Santa Barbara News-Press: January 19, 2023

New public health director

Westmont professor honored

Lights, cameras …. art!

Patricia Chidlaw painting becomes Santa Barbara International Film Festival poster

Biden to visit Central Coast

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The

FYi

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

A renowned painter’s realistic image of the historic Arlington Theatre graces this year’s poster for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Artist Patricia Chidlaw’s poster was unveiled Wednesday morning before reporters and photographers at Sullivan Goss: American Gallery, where owner Nathan Vonk had a lot to say in praise of it.

For one thing, Mr. Vonk told the News-Press, Ms. Chidlaw knew what details to include and what details to leave to the viewer’s imagination in her oil on canvas painting, “2 Stars, Arlington.”

“She’s really amazing,” Mr. Vonk said. “It looks like a photograph.”

In creating her first painting for the film festival’s poster, Ms. Chidlaw was careful to leave space in the sky for the typeface promoting the popular festival.

The film festival will take place Feb. 8-18 at the Arlington Theater and other Santa Barbara venues, and the stars will vary from recent Golden Globe winners Angela Bassett and Cate Blanchett to

Brendan

told

And he explained the festival reached out to Sullivan Goss

Kidnapping suspect to appear in Superior Court

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A Santa Barbara man charged with attempting to kidnap a 12year-old girl in Carpinteria is scheduled to appear in Superior Court next week to set a date for his preliminary hearing on that felony charge and two additional misdemeanors.

Elias Maldonado, 51, appeared in court on Jan. 11 to set a preliminary hearing date, but the case was continued until Jan. 25.

Sheriff’s deputies announced Nov. 10 that they had arrested Mr. Maldonado on suspicion of attempted kidnapping for an incident two days earlier. According to prosecutors, the defendant is 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 215 pounds.

On Nov. 9, Community Resource Deputy Bryan Dickey was notified by Carpinteria Middle School staff of a kidnapping incident that had occurred at approximately 4 p.m. Nov. 8 in the 5500 block of Carpinteria Avenue near the entrance to the bicycle path.

CRD Dickey spoke with the female juvenile reporting party who provided a thorough account of the incident and a suspect description, sheriff’s officials said.

deputies and a Sheriff’s K-9 unit contacted Mr. Maldonado at the motel where he was taken into custody after briefly attempting to flee.

Maldonado was booked at the Main Jail on suspicion of attempted kidnapping of a child under the age of 14 (felony) and obstructing a peace officer (misdemeanor) as well as his outstanding warrant for domestic violence (felony) and false imprisonment (felony). He was being held on $150,000 bail, but sheriff’s department records Wednesday noted he is no longer in custody.

The complaint charges him with attempted kidnapping, a felony. Prosecutors allege he attempted to abduct the victim either by force or “by any other means of instilling fear,” with the intention of taking her elsewhere. The charge is a serious and/or violent felony.

Prosecutors allege aggravating factors, contending the alleged crime involved great violence, great bodily harm, threat of great bodily harm or other act disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness, and that the victim was particularly vulnerable. They also allege he engaged in violent conduct that indicates a serious danger to society.

Other stars will vary from Austin Butler, who starred in the title role of “Elvis,” to Ke Huy

The Cinema Vanguard Award will go to stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.

“We will have 52 world premieres and 78 U.S. premieres from 43 countries,” Roger Durling, the festival’s executive director,

That’s how Ms. Chidlaw became involved, and she took Mr. Vonk’s suggestion that she paint the Arlington from the vantage point of the roof of The Granada’s parking garage.

LOTTERY

Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 3-7-21-34-40 Mega: 22

Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 2-12-18-24-39 Mega: 18 Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 02-03-04 Time: 1:41.70 Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 7-8-7 / Midday 1-3-4

He and patrol deputies conducted a follow-up investigation, identified the suspect as Mr. Maldonado and tracked him to a motel in the 5500 block of Carpinteria Avenue. Deputies also learned that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

The next day, Nov. 9, at approximately 9:50 a.m., SRD Dickey along with patrol

He also is charged with two misdemeanors, one for allegedly annoying or molesting a child under 18, and the other for resisting arrest.

Prosecutors said they intend to introduce evidence of any prior acts of sexual offenses committed by the defendant.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 7-7-2-1

Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 1-12-18-25-35

David Vander Laan wins prestigious award - B1

President Joe Biden is expected to visit the Central Coast today to visit areas that have been impacted due to the storms that have hit Santa Barbara County. He will be joined by U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif. Together, Sen. Padilla and

President Biden will travel the Central Coast to survey recovery efforts and visit with first responders, state and local officials, and communities impacted by the devastation from recent storms, according to a news release from Sen. Padilla’s office.

White House hasn’t announced whether President

COURTESY PHOTO

President Joe Biden is scheduled today to visit Central Coast communities affected by the recent storms.

Sen. Padilla is also part of tour of communities hit by the storms

Please see VISIT on A4

Fraser, who’s seen as a likely Oscar nominee for his critically acclaimed comeback role in “The Whale.” Mr. Fraser will receive the Riviera Award, and Ms. Bassett and Ms. Blanchett are winners of the Montecito Award and Outstanding Performer of the Year Award winners respectively.

Quan (“Everything Everywhere At Once”) and Jamie Lee Curtis, who will receive the Matlin Modern Master Award and be interviewed by critic Leonard Maltin.

reporters at Sullivan Goss.

for an artist to create this year’s image.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Patricia Chidlaw stands in front of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival poster, which is based on her oil on canvas painting, “2 Stars, Arlington.”

In preparing for the poster, Patricia Chidlaw created three oil paintings. The film festival selected the one at the far left, which has space for typeface at the top.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will run Feb. 8-18 at the Arlington Theatre and other Santa Barbara venues. For more information, go to sbiff.org. Please see SBIFF on A4

Hammami discusses goals as new public health director

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Dr. Mouhanad Hammami will begin his position Monday as the public health director for Santa Barbara County.

“It is a great honor and an exciting opportunity to serve the people of Santa Barbara County in this capacity,” Dr. Hammami told the News-Press.

“Santa Barbara County is a diverse community with different needs, and I look forward to working with our county team and other community members to advance health and wellness to all residents of the county.

I appreciate the trust and support from the county board of supervisors and County Executive (Mona) Miyasato for the opportunity.”

Dr. Hammami spoke to his career prior to this appointment, “Before this I was serving as chief health strategist for Wayne County, Mich. Wayne County is the most populous in Michigan, serving close to 1.2 million residents across 34 municipalities. I was mainly in charge of the COVID-19 response and vaccination strategy.’

“Before that I was serving as senior vice president for community health and wellbeing at Trinity Health, a national nonprofit health system with 94 hospitals in 22 states. My role was to empower communities to improve the

health and wellbeing of their residents.”

“My professional career spans from clinical research to working in health systems passing through public service; however, the common denominator was always the community,” he continued. “ In all my roles, I thrived to serve the community and to make people well. Issues such as eliminating disparities and ensuring equity were always in the forefront of everything I did.

“Being in charge of public health at Wayne County cemented my beliefs that public health should not be a ‘one size fits all’ approach and programs have to be designed based on needs and assessments,” he said.

“Working at a health system that was investing in community wellness reinforced my conviction that ‘it takes a village’ and that for communities to be well, we have to engage all sectors and stakeholders and establish partnerships with and from the community.”

Dr. Hammami received his medical degree from the University of Aleppo School of Medicine in Syria. After that, he worked in clinical research in pediatrics at the University of Tennessee in Memphis and Wayne State University in Detroit. He also has a certificate in the foundation of public health, and a master’s degree in health service administration from the

University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

The News-Press asked Dr. Hammami what his duties are in his new position,

“The director of public health is responsible for all things related to the health of the residents of the county, in addition to overseeing services such as animal services, environmental health, disease control, administration, finance, emergency medical services, primary care and family health. I will be working alongside county health officer Dr. (Henning) Ansorg and other team members in ensuring the health and wellness of our county residents.”

Dr. Hammami spoke to his goals in this new position, “While Santa Barbara County on average has good health indicators compared to the rest of the state, there are still areas that can benefit from more attention and focused programing especially when it comes to communities in the northern county and our Latino residents. We will continue to address COVID-19 and other risk factors but also focus on an integrated approach to health and wellness to ensure that all our residents have the opportunity to practice wellness.

I am a firm believer in integrating social care into public health and look forward to working with community partners on addressing the social influencers of health and

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

improving conditions across the county.”

“I would like to thank everyone at Santa Barbara County for their kindness and welcoming warmth and look forward to serving our residents. I look forward to getting to know our communities and listening to their needs and concerns,” said Dr. Hammami.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

researcher to appear in court on child pornography charge

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A former UCSB researcher is scheduled to appear in court next month to set a date for a preliminary hearing on a felony charge of possession or control of child pornography involving illicit images allegedly found on his work computer.

Matthew Ferris Peterson, 41, appeared in court on Tuesday to set a date for a preliminary hearing, but the matter was continued until Feb. 28.

Prosecutors allege the defendant either possessed or controlled child pornograpy between Jan. 1, 2020 and June 29, 2022 that involved any sort of visual media — film, filmstrip, photograph, negative, slide, photocopy, videotape, video laserdisc, computer hardware,

computer software, computer floppy disc, data storage media, CD-ROM or computer-generated image — that contained images of a person under age 18, “personally engaging in or simulating sexual conduct.”

He’s pleaded not guilty.

Mr. Peterson was arrested in June, reportedly at a home in Carpinteria, following an investigation by university police who allegedly found child pornography images on his university-issued computer. Prosecutors said in their complaint that they intend to introduce evidence of any prior acts of sexual offenses committed by the defendant.

If convicted, Mr. Peterson could be sentenced to a year in jail, receive a fine and be required to register as a sex offender.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Employment office vandalized

SANTA BARBARA —

The Employment Office of the California Employment Development Department at 128 Ortega St. was vandalized.

Four windows were vandalized when the News-Press stopped by on Wednesday, but the office remains open for business.

Three of the windows were boarded up.

The News-Press reached out to the Santa Barbara Police Department for more details but did not hear back before press time.

Santa Barbara, CA. Postmaster: Send address

to the Santa Barbara News-Press, P.O. Box 1359, Santa Barbara, CA 93102. Published daily.

COURTESY PHOTO Dr. Mouhanad Hammami

— Katherine Zehnder

KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS Vandals left damage at the Employment Office of the California Employment Development Department on Ortega Street, requiring a window to be boarded up

The

National Forest on Jan. 13 in response to the recent storms.

According to the Forest Service, the order will be superseded or terminated when conditions and recreational access improves.

DP wrestling dominates Oxnard

The Dos Pueblos High wrestling team enjoyed a blowout victory over Oxnard on Tuesday, winning 54-14.

The night started with a 28second pin by Dos Pueblos’ Tyler Bryce, followed by wins from Diego Hernandez, Francisco Espinosa and Ryan Risdall.

In the girls portion of the matchup, Victoria Bernard pinned her opponent in the first round, preserving her undefeated record in league matches.

“I’m very proud of our team,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Jesse Plowman. “We had some adversity this week and the team was able to overcome it and stay focused on the mission. I can’t say enough about how our team is progressing as we near the league finals. With that said, tomorrow it’s time to get back to work to prepare for Ventura next week.”

Dos Pueblos now has a league record of 4-2.

Cate boys soccer holds on for 4-3 win over Bishop Diego

The Cate boys soccer team defeated Bishop Diego 4-3, playing a second home game at a neutral site (SBCC) due to the condition of their home field.

The Rams got off to a hot start when Samuel Anum scored in the 15th minute of the match, assisted by Charlie Dorion. This was followed five minutes later when Max DeVore assisted a goal by George Marin. Cate’s big first half was capped off by Suhuyini Abdul Nafeo, who scored with an assist from Dorion.

Bishop Diego got on the board right before the end of the half, leading to a 3-1 score at mid-game.

The Cardinals scored again in the 50th minute, which was answered by Cate five minutes later on a goal by Samuel Anum. Cate would need Anum’s goal, as Bishop Diego managed a third goal before the clock expired.

“We dominated the first half of the game and after our starting goalkeeper went out with an injury we lost our composure and let the game get away from us a bit,” said Cate Coach Jorge Reynoso. “The two halves were like night & day and we have to learn to keep our focus and our mindset for the entire 80 minutes. We are a young team and we need to adapt and dictate the tempo.”

Cate will return to action today at home against Dunn.

DP boys soccer plays Buena to draw

The Dos Pueblos boys soccer team tied Buena on Tuesday, with each team managing to score only once.

Both of the game’s goals came in the first half, with each defense stifling their opponents in the second.

“The man of the match tonight was Ethan Foong,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Matt York. “He was an incredible defender all evening tonight, playing their physicality and also matching speed when needed. He really had all facets working.”

Dos Pueblos’ goal came on a header by Luka Jevremovic.

UCSB men’s basketball hosting high school night

The UCSB men’s basketball team is thrilled to welcome high school students from all over Santa Barbara County to

SPORTS ROUNDUP

York also single out the play of Fin Silver, saying he “created tremendous opportunities getting past their back line and putting shots on Goal” despite being denied a goal in the match.

Dos Pueblos now sports a 2-9-2 overall record, with a 2-5-2 league mark.

SM boys soccer beats Rio Mesa

The San Marcos High boys soccer team won in dominant fashion against Rio Mesa, taking the game by a score of 7-1.

The tone was set by an eventful first 15 minutes, which saw two goals by San Marcos’ Luke Sheffey and a third by Jose Ramirez, all assisted by Tully Knoles. Leonel Olivo and Favi Rosales also contributed first-half goals.

Rosales and Kevin Sanchez added goals in the second half to make score 7-0 before Rio Mesa managed a late goal to avoid a shutout.

“Tully’s assists were outstanding,” said Coach Paul McLean. “He played two balls more than 40 yards to Sheffey in stride as he burst through the back line and added one more to Jose. Tully’s passing is simply next level. He was the key to our fast start.”

San Marcos is now 10-1-2 overall with a perfect 9-0 league record.

SM girls soccer shuts out Rio Mesa

The San Marcos girls soccer team secured their eighth shutout of the season Tuesday, beating Rio Mesa 2-0.

San Marcos’ first goal came in the 32nd minute of the first half when Leilani Venegas scored after an assist from Maya Klanfer.

Nicoli Oh scored the team’s second goal in the second half after an assist from Caitlin Sparks.

San Marcos will carry a 3-4-2 record into tonight’s game against Ventura.

SY girls basketball blows out Atascadero

The Santa Ynez High girls basketball team won in dominant fashion against Atascadero, defeating their opponents 39-19.

Kylie Lapointe led the way for Santa Ynez with 12 points, four rebounds and four steals. Helina Pecile added seven points, ten rebounds and five steals while Elena Sleiman contributed eight points, six rebounds and three steals and Desirae Soto scored five points along with three steals.

DP girls basketball edges out Rio Mesa

The Dos Pueblos girls

basketball team won against Rio Mesa on Tuesday, beating their opponents by a score of 57-50.

Justin Katz led Dos Pueblos with 28 points, eight rebounds, four steals and four assists.

Lauren Robles scored eleven points while Carly Letendre scored eight along with providing eleven rebounds. Gianna Nichole and Evette Allen each contributed ten rebounds, with Allen also adding three steals and an assist.

“Evette was involved in almost every play on defense,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Manny Murillo of Allen’s performance. “She was diving on the floor, battling

The Thunderdome for tonight’s Big West game against CSUN beginning at 7 p.m.

Any high school student who comes to The Thunderdome with their high school ID will get free admission into the game.

- Kristen Keller

players taller, bigger and stronger. Her attitude and effort was amazing tonight, and that was a major difference in the game.”

Dos Pueblos will next play against Santa Barbara, bringing a 3-4 league record into the game.

Carp girls basketball loses to Channel Islands

The Carpinteria High girls basketball team fell to Channel Islands on Tuesday, losing 54-36.

The Warriors came out of the first period with a 10-9 lead, but the lead was erased in a disastrous second quarter that saw Carpinteria outscored 157. After a relatively even third quarter, the Raiders expanded their lead in the fourth to put the game out of reach.

Carpinteria falls to 8-10 overall with the loss. The team will return to action tonight at Hueneme.

SY boys basketball defeats Morro Bay

The Santa Ynez boys basketball team enjoyed a lopsided victory over Morro Bay, winning by a score of 77-57.

Landon Lassahn led the scoring for Santa Ynez with 23 points to

go along with seven rebounds.

Jackson Ollenburger was not far behind with 21 points, while Caleb Cassidy scored 15 and led the team in rebounds with 20. Hale Durbiano scored ten points.

Bishop Diego girls basketball loses to Foothill Tech

The Bishop Diego girls basketball team lost to Foothill Tech, falling by a score of 49-30.

Galilea De La Cruz led Bishop Diego with nine points and eleven rebounds while Lily Simolon added eight points and 14 rebounds.

“It was not our night offensively or defensively,” said Bishop Diego Coach Jeff Burich.

After ending the first half down 27-11, Bishop Diego managed to cut Foothill’s lead to ten by the end of the third quarter, but were outscored 13-4 in the fourth quarter.

“We will learn from this game and get better,” said Burich. “I was proud to see us battle back in the third quarter and make a game of it until midway through the fourth.”

Bishop Diego falls to 18-3 with the loss and will next play on Friday against Santa Clara.

- Compiled by Matt Smolensky

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Forest Service issued a 60-day closure order for four ranger districts within Los Padres

SBIFF

Continued from Page A1

“It’s a good view,” Ms. Chidlaw told the News-Press.

The artist actually created three oil paintings, one of the Arlington with a clear sky, which was chosen for the poster; another one with colorful clouds in the sky and a third of a woman leaning against an interior wall of the Arlington as an audience watches a movie.

All three paintings were shown during the news conference, and Mr. Vonk said all three will be displayed in the gallery during the film festival.

In addition to unveiling the poster, Mr. Durling discussed the festival’s programming.

“The festival will open with the world premiere of ‘Miranda’s Victim,’ about the people behind the history of the Miranda rights in 1963, starring Abigail Breslin, among other actors,” Mr. Durling said.

Mr. Durling said the festival has a fantastic slate of actors and movies. He added that the participants in the directors’ evening will be announced at a later point.

He started Wednesday’s news conference by describing the festival’s various programs for youths, which includes bussing them to the Arlington Theatre.

Mr. Durling said the director of Netflix’s “Pinocchio,” Guillermo del Toro, will be featured during the marquee event for third through sixth graders. “He will be doing a masters class and answering questions from the kids.”

Educational outreach also includes a film studies program for 30 undergraduate students from across the country, as well as the 10-10-10 Student Screenwriting and Filmmaking Mentorship and Competition. It involves 20 area high school and college screenwriters and filmmakers.

East Mountain Drive likely to need months of repairs

Continued from Page A1

Biden’s visit would include communities such as Montecito. But Sen. Padilla’s office reported the president would be in Santa Cruz County today.

On Monday evening, President Biden approved an amendment to his major disaster declaration to include Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, a change pushed by U.S. Rep. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, over the past week in the aftermath of heavy storms and flooding across the Central Coast.

President Biden’s approval of individual and public assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency will allow Central Coast residents and business owners to apply directly for relief, as well as support repair and replacement work being done by local governments and emergency managers in both counties.

“I am grateful to President Biden and FEMA leadership for hearing the stories that I and others have shared from the Central Coast this past week and recognizing the need for direct federal assistance to help not only our municipal repair crews, but also the individual residents and business owners that have had livelihoods wrecked by this month’s storms,” said Rep. Carbajal in the news release. Last week’s storms left their impact on local roads.

East Mountain Drive, which was heavily damaged by the stormy weather, will likely require several months worth of repairs, Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor told the NewsPress.

Elsewhere, there was some good news Tuesday. Caltrans District 5 announced in a tweet that State Route 154 is reopened in both directions at the Alamo Pintado Creek Bridge in Los Olivos.

One fringe benefit of the storms is alleviation of drought conditions with the increase in reservoir levels.

As of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Alisal reservoir’s level was 599.9 feet, with 2,371 acre-feet of volume and with 37.41 inches of rainfall during the season.

Cachuma Reservoir on Wednesday evening was at 93.8% capacity, 749.10 feet in the water level, 181,043 acre-feet in volume and 21.21 inches of total rainfall.

Gibraltar stood Wednesday at 96.4% capacity with 1,399.22 feet in the water level, 4,526 acrefeet in volume, an outflow of 768 cubic feet per second and 34.95 inches of rainfall for the season.

Jameson is at 100.7% of capacity with 2,224.28 feet in the water level, 4,883 acre-feet in volume and 40 inches of rainfall in total for the year.

Twitchell is at 602.78 feet in the water level, 65,172 acre-feet in volume and 17.25 inches of rainfall.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTOS

U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in Sturgis Schools discrimination suit

By BRUCE WALKER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday heard testimony related to Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools. At issue is whether the immigrant family of a deaf former student may sue the Michigan public school district for monetary damages.

Nine-year-old Miguel Perez, the plaintiff in the case, left Mexico with his family and enrolled at Sturgis in 2004. Mr. Perez was assigned to a classroom aide, and was never given a sign language interpreter. Prior to his anticipated graduation in 2016, Mr. Perez’s parents were informed he was only eligible to earn a certificate of completion rather than a diploma.

Mr. Perez’s parents sued the Michigan Department of Education in 2017, saying the Sturgis School District had violated the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act.

According to a SCOTUS amicus brief submitted by professors Mark C. Weber and Bernard P. Perlmutter in support of the plaintiff: “Sturgis moved to dismiss the ADA claim, arguing that the IDEA hearing officer did ‘not have jurisdiction’ over nonIDEA issues or claims.… The hearing officer agreed, dismissing Miguel’s ADA claim as ‘outside [her] jurisdiction…. With only Miguel’s IDEA claim remaining, the parties settled. The settlement provided Miguel and his family with equitable relief, including sign language instruction, but it neither included compensatory damages nor released Miguel’s ADA claim.”

The Perez family subsequently

sought additional compensatory damages for emotional distress under the ADA and Rehabilitation Act laws. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the additional relief due to the IDEA issues being resolved without a hearing.

A brief submitted to SCOTUS in support of the defendant by the School Superintendents Association, the National Association of School Nurses, and several other organizations argues a decision favoring the Perezes violates the IDEA process.

The brief reads in part, “Weakening the exhaustion requirement will undermine the collaborative nature of the IDEA process, and will shift the parties’ focus to money rather than the student’s education needs, will waste money on litigation that could more effectively be spent on students themselves, and will discourage settlements by making them more expensive.”

The brief continues, “Allowing parents to file lawsuits for monetary damages after fully settling their claims for educational services under the IDEA will discourage schools from settling or engaging in meaningful dispute resolution, because they would lose one of the main benefits of settlement: certainty and finality of resolution of the dispute. Schools that know that years of expensive, adversarial litigation await even if they offer parents the educational services they want may be tempted to ‘roll the dice’ and refuse to offer any services, trying their luck in the due process hearing and ultimately the courts to see if they can achieve an outcome more favorable to the school district. But it is the student who will suffer, since any outcome – and any needed educational services – could be delayed for years.”

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W

Cuyama 52/32/c 51/26/s

Goleta 63/39/c 62/37/s

Lompoc 59/35/c 61/32/s

Pismo Beach 59/39/c 58/37/s

Santa Maria 59/37/c 58/33/s

Santa Ynez 57/33/c 59/29/s

Vandenberg 59/42/c 59/37/s

Ventura 60/41/c 61/46/s

Bakersfield 52/41/c 54/33/s

Barstow 58/33/pc 54/31/s

Big Bear 38/16/sf 31/11/s

Bishop 43/21/sf 44/21/s

Catalina 51/45/c 54/49/s

Concord 55/34/pc 55/33/s

Escondido 58/41/pc 61/32/s

Eureka 54/32/s 55/37/s

Fresno 54/38/pc 54/33/s

Los Angeles 59/41/c 61/42/s

Mammoth Lakes 25/5/sn 25/5/s

Modesto 50/33/pc 52/31/s

Monterey 55/38/pc 56/37/s

Napa 57/37/pc 59/31/s

Oakland 56/38/pc 57/35/s

Ojai 58/35/c 59/37/s

Oxnard 60/41/c 61/43/s

Palm Springs 62/45/pc 65/45/s

Pasadena 57/40/c 59/42/s

Paso Robles 56/30/c 55/27/s

Sacramento 54/34/pc 55/30/s

San Diego 60/47/pc 63/44/s

San Francisco 57/43/pc 56/41/s

San Jose 57/36/pc 56/34/s

San Luis Obispo 59/37/c 60/36/s

Santa Monica 57/40/c 60/40/s

Tahoe Valley 30/9/sf 33/11/s

Atlanta 69/41/t 57/36/pc

Boston 41/36/r 39/30/sn

Chicago 44/31/sn 35/25/c

Dallas 60/39/s 61/43/pc

Denver 31/13/c 22/14/c

Houston 70/48/pc 57/50/c

Miami 82/66/s 83/67/c

Minneapolis 30/18/sn 24/17/c

New York City 43/40/r 47/35/c

Philadelphia 46/42/r 50/34/c

Phoenix 60/43/s 57/38/pc

Portland, Ore. 46/32/pc 48/33/c

St. Louis 44/29/pc 41/27/s

Salt Lake City 36/26/sn 38/18/sn

Seattle 45/37/c 48/38/c

Washington, D.C. 50/45/r 52/36/pc

Jan. 19 6:47 a.m. 6.5’ 12:10 a.m. 2.4’ 9:01 p.m. 3.5’ 2:24 p.m. -1.5’ Jan. 20 7:36 a.m. 6.8’ 1:08 a.m. 2.3’ 9:40 p.m. 3.7’ 3:07 p.m. -1.9’ Jan. 21 8:25 a.m. 7.0’ 2:02 a.m. 2.1’ 10:19 p.m. 3.9’ 3:49 p.m. -2.0’

Today Fri.

Beijing 41/10/pc 32/9/pc

Berlin 37/29/pc 37/28/c

Cairo 72/53/s 72/50/s

Cancun 82/75/sh 83/72/sh London 41/31/pc 43/30/pc

Mexico City 79/45/pc 79/45/pc

Montreal 27/23/c 28/14/sn

New Delhi 64/49/pc 66/49/pc

Paris 40/30/sn 42/34/pc

Rio de Janeiro 83/75/t 84/73/r

Rome 53/36/r 49/39/pc

Sydney 69/65/r 72/64/r Tokyo 51/42/pc 55/40/s

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Workers remove a large eucalyptus tree that fell on Wednesday, downing power lines in the 900 block of West Carrillo Street in Santa Barbara.

Tree falls in Santa Barbara

The U.S. Supreme Court heard testimony related to a case alleging discrimination against a deaf student on Wednesday.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

East Mountain Drive, which was heavily damaged by the stormy weather, will likely require several months worth of repairs, Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor told the News-Press.

VISIT

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

Life theArts

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.

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

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “The Search for the Modern West,” an exhibit, continues through Feb. 20 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, see sullivangoss.com or call the gallery at 805-730-1460. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit “Parliament of Owls” runs through Feb. 5 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, go to www. sbnature.org.

2 to 5:30 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara, 524 Chapala St., Santa Barbara. For more information, go to vitalant. org.

JAN. 21

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform its “Plains, Trains & Violins” concert at The Granada, 1214 State St. The concert includes Miguel del Aguila’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, “The Journey of a Lifetime” (El viaje de una vida) with violin soloist Guillermo Figueroa and the concert world premiere of Elmer Bernstein’s “Toccata for Toy Trains.” The orchestra will also perform Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”). Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JAN. 22

Prize for professor

David Vander Laan wins prestigious award

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

David Vander Laan, Westmont professor of philosophy, has won the American Philosophical Association’s 2022 Alvin Plantinga Prize. Coincidentally, the prestigious award honors Mr. Vander Laan’s doctoral adviser, one of the most influential people shaping Christian philosophical thought during the past 50 years.

“To receive a prize named for Mr. Plantinga is a tremendous honor,” Mr. Vander Laan said. “As his former student and a beneficiary of his work, it’s incredibly meaningful to me.”

The prize, which includes a $10,000 award, recognizes Mr. Vander Laan’s forthcoming paper, “Satisfaction in the End Without End,” to be published in Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Religion.

The paper, which follows up on Mr. Vander Laan’s earlier “The Paradox of the End without End” (Faith and Philosophy, 2018), examines the historically popular view that human life is aimed at a single, highest attainable good (the final telos) that quenches all desire.

From this standpoint, a life of everlasting growth and progress might seem to be incomplete since it’s forever partial or unsatisfying; the desire for future goods always remains.

“I argue that, on the contrary, everlasting progress need not be subjectively or objectively deficient and in fact must be more satisfying than any static good to temporal beings such as ourselves,” Mr. Vander Laan said.

He added that Mr. Plantinga,

who took on important topics like the problem of evil and the rationality of belief in God, brought greater clarity and precision to them than he ever would have expected.

“His work is part of what inspired me to study philosophy in college,” he says. “Later, I found that he was not only an incisive thinker but also an affable and jovial soul who generously provided help and encouragement to younger philosophers like myself. I’m grateful to him.”

Mr. Vander Laan graduated from Calvin University, earned a doctorate at the University of Notre Dame and joined the philosophy faculty at Westmont in 2000.

He created Raft & Scupper, a two-player abstract strategy game played on a shrinking and morphing set of tiles.

“Two pirate crews battle for domination of the high seas — the round-bellied Yellowbeards and the square-jawed Blackbeards. Each crew strives to raft together all the ships of their preferred rigging or cargo. But victory also belongs to any crew who scuppers four ships while their opponent scuppers none,” said Mr. Vander Laan.

“Each turn, a player performs one of four actions — One: One of the player’s two pirates moves within a connected group of ship tiles of the pirate’s color (cargo) or shape (rigging); Two: A pirate sails a ship tile that it occupies to a new location: Three: A pirate scuppers (sinks) an adjacent ship tile; and Four, The player passes.

“Consecutive passes end the game in favor of whoever last scuppered a ship.”

email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

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

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

JAN. 24

2 to 6 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at Camino Real Marketplace, 7046 Marketplace Drive, Goleta. For more information, go to vitalant.org.

7 p.m. UCSB Arts & Lectures presents mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and a music ensemble in “Eden” at The Granada, 1214 State St. “Eden” explores the individual human connection with nature and features music from four centuries. Tickets cost $46 to $131 for general admission and $20 for UCSB students with ID, one hour before the performance, and youths 18 and younger. To purchase, go to granadasb. org.

JAN. 25

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at Allan Hancock College, 800 S. College, Santa Maria. For more information, go to vitalant.org.

7:30 p.m. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will perform at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. The ensemble will perform Beethoven’s “Coriolan” Overture and Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Opus 93; Anatoly Lyadov’s “The Enchanted Lake”; and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” The concert is being presented by the Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara. TIckets cost $36 to $156. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JAN. 28

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Chamber Players orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at the First United Methodist Church of Santa Barbara, 305 E. Anapamu St. Tickets cost $16. To purchase, go to sbchamberplayers.org.

FEB. 1

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Coast artist and London native Annie Hoffman’s exhibit “Seeing Ourselves in Colour” will be displayed through Feb. 28 at Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. For more information, visit anniehoffmann.com.

Mr. Vander Laan created Raft & Scupper, a two-player abstract strategy game played on a shrinking and morphing set of tiles.

COURTESY PHOTOS

David Vander Laan, Westmont professor of philosophy, has won the American Philosophical Association’s 2022 Alvin Plantinga Prize. Coincidentally, the prestigious award honors Mr. Vander Laan’s doctoral adviser, one of the most infl uential people shaping Christian philosophical thought during the past 50 years.

Book reading, seaweed rattle workshop on agenda at Maritime Museum

Hawk.”

Chumash Elder Puchuk Ya’ia’c (Alan Salazar) visited the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum on Nov. 17 to discuss “Chumash Maritime History — Past, Present and Future.” Mr. Salazar and Mona Lewis are returning at 1 p.m. Feb. 11 to talk about and read from their new book, “Coyote Rescues Hawk.”

Following their reading, they will conduct a workshop for participants to create their own traditional seaweed rattles. The event will cost $25 and includes all materials needed to create the rattles, including naturebased pigments for decoration.

As a founding member of the Chumash Maritime Association and one of the group’s most experienced paddlers, Mr. Salazar has been a traditional storyteller, an Indigenous educator and a spiritual adviser.

He is the author of “Tata, The Tataviam Towhee: A Tribal Story” and “A Tataviam Creation Story” and recently completed his third book, “Coyote Rescues

This event, which includes both the reading and the seaweed rattle building workshop, will introduce this latest book to Santa Barbara audiences. To learn more about Mr. Salazar, visit www. mynativestories.com.

Mona Lewis teaches artists of all ages, teachers and homeschooling families in the plantdye arts, making earth pigments and the practical arts of the Waldorf curriculum.

She is the author of “Nature’s Paintbox: Colors from the Natural World for the Young Artist” and “Those Who Are Young at Heart” and has illustrated three books for Mr. Salazar: “Coyote Rescues Hawk,” “A Chumash Story,” “A Tataviam Creation Story” and “Tata, the Tataviam Towhee, a Tribal Story.” All four books are available online at www. sunspritehandwork.com.

For more information, visit sbmm.org.

email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

It has only been the past few years since acquiring the taste for fresh fennel. With aromatic and flavor notes of black licorice throughout, fennel can be enjoyed both raw and cooked.

When cooked, the fennel bulb becomes sweeter and soft. I find it pairs well with an array of meat, and it often finds its way into my roasting pan when I’m slowcooking whole chickens.

This week I prepared a curry infused fennel bulb and carrot soup, as the Fix of the Week.

Fennell is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants and has been known to assist with digestion and reduce inflammation. Fennel also pairs very well with the abundance of seasonal citrus offerings this time of year.

Certified organic is available. Fennel can be found at all weekly Santa Barbara certified farmers’ markets from several local growers.

Price averages $2 each.

Tango tangerines

Yet another one of the wide array of citrus to arrive through the winter season, this tango tangerine delivers a wonderful flavor. Mostly seedless, easy to peel and very juicy, they are both an excellent eat-out-of-hand fruit, as well as ideal for juicing. They deliver a nice balance of tangy and sweet. Use the tango tangerine to make flavorful sauces and salad dressing, incorporate it into a host of desserts, or pair with your favorite seafood. An excellent source of Vitamin C, they are also a good source of vitamin A as well as delivering some iron, potassium, magnesium and calcium.

You can expect to find tango mandarins from several local growers at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real Marketplace, Tuesday Satna Barbara and Wednesday Solvang farmers’ markets. Price averages $3 per pound.

Smoked almonds

The heavy rain we’ve

experienced throughout California so far this year is going to be great for many of the orchard crops across the State. This includes the almond crops, which require quite a bit of water to produce these tasty nuts. I have really been enjoying the Avila and Sons smoked almonds lately, delivering notes of salty and smokey flavor, with the natural almond flavor still the highlight of every bite. Take them along on a hike for a nice boost of energy, or sprinkle over a mixed green salad. An excellent source of natural protein, almonds are additionally a good source of a long list of essential minerals. You can expect to find these smoked almonds at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real, Tuesday Santa Barbara, Wednesday Solvang and Thursday Carpinteria farmers’ markets. Price averages $13 per pound.

Sam Edelman is general manager of the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Association and host of “Farm to Table,” which airs live 9 a.m. Thursdays on KZSB AM 1290. Sam Edelman photos

FARMERS MARKET

Sam Edelman

Fix of the Week A

fter some brief research, I learned that fennel can reach up to 10 feet in height at full maturity, which I imagine would be quite the site to behold.

Growing wild in numerous sectors of the greater Santa Barbara area, most notably near creeks and other areas close to fresh water sources, is another perennial herb that is often mistaken for a fennel called anise. While both have a distinct black licorice aroma and flavor, and the seeds of fully mature anise and fennel plants are used as a flavoring agent, it is the young bulb portion of the fennel plant that is the desired culinary portion when purchased at the local farmers markets.

About 6 inches in diameter and about a foot in height, these are much smaller specimens than those that reach peak elevation.

The cream-colored bulb of fresh fennel has hollow green stem extensions and a frilly umbrella-like top, brimming with aromatic notes of black licorice. The licorice notes also translate as the dominant flavor of the bulb, followed by a very refreshing finish. An acquired taste for many, a fennel bulb can be enjoyed in both raw and cooked preparations, and while the green stems and frilly tops are often

discarded, I find they make for a nice flavoring agent in broths and sauces.

Fennel can be roasted in the oven, sautéed and grilled, as well as shaved raw and added to salads and slaws. Fennel infuses a wonderful underlying flavor to soups and stews, when caramelized as you would onions and enjoyed as a side, or when quick pickled with other seasonal root vegetables.

As fennel cooks, it becomes sweeter in flavor, and quite soft and pairs very well with rich meats and sauces.

This week I prepared a very simple, yet flavorful carrot and fennel soup, infused with a little apple and sweet potato. I started by caramelizing the fennel bulb in a pan before blending to a smooth consistency.

CURRY INFUSED FENNEL BULB AND CARROT SOUP

2 tablespoons butter.

1 medium fennel bulb ends discarded and sliced.

1-pound carrots, peeled and

diced.

1 large, sweet potato peeled and diced.

1 large apple peeled and diced.

1 small onion peeled and diced.

2 14.5-ounce cans low sodium chicken broth.

1 14.5 ounce can coconut milk (I used light).

1 tablespoon curry powder (add more as desired to taste).

1 tablespoon brown sugar.

Salt and pepper to taste.

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves.

1 lime cut into wedges.

In a medium heavy pot, add butter at medium heat and sauté fennel, carrot, sweet potato, apple, and onion. Turn regularly and cook for about 8 minutes, or until vegetables begin to caramelize. Add broth, coconut milk, curry powder, brown sugar and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until all ingredients are soft and well incorporated. Blend until smooth and adjust seasoning and curry powder to taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedge.

Yield: Serves 4.

SAM EDELMAN PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTOS

At left and center, Alan Salazar and Mona Lewis will appear at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum on Feb. 11 to talk about and read from their new book, “Coyote Rescues Hawk.” Mr. Salazar is the book’s author, while Ms. Lewis illustrated it. At right, a workshop on the creation of traditional seaweed rattles will take place on Feb. 11 at the museum following a presentation on the new book “Coyote Rescues Hawk.”

Thought for Today

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Thursday, January 19, 2023

ARIES — Things are flowing your way, Aries, and you should find a great deal of pleasure in the company of others. There may be an element of fantasy about the day that causes you to lose track of time and space. Don’t bother connecting to reality if you don’t have to. Go to an art museum or attend a dance performance.

TAURUS — Don’t try to nail down any answers today, Taurus, because you will probably end up feeling frustrated. The less you try to force your will on others, the more you will find that things just automatically go your way. Today isn’t about finding solutions to problems. It’s about enjoying what you’ve already learned and accomplished. Keep things light.

GEMINI — Let your childlike side come out and play today, Gemini. Your dreams are in full force, so let them lead the way. Enjoy lighthearted conversations with friends about the latest movies or novels. You might want to go shopping or get a haircut. This is a good day to improve your general appearance.

CANCER — Take a break from the routine and get off the beaten path, Cancer. This is a day to forge ahead with ideas and dreams rather than commitments and answers. Question things and debate the facts. Have fun whatever you do. This is the perfect day to go out and fly kites with your friends.

LEO — It may feel like something has suddenly clicked into place for you today, Leo, because you’ve found the missing piece of a puzzle you’ve been working on. The answers may be subtle, but they’re there. Fantasy and a playful attitude will lead you to them effortlessly. Spread your ideas to the world, and encourage others to join in your daydreams.

VIRGO — Things may seem surreal today, Virgo, so don’t take other people’s chatter too seriously. This is a day to reach out and touch someone, so pick up the phone. It’s a good day to share your dreams, no matter how farfetched they sound. Others may look at you as if you have three heads, but as long as you’re being honest with yourself, there’s no reason to be shy about sharing.

LIBRA — You may find it hard

to take a realistic approach to your emotions today, Libra. A sensitive issue may pull on you, leaving you feeling like you’re out in left field in the way you relate to others. You might want to consider letting someone else take the lead for once, allowing you to regain your equilibrium before the next decision needs to be made.

SCORPIO — Question the validity of anything you come in conflict with today, Scorpio. You might find that people act on incomplete information, and that they’re falsely accusing you of something you didn’t say or do. Work to bring harmony to the situation by getting to the truth and helping to make the real motivations known.

SAGITTARIUS — Today is a great day for you. You should enjoy a great deal of playful conversation, Sagittarius.

Fantasy is likely to play a big role in events, and you may daydream as you walk down the street. Don’t bother with reality if you don’t have to. You’re much better off keeping the tone light and playful. Enjoy your fantasy world and feel free to invite others into it.

CAPRICORN — There may be a rather confusing element to the day, Capricorn. You feel tempted to act, but some of the pieces seem to be missing. It could be hard to make a decision, since you don’t have the whole picture in front of you. You’re better off spending this day outside with a group of friends rather than trying to make any major life decisions or commitments.

AQUARIUS — Be the star of your own movie and proud of the role you play, Aquarius. You might find yourself taking on many different characters, depending on your mood of the hour. There’s a special gleam in your eye that you should share openly with others. Don’t feel rushed to get anywhere. You’ve already arrived. Enjoy yourself in the company of those you love.

PISCES — Take a break from your daily routine and get off the treadmill today, Pisces. The world will turn without you for one day, so tune out for a while. Remember that whatever path you take is the right one. Regret is a useless emotion. Don’t even bother with it. Enjoy the present day and all the small joys it has to offer.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Thursday, January 19, 2023

I continue a series on suit establishment. I believe that many players focus on bidding, especially on conventions, and spend too little time on card-play technique.

In today’s deal, dummy played low on the opening club lead, and East took the ace and shifted to a trump. South won in dummy, took the ace of diamonds, ruffed a diamond, led a trump to his hand and ruffed his last diamond. But then he was stuck in dummy, and when he led the king of clubs, East ruffed. South also lost two spades and went down.

How would you play four hearts?

SPADE LOSER

With apologies to mule lovers, there is more than one way to skin a mule — and more than one way to set up a suit. Here, South can rely on a loser-on-loser play. He draws trumps and leads the jack of clubs: queen, king. When East discards, South leads the nine of clubs and pitches a spade.

Then South can pitch another spade on the high eight of clubs. He ruffs one diamond in dummy, losing a diamond at the end plus two clubs.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: 9 3 2 K 10 9 6 4 A 7 5 J 4. The dealer, at your left, opens one diamond. Your partner doubles, you respond (“advance”)

one heart and he then bids one spade. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Since your partner doubled for takeout before bidding his suit, he has substantial extra strength: at least 17 points. If your hand had been any stronger, you could have jumped to two hearts to invite game. Bid four spades.

West dealer N-S vulnerable

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

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

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

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

“The power to question is the basis of all human progress.” — Indira Gandhi