Drawing some national attention
Adventures in ultimate sailing
UCSB men’s hoops to air on ESPN platform later this week - A8
Photographer Sharon Green to share her images and stories - A4
Our 165th Year
75¢
T H U R S DAY, F E BRUA RY 18 , 2 0 21
Ash Wednesday Mass Catholic churches hold annual service with COVID-19 precautions in place To see streaming video GO TO
newspress.com
Severe weather delays vaccines State official says allocations are equal to all counties By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
By ANNELISE HANSHAW
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department vaccination sites did not have sufficient doses to vaccinate all people previously scheduled for Wednesday’s clinic in Santa Maria, resulting in the rescheduling of approximately 800 individuals. The delay was caused by severe weather conditions across the country, but a small allotment of 400 Moderna vaccine doses was still used to vaccinate 400 community members on Wednesday. According to the county’s public health officer, Dr. Henning Ansorg, the county was supposed to receive 3,800 Moderna doses Tuesday. “Some of the Pfizer doses were shipped; however, we do not know how many, because they get shipped to the hospitals directly,” Dr. Ansorg said in a statement to the News-Press Wednesday. “As of today, we do not have any news on when the vaccine will arrive. We had to cancel the county PODs (points of distribution) in Santa Maria (Wednesday), Lompoc for (today) and Santa Barbara on Friday.”
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Our Lady of Guadalupe held seven Ash Wednesday services in its courtyard Wednesday afternoon. The church, at 227 N. Nopal St. in Santa Barbara, along with congregations around the world, adapted its traditions with COVID19 precautions. The Vatican encouraged congregations to sprinkle ashes on the crown of parishioners’ heads, an ancient practice. But some churches have tailored the act in other ways. Father Pedro Lopez, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, chose to smudge a cross on congregants’ foreheads, as he does every year, but had them wipe their foreheads off with sterile alcohol pads beforehand. “A lot of the people like to be able to see the ashes on the forehead,” he told the News-Press. “The sign has value, and you can see it has importance.” He described the ashes as a “sign of repentance and wanting to be forgiven.” While administering the ashes he usually says, “Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel.” But Wednesday, he said it before attendees lined up for the ashes, keeping them safe from any droplets that could catch the air as he spoke. Congregants gathered around the pavilion outdoors in folding Please see mass on A2
Father Pedro Lopez, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, smudges ashes on a parishioner’s forehead during one of the church’s seven services Wednesday.
By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh dies at 70 By MITCHELL WHITE NEWS-PRESS ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Rush Limbaugh, the man who many credit with helping transform talk radio and politics during his 30-plus years on the air, died Wednesday morning. He was 70. Mr. Limbaugh’s wife, Kathryn, announced her husband’s death on his radio show. “Losing a loved one is terribly difficult, even more so when that loved one is larger than life,” she said. “Rush will forever be the greatest of all time.” Mr. Limbaugh was considered a radio icon and a leader of the modern-day Republican Party.
He learned he had Stage IV lung cancer in January 2020, though the cause of death was not released on Wednesday. Young America’s Foundation, whose Reagan Ranch Center is located in downtown Santa Barbara, issued a statement on Facebook and referred to Mr. Limbaugh as “one of the Conservative Movement’s boldest voices.” “He worked tirelessly to spread the good news of conservatism to the masses, inspiring generations of freedom fighters,” the statement read. “Rest In Peace, Rush.” “The Rush Limbaugh Show” began in 1988 and was broadcast by local radio station KTMS —
FOLLOW US ON
66833 00050
3
told the News-Press by phone Wednesday. He added that he took many lessons from Mr. Limbaugh, including having the facts to back up your talking points, as well as the frequent use of humor. Mr. Worthen later said that he has known only four men in his life: Jesus, his father, the late Santa Barbara congressman Robert Lagomarsino and Mr. Limbaugh. “They all made me what I am today,” Mr. Worthen said. The news of Mr. Limbaugh’s death drew mixed reviews on social media. Some used the occasion to remember Mr. Please see limbaugh on A3
Members of Santa Barbara’s Historic Landmarks Commission are calling for a more traditional look for the new and improved De la Guerra Plaza. The commissioners weighed in on the project’s first concept review on Wednesday afternoon. Many comments focused on the period of significance for the plaza, which is considered to be 1853 to 1924. The commissioners are seeking a design that encapsulates that time period. “I don’t think the splash pad is of that period of time,” Commissioner Ed Lenvik said. “That’s my biggest disappointment — this seems to be a very contemporary plaza … To me, this design, this concept is not traditional in any way, shape or form.” He referred to the splash pad as “modern and unnecessary.” His fellow colleagues echoed his sentiments. “I don’t think I could be convinced in any way to agree to the splash pad,” Commissioner Wendy Edmunds said. “I’m a parent and a grandparent and it sounds like a nightmare to me … It just doesn’t fit and from a practical point of view, I just don’t think it’s a good idea.” She proposed a scenario of a family waiting outside restaurants or other places nearby and having children running around soaking wet from the splash pad.
HLC Chair Anthony Grumbine was the sole supporter of the splash pad, but he said it’s only because he has children himself. The commissioners agreed that they would accept a splash pad if it could disappear from view when not in use, but most hope to do away with it, saying the plaza is not a playground. The commissioners also came to consensus that the project design was too complex for a plaza. “Using my analogy of a baked potato, which I like to go to a lot, if you’re looking for a twice-baked potato, this one has been cooked four times,” Commissioner Robert Ooley said. “It needs to be, in my opinion, a much more random-feeling plaza. This is very organized, very linear and very grid-like, and it’s too formal.” Commissioners called for simplified paving patterns, art nodes and tree placement. They also requested more traditional trees for the plaza such as oak, sycamore or olive trees, versus the proposed yellow Palo Verde trees and pink Floss Silk trees. “I’m not sure that color in the trees is necessary in a traditional plaza. I’m not pleased with what I see, and I certainly wouldn’t want to have the designers walking away thinking they’ve got this thing nailed with this design, because I don’t think it is,” Commissioner Lenvik said. Commissioner Ooley added that the pavement for the plaza Please see plaza on A3
L O T T E RY RESU LTS
ins ide Classified.............. A7 Life.................... A 4-5 Obituaries............. A8
6
named after former News-Press Publisher Thomas M. Storke, though not affiliated with the News-Press. Local resident Jim Worthen considered himself a “close fan” of the late radio host, having called into Mr. Limbaugh’s show on several occasions over the years. Mr. Worthen also recalled seeing Mr. Limbaugh perform during “The Rush to Excellence” tour shows in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara. Mr. Worthen took part in a talk radio show himself for many years, including several years in which he followed Mr. Limbaugh on the air. “He was an inspiration to me and many others,” Mr. Worthen
Please see vaccines on A2
More ‘traditional’ design sought for De la Guerra Plaza
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
At left, Father Cesar Fonseca, associate pastor, places ashes on half of the congregation. At right, Father Lopez instructed attendees to wipe their foreheads with sterile alcohol pads before he administered the ashes.
All individuals with canceled appointments were notified and given the opportunity to reschedule the following week, and vaccination providers throughout the county were also notified of the delay. “The Public Health Department understands the critical nature of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and will be working diligently to ensure all community members are rescheduled in a timely manner,” said Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, the county public health director. “These unforeseen circumstances will not deter Santa Barbara County in continuing to pursue its goal of vaccinating all community members who desire a vaccine.” This delay slows down what leading county health officials have referred to as an already slow-moving rollout process, despite the county having the adequate infrastructure for larger allocations of the vaccine. There has been discussion that Santa Barbara County has not received its fair share of vaccine doses compared to larger counties. However, Darrel Ng, a
Sudoku................. A6 Sports ................... A8 Weather................ A8
Wednesday’sSUPER LOTTO:20-26-39-40-46Meganumber: 19
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 5-0-7-5
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 1-36-44-54-66 Meganumber: 10
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 5-10-11-26-36
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 12-01-06 Time: 1:48.59
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 1-15-21-32-46 Meganumber: 1
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 1-0-0 / Wednesday’s Midday 8-1-8