Santa Barbara News-Press: January 26, 2023

More places to dine

Nine restaurants to open soon in Santa Barbara

Homeless outreach team to serve s anta Barbara City wants law enforcement to be a top priority

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

For the first time ever, the city of Santa Barbara will have the presence of a homeless outreach team during the evening and weekend hours in the downtown corridor and along the waterfront.

The city will also be continuing its commitment to provide homeless outreach, case management and housing navigation services throughout the entire city during weekday hours.

On Tuesday, the Santa Barbara City Council approved

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara will soon have a lot more on its plate.

Nine new restaurants are coming to the area.

Among them is Azul Cocina and Cantina, a Mexican restaurant at 7 E. Anapamu St. It is set to open this month, according to its Instagram account.

The restaurant is co-owned by Executive Chef Manuel Diaz — well known in Southern California as Chef Manny — and Edgar Estrada.

According to Azul’s website: “Executive Chef Manuel ‘Manny’ Diaz is an industry-recognized culinary innovator. With more than 40 years of experience and mastery, Diaz has worked in some of the most acclaimed kitchens in L.A. including DTLA’s Pacific Grille, Nicola, Nucleus Nuance, Rudolpho’s and the San Antonio Winery.”

The chef’s accolades include the Hero Award from the California State Assembly for inspiring people through his pursuit of the American Dream, according to the website. Chef Diaz, who’s from Durango, Mexico, was 16 when he emigrated to the U.S., where he started out as a dishwasher and rose through the ranks.

“Azul Cocina is my baby,” said Chef Manny in an instagram video posted to the restaurant’s account. “Being executive chef, it’s a lot of pressure, but I love what I do. With this amazing team we put together, we created this concept. It’s beautiful. It’s something unique here. I can’t wait for you guys to come and try.”

The menu includes a “Chef Manny Recommends” which is currently Duck con Mole: pan roasted duck breast, sweet potato, corn, organic quinoa, hazelnut mole for $28.

On its website, the restaurant promises “Mexican cuisine and mixology with the finest locally sourced ingredients from Santa Barbara County. Our mission is to deliver an exceptional authentic

Mexican cuisine with a modern contemporary twist on flavors and traditions, led by Executive Chef Manny Diaz.”

Hours of operation are slated to be Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. To view the menu or make a reservation, go to azulcocinasb. com.

Other restaurants opening soon in the Santa Barbara area include the following.

dAVE’s dR iP HOU sE

Dave’s Drip House, an ice cream and cereal bar, at 199 S.Turnpike Road, Suite 104, Goleta, is set to have its grand opening on Feb. 16.

“We will have 16 base flavors that will rotate, based on the season. But better yet, you will be able to customize your ice cream

Judge denies bail to defendant in Stearns Wharf murder case

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

One of the four alleged gang associates charged in connection with the fatal shooting of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf last month appeared in court Wednesday in a bid to have a judge set bail in his case, but his request was denied.

Unlike his three codefendants, James Lee Rosborough, 21, of Santa Barbara, is not charged with murder in the Dec. 9 slaying of Robert Dion Gutierrez, 52, of Camarillo. But he is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, criminal street gang conspiracy and being an accessory after the fact, with the special allegation of committing the crime for the benefit of a criminal street gang.

He is the first of the four defendants to appear in court following their initial arraignment on Monday. None of the four entered pleas at that time.

Like the others, Mr. Rosborough was ordered held without bail, which is why he came to court Wednesday: to have a dollar bail set. But he failed, prosecutors said.

“The judge denied release and denied bail, and Rosborough will remain in custody without bail,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McCallister told

the News-Press Wednesday. “He set his case for 2/17 in Dept. 8 for continued arraignment.”

Prosecutors allege Mr. Rosborough and his codefendants — Jiram Jhunue Tenorio Ramon, Ricardo Tomas Jauregui-Moreno Jr. and Christopher Dave Miranda, all of Santa Barbara — verbally challenged a group of pedestrians while driving on Stearns Wharf on Dec. 9; stopped their vehicle for the purpose of deploying two of their party to attack the group of pedestrians with a firearm; and discharged a firearm at the group of pedestrians, killing Mr. Gutierrez.

The complaint filed against the four defendants accuses them of fleeing the location of the shooting, two on foot and two by vehicle, and then traveling back to the shooting location in vehicles to extract those who fled on foot to avoid apprehension.

Santa Barbara police responded Dec. 9 to a report of the shooting and found Mr. Gutierrez suffering from a single gunshot wound. He received medical attention at the scene, then was taken by ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment. He was pronounced dead on Dec. 20.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

A pair of homeless men occupy a bench on Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara. The city has approved a contract providing for a homeless outreach team along the waterfront and in the downtown area.

Please

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

The Azul Cocina and Cantina is slated to open this month at 7 E. Anapamu S. It’s among nine new restaurants that the News-Press has confirmed are opening in the Santa Barbara area.

The sign hasn’t gone up yet for Bungalo805, which will be in the left building at 28 W. Figueroa St. in Santa Barbara.

The Dave’s Drip House food truck is parked in front of Dave’s Dogs Grill at the Turnpike Shopping Center in Goleta. Please see RESTAURANTS on A4

Fire and Police Oversight Commission to hold first meeting today

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Members of Santa Barbara’s new Fire and Police Oversight Commission will be required to undertake a comprehensive orientation and training program, city officials said Wednesday.

“We are committed to facilitating these trainings as part of the public meetings as much as possible because we believe it is also information and education that will help strengthen broader community understanding of the work of the police and fire departments,” Barbara Andersen, senior assistant to the city administrator, told the News-Press.

“Therefore, in the months ahead, the public can anticipate standing procedural and administrative items on the commission agendas, but also trainings and presentations on a number of topics including departmental budgets, the complaint process, use of force policy and investigation process, as well as SB 2 state reporting requirements, just to name a few,” she said.

The five-member Fire and Police Oversight Commission, created to promote accountability, transparency and public trust, will meet today for the first time.

The meeting will be held in City Council chambers, 735 Anacapa St., and be broadcast live online and at City TV Channel 18.

It is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. and is expected to last about two hours, “but of course, with public comment and discussion/ questions from the commission it could be longer,” Ms. Andersen said.

Each commissioner will take their oath of office prior to the first meeting.

Police Chief Kelly Gordon and Fire Chief Chris Mailes will be addressing the commission, and Ms. Andersen will be present as staff liaison from the City Administrator’s Office. “There will also be staff support from the City Attorney’s Office as well as the Fire Department and Police Department,” she said.

The commission will meet monthly on the fourth Thursday at 4 p.m. This will vary in November and December due to the holidays.

Special meetings may also be scheduled to accommodate significant and timely issues

and/or commission training requirements.

The meeting agenda is required to be posted 72 hours before the meeting, “but we are committed to posting it earlier than that to increase accessibility and bridge greater understanding,” Ms. Andersen said. She stressed that the commission will not be investigating individual complaints or receiving reports on individual complaints, but “will receive scheduled quarterly reports and annual reports with data pertaining to their oversight responsibilities.”

The council approved the landmark ordinance in October to assign additional civilian oversight duties to the commission to oversee the police and fire departments.

City Councilmember Mayor Megan Harmon called it “the single most significant step toward meaningful civilian oversight in our city’s history.”

“It took years to get here after years of advocacy and tons of public input,” she said at the time. “Many people said this would never end up at a vote or become an ordinance. It is truly momentous.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

Vice president goes to Monterey Park to meet with victims’ families

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Monterey Park Wednesday to meet with the families of the 11 people who were killed in Saturday night’s mass shooting.

Vice President Harris’ visit happened on the same day as the fourth vigil in honor of the victims.

During the third vigil Tuesday night, hundreds of mourners gathered at Monterey Park City Hall.

The mass shooting took place at 10:22 p.m. Saturday at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, the Los Angeles suburb where Huu Can Tran, 72, of Hemet opened fire inside the studio. Nearly a half-hour later, he walked into Lai Lai Ballroom & Studio in Alhambra. That’s where Brandon Tsay, whose family owns the studio, seized the gun from Mr. Tran, who fled to Torrance and shot and killed himself on Sunday.

Saturday’s mass shooting claimed the most victims in Los Angeles County since 2008. It’s the deadliest shooting in the U.S. since the massacre in May in Uvalde, Texas.

The names of the 11 victims have been released. They are Mymy Nhan, 65; Xiujuan Yu, 57; Hongying Jian, 62; Yu Lun Kao,72; Valentino Marcos Alvero, 68; Wen Tau Yu, 64; Ming Wei Ma, 72; Diana Man Ling Tom, 70; Muoi Dai Ung, 67; Chia Ling Yau, 76; and Lilian Li, 63.

Days after the Monterey Park mass shooting, another mass shooting left seven people dead in Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County. Police have a suspect in custody: Chunli Zhao, 66.

The seven dead victims were identified Wednesday as Zhishen Liu, 73; Marciano Martinez Jimenez, 50; Aixiang Zhang, 74; Qizhong Cheng, 66; Yetao Bing, 43; Jingzhi Lu, 64, and Jose Romero

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

Single-family dwelling fire in Goleta

GOLETA — A single-family home caught on fire late Tuesday morning in the in the 300 block of Pebble Beach Road in Goleta.

Flames and smoke were seen by the neighbor, according to Capt. Scott Safechuck, public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. He said in a tweet that the call time was 11:06 a.m.

He said search operations confirmed the residence was unoccupied. The fire was knocked down, and there were no injuries. The cause is under investigation.

— Katherine Zehnder

Serial burglary suspect arrested

SANTA BARBARA —

The Santa Barbara Police Department has arrested Brian Christopher Schotz, 47, on suspicion of being involved in multiple commercial burglaries over the past several months in Santa Barbara.

On Jan. 18, Santa Barbara police officers were on patrol in the area of 300 East Cabrillo Boulevard when they contacted and detained Mr. Schotz for violating a Santa Barbara municipal code section.

Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, the department’s public information officer, said Mr. Schotz was identified as a suspect involved in the series of burglaries. These cases have been under active investigation by the detective bureau.

Mr. Schotz was arrested on scene and transported to the Santa Barbara Police Department. He was later

$29.3M-plus in federal grants allocated for post-storm repairs

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal has joined U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein and U.S. Reps. Jimmy Panetta and Jared Huffman in applauding the more than $29.3 million in federal grants for emergency highway and road repairs in California following the recent winter storms.

The weather resulted in widespread flooding, washed-out roads, mudslides, landslides and sinkholes.

The $29,375,000 in grant funding will help support the work of Caltrans, the National Park Service, National Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation to repair and restore highways and roadways to pre-disaster conditions.

On Jan. 11, the lawmakers authored a bipartisan letter with 38 California members of Congress to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt to request expedited support, funding and other assistance to Caltrans.

“Across the Central Coast, damage to our roads and highways have been one of the most dangerous outcomes of these recent storms — cutting off pathways for assistance and first responders, snarling economic activity, and making other repairs more difficult in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties,” said Rep. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, in a news release. “I am grateful to the BidenHarris administration for acting quickly to approve our request for additional emergency transportation funds. I will continue to work with local transit agencies and Caltrans to ensure these funds are used to repair and restore the Central Coast’s roadways, which are so critical to all other recovery efforts.”

On Jan. 15, President Joe Biden granted a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of California following an effort by the entire California congressional delegation urging expedited action in order to secure federal support for counties, communities and families impacted by the winter storms. Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Santa Cruz counties have since been designated by the federal government for federal assistance.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Correction

booked in Santa Barbara County Jail on four counts of felony commercial burglary and one count of felony identity theft. Two other felony commercial burglary charges were referred to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for potential filing.

“We want to thank the Santa

— Katherine Zehnder

Tess Harris, the State Street master planner, was misidentified on first reference in Wednesday’s News-Press story about the Santa Barbara City Council hearing an update on the State Street Master Plan. The website version of the story was corrected.

Perez, 38.

Mr. Zhao has been charged with seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for the shooting victim who survived.

email: dmason@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO Vice President Kamala Harris

Barbara community for reporting these crimes,” Sgt. Ragsdale said. “Their active participation in these investigations assisted the Santa Barbara Police Department in the apprehension of this suspect.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Santa Barbara County firefighters tackle a fire at a Goleta home.

DP

girls wrestling

takes on Ventura

The Dos Pueblos High girls wrestling team took on Ventura on Tuesday, resulting in another victory by pin for Dos Pueblos’ Victoria Bernard.

“Bernard used her speed and power to quickly pin her Ventura opponent,” said Coach Matthew Bernard. “Victoria has been a dominant force in the girls wrestling division. She has had multiple tournament placings and a championship this year. Victoria is wrestling at her best and is ready to take on the postseason.”

Coach Bernard also had praise for Alyssa Warner.

“Warner had a great match and wrestled tough. Allyssa, being new to wrestling this year, has picked up the sport fast. She gives it her all and always has a positive attitude.”

the loss, while sporting a 5-5 league mark.

Cate girls basketball crushes Villanova

The Cate girls basketball team dominated Villanova on Tuesday, winning by a score of 47-28 to take the top spot in the Frontier League standings.

The Rams were not outscored in any quarter of the game, scoring seventeen points in a monstrous fourth quarter to put the game well out of reach.

Cate was led by Lilli Whelan, Sophia Ospina and Sam Jimenez, who each scored ten points. Ada Hansen was right behind them, contributing eight points, while Desi Flores scored five.

SM boys soccer dispatches Buena

The San Marcos High boys soccer team defeated Buena, winning the match 2-1.

The Royals took the lead in the first half on a goal by Luke Sheffey assisted by Jose Ramirez. The score would remain 1-0 until the final eight minutes of the game, when Buena scored to tie it. San Marcos’ second goal came a minute later, scored by Favi Rosales.

DeSantis leads PredictIt’s 2024 general presidential election market

By ELLEN MORRISSEY BALLOTPEDIA VIA THE CENTER SQUARE

As of Jan. 23, 2023, PredictIt’s 2024 presidential market shows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) leading at $0.31, followed by President Joe Biden (D) at $0.29, former President Donald Trump (R) at $0.21, and California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) at $0.12. No other candidate has more than a $0.10 share price.

The share price, which rises and falls based on market demand, roughly corresponds to the market’s estimate of the probability of an event taking place.

Mr. Trump is the only candidate of this group to have officially announced his presidential campaign.

DP boys wrestling wins over

Ventura

The Dos Pueblos boys wrestling team defeated Ventura on Tuesday, winning by a score of 3431.

After beginning the match with a victory by forfeit by Dos Pueblos’ Shaun Vague, the team saw wins by Sammyh Ramos, Sylis Penniman, Diego Hernandez Ivan Marina, Francisco Espinosa and Cody Pearce.

“This was a very close dual meet,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Jesse Plowman. “Every wrestler on the team had to show up and wrestle their best tonight. Our team has shown that they are intense competitors and continue to improve every week. Tonight we were able to put our best lineup against Ventura. This was not the case in some of our earlier duals. I am looking forward to carrying this momentum into the league finals next week.”

Dos Pueblos improves to 5-2 with the win.

DP girls basketball falls to Pacifica

The Dos Pueblos girls

basketball team lost to Pacifica on Tuesday, falling by a score of 67-55.

“Credit to Pacifica and their coaching staff and players. They played hard and deserved the win,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Manny Murillo. “We came out strong and stuck to the game plan.

“I’m proud of my group win or lose as long as they play hard, smart and together. As we build the culture here at DP we are trying to teach them how to play the right way and that is together. If you look at the games we’ve won, every player plays their role and we play well. We will get better as a staff and help the kids improve and get ready for Oxnard on Thursday,” Murillo added.

Dos Pueblos falls to 10-13 with

“We collectively shot very well from the 3-point line and are increasing the number of assists while decreasing the number of turnovers,” said Cate Coach Laura Moore. “Our defense once again generated offense for us with 15+ steals leading to fast break opportunities.”

Cate will return to action Saturday at La Reina before concluding Frontier League play on Monday at home. The team’s last regular season game is set for Tuesday, when the Rams will host Carpinteria.

DP boys soccer plays Oxnard to a draw

The Dos Pueblos boys soccer team earned a tie against Oxnard on Tuesday, with each team managing one goal.

All of the scoring came in the first half, with Dos Pueblos striking first at the ten minute mark with a goal by Fin Silver, his second in two games. Oxnard tied it up nine minutes later, and the score didn’t change from that point on.

“We came into the evening knowing that we’ve been playing much better as a team of late and knew that this was an excellent Oxnard squad,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Matt York. “We were able to get a goal on them to start the game, which really helped everyone believe in another strong outcome. Oxnard did a great job to rally to tie the score in the first half, and then in the second half they were definitely threatening and dangerous offensively but our boys played a spirited game., A true team game, and they rallied around each other all night long. I’m really proud of the fact that it was a total team effort.

“Great effort by a lot of players, but the outstanding performance of the first half and Man of the Match goes to Noe Pina Duarte, who played his secondary position, left back and really helped shut down some of their big powered offense,” added York.

Dos Pueblos now sports a 3-9-3 overall record, with a 3-5-3 mark in league play.

“Buena is a solid team and they have a good defensive group,” said San Marcos Coach Barry Punzal. “Tully Knoles played four or five positions for us tonight and had a great impact on the game as did sophomores Jose Ramirez and Luis Botello. The backline did an excellent job as well.

“We were really pleased with our team’s response after giving up the goal. Good teams find a way to get the win and we did that tonight,” Punzal added.

The Royals are now 12-1-2 overall with a perfect 11-0 record in league play. The team will return to action tonight against Santa Barbara.

SY boys soccer shuts out Saint Joseph

The Santa Ynez boys soccer team kept Saint Joseph off the board Monday, ultimately winning by a score of 3-0.

Gabriel Beleski scored two goals in the game, accounting for Santa Ynez’ first goal with an assist from Evan Eliason and the team’s last goal with an assist from Spencer Silverman. Tristan Amerzcua scored the second goal of the match with an assist from Aiden Tapia.

The Pirates will next play at Nipomo.

Carp girls water polo wins over

Nordhoff

The Carpinteria High girls water polo team won handily over Nordhoff, beating their biggest Citrus Coast League rivals 9-3.

After Giulia Piccoletti and Lilli Nemetz combined to score four goals in the first quarter, the Rangers were unable to pull any closer than two points for the rest of the game, ultimately losing by six.

Nemetz led the team with four goals while Piccoletti scored three. Taylor Classen and Francis Bennett scored the remaining two. Goalie Eric Otsuki recorded 13 blocked shots, two assists and one steal.

The Warriors will carry a 13-6 overall record into today’s game against Hueneme.

- Compiled by Matt Smolensky

National sales tax plan could spark discussion, but unlikely to advance

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – A plan to overhaul the nation’s tax system is unlikely to advance this year, but it could help define the contours of the tax debate in the coming years.

The debate over that nation’s tax system is likely to pick up as lawmakers prepare for 23 individual and business tax provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to expire on Dec. 31, 2025.

U.S. Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter, R-Georgia, introduced the Fair Tax Act, earlier this year to replace the existing tax code with a national consumption tax.

The legislation would eliminate the national income tax and replace it with a 23% national consumption tax. It would eliminate existing income taxes, payroll taxes and estate and gift taxes. The national sales tax rate could be adjusted after 2025. Consumption business, export and investment would be exempt. U.S. residents would get a monthly sales tax rebate based on family size and federal poverty guidelines.

The plan further calls for states to administer, collect and remit the sales tax to the U.S. Treasury. It would eliminate funding for Internal Revenue Service operations after fiscal year 2027. And it would terminate the national sales tax if the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which authorizes an income tax, is not repealed within seven years of enactment.

The proposal isn’t new. Republicans have introduced it every year since 1999 when it was put forward by former Georgia Congressman John Linder. It has never advanced to a floor vote.

However, this year, the national sales tax plan is getting renewed attention after a deal between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the House Freedom Caucus. Even still, it might not pass the House Ways and Means Committee, “The sense that I get is that it probably would not pass the committee,” said Garrett Watson, a senior policy analyst at the Tax Foundation, an independent tax policy group in Washington D.C. “So I guess the big question is will Rep. Carter and other supporters

want to have a vote for anyway, even if they think it will fail?”

Mr. Watson said the 23% sales tax rate included in the bill would be higher.

“If you want an apples-to-apples comparison with the way sales taxes are usually presented, it’s closer to 30%,” he said. “So it’s effectively a 30% sales tax nationally and that will be levied on top of state sales taxes and other taxes at the state and local level.”

The trade-off would be the elimination of federal taxes.

“You would not need to file a return,” Mr. Watson said.

The plan would have wide-ranging implications, not just for the more than 83,000 people who work in tax preparation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It would also do away with the Internal Revenue Service, a federal agency that spent $13.7 billion for overall operations in fiscal year 2021 and had 78,661 full-time equivalent positions to collect more than $4.1 trillion in gross taxes and process more than 261 million federal tax returns.

“It’d be a massive change from our current system,” Mr. Watson said. “Having to repeal the existing system and then devolve all the IRS functions down at the state level will be a really big lift overall. And of course, there’s going to be other issues that come up that we’re not even expecting.”

Such a significant overhaul of the tax system would make way for a host of new political discussions about the nature of a consumption tax and how it would be applied. Those issues alone could sink the proposal.

“The massive change all at once plus skepticism about the value of this particular design will make it very unlikely,” Mr. Watson said.

The proposal could contribute to conversations about the nation’s tax code in the coming years.

“A bigger discussion over the next couple of years will be about more incremental reforms, because, for better or worse, we’re running into, at the end of 2025, a lot of tax changes because of the 2017 tax law.

Individual tax cuts will all expire at once. So it’s one big tax cliff,” Mr. Watson said. “And while we make decisions one way or the other about what to do about it, it’ll be the start of that broader conversation.”

The Democratic presidential primary market shows President Biden leading the pack at $0.52. Two other candidates have a share price at or above $0.10: California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) is at $0.20, and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) is at $0.11.

Gov. DeSantis currently leads in the Republican presidential primary market at $0.38, followed by Mr. Trump at $0.32. No other candidate has a share price at or above $0.10.

PredictIt is an online political futures market in which users purchase shares relating to the outcome of political events using real money.

Medicare

Each event, such as an election, has a number of contracts associated with it, each correlating to a different outcome. Services such as PredictIt can be used to gain insight into the outcome of elections. Due to action from the Commodity Futures

Trading Commission, PredictIt may halt trading on Feb. 15.

COURTESY PHOTO

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

Santa Barbara diners now have a number of new options

RESTAURANTS Continued from Page A1

to create thousand more flavors with the cereals and topping that we will have on hand. We plan on keeping your tastebuds and sweet tooth content,” according to its website.

Non-dairy options will be available as well. Employment applications are also available on the website: davesdriphouse.com.

“We will have lots of fun treats like funnel cakes. We were inspired by carnival-type foods,” Cynthia Reynoso of Dave’s Drip House told the News-Press in an email.

BUNGALO805

Bungalo805, 28 W. Figueroa St., is set to open on Feb. 1, according to its website. The restaurant will be open seven days a week, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Bungalo805 is Santa Barbara’s “first littles’ lounge and social club for local families,” according to the website.

“Welcome to a sophisticated gathering place where Grown-Ups don’t have to compromise, and Littles can be themselves. Let’s thrive together,” according to the website.

To learn more, visit www. bungalo805.com.

GALA

Gala restaurant will open soon at 705 Anacapa St., according to its Instagram account, which didn’t give other details.

DAWN AND DUSK

The Drift mini-chain of hotels, whose flagship is in San José del Cabo, Mexico, has a location opening at 524 State St. The hotel will reportedly include a cafe, Dawn, and a tequila and tapas bar

called Dusk.

You can book a room at the hotel now for dates beginning with Feb. 1. To do so, go to drifthotels. co/santabarbara.

RASCAL’S VEGAN FOOD

The pop-up will soon relocate to a permanent home at 432 E. Haley St. Owner Dalan Moreno started Rascal’s in 2018. He has recently signed the lease for his Haley Street location and has set up a GoFundMe to help with his business costs.

“When I started this project, people would say that a spot like this would do great in L.A.,” Mr. Moreno said in a YouTube video. “Maybe they’re right. But that’s not the point. I want to give back to Santa Barbara, the place that raised me. And I want it to be for everyone, the young kid like me looking for a vegan spot or someone just wanting to try something new.”

He has raised more than $13,000 toward his goal of $50,000. To donate go to gofundme. com/f/help-rascals-veganget-a-brick-and-mortar?utm_ source=customer&utm_medium=copy_ link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1.

CHICK-FIL-A

Another Chick-fil-a is coming to Santa Barbara. This one will be at 4765 Calle Real.

“While we are still early in the process, Chick-fil-A is happy to share that we are actively pursuing a new location in Santa Barbara County,” Brownlee Hopkins, spokesperson for ChickFil-a, told the News-Press in an email. “We are working through the approval process with the county and look forward to continuing to serve the Santa Barbara area. Visit The Chicken Wire to learn more about our food, our people and the latest Chick-fil-

A news.”

LAMA DOG

Lama Dog and Sama Sama are partnering to open a restaurant at 3435 State St. in the San Roque neighborhood.

“Although it’s still early on, we’re extremely excited to be partnering up in this new venture!” Lama Dog owner Peter Burnham told the News-Press in an email.

“This collaboration will have Asian-inspired pub food from Sama Sama and a large and varied beer/wine list plus bottle

shop from Lama Dog,” Mr. Burnham said. “We’ll be very family friendly, with games, TVs and hopefully some ice cream or something similar. We’re hoping to be open in early fall of this year, and we’ll be working hard to make that happen.”

TEDDY’S ON STATE

Teddy’s by the Sea will be opening an outpost at 3102 State St.

“We are still in the planning stages, but are planning the same abundance of outdoor seating, favorite dishes from Teddy’s by

the Sea and an expanded menu,” Sarah Dandona, owner of Teddy’s by the Sea, told the News-Press in an email. “We will be building out a larger kitchen, which will give us more space to expand our menu.

“We are planning on opening earlier at the State Street location and offering coffee and light breakfast options,” she said.

“We’ve lived around the corner from the new location for years

City Net contract is for one year with option to renew for second

OUTREACH

Continued from Page A1

a new contract with City Net to provide these expanded services, given its proven track record and responsiveness to both the needs of the unsheltered population and the concerns of residents, business owners and visitors, city officials said.

But not before first ensuring that enforcement of the law for those who commit crimes would be a top priority.

The item appeared on Tuesday’s consent calendar, which usually is approved en masse by the city council without discussion. But in this case, council members voiced concern about the safety of Santa Barbara residents, following a number of public speakers who asked for help in protecting the city and its inhabitants.

The speakers talked about aggressive homeless people who are violent, threaten, vandalize, panhandle and generally make them feel unsafe.

Among those was Jonathan Pu’u, co-owner of Pu’u Muay Thai Santa Barbara, a martial arts studio on State Street, who said he’s been personally threatened no less than five times, once by a man wielding a hatchet.

He talked about how a transient set his business’ Dumpster on fire, how he had to clean up human fecal matter, how another transient exposed himself to staff and then urinated in front of his business, and how some homeless people are openly dealing drugs on State Street.

Another was Rebecca Brand, who spoke about being attacked by a homeless woman on Christmas Eve after witnessing a rock break the front window of Rudy’s Restaurant on upper State Street. Ms. Brand said the transient, who was at the scene, forcibly took her cellphone, hurting her in the process.

This set up the opportunity for council members to make sure City Net would first prioritize arrests and keep residents safe. Council members were assured they would, followed by efforts to house people experiencing homelessness and provide mental health counseling, drug treatment, employment assistance and state and federal benefits as needed.

Apparently satisfied, the council proceeded to approve the consent calendar, which included the one-year, $450,000 agreement with City Net, with an option by the city to extend the pact an additional year.

Councilmember Mike Jordan said he was happy to see the expanded hours because it will fill a gap in service after hours.

“I’m glad we are going where we are going today because the impacts don’t follow a normal workday, so I’m appreciative,” he said. He suggested that city staff review the program’s achievements at the six-month mark to decide on whether to expand the night and weekend hours to other areas of the city.

Councilmember Eric Friedman also supported an early review of the program prior to expanding outreach locations.

“There are challenges throughout the city, and this action today is by no means minimizing those,” he said. “It’s actually expanding a program to see how it works and then if we need to, we can evaluate on expanding it to other parts of town.”

Robin Elander, executive director of Downtown Santa Barbara, said she was pleased to see the expanded service levels.

“This is an absolutely critical service to enhance not only services for individuals experiencing homelessness to get through the systems but to enhance the economic vitality of our beloved downtown district,” she said.

City Net has established relationships with local government agencies and nonprofit service providers supporting a collaborative

approach that has yielded positive, measurable outcomes both throughout the county and with its efforts in Santa Barbara, city officials said.

In Santa Barbara over the last year, City Net has assisted in permanently housing 22 individuals, enrolled 100 clients in case management, achieved 57 street exits, and made unduplicated outreach to 712 individuals.

The scope of services of the contract approved on Tuesday includes locating, identifying and building relationships with unsheltered people to provide immediate support, intervention, de-escalation and connections with homeless assistance programs, mainstream medical and mental/ behavioral health and social services, and housing programs.

In addition, the new contract includes evening and weekend street outreach from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. along the downtown and waterfront areas from Thursday to Sunday.

The city has contracted with City Net since 2019 and issued a Request for Proposals in late 2022 when that agreement was set to expire. Evenings and weekend hours were identified as an area of need and included in the RFP. City Net submitted a proposal meeting all criteria.

The $450,000 agreement is for one year with an option to renew for a second year, using Permanent Local Housing Allocation funds.

Santa Barbara has a network of homeless service providers operating within the city, and street outreach and case management services were available from organizations that operate citywide primarily Monday through Friday during normal business hours.

Prior to establishing a partnership with City Net, street outreach was sporadic and carried out by volunteers, staff said.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W

Cuyama 61/31/s 58/33/s

Goleta 63/38/s 62/41/s

Lompoc 64/37/s 64/45/s

Pismo Beach 69/39/s 65/42/s

Santa Maria 65/37/s 62/44/s

Santa Ynez 65/32/s 65/38/s

Vandenberg 61/44/s 60/50/s

Ventura 65/41/s 62/42/s

Bakersfield

Big

Mammoth Lakes 37/14/s 43/17/s

Modesto 61/35/pc 59/39/pc

Monterey 68/43/s 60/44/s

Napa 66/37/s 62/35/pc

Oakland 64/41/s 61/45/pc

Ojai 67/38/s 67/39/s

Oxnard 66/43/s 62/44/s

Palm Springs 68/44/s 69/44/s

Pasadena 67/44/s 67/42/s

Paso Robles 65/32/s 64/34/pc

Sacramento 62/36/s 59/38/s

San Diego 69/43/s 66/48/s

San Francisco 65/46/s 60/46/pc

San Jose 66/41/s 61/43/pc

San Luis Obispo 71/38/s 66/41/s

Santa Monica 68/41/s 66/42/s

Tahoe Valley 42/17/s 46/26/s

Atlanta 49/30/pc 48/33/s

Boston 52/31/r 37/31/s Chicago 33/18/sn 35/18/sf Dallas 55/33/s 63/43/s Denver 33/25/c 37/21/c

Houston 58/36/s 61/51/pc

Miami 82/64/c 73/65/c

Minneapolis 15/9/c 31/4/sn

New York City 47/34/c 41/34/pc

Philadelphia 47/32/c 43/32/s

Phoenix 63/37/s 62/37/s

Portland, Ore. 49/43/pc 49/41/sh

St. Louis 30/22/c 46/32/c

Salt Lake City 37/29/c 39/30/c

Seattle 45/42/pc 47/41/sh

Washington, D.C. 50/33/pc 46/33/pc

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

and have always thought the location would be a great spot for a full-service restaurant option and a great location for the neighborhood and Santa Barbara in general.

“We do not have an opening date yet, but are busy finalizing the architecture plans and going through the planning process with the city of Santa Barbara.”

1.0’ 4:00 p.m. 2.7’ 8:38 p.m. 1.8’

Today Fri.

Beijing 37/12/pc 35/15/pc

Berlin 33/31/c 38/27/sf

Cairo 72/56/s 82/60/s

Cancun 80/71/sh 78/73/r London 46/36/pc 44/32/c

Mexico City 74/42/s 75/44/s

Montreal 27/11/sn 19/10/s

New Delhi 69/47/pc 69/46/pc

Paris 41/37/c 40/34/pc

Rio de Janeiro 85/71/pc 84/74/s

Rome 55/37/c 53/38/pc

The front entrance to the unmarked Rascal’s Vegan Food is on the left side of this building at 432 E. Haley St., in Santa Barbara.

At left, Gala restaurant will open soon. Its front entrance is currently unmarked at 705 Anacapa St. At right, Dawn and Dusk establishments complement each other at 524 State St., Santa Barbara, as part of the new Drift hotel that will open there soon. The hotel is already taking bookings for dates starting with Feb. 1 at drifthotels.co/santabarbara.

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

Alisal Ranch offering Valentine’s Day package

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Alisal Ranch is offering a “Romance at the Ranch” package from Feb. 12 through Feb. 15.

The three-night Valentine’s Day package is offered once a year and was created to take one’s relationship to the next level. Each day, a number of activities at the ranch such as golfing and horseback riding build new skills with a communicationfocused equine workshop and classes in cooking, cocktail-making and dancing.

The Equus Workshop, “Strengthening Your Relationship,” is designed to provide couples with an opportunity to set aside time for each other and to focus on connecting, developing new insights into helpful communication patterns and to have some fun.

This experiential learning opportunity explores couples’ relational patterns in an informative and supportive environment.

According to Alisal Ranch, partners will have an opportunity to play with relational themes including identifying relational patterns, practicing clear communication and boundary setting, working in partnership toward a goal and many more.

Participants can expect to gain the following skills from the experience:

• A clearer understanding of the underlying patterns in their relationship and how each contributes to them.

• New ways of staying connected to themselves and their partners.

• An opportunity to practice boundaries and asking for what each wants from their partners

• Exercises for communicating with their partners.

Pricing starts at $1,445/night plus taxes and fees and includes:

• Western-style accommodations.

• Breakfast, dinner and nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages.

• One picnic basket lunch with a bottle of rosé wine.

• Cocktail-making class.

• Cooking class.

• Dance class.

• In-room amenities include flowers, sparkling wine and Valerie Confections chocolates.

Alisal Ranch is located at 1054 Alisal Road in Solvang on 10,500 acres that include a 110acre spring-fed lake, 73 guest cottages, two 18-hole championship golf courses, six tennis courts, pickleball courts and more.

The family-owned destination has offered visitors a taste of the American West for more than 70 years.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

Life theArts

‘Romance at the Ranch’

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 4 p.m. “Entangled: Responding to Environmental Crisis,” runs through March 25 at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. The museum is open from 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It’s closed on Sundays and college holidays. For more information, call 805-565-6162 or visit westmont.edu/museum.

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.

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.

3:30 p.m. “Adulting 101: Life Skills for the 21st Century” will take place at the Santa Maria Public Library’s Shepard Hall, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

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.

JAN. 28

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

JAN. 31

6 p.m. Nick Hornby will discuss his book, “Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius,” with fellow writer Jessica Anya Blau at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza, Santa Barbara.

Mr. Hornby will also sign copies of his book. For more information, call Chaucer’s at 805-682-6787 or go to www.chaucersbooks.com.

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.

FEB. 5 Free admission will be available on this day at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Ventura County, the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum and the Santa Paula Museum. For more information, visit socalmuseums.org.

COURTESY IMAGE

Emmanuel Fratianni will conduct the inaugural concert of the Santa Barbara Chamber Players orchestra Saturday at the First United Methodist Church of Santa Barbara.

Horseback riding is among the activities included in “Romance at the Ranch” at Alisal Ranch. The ranch is located at 1054 Alisal Road in Solvang on 10,500 acres.

ALISAL RANCH PHOTOS

Alisal Ranch in Solvang is offering couples a special “Romance at the Ranch” package for Valentine’s Day weekend.

Tribal clinic to give kids a smile

The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic will provide free dental care for local children during its third annual Give Kids A Smile event on Feb. 2.

Located at the clinic on the reservation (at 90 Via Juana Lane in Santa Ynez), the event provides children, ages 1-12, with exams, cleanings and more. It will last from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This is one of the clinic’s biggest events of the year.

The Dental Department will provide dental care for any local child, regardless of income or insurance status. Children will receive a comprehensive oral examination (including X-rays when appropriate), teeth cleaning, oral health education and dietary recommendations. Any treatment that is diagnosed during the exams will be completed at follow-up visits throughout 2023, according to a news release.

The event will be staffed by clinic dentists, registered dental assistants and dental hygienists.

During last year’s event, nearly $10,000 of dental services were provided to 27 children at no cost to their families.

“Our dental department looks forward to this event every year because it gives us an opportunity to shine a light on the importance

Blood oranges

Ranging from a variegated orange hue with a swirl of red to such a deep red that they appear to be purple, fresh blood oranges are now readily available from several local growers at all weekly Santa Barbara certified farmers’ markets.

Whether squeezing them to make a fresh glass of juice or enjoying the individual sections in a salad or grain bowl, the dynamic tangy-sweet citrus notes with hints of berry is quite pleasing. Reduce the juice in a pan and serve over seafood and roasted vegetables or incorporate into a host of baked goods. This week I prepared grilled blood

orange chicken as the Fix of the Week, below right.

Blood oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, thiamine and the antioxidant anthocyanin that gives these oranges their signature color. Price averages $3 per pound.

Honeydew radish

The bottom third of these elongated radishes yields a cream color and the top third, a light green, reminiscent of the top of a honeydew melon. Honeydew radishes are crisp,

of pediatric oral health and to hopefully make a positive and lasting impact on our young patients,” said Dr. Mike Savidan, dental director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

“It’s an honor to be able to be able to hold this annual event that

moist, a little peppery and subtly sweet. They’re ideal for slicing into rounds and adding to a salad or incorporating into soups and stews.

These radishes have a very pleasing aroma and refreshing finish, and they’re ideal as a palate cleanser.

Grown by Her Family Farm, they can be found at the Saturday Santa Barbara and Sunday Camino Real farmers’ markets. Price is $2.50 per pound.

Rosalba radicchio

This is one of the prettiest winter greens I’ve encountered this season. They standout of their light pink hue across the main leafy portion, with some light variegated green splashed in, and the white connected ribs toward the central portion.

This bitter winter green will make quite the splash on the table. Used as a leaf lettuce in

has no out-of-pocket cost to our patients,” said Richard Matens, chief health officer for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

“Give Kids A Smile gives parents an opportunity to provide their children with dental care that they otherwise might not get each year.”

Give Kids A Smile is a national program launched in 2003 by the American Dental Association, with the goal of providing no-cost care for thousands of children.

With February being National Children’s Dental Health Month, each year during the first week of the month, dental offices across the country partner with the ADA and celebrate with their own GKAS event, providing muchneeded free dental treatment to underserved children in their local communities.

Registration is required to participate, and openings are limited. If you are interested in your child participating in the Give Kids A Smile event, call the clinic at 805-688-7070.

email: cbeeghly@newspress.com

a salad, the natural bitterness pairs well with acidic dressings, flavorful cheese and sweet root vegetables.

More delicate than some of the other radicchio varieties you will encounter, it is more suited for raw preparations but can also be sauteed, grilled, or used as a braising green.

Also commonly referred to as rosa radicchio, pink chicory or pink lettuce, rosalba radicchio is native to northern Italy.

Grown organically by both Roots Farm and The Garden Of…, both in Los Olivos, rosalba radicchio can be found at the Saturday Santa Barbara, Tuesday Santa Barbara and Wednesday Solvang farmers’ markets. Price averages $3 each.

Lvoff, Woodard to perform together

from 6-7:30 p.m.

and Joni Mitchell, bossa nova, jazz standards and more). Individually, Ms. Lvoff works in the jazz scene, and Mr. Woodard is in two bands — Flapping, Flapping and Headless Household. Together, they have a band, Lucinda Lane.

Fix of the Week

Likely arising from the natural mutation of a Pomelo and a tangerine, blood oranges are highly sought for their distinctly deep red flesh and dynamic flavor.

When these oranges are juiced, the liquid’s color is a deep red. It is the presence of the antioxidant anthocyanin that gives blood oranges this signature color.

Anthocyanin is quite common in an array of fresh fruits and vegetables but is quite rare when it comes to citrus fruits.

Native to the Mediterranean regions, blood orange thrives during the winter months, and it’s ideal for incorporating into an array of seasonal meals. Both the flesh and juice deliver a tangy-sweet flavor with notes of raspberry throughout.

Some people source blood oranges to produce flavorful and colorful marmalades, or use the juice in beverages, salad dressings and sauces. The sections can be sliced and tossed in a bitter green or spinach style salad, and the flavor makes for an ideal pairing with poultry, pork and seafood.

Blood oranges can also be worked into a host of baked goods such as bars, tarts, muffins and cakes.

While there are several types of blood oranges under production, it is the Moro blood orange that is the most common, and it’s likely what you’ll encounter when purchasing

at the farmers’ markets.

This week I used Moro blood oranges to make a grilled blood orange chicken recipe. Marinated in blood orange juice with herbs and spices, the flavor and color of the blood orange makes for a stunning presentation on the plate.

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

3/4 cup blood orange juice.

1/2 cup brown sugar.

1 teaspoon dried oregano.

4 garlic cloves, minced.

2-inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated.

2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar).

1/4 cup ketchup.

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

1 teaspoon soy sauce.

1 pound chicken cuts (can do skin on or skin off, any cuts you prefer).

Whisk together all ingredients until well incorporated, then use as a marinade for the chicken. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Then grill until cooked through. Serve with green and a bed of rice.

Yield: Serves 4.

SANTA BARBARA — Nicole Lvoff and Joe Woodard will perform on Valentine’s Day at the Crush Bar & Tap, 1129 A State St., Santa Barbara. You can hear the duo

as they perform their ever-expanding repertoire (including music by the Beatles

— Caleb Beeghly

COURTESY PHOTO

Nicole Lvoff and Joe Woodard will perform everything from Beatles songs to jazz standards during a Valentine’s Day concert in Santa Barbara.

COURTESY PHOTO

The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic is located at 90 Via Juana Lane in Santa Ynez.

FARMERS MARKET Sam Edelman

GRILLED BLOOD ORANGE CHICKEN

SAM EDELMAN PHOTO

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

Thought for Today

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Thursday, January 26, 2023

ARIES — If you’re currently involved, Aries, expect to feel a rush of revived passion for your partner. If you aren’t currently involved, the one great love of your life could finally appear. You may meet this person through work, creative activities, or spiritual studies. Your new friend could be from far away and work in an intellectually oriented profession.

TAURUS — You know you’re intuitive, Taurus, but changes could take place in your brain that elevate your abilities beyond mere intuition. Visions, prophetic dreams, and powerful insights into others’ thoughts and feelings could reveal you to be a gifted psychic. If you’ve been training your abilities, this should come as no surprise, but the level of your gifts will.

GEMINI — Don’t turn down invitations today, Gemini. A group meeting or social event could be thrown together with casual acquaintances, and your relationship with these people could abruptly change. At the very least, some will become friends. You might also acquire some valuable business contacts or partners.

CANCER — A financial windfall could come as the result of a coup that no one expected you to pull off, Cancer. Everyone is likely to be very proud of you - and you will be very pleased with yourself, too. This is only the start of a fortunate new turn in your life. As far as money goes, it may all be smooth sailing from here on out.

LEO — Wonderful news comes from far away, Leo, possibly involving writing, teaching, or publishing. Creativity combines with heightened intellectual ability to bring success and good fortune to your door today. You might spend the day in a daze, waiting for it to sink in, and the evening celebrating with friends.

VIRGO — An enterprise you’d long since given up on, perhaps one involving the creative arts, may suddenly come up again, this time as a real opportunity, Virgo. Once you know it’s real, you still might have trouble believing that it’s finally happening. Friends and your

current love interest may accept it more readily than you do.

LIBRA — Group activities or social events could put you in contact with a new, exciting person. You could feel a strong physical and romantic attraction, Libra. If you aren’t currently involved - and perhaps even if you are - this might be worth pursuing. The attraction is reciprocated. You will probably share interests and be able to talk for hours.

SCORPIO — Whatever you’ve been trying to accomplish over the past several months could break loose just the way you want it to today, Scorpio. It could come as a surprise and resemble a logjam that finally gives way. Nonetheless, this is your good fortune, and you and those who have been in the trenches with you deserve a few accolades.

SAGITTARIUS — Today might be one of the most fortunate days of your life, Sagittarius. Everything you’ve been striving for - romance, money, creative fulfillment - could fall into place at various times today. Expect exciting calls bringing good news. A lover could offer congratulations.

CAPRICORN — Information received through dreams and visions could trigger sudden psychic revelations of solutions to problems you may have been mulling over for weeks. What you realize is likely to clear up any difficulties and pave the way for success. The emotional release could have you feeling like a heavy weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

AQUARIUS — Some unexpected calls from friends or colleagues could bring you wonderful news today, Aquarius. A serendipitous lucky break could end the logjam that has held up the attainment of all your dreams. Love, money, success in career and personal development - all seem to be falling into place.

PISCES — Job-related or personal projects are apt to come to a head now. Success is in the air, along with a marked increase in income and acknowledgment from those who matter. This, of course, is going to boost your confidence, not to mention your mood. You might already be fired up with plans for new trails to blaze.

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Thursday, January 26, 2023

The fabulous Ducky van Tassel played at my club yesterday. Depending on how the stock market closed, Ducky is either the third or fourth richest person in town.

When told that Proctor and Gamble had split, Ducky said that was a shame after they had been together for so long. She is no better at addressing bad splits as declarer.

When Ducky played at today’s six hearts, she ruffed the second spade, cashed the ace of trumps and muttered something unladylike when West discarded. Ducky next took the A-K of diamonds and ruffed a diamond in dummy ... and East overruffed. Ducky had to lose another trick: down two.

HIGH CLUBS

Ducky must have been thinking about her stock portfolio. After West shows out on the first trump, South can take the A-K of clubs, lead a diamond to dummy and continue with high clubs.

If East ruffs — discarding is no help — South overruffs and draws trumps. Dummy still has a trump, and South can ruff a diamond in dummy and finish the clubs to make the slam.

What do you say?

ANSWER: To redouble, showing 10+ points, would be acceptable, but when the auction may be competitive, you may do well to give partner a description of your hand promptly. A gadget can help here: Bid 2NT, conventionally showing a limit raise of partner’s suit. With a stronger hand, you would redouble. Avoid a bid of one heart. South 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.

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

— Jimmy Dean