parade, they had to remove the outside dining and put it back after the parade went through.

A point made by the Coast Village Road proprietor: Restaurant owners/businesses represent a small fraction of the commercial corridor, yet this small fraction is calling the shots. And they’re receiving perks that negatively impact the remaining businesses, (not to mention the population at large). Here’s one impact: a lack of parking. Lack of parking is everywhere, and I have to wonder why anybody would say otherwise. Outdoor

William Haupt III

The author is a Center Square contributor

GUEST OPINION

County roads, take me home?

Txhis past week, cSanta Barbara County supervisors did their once-over review of their final budget. Taxpayers must ask, “How much am I getting in return for a $1.5 billion county budget?”

After all, I have always maintained that law-abiding and productive members of society only need three things from government.

First, keep us safe from criminals! As indicated in a previous column, the county supervisors are obviously failing on this one as they are hellbent on reducing jail capacity (we call that decarceration!). In addition, the sheriff’s department is severely understaffed!

The second thing we want, related to number 1 above, is a competent and timely response to 9-1-1 calls as it pertains to fire and ambulance calls. Whereas, our fire departments do outstanding work, as I have mentioned in previous columns, the board of supervisors is creating a mess of our ambulance services via an overdetermined process that could result in the chaos of having multiple ambulance service providers.

Lastly, taxpayers want the billions of dollars in public infrastructure maintained lest we need to rebuild things in their entirety!

This would include, at a minimum, roads, bridges, sidewalks, parks and government buildings.

Unfortunately, however, the lion’s share of the budget goes to a cottage industry of bureaucrats and private sector contractors who continuously burn and churn through hundreds of millions per year caring for the perpetually poor (welfare), career criminals (er, read that victims of the criminal justice system), the chronically homeless (don’t get me started), the mentally ill and drug addicts. Having said all that, let’s focus on the fact that Santa Barbara County has a maintenance deficit to the tune of $527 million!

This maintenance deficit is most noticeable while driving county roads.

The quality of these roads is measured by what they call the Pavement Condition Index or PCI.

Here is the key to understanding this index and the predicament we are in.

Where is our democracy?

Upon waking up and driving my car to our post office, I was surprised to be driving over rainbow-striped crosswalks.

I knew I wasn’t in Isla Vista but in our rural township of Los Olivos, where traditional family values hold sway. No one had asked or informed the townspeople if they wanted their streets painted in colors promoting the LBGTQ+ agenda.

I learned that the local chamber of commerce, composed primarily of business owners living outside our town and led by a couple of gay activists, had directed Third District Supervisor Joan Hartman to have the crosswalks quickly and quietly painted. Supervisor Hartman clicked her heels and did their bidding, thereby forcing the agenda of a minority of business owners upon the rest of us. At least our neighboring town’s Solvang City Council and the local high school’s board got to vote on whether they wanted their crosswalks rainbow-striped — and both voted “No”.

This is the kind of “in your face”, “down your throat”, “whether you like it or not” action that is becoming the norm in California. Where is the people’s right to be consulted and heard? Certainly not in this district.

Let your voice be heard.

Rolf Richter Los Olivo

Still standing?

Well-maintained roads are relatively cheap to maintain, whereas failing roads must be rebuilt, which costs orders of magnitude more than maintaining the same roadways! The best management practice for maintaining pavement at the lowest annual cost is to achieve a PCI of 84. The next level of efficiency is obtained by maintaining a PCI of 70.

However, the current overall county public road right-of-way system PCI is 57, on a scale of 0-100 (with 25 or less means the road has failed and 100 meaning it is in the best condition possible).

The county would need to spend another $144.9 million to keep the transportation network pavement at its current PCI.

Monitoring the PCI is an existing practice within Public Works with the PCI reported annually to the board of supervisors. There is a higher PCI in more urban areas (61) compared to rural areas (49). To maintain the current condition would require an estimated $14.5 million annually.

The current estimated deferred maintenance needs for Public Works, General Services, and Community Services departments totals $527 million, broken down as follows: $313 million for Public Works for pavement preservation, repair and replacement of hardscape, trees, traffic devices, bridges, and drainage systems, $135 million for the General Services department for county buildings, systems and facility infrastructure, and $79 million for the Community Services Department for park amenities, systems and infrastructure.

Speaking of facility infrastructure, during the county’s budget workshop two months ago, neither of the two elevators in the county administration building were in working order! At Tuesday’s hearing, both elevators were once again unavailable!

From potholes to failing elevators, our supervisors need to reconsider their spending priorities for the rest of us.

Today, some very serious and important questions and issues are being raised.

One question is: How long can our republic survive with a twotier justice system? One that persecutes people based on their political views.

Second, what does a twotier justice system look like in America?

Would some of our key foundations disappear? Such as equal rights, justice is blind, being held accountable if you commit fraud, due process and basic constitutional rights? And what about the role of the FBI and the Department of Justice today? Are they both being weaponized to target anyone who disagrees with the current administration? And is President Joe Biden along with his administration, leading the charge? Will this be their legacy? Wake up, America. July Fourth

is coming up soon. The question of the day: Will our republic be still standing?

Don Thorn Carpinteria

Use of the Espionage Act

Donald Trump recently claimed that the Espionage Act is supposed to go after “traitors and spies,” not presidents. Turns out, though, according to Chip Gibbons, policy director of RightsandDissent.org, that the five times the Trump administration used the law, they went after whistleblowers, journalists and leakers trying to do a public service rather thanactual traitors

and spies.

Mr. Gibbons argues that use of the Espionage Act as written allows for “viewpoint discrimination” designed to prosecute those who have no specific intent to do harm to national security and no opportunity to testify about the purpose of their leaks.

Whistleblowers get hurt, but when a Republican president gets indicted for espionage, it boosts party fundraising.

To his original assertion of an absolute right to immunity from prosecution, Mr. Trump now adds an absolute right to declassify documents. It is clear he is planning an absolutist administration for the country in 2024, which Wikipedia defines as “unrestrained by all other institutions such as churches, legislatures, or social elites.”

, Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross, Utah (Former Goleta resident)

Gov. Newsom’s hissy fit

Oh my God! Did you hear about the recent crisis in California that could have reached the level of arresting a sitting governor from another state? Gov. Gavin Newsom was at wit’s end over what to do with 36 migrants who were flown into his sanctuary state. It’s appalling! Thirty-six illegal people from who knows where had been kidnapped and dropped in Sacramento. Oh, the humanity!

Red, white and true

I get goosebumps seeing Ole Glory, fluttering in the breeze, Remembering it has served as a welcome for millions of refugees.

It’s not just stars and stripes of red, white and blue, But a reminder of what our forefathers have gone through.

The Red represents the valor of so many who have died for us White, for the Liberty we take for granted until someone threatens us.

Blue represents the justice for all, we seek in our courts of law, The stars, our independence, a symbol we cherish, leaving us in awe.

When looking at our flag, it isn’t just material of red, white and blue, But of history being told, and I’m proud to pledge my allegiance anew.

Anita Dwyer Lompoc

Editor’s note: Anita Dwyer received a World of Poetry trophy in 1990 in Las Vegas.

Prince Harry and me and our similarities

Prince Harry and me not being invited by King Charles III’s to celebrate the monarch’s birthday on June 17 at the Trooping of the Colours, reminded me of our not being invited to his coronation on May 6.

On May 6, in the stillness of the early morning with the stimulus of my first cup of coffee, my wandering mind strayed from the magnificence of Westminster Abbey to the participants in the coronation ceremony to their connections of the spectators, one of whom the cameras scanned was Prince Harry. Hmmm, I wondered, I was also a spectator: Was there a connection between Harry and me?

Once the seed of the idea was planted, aided by a second cup, my thoughts drifted to wondering where I had heard a theory about connections among people. Ah ha, it was a humorous game called “Six Degrees of Separation from Kevin Bacon” — based on everybody in Hollywood being connected by no more than six acquaintances from anyone else. Mr. Google responded to my inquiry as to whether there was any substance to that theory with the following info.

Social psychologist Stanley Morgan tested the hypothesis that everyone is connected by just a few intermediaries, with his experiment of tracing a letter from a few hundred people in Boston and Omaha

to a complete stranger in Boston. The results were that the letter did not change hands more than six times, which supported the hypothesis that everyone is connected.

Subsequently, Columbia sociologist Duncan Watts, using this concept to develop a network theory, reached the same conclusion in his book “Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age.” Gardiner Morse, of the Harvard Business Review, found that the network theory was complex, but thought that it had possibilities in explaining how fads spread. Could this explain why I recently saw holes in the jeans of so many girls in small- towns from Gallup, New Mexico, to Rawlings, Wyo.?

Once the theory of the connections between people was established, the connections between Harry and me were so obvious!

Prince Harry, aka “Harry” for this discussion, was watching the coronation without his wife. So was I. Harry’s wife Meghan was in a part of Santa Barbara known as Montecito. My wife Carol was in Santa Barbara. Meghan was probably sleeping. Carol was sleeping. Six degrees of

separation?

For the coronation, Harry’s third row seat provided a relatively unobstructed view: My recliner seat was unobstructed. Harry had to stand for parts of the ceremony: I had to stand to refill my coffee cup.

Harry’s British paternal grandparents were deceased. My British maternal grandfather was deceased.

Harry has red hair. My pre-silver hair had reddish highlights. Perhaps only five degrees of separation?

Harry has an older brother William, who he complained once bullied him: I have an older brother Barry, who bullied me. Amazing, isn’t it?

Harry’s parents divorced: my parents divorced. Harry did not like his stepmother Camilla. I did not like my stepmother Evelyn. Only four degrees of separation?

Harry has complained about the lack of warmth in his relationship with his father. My complaint about the lack of warmth caused my father to start to show the warmth he had already felt. Three degrees?

Harry wrote a book, “Spare,” about dealings with one of his life’s struggles. I wrote a book, “One Heart — Two Lives,” about dealings with one of my life’s struggles.

For the coronation, Harry walked through Westminster

In the time it took for Gov. Newsom to have his hissy fit about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — a leader a thousand-fold more qualified than Gov. Newsom — a few thousand migrants were waltzing across the southern border at that very moment. When 10 million illegal entries into the United States have taken place in less than two years, Gov. Newsom chooses this battle? Trying to position himself as someone better than Gov. DeSantis? Never going to happen. You cannot fix Gov. Newsom’s narcissistic wiring. During his acceptance speech in 2019, Gov. Newsom proudly boasted, “Together, let us build a house stronger than the coming storms, yet open to the world. A house that provides shelter to all who need it and sanctuary to all who seek it — where opportunity abounds for all who will work for it. A true California house, sun-kissed, dream-soaked, and built with the sweat of honest work. We will not have one house for the rich and one for the poor, or one for the nativeborn and one for the rest. We will build one house for one California.”

Apparently that house doesn’t include 36 illegals he didn’t personally invite. And while on the subject, he claimed there won’t be a house for the rich and one for the poor. Then I guess all the thousands of homeless littering his streets and stealing for survival are living in mansions.

I’m not clear. Gov. Newsom promised sanctuary for anyone who wanted to come to the “sun-kissed” state. But he got flustered with a handful, out of millions, who heard Gov. Newsom proclaim California is better than Florida. According to Gov. Newsom, Florida is a horrible place, so migrants were stoked to arrive in the Land of Sanctuary singing all the way in their private bus. Cowabanga.

Gov. Newsom’s actions are of course politically motivated and a moronic charade. But how come he isn’t called out for it? And I don’t know why he cares in the first place. There’s plenty of room in California since hundreds of thousands of legal, tax-paying citizens have been loading up U-Hauls and heading to that miserable, no state income tax land called Florida. If California wasn’t filled with so much natural beauty and an endless coastline, this state would only have progressives left wondering what the heck happened and where did everybody go?

It’s been reported that Park

Please see SCHULTE on C4

Andy Caldwell is the COLAB executive director and host of “The Andy Caldwell Show,”

Wendy McCaw

Arthur von Wiesenberger Co-Publisher Co-Publisher

Andy Caldwell

Henry Schulte

The author lives in Solvang

Brent E. Zepke

The author lives in Santa Barbara.

Douglass Road in Lompoc is among Santa Barbara County roads in rough shape. Last fall, it was full of craters and potholes.

COURTESY PHOTO President Joe Biden

WHITE HOUSE PHOTO Donald Trump

COURTESY PHOTO

A black plan for Mike Pence

Mike Pence is trailing former President Donald Trump by some 50 points in national polling.

It’s no great revelation that the former vice president needs some major breakthroughs to be considered a serious and viable candidate for 2024.

But all is possible, and here is one approach.

I call it the Pence Black Plan.

Each presidential cycle, we see Republican presidential candidates making efforts to reach out to black voters.

Arguably, Republicans are seeing some gains. In 2020, Mr. Trump picked up 12% of the black vote, compared to 9% in 2016.

The number worth focusing on is 67%. That is the percentage of all voters in 2020 who were white.

If we look back to November

1980, when President Ronald Reagan was elected, 88% of voters were white.

A defining reality of today’s American elections is that the American electorate is becoming less and less white and non-white voters overwhelmingly vote for Democrats.

In 2020, of the 67% of voters who were white, 58% voted for Trump and 41% for Joe Biden. President Biden won all other racial/ethnic categories.

As the percentage of the electorate that is white continues to decline, as it will, unless there is some change in the inclination of non-white voters to vote Republican, it will be increasingly difficult each election to elect a Republican.

This is where Mike Pence can impact prevailing reality.

Mike Pence’s strong point is his clear definition not just as a conservative, but as a conservative Evangelical Christian. He is pro-Biblical values, meaning pro-life and pro-family. And as a conservative, he supports limited government.

The data shows that the higher probability that voters attend church frequently, the higher probability that those voters will vote Republican. With one glaring exception: black voters.

Black Americans have among the highest church attendance in the nation, yet they vote overwhelmingly for Democrats.

In recent data from Pew

Research, 40% of Americans said that they attended religious services in some way in the previous month. Highest, at 72%, were white Evangelical protestants. Next was black protestants, at 69%.

Why do white frequent churchgoers vote Republican and non-white not?

White churchgoers understand, as America’s founders understood, that putting your faith in God means taking responsibility for your own life and not putting faith in government.

It has always been harder for black churchgoers to make this connection because of the country’s complicated racial history.

But, regardless, it’s still true. I have always argued that blacks need to be consistent in what they do on Sunday and what they do on Tuesday.

Big government has hurt lowincome black Americans, and blacks have paid a great price in the collapse of family.

The same black Americans are likely to pay an even greater price. Just as we saw in the recent debt ceiling debate, the addition of work requirements in welfare programs, this will continue.

The massive debt and fiscal problems of the country will put welfare payments in increasing jeopardy.

Mr. Pence has indicated his support of reforming Social Security for younger workers with individual investment accounts in

place of the payroll tax.

This would be a boon for black Americans, only 34% of whom own stocks, compared to 61% of white Americans. It would be a major contribution to closing the racial wealth gap.

Furthermore, a more responsible fiscal stance in the country — less debt, less spending— would produce faster growth, clearly in the interest of low-income Americans.

And, of course, school choice is a big issue that black Americans already support.

Mike Pence should use his impeccable evangelical credentials to reach out aggressively to leading black pastors, with a message of family and freedom.

Such an effort could not just be a game changer for Mr. Pence’s campaign, but for the whole country and its future.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

Copyright 2023 by Creators.com.

Putin’s nuclear threats and averting Armageddon

As the costly war in Ukraine grinds on, Russia President Vladimir Putin adopts an increasingly menacing posture. xIn particular, he is making more references to the possibility of using nuclear weapons.

On June 16, President Putin delivered a 90-minute keynote address at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. He referred specifically to the possibility of using nuclear weapons in the war, and noted that Russia is placing relatively less destructive or so-called “tactical” nuclear weapons in the sympathetic state of Belarus, just north of Kyiv, Ukraine. This is in the context of generally deteriorating Russia-U.S. relations, including in military fields. In January 2021, the important New START Treaty was extended for five years. The agreement, which was about to expire, limits nuclear warheads on each side to 1,550, plus limitations on missiles and bombers.

However, last November talks on resuming inspections were suddenly suspended. Russia has announced the treaty is now in jeopardy.

In January, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rablov denounced U.S. efforts to impose “strategic defeat” on Moscow in Ukraine.

President Putin repeated the refrain about the alleged Western goal of strategically defeating Russia in his address, along

with again spouting the fiction that the West is the aggressor. He also declared that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky “is a disgrace to the Jewish people.” He included the often-repeated falsehood that Ukraine is being run by “Nazis” supported by the West. This ugly Orwellian reversal of reality harkens back to the worst years of Soviet totalitarianism.

The Trump administration experienced problems in arms control. Initial emphasis on ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons program was unsuccessful. In August 2019, the administration withdrew from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, complaining of violations by Russia.

The Obama administration emphasized nuclear summits involving large numbers of nations and international organizations.

The 2016 nuclear summit in Washington, D.C. concluded with a formal statement underscoring nuclear weapons control. Unfortunately, Russia did not participate. That reflected strained relations following annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The first nuclear summit took place in 2010, also in Washington D.C.

In 1986, during a summit meeting in Iceland, Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan

reached broad accord on arms control. The practical result was the INF Treaty sign in 1987. Another benchmark in the history of nuclear weapons, arms control and the Cold War occurred in 1972 when the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks led to treaties between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, an historic achievement of President Richard Nixon and associates.

Additionally, the International Atomic

Less freedom

Politicians claim their xbills bring us good things. Free health care! Child care! A cellphone for all!

But the government isn’t Santa Claus. Government is force.

Most every law takes away a little of our money or freedom or both.

The Heritage Foundation ranks economic freedom across the globe. The United States once ranked No. 4 in the world, but we’ve been in decline. This year, as my new video explains, we’re 25th.

“If you care about living a prosperous life, you should care about what government economic policies are,” says The Heritage Foundation’s Derrick Morgan.

The foundation ranks countries’ economic freedom based on things like rule of law, regulatory efficiency, open markets, fiscal health, etc.

The big reason the U.S.A. fell in the rankings is that Congress spends so much more money than the government can squeeze out of us in taxes.

I say to Morgan, “’Free child care, free this, free that!’ That sounds good for my freedom.”

Energy Agency, an initiative of President Dwight Eisenhower, facilitates peaceful nuclear energy and provides a long-term drag on military pressures to get the Bomb. Ike, always comprehensive in vision, also achieved demilitarization of Antarctica.

This record of sustained advocacy of arms control dates all the way back to the earliest phase of the Cold War. The Truman administration proposed a comprehensive United Nations effort to regulate nuclear energy and fissionable materials. The Soviet Union vetoed the initiative.

Mr. Putin’s aggressive, threatening rhetoric directly reflects the weaknesses of Russia and the severe drains of the war. Keep that in mind, but also that in contrast to earlier Soviet leaders, Mr. Putin has no military experience. He rose in the KGB, technically part of the military but actually a separate intelligence arm. Schemes, not strategies, are his familiar milieu, along with cold-blooded cunning. Our policies must be carefully planned and executed. Nuclear war is unlikely but possible.

Arthur I. Cyr is author of “After the Cold War — American Foreign Policy, Europe and Asia” (NYU Press and Palgrave/Macmillan). He is also the director of the Clausen Center at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisc., and a Clausen Distinguished Professor. He welcomes questions and comments at acyr@ carthage.edu.

Progressive prosecutors are not doing their duty to equally apply the laws

In recent years, mainstream media outlets and leftleaning interest groups have consistently claimed that progressive prosecutors hold zero responsibility for the rise in violent crime that has occurred throughout urban America.

In fact, most of the liberal media refuse to even admit that crime is up throughout the vast majority of America’s cities.

Unfortunately, as most Americans clearly understand, rising crime is a major concern.

Before diving into the current state of the crime problem, let’s examine the history of prosecution in the United States.

In short, generally speaking, the role of public prosecutors has been very simple: to equally apply the laws.

This is not to say that all prosecutors followed this standard, but it was the agreed upon goal.

However, over the past decade or so, we’ve moved away from that paradigm and into the “new and improved” progressive prosecution style.

There is no universal defini-

tion of progressive prosecution, but there are certain aspects that can be identified. According to progressive prosecutors, their overarching goal is to reduce incarcerations.

To achieve this misguided goal, they choose not to charge certain crimes. This does not mean that these crimes are not being committed. They simply are not being charged properly and, in many cases, outright dismissed.

This is a vast injustice because it places more emphasis on the criminal than the victim.

Furthermore, it incentivizes more criminal behavior because of the lack of consequences. In our current criminal justice system, being charged with a crime relies on a prosecutor taking it seriously.

Once a prosecutor gets a case, they begin plea negotiations with the defense attorney.

If a prosecutor doesn’t think a case is worth their time, they will offer the case to be dismissed with no conditions. Of course, any defense attorney is going to accept that offer.

What kind of precedent does this set? It’s fairly obvious to me.

This tells me that anyone can commit certain crimes and not face consequences.

In Philadelphia, District Attorney Larry Krasner has spoken on the subject many times. He claims his office charges all crimes, but at the same time, in 2018, he made a policy change to only charge thefts under $500 if the defendant has a previous record.

So, in Philadelphia, anyone can steal $499 of merchandise once without any repercussions. That makes sense.

District Attorney Krasner is quoted in Metro Philadelphia saying, “We have made the legally correct and accurate choice, should we choose to do so, to charge the lesser offense where we think it’s going to promote public safety.”

What disturbs me about Mr. Krasner’s view of justice

is when he says, “should we choose to do so.”

We can discuss social issues that defendants face on their side of the court system. More importantly, this should bring awareness to the fact that prosecutors like Mr. Krasner are blurring the lines of their responsibilities as enforcers of the law.

Technically, as previously explained, prosecutors have some discretion in deciding which laws are enforced. Yet, that is not the main emphasis of their job.

We as Americans have a whole branch of government dedicated to the writing of laws, and it isn’t the judicial. Prosecutors are overstepping their bounds when they try to usurp the power of lawmakers.

It’s not just victims of violent crimes who are hurt by the deranged mentality of progressive prosecutors. Local businesses are also being run out of town because they cannot afford to remain in neighborhoods where shoplifting and other crimes are not taken seriously.

For example, a CVS sales clerk told The Philadelphia Inquirer that she is scared of the perpetual criminals who take advantage of District Attorney Krasner’s soft-on-crime policy. She even pointed out that it’s “the same people com(ing) in, day in and day out.” It’s not as if a law-abiding person will steal for the fun of it.

Despite Mr. Krasner saying he prosecutes retail theft when there is a record, apparently that record has to be pretty extensive.

Philadelphia criminals have been conditioned to feel as though they are untouchable.

If prosecutors did not think laws were at their discretion, they would see the value of prosecuting any and all crimes indiscriminately.

Unfortunately, that is not the world we currently live in.

Kate Venis (katevenis@hotmail.com) is an editorial intern with The Heartland Institute. This commentary was provided to the News-Press by The Center Square, a nonprofit dedicated to journalism.

“Sooner or later, you run out of other people’s money,” Mr. Morgan responds. “More dollars chasing fewer goods leads to inflation,” and inflation leaves us less financial freedom.

In addition, politicians ban some of our choices, like future natural gas hookups and gaspowered cars. Many want to ban contraception, TikTok, guns.

On top of that, America’s bureaucrats add thousands of regulations, most of which restrict individual freedom.

“Those are examples of our smothering government and why we keep dropping places,” says Mr. Morgan.

The world’s least free countries have even more smothering governments.

India ranks toward the bottom of the freedom list because Indian bureaucrats are empowered to decide whether entrepreneurs may try something new. Investors must get up to 70 different approvals. No wonder India stays poor.

It could be worse. The most repressed people in the world are trapped in countries at

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Star Parker

The author is with the Center for Urban Renewal and

COURTESY PHOTO

Mike Pence

Arthur I, Cyr

COURTESY IMAGE

Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed the possibility of using nuclear weapons in Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Kate Venis

The author is a Center Square contributor

City of SB discusses parklets

Continued from Page C1

dining seating in parking lots?

The problem spills over onto every surrounding street impacting the taxpayer, while the restaurant owner profits.

Another speaker said, “There was nothing to do in Santa Barbara until they closed State Street ...” Wow.

Another said, “Just get out and walk. It’s good for you ...”

It’s time people stop the “me, me, me” attitude and realize Santa Barbara is made up of many different people — including the elderly and disabled people who can’t just get out there and walk!

There were a lot of things going on in the room Tuesday. about extending the “outdoor dining” provisions of the ERETO, probably for three years. This would track with Assembly Bill 1217 going through the legislature. AB1217 specifically extends the Covid emergency laws regarding the expansions of “outdoor dining” into the public right of way, allows cities to reduce or eliminate parking requirements for those businesses, and allows the expansion of ABC service areas. The Good Lion and ACME Hospitality standing up and saying how much business they’re doing is hilarious. They’re making our argument.

Many people miss the parades. One speaker mentioned the history. “In the ’70s, we had parking on State (Street). In the ’80s, they eliminated the parking, widened the sidewalks, and built public parking garages, using funds from a special tax.”

A couple of speakers mentioned, “how awful State Street was before (homeless, crime, urine,

etc).”

These problems will continue to need to be addressed. They have nothing to do with parklets vs. no parklets, State Street open vs. closed.

Wednesday the same topic was at HLC (Historical Landmark Commission),and Tuesday it will be discussed by the Santa Barbara City Council.

Wednesday at HLC, agenda item 2, was State Street Discussion: “Request from the Commission to discuss and draft possible recommendations to Council regarding the temporary conditions of State Street associated with the Economic Recovery Extension and Transition Ordinance (ERETO) approved by Council.

The ERETO temporarily suspends Municipal Code regulations in order to allow outdoor dining and outdoor business use in the public right of

way or on private property. The ERETO will remain in effect until December 31, 2023.”

Commissioner Ensberg brought up health, safety and welfare, not ignoring current rules and regulations, why the city a master plan, building codes, the fact that the parklets served their purpose, He also noted there has always been sidewalk dining on our sidewalks. Some on HLC asked where the requirements are regarding bathrooms, parking and ADA requirements per occupancy of each restaurant. They all talked about returning State Street to the way it was pre-COVID, yet went back to the question they were given.

What to do with the parklets on State Street, off State Street, and on private property?” Did You Know? was forwarded a letter that was sent to the Santa Barbara City Council, sharing

information about a Coastal Commission vote in San Diego regarding lost parking due to the outside dining.

“I wanted you to be aware that the Coastal Commission weighed in on San Diego’s plan to continue the parklet and offstreet dining program earlier this year. The Commission decided that restaurants would have to replace any lost parking that they occupy on public streets and in private parking lots. This could be done through off-street shared parking agreements, which we know are almost impossible to get in the Funk Zone. I hope that the City Council keeps this in mind as it discusses Outdoor Dining next week.”

She included an article from The San Diego Union-Tribune by Lori Weisberg, “Outdoor dining near San Diego coast faces tough restrictions.”

Regarding vacant storefronts: Did you know all we ever hear is retail is dead? In the past six months, I have traveled to four states and 12 different cities in Southern California, and retail wasn’t dead everywhere I went. In fact, there was a lot of retail, but what I did notice is all but one location had plenty of parking, and it was free.

Not only that but there were also a lot of shoppers. Did You Know? put in for a Public Records Act Request from the city regarding State Street Promenade again and as of our column deadline haven’t received it, but as soon as it comes in, we will share it with you.

Bonnie Donovan writes the “Did You Know?” column in conjunction with a bipartisan group of local citizens. It appears Saturdays in the Voices section.

Lawsuits have made a difference

BUCKLEY

Continued from Page C1

Story Hour”) is described as “a freewheeling celebration of being your most fabulous self, set to the tune of ‘The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round’” and is aimed at children aged 1 to 8.

“A Child’s Introduction to Pride” is described as a “perfect primer for kids ages 8-12” and features “a kid-friendly guide to understanding pronouns and intersectionality, as well as explorations of ‘gayborhoods.’”

“The Gender Wheel,” “Delusions of Gender,” “Gender Identity for Kids: A Book About Finding Yourself, Understanding Others,

SCHULTE

Continued from Page C2

Hotels & Resorts, one of the nation’s largest hotel real estate investment trusts, is yanking two hotels from downtown San Francisco, saying it “lacks confidence in the city’s ability to overcome “major challenges.”

A nice way of saying the people running the city have created a hell hole. Park Hotels also added, it “has stopped making payments toward a $725 million loan backed by two of its San Francisco properties, the 1,921-room Hilton San Francisco and the 1,024-room Parc 55 San Francisco.”

To the residents of San Francisco; the time has arrived, actually way overdo, to flush the political progressive agenda down the toilet.

Or in S.F.’s case, they can just dump it on the sidewalk with the rest of the feces.

ZEPKE

Continued from Page C1

Abbey. I have walked through Westminster Abbey. No one, including both Harry and me, can walk through without feeling the aught of the religious and historical events that have occurred in the abbey.

Harry must have thought of the history of that storied building, where the legend is that the abbey began when Saberht, the first Christian king of the East Saxons, founded a church on a small island in the river Thames that was consecrated by St. Peter.

Musk challenges Big Tech’s monopoly

the hand that feeds them.

Most of the Republicans claim they will support such legislation, but in politics “seeing is believing.”

Author Louis L’Amour wrote, “A good beginning makes a good end.” With his purchase of Twitter, Mr. Musk is challenging Big Tech’s monopoly on internet censorship. Mr. Musk has proven when he chooses to do something, he gets it done. His efforts to restore free speech in the public square are a beginning. And it is up to every American to join him and support his efforts and help him help us. Americans must call and email their congressmen and demand they outlaw Big Tech censorship. There are few wealthy mercenaries like Mr. Musk willing to take on Big Tech!

STOSSEL

Continued from Page C3

the bottom of the freedom list: Sudan, Venezuela, Cuba and, of course, North Korea.

“It’s bad in the economic sphere just as it is in the political sphere,” says Mr. Morgan. “These things reinforce each other. The freer a country is economically, the better off they are.”

Hong Kong was a great example of how economic freedom makes life better. In just 30 years, people there moved from poverty to prosperity. It happened because Hong Kong’s British rulers enforced rule of law but put few obstacles in the way of trying new things.

That allowed free people in Hong Kong to get rich and put Hong Kong at the top of many freedom rankings.

When a South African immigrant says democracy will not survive without protecting free speech, America needs to react.

Mr. Musk laid the foundation for change, and it is up to every American to rebuild the information highway with protections from big Tech, politicians and federal agencies that censor free speech.

This great nation was built on the backs of innovative enlightened immigrants like Elon Musk who is trying to improve the America he loves. Let’s help him.

“I’ve said this so many times. In order to have your voice be heard in Washington, you have to make some little contribution.” — Elon Musk

This commentary was made available to the News-Press by The Center Square, a nonprofit dedicated to journalism.

recently hanged some people for selling marijuana.

“Would you want to live in Singapore?” I ask Mr. Morgan.

“Your point is a good one,” he responds. “This isn’t a measure of freedom overall. It’s a measure of economic freedom. Other freedoms are important, religious freedom ... First Amendment freedom.”

The Cato Institute’s Human Freedom Index, which ranks both economic and personal freedom, lists Switzerland, New Zealand, Estonia and Denmark as the freest countries. Singapore ranks 44th. America, 23rd.

“Our point,” explains Mr. Morgan, “is really to have a data longevity to look at. Does economic freedom over time lead to freer, more prosperous, healthier and cleaner environments? It does.”

and Respecting Everybody!” and “It’s Okay to be a Unicorn!” are some of the more popular titles for kids.

There are also a plethora of selfhelp tomes advising parents not to shun “gender-affirming” care. In some states it is illegal to do otherwise.

So if you are wondering why the entire transgender “community” supports introducing the subject at the primary school level, and generally supports keeping parents in the dark about any transitional activity (such as changing one’s pronouns, or dressing as the opposite sex), there is a simple answer to that. If removing parents from such decisions hadn’t been

No one will notice.

Gov. Newsom is obviously trying to build a case that he’s the man for the White House. “I have perfect hair, really white teeth and I’m tall. What more qualifications do I need? I care about the little people and the poor, unless they get near me.”

The public has very short-term memories. And it’s not our fault. We have lives to lead, bills to pay, families to raise. We can’t live in the past.

But the past is only about 24 months ago when we were locked in our houses, kids couldn’t learn, people were dying because they couldn’t get help at the hospitals and businesses were devastated, of which many still haven’t recovered.

This one man. Just one simpleton. An elitist, selfappointed ruler of the Golden State destroyed the place. He created some stupid purple, red, orange, yellow tier COVID-19

Since William the Conqueror in 1066, every sovereign has been crowned in the abbey except Edward V and Edward VII, neither of which were crowned. It was renovated after the damage from bombs in WWII.

While walking the abbey’s floors below, I saw the tombs of men who contributed so much to society, such as Isaac Newton, Geoffrey Chaucer and Robert Browning. However, the one that made my eyes water, since men don’t cry, was the one for the “Unknown Warrior,” whose remains, after World War I, were brought from the Flanders field in

accomplished, the movement would never have taken hold. Difficulties have arisen as parents become informed about the insidious movement to introduce the concept of changing one’s gender to 5-, 6- and 7-yearold children.

The good news is that the tide is turning.

Hospitals in England, France, Norway, Sweden, Holland and the United States have begun shuttering their “Gender Affirming Surgery” wings. The bad publicity has hurt many of these otherwise prestigious institutions.

A plethora of successful lawsuits begun by many of those who’ve undergone puberty blocker

control weapon, and we were at his mercy having our lives turned upside down with colors.

This is the guy who has no rearview mirror and would never address what a mess he made of his sanctuary state. For as far back as I can remember, California has been a Hispanic magnet. We’ve accommodated Mexican culture for decades with nearly every document written in English and Spanish. Phone messages. Election ballots. DMV. Contracts and on and on.

California has done its part to be accepting.

I’m certain thousands of President Biden’s illegals who walked the red, open-border carpet, quietly flooded through under the radar into California.

So why is this charlatan Newsom making an issue about a few people he could put in his vineyards or use to clean his house?

Belgium that was immortalized by John McCrae’s “Flanders Field:”

“In Flanders field the poppies blow

“Between the crosses, row on row… “We are the Dead.

Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow “Loved and were loved, and now we lie, “In Flanders fields.”

For many American warriors, their “Flanders

treatments or especially surgery at young ages have played their part. Many complainants are or are likely to be awarded large payouts.

The transgender fad is about to wind down.

And the next pushback has already begun: Dissuading the liberal crowd that believes biological men should be allowed to compete with biological women in sports. Batter up!

James Buckley is a longtime Montecito resident. He welcomes questions or comments at jimb@ substack.com. Readers are invited to visit jimb.substack.com, where Jim’s Journals are on file. He also invites people to subscribe to Jim’s Journal.

As he so eloquently stated there will not be one house for the rich. Then he should prepare a couple guest rooms and treat them to the French Laundry for a welcome dinner to his land of refuge.

When Joe Biden’s people had Donald Trump arrested, Gov. Newsom strapped on his shark fin and thinks he may have an actual chance of changing the drapes on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The scary thing is, there’s way too many voters who should not be allowed to cheat on their mail-in ballot because they have no clue what they’re doing.

A little brain washing, more corrupt manipulation from the media and big tech crooks, Gov. Newsom could slip in the back door and start signing executive orders to ban gas cars and put a windmill in every yard.

Henry Schulte welcomes questions or comments at hschulteopinions@gmail.com.

fields” were in Luxembourg, from the Battle of the Bulge, and Normandy, where, after reading the stones of two 18-year-old brothers, I silently heard the “unofficial” words “Day is done, gone the sun” to the melancholy bugle playing “Taps.”

Harry earned some award while serving in the Royal Marines but did not wear his uniform to the coronation. I earned the Athlete of the Year title while serving in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corp but did not wear my uniform.

Harry did not wave from a balcony or participate in any

Then the British gave Hong Kong back to China. China promised to respect Hong Kong’s open society, but a few years ago, China turned Hong Kong into another Chinese police state.

So Heritage dropped Hong Kong from its list. “We got to the point where we could no longer consider them separate from Communist China, sadly,” says Morgan.

The freest countries on Heritage’s list are Taiwan, Ireland, Switzerland and Singapore.

But wait! Singapore doesn’t have free speech. You can’t criticize politicians or assemble without a police permit. They

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post-coronation celebrations. I did not wave from my balcony or participate in any postcoronation celebrations.

Harry spent the next day in Santa Barbara.

So, did I, although I suspect there were more than a few degrees of separation in our emotions.

Harry subsequently appeared in a London court as a participant. I appeared in a London court as a spectator and participated multiple times in American courts, where the similarities continued as both American and British jurisprudence are based on the Ten

That’s something to remember next time politicians take away your choices or print more money.

“They’re going to offer you free stuff,” says Mr. Morgan. “It’s all going to sound good ... but their policies are in all likelihood going to make things worse.”

Every Tuesday at JohnStossel. com, Mr. Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”

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Commandments. If two cups of coffee helped me to understand the theories of a social psychologist, a sociologist and the Harvard Business Review, would a third cup help me understand women?

Brent E. Zepke is an attorney, arbitrator and author who lives in Santa Barbara. His website is OneheartTwoLivescom. wordpress.com.

Formerly, he taught law and business at six universities and numerous professional conferences. He is the author of six books.