Questions about Clark Estate
Compassion during pandemic
The Investigator looks into the Bellosguardo Foundation and whether it’s meeting its original mission - A3
Nurse Cathy Molkoy delivers more than 650 vaccines to the homeless - B1
Our 166th Year
$2.00
S u n d a y , O C T O B E R 1 7, 2 0 2 1
Fire burns 17,253 acres, at 53% containment By MADISON HIRNEISEN
Los Padres National Forest officials reported Saturday afternoon that “very dry and windy conditions” led to increased fire activity during the day.
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Crews continued to battle the Alisal Fire on Saturday, which burned 17,253 acres and was at 53% containment as of press time. Los Padres National Forest officials reported Saturday afternoon that “very dry and windy conditions” led to increased fire activity during the day. On Saturday morning, officials reported that “minimal” new fire growth occurred over the last day, but pockets of “heavier fuels” continued to burn in the fire’s interior.
Los Padres officials said “good to moderate” smoke conditions were expected during the day Saturday, but estimated that the smoke could settle into the Santa Ynez Valley Saturday evening. Residual smoke from overnight smoldering was expected to settle along low-lying areas near the fire’s perimeter, along Highway 101 and the Santa Ynez River today, according to a report from
Los Padres. Officials estimated that “light to moderate” smoke impacts are possible in the Santa Ynez Valley and South Coast, and “light” smoke impacts were possible along the Lompoc Valley, Santa Maria Valley and Cuyama. Officials canceled the evacuation warning for the area west of Highway 101, including Gaviota Beach and Hollister Ranch properties, on Saturday evening.
As of press time Saturday, evacuation orders remained in place for Arroyo Hondo Canyon, Refugio Canyon, and the area between El Capitan Beach State Park and West Camino Cielo. The evacuation point that was previously established at Dos Pueblos High School was put on standby status on Saturday afternoon. Evacuees in need of assistance are instructed to call (833) 583-
3111. Today, officials anticipate a “pattern change” as a cold front approaches the area. According to the incident management report, crews expect cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity today and expect the front to pass over the fire area tonight and into Monday morning. The cold front is expected to bring northwest winds to the fire area on Monday, with gusts expected to reach 2535 mph. On Saturday, crews continued to Please see FIRE on A4
Westmont celebrates class of 2020
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
2020 Graduate Marie Odile Ndayishimiye reflects on her undergraduate years during Westmont College’s commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 on Saturday.
By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
At long last, graduates from the Westmont College class of 2020 gathered on campus Saturday to celebrate their collegiate accomplishments with a commencement ceremony — about 17 months after finishing their degrees. About 180 members out of the 298 total graduates from the class of 2020 attended Saturday’s ceremony, finally getting their moment to walk across the
graduation stage and celebrate their accomplishments alongside family members and friends. The procession of graduates was led by the playing of bagpipes as their families gathered under a large tent near Carr Field for the ceremony. The morning was filled with hymns, prayer, reflection and praise for the graduates of 2020 and their perseverance through unprecedented local and global catastrophes — the Thomas Fire, Montecito Debris Flow and the COVID-19 pandemic — during
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Several faculty and student speakers during the ceremony reflected on how the graduating class grew during their time at Westmont, reflecting on cherished memories with gratitude for Saturday’s celebration. One student speaker in particular, Marie Odile Ndayishimiye Uwineza, told Saturday’s crowd about her experience of leaving her home country of Rwanda to attend Westmont College. “When I left my village the way I did, I knew that God was going to
give me new villages, I just didn’t know how,” Ms. Uwineza said. “You would not believe how big my village has become, (and) how many people came together to make sure that I had all I needed to thrive even in times when social distancing was the way of life.” Ms. Uwineza also shared how the pandemic was very challenging for international students, as many countries began shutting their borders due to the spread of COVID-19 and students could not afford to stay in the area. In response to this,
Westmont waived the housing fee during the summer of 2020 and a donor provided stipends for international students to get groceries. “Nothing tops this kind of support that made it possible for international students to have a summer village,” she shared. “We became each other’s family, lifting each other up, while trying to make sense of what the world was facing at the time. This answered prayer, this support system I had Please see WESTMONT on A2
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their time at Westmont. “Five years ago, you began a long and arduous journey of working to grow academically, improve spiritually, grow emotionally, and connect socially,” President Gayle D. Beebe said Saturday. “None of us had any idea what lay ahead, and yet here we are today standing on the other side of local and global catastrophes, recognizing that what lies ahead of us is an opportunity to make the most of what we’ve learned during the time we’ve been together.”
Sudoku................. B3 Sports ................A5-6 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 1-35-36-43-44 Mega: 3
Saturday’s DAILY 4: 9-5-6-2
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 3-20-31-34-65 Mega: 18
Saturday’s FANTASY 5: 4-25-29-33-35
Saturday’s DAILY DERBY: 08-10-01 Time: 1:45.76
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 30-31-41-42-48 Meganumber: 3
Saturday’s DAILY 3: 5-0-5 / Midday 7-4-2