Restaurant Week returns
Coastal day at UCSB
Annual Santa Ynez Valley event continues with new twist - A4
There’s still plenty of activity at the local campus - B1
Our 165th Year
T H U R S DAY, J A N UA RY 21, 2 0 21
Biden and Harris inaugurated
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President says he will work on behalf of all Americans
By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
COURTESY PHOTOS
“I promise you I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as those who did,” President Joe Biden said Wednesday during his inaugural address.
Joe Biden called for unity Wednesday after being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. “We have never, ever, ever, ever failed in America when we’ve acted together. And so today at this time in this place, let’s start afresh, all of us. Let’s begin to listen to one another again, hear one another, see one another, show respect to one another,” President Biden said during his inaugural address outside the Capitol and its historic dome. “Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path,” he said. “We must end this uncivil war
that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal,” he said. “We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts, if we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we’re willing to stand in the other person’s shoes, as my mom would say. Just for a moment, stand in their shoes.” The president delivered his remarks in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, who later condemned the violence but was blamed by Democrats and some Republicans for inciting it. The House impeached the ex-president for an unprecedented second time, but it’s uncertain when a Senate trial will start.
President Biden was sworn-in by Johnson. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Three of the other surviving Roberts on a day of heightened former presidents — George W. security with approximately Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack 25,000 National Guard troops Obama — attended with their in Washington, D.C. and fences wives Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton around the Capitol. The day turned and Michelle Obama. Jimmy out to be peaceful. Carter, the oldest surviving Before Mr. Trump’s term ended, president at 96, did not attend, he appeared Wednesday morning but he and Rosalynn Carter, 93, before a small group of supporters sent President Biden their “best at Joint Base Andrews. From there, wishes.” he and former first lady Melania Former Vice President Mike Trump flew on Air Force One to Pence attended the inauguration, Florida, where they will reside at which took place at the west side of Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. the Capitol in a tradition started by On Wednesday, Mr. Trump President Ronald Reagan in 1981. became the fourth president Normally the event happens in U.S. history not to attend his before a packed National Mall. But successor’s inauguration. The this time, about 200,000 flags stood others were John Adams, John in their place, representing the Quincy Adams and Andrew Please see inauguration on A2
Kamala Harris, a former U.S. senator and former California attorney general, became the first female U.S. vice president Wednesday.
Chambers: Reconsider lockdown Local chambers of commerce urge Newsom to rethink measures
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
Ron Werft, president and CEO of Cottage Health, and Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons, infectious disease specialist, discussed the first vaccines administered to staff during an event last month. Mr. Werft issued an open letter to the community on Wednesday regarding vaccine supplies and resources.
More vaccine is on the way By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS
During the red and purple tiers of COVID-19 restrictions, patrons of Joe’s Cafe could be seen dining outside. But no outside dining is permitted during Gov. Gavin Newsom’s lockdown.
By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
Leaders of local chambers of commerce are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to reconsider lockdown measures as restrictions squelch business activity across Santa Barbara County. Chamber members are calling on Gov. Newsom to divide the Southern California region into subregions and not “slump” Santa Barbara County in with Los Angeles County, Kristen Miller, CEO of the South Coast Chamber
of Commerce, told the NewsPress. Recently, leaders of chambers in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties, organized a petition to urge Gov. Newsom to place them in their own tri-county subregion. The petition garnered more than 5,400 signatures from residents and local business owners. Gov. Newsom has not yet responded to the petition. “Of course, we want to be safe, but the shutdown does not seem to be reducing the numbers at
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recommended five-step safety method for safe operations, which includes wearing masks, washing hands often, maintaining social distancing, having proper ventilation and installing plexiglass dividers. With these safety measures in practice, Ms. Miller said the chamber has collected data over many months that shows businesses can operate safely during the pandemic. “We feel a responsibility to Please see lockdown on A2
Please see vaccine on A3
L O T T E RY RESU LTS
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all, and what it is doing is causing undue harm to the local economy by people losing their jobs and businesses,” Ms. Miller said. Chamber members across Santa Barbara County believe businesses can still operate safely despite a recent rise in COVID-19 numbers in the region. Chamber members have voiced support for safety measures such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Ms. Miller said that during the course of the pandemic, many businesses adopted the
Last week, the California Department of Public Health announced that seniors 65 and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, but Santa Barbara County still needs to catch up. On Wednesday, the president and CEO of Cottage Health, Ron Werft, wrote a letter to the community on behalf of the local hospitals. He wrote that with the surging hospitalizations and community spread of COVID, Cottage Health workers have to provide ongoing patient care while simultaneously working along with other providers to expand vaccinations. “We are getting closer each day, but we are not done,” Mr. Werft wrote. “We must keep going to protect each other, our patients and our community.” COVID hospitalizations surged over 100 at Cottage Hospital for the first time last week. This week, more than 200 COVIDpositive patients are hospitalized throughout the county, with more than 2,500 active cases.
In addition, community transmission of COVID is at 15% for the seven-day testing positivity rate. Mr. Werft wrote that approximately 10% of individuals diagnosed with COVID need to be admitted to the hospital for care, and those hospital stays are longer than average stays, which is putting a strain on hospital staff and capacity. “Careful surge planning has worked to maintain bed capacity at Cottage so far, but the numbers are deeply concerning. COVID safety precautions have never been more important,” the president said. He added that it’s important for those who have been vaccinated recently to adhere to the safety precautions as well. The Cottage Health Staff Vaccine Clinic has now vaccinated more than 70% of patient-facing staff and administered more than 5,800 total doses. Cottage Health also opened a drive-up COVID19 vaccine clinic on the Goleta Valley campus, serving health
Sudoku................. B7 Sports ................... B4 Weather................ A4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 5-8-15-21-37 Meganumber: 27
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 8-8-6-0
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 10-19-26-28-50 Meganumber: 16
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 14-17-19-21-24
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 12-06-03 Time: 1:40.47
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 40-53-60-68-69 Mega: 22
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 4-0-4 / Wednesday’s Midday 6-1-4