Santa Barbara News-Press: April 06, 2023

Restoring dignity

DignityMoves announces capital campaign aimed at reducing homelessness - A2

Response to donald Trump’s indictment

Protesters take to the streets of Goleta to show their support of former President

‘Cargo in Question’

UCSB global studies experts to speak at Maritime Museum - B1

By CALEB BEEGHLY

NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Last Tuesday, in the midst of constant honking — both in support and protest of the event — supporters of former President Donald Trump peacefully gathered on the corner of Hollister Avenue and Storke Road in Goleta on Wednesday in order to show their solidarity with former President Trump.

Equipped with flags and signs, the demonstration of support (and protest) came in response to Mr.

Trump’s indictment.

Just like any political gathering, there will be people there for different reasons and goals. The event organizers, Charles and Linda (who preferred to not give their last names) explained their reasons for gathering, which represent the two main reasons for most of the other supporters.

Generally, the Trump supporters were there, simply, to show their support, although with different reasonings.

To some, the indictment is seen as a political move where the

current political power, i.e. the Biden administration, is attacking a political candidate in order to silence him. Charles likened the indictment to a ‘witch hunt’ due to Mr. Trump being impeached twice and then acquitted twice. To them the indictment seems like a false accusation. For others (although many supporters might hold a version of both views), the indictment of Mr. Trump is seen as an attack on the morals and values that Mr. Trump holds, such as the First Amendment and liberty.

In regards to the First Amendment, one Trump supporter, Mark Vampola, said “We have a right to be here, and they have a right to their middle fingers.” To some, the perceived immediate dismissal of what the Trump supporters are trying to convey and refusal to listen to the Trump supporters (although this can go both ways) can seem like ‘the Left’ is trying to silence them. Mr. Vampola continued, “We need to be a fair two-party country with open dialogue, and that no longer

Planning Commission to consider proposed new hotel

By NEIL HARTSTEIN

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Planning Commission today will review a proposal to build a nearly 175,000-squarefoot hotel and subterranean parking garage on 4.53 acres at the southwest corner of Garden and Yanonali streets.

The Planning Commission will meet at 1 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall, 735 Anacapa St.

The project consists of the merger of six lots, removal of all existing structures, and construction of a new 174,812-square-foot (net) hotel containing 250 rooms (130 extended stay rooms; 120 lifestyle rooms) and an 85,298square-foot subterranean parking garage, located at 101 Garden St.

Guest amenities at the proposed Garden Street Hotel would include a library, bar, lounge, 208-square-foot market, media salon, meeting rooms, living room, breakfast area, outdoor seating areas with spa, courtyard with pool and spa, fitness room, and a 7,500-squarefoot roof deck.

The project includes 267 vehicle parking spaces (234 subterranean and 33 at-grade), 46 bicycle parking spaces (26 subterranean and 20 at-grade), and eight bicycle rental parking spaces for guests.

The discretionary applications under the jurisdiction of the Planning Commission at this hearing are:

• A Parking Modification to allow less than the required number of parking spaces;

• A Development Plan to allow the

construction of 153,000 square feet (net) of nonresidential development;

• A Coastal Development Permit to allow the proposed development in the Appealable and Non-Appealable Jurisdictions of the city’s Coastal Zone;

• Determination that the project is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section.

The proposed hotel, owned by the Wright Family H Limited Partnership, has a zoning designation of Hotel and Related Commerce/ Cabrillo Plaza Specific Plan/Coastal Overlay. The application was filed on Nov. 23, 2021 by Carolyn Groves, Dudek. email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

nEWs-PRE

ss EXCLU

siVE Bill aims to increase dog owners’ access to homeowners insurance

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

If you are a pet owner looking for homeowners insurance, you know that sometimes your breed of dog might deny you access to coverage. Many residents have had to choose between keeping their dogs or owning a home, something that Assemblyman Gregg Hart is trying to eliminate.

The existing law allows insurance companies to regulate insurance coverage to specific people and, in this case, allows for the insurers to cancel or deny coverage if the owner has a “dangerous” dog breed.

Typically, these breeds are bigger and more stereotypically aggressive, such as pitbulls, great danes, german shepherds and others.

The bill that Assemblyman Hart is trying to implement would prohibit an “insurer from refusing to issue, canceling, refusing to renew, or increasing

the premium for a policy of residential property insurance on the sole basis that the applicant or insured owns or harbors a dog that is a specific breed or mixture of breeds.”

There is an exception to the bill that states that the insurer can still refuse coverage “if the dog is known to be or has been declared potentially dangerous or vicious.” This determination would be decided by the Santa Barbara Animal Shelter.

In an exclusive interview, Assemblyman Hart told the News-Press that his motivation for this bill is that he recognized a “disconnect between perspective and data” when it came to the discrimination of dog breeds.

Additionally, Assemblyman Hart asserted that “the idea that we discriminate isn’t fair. This bill would protect dog owners and the dogs as well.”

If this bill becomes law, it

Gregg Hart

EMS contract not renewed by Board of Supervisors

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The county of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors has made the decision not to extend the county’s current ambulance contract and directed staff to explore a non-exclusive multiprovider permit model. The board’s decision was based on their desire to improve the already existing EMS system through reinvestment in the community by providing more ambulances for 911 response, dedicated inter-facility transport ambulances, community paramedicine and community and financial oversight at no additional cost to the community.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department has been providing service for community needs for almost 100 years and ambulance transport for nearly 50 years. Seventy-five percent of the 911 calls it receives in the county are for medical emergencies. The department currently provides paramedic

ambulance transport services for UCSB, Vandenberg Village (Lompoc Valley), New Cuyama and the Highway 166 corridor. With the new system, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department plans to seamlessly provide services to an already existing EMS program.

American Medical Response has been providing EMS transport services to Santa Barbara County communities for several decades. The County Fire Department plans to continue partnering with AMR to provide services.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department has been providing Advanced Life Support services to the community since 1974. The department has over 90 practicing paramedics. Firefighter paramedics are staffed at all sixteen fire stations and all fire department ambulances.

The new system is expected to take effect in March 2024. email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Assemblyman

CALEB BEEGHLY / NEWS-PRESS

Supporters of former President Donald Trump took to the streets in Goleta on Wednesday in response to Mr. Trump’s indictment on business fraud charges in New York.

DignityNOW Capital Campaign aims to reduce homelessness in Santa Barbara County

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

On Monday, DignityMoves announced an ambitious plan to significantly reduce homelessness in Santa Barbara county. The DignityNOW Capital Campaign has already raised $10 million of the $19 million it seeks to support four new villages, including a development in Santa Maria. The county has partnered with DignityMoves to provide land and funding for social services for the villages.

DignityMoves is a unique program that offers a comprehensive range of services to the homeless, including housing, employment resources, medical and mental health care, and substance abuse support. The program is staffed by teams of highly trained professionals dedicated to helping the homeless in Santa Barbara County regain their dignity and rebuild their lives. Each DignityMoves resident has their own case manager.

“So far the success has been the village on Santa Barbara street which opened in July of 2022. It took about 90 days of outreach to find the original 34 residents,” said Jack Lorenz, regional advancement director for DignityMoves Santa Barbara County. “The results have exceeded my expectations, and I have been doing this for a long time. Of the 34 residents that came in: eight have become employed, nine have transitioned to more permanent stable housing, eight are employment ready and three people are going to school. So far we have served 54 at Santa Barbara street and twenty have transitioned out to stable housing.”

Homelessness is a devastating issue that affects millions of people nationwide. In Santa Barbara county alone, over the course of a year, approximately 3,500 people will experience homelessness. DignityMoves

Interim Supportive Housing Communities are places where people can come in from encampments along the freeways, riverbeds and streets to stabilize and begin a path toward healing and self-sufficiency. Each resident has their own private room with a door that locks, AC/heat, a desk, Wi-Fi, onsite bathrooms and showers, laundry facilities and three meals a day. Residents can also bring their belongings, partners, and pets.

“Potential residents are not required to be clean and sober, but they do have to agree to the community rules which includes no visitors, no violence, no weapons and no drugs.

Residents also have to agree to creating an exit plan with a case manager. We try to transition everyone out within six to twelve months. We try to keep sites that we build within where the folks were living. We don’t want to take them out of their community and where they are familiar with,” said Mr. Lorenz.

One of the more significant advantages of the DignityMoves model is its mobility. By taking services directly to those in need, the program can reach individuals who might otherwise be unable or unwilling to access traditional congregate shelters and support services. This approach has proven highly effective, with DignityMoves achieving an impressive success rate in connecting individuals with housing, health care and employment.

The second property, Hope Village in Santa Maria, is currently in development and will have 94 rooms.

“The Santa Maria location will be breaking ground in the next ten days … Of the 94-unit location, 30 units will be for respite care for those exiting hospital and ten of those will have restrooms in them. Ten units will be for transitional-age youth who are transitioning out of foster care. Another ten units will be for veterans. The remaining 44 units will be for singles and couples. We are doing our best to accommodate the needs of the population,”

said Mr. Lorenz. “DignityMoves’ first three locations are a 70-unit location in San Francisco, a 60unit location in Rohnert Park and a 47-unit location in Alameda. Santa Maria is the first of an additional 300 units we will be building in Santa Barbara county. We have three more targeted sites, we are just waiting on a vote of approval from the board of supervisors,” said Mr. Lorenz.

“I think the most important thing is that intensive case management services is the secret to the success of these sites,” added Mr. Lorenz.

Good Samaritan Shelter plays a critical role in the Santa Barbara Street Village as they provide on-site case management, connect clients to other local resources including mental health care, addiction services, SSI and other benefits, help with job placements and work to help clients find their way back to stable housing. Other partners include Dignity Health, SB ACT, Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, County of Santa Barbara Public Health, County of Santa Barbara Behavioral Health, and the County of Santa Barbara Public Defender’s Office.

As a demonstration of community support, DignityMoves offers naming and sponsorship opportunities at each of the organization’s sites. Rooms available for “naming” include kitchen/dining areas, office spaces, computer labs, outdoor patios and gardens. These sponsorships typically range from $10,000-$1,000,000 and include a permanent plaque with your name/group name and acknowledgement at events and DignityMoves literature.

Contact Jack Lorenz at (310) 266-0502 or Jack@DignityMoves.org for any sponsorship or support-related questions or visit https:// dignitymoves.org/donate/.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Alleged gang associate pleads not guilty in carjacking case

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

An alleged Santa Maria gang associate pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony charges of carjacking and evading a pursuing police officer in connection with a Jan. 30 incident at Ross Dress 4 Less on Betteravia Road.

Saul Dolores-Morelos, 19, “entered Not Guilty pleas (and) denied the allegations” in the complaint filed against him, Deputy District Attorney Bryant Estep told the News-Press.

He is due back in court April 11 to set a date for his preliminary hearing, the prosecutor said. A tentative preliminary hearing date is scheduled for April 12.

Mr. Dolores-Morelos was identified by Santa Maria Police Detective Cole Whitney as a suspect in the armed carjacking.

This was on March 29, following Mr. Dolores-Morelos’ arrest by Santa Maria police in connection with the beating of two people and robbery of their personal property earlier that morning. A third person was robbed, too.

Mr. Dolores-Morelos has not been charged in connection with the beating and robbery.

The complaint against the defendant alleges that he used a BB gun in the commission of the carjacking “for the benefit of, or at the direction of, or in association with a criminal street gang, to witt: West Park, with the specific intent to promote, further, or assist in criminal conduct by gang members.”

He also is charged with evading an officer and willful disregard by operating a vehicle with the intent to evade, flee or otherwise elude a pursuing a police officer following the Jan. 30 carjacking.

A second carjacking suspect, a

17-year-old Santa Maria juvenile who police allege is a known gang member, was arrested on March 26. Police identified him as the primary suspect in both the Jan. 30 carjacking and another carjacking on Jan. 23. He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of carjacking (two counts), vandalism and gang enhancement.

Mr. Dolores-Morelos was identified as a suspect in the Jan. 30 carjacking only because Detective Whitney did a followup investigation after the defendant was arrested as a suspect in the earlier beating and armed robbery.

At approximately 12:41 a.m. March 29, Santa Maria police patrol officers were sent to the 900 block of East Jones Street regarding a robbery that had just occurred. Officers responded and located three adult victims of robbery, Sgt. Daniel Rios said.

“Two victims reported being physically assaulted before personal property was forcibly taken from them by the suspects (small group of juveniles and/ or young adults),” Sgt. Rios said. “During the commission of the crime, one of the suspects brandished a firearm.”

The suspects left the area in a vehicle that collided with a parked vehicle while fleeing the scene, Sgt. Rios said.

Patrol officers’ investigation led to a suspect vehicle being identified. At approximately 1:14 a.m., officers located and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle.

Mr. Dolores-Morelos, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, was ultimately arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and robbery. Vehicle damage to the suspect vehicle was also tied to

the parked vehicle that was hit while fleeing the scene.

He was not charged in the complaint in connection with this incident – at least not yet.

“This is an ongoing investigation so I am unable to speak on the

internal filing decision,” Deputy District Attorney Estep said. “The police are continuing to investigate the robbery incident.” email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

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Trump blasts prosecutor, President Biden after his arraignment

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump called the charges against him unprecedented election interference in a speech Tuesday night from his Mara-Lago home, just hours after pleading not guilty to nearly three dozen felony charges during his arraignment in New York City.

“I never thought anything like this could happen in America,”

Mr. Trump told his supporters at his Florida residence. “The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it.”

Mr. Trump faces 34 charges related to allegations that he paid hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels through a lawyer seven years ago and covered it up as a legal expense before being elected president.

Mr. Trump offered his “not guilty” plea during his arraignment before Judge Juan Merchan in Manhattan Criminal Court.

Mr. Trump began his speech by pointing to the string of investigations and impediments that Democrats and federal law enforcement threw at him, drawing a comparison between the unfounded accusations like the debunked Russian dossier and the current legal prosecution.

“From the beginning, the Democrats spied on my campaign, remember that?” Mr. Trump said. “They attacked me with an onslaught of fraudulent investigations. Russia, Russia Russia. Ukraine… Impeachment hoax number one, impeachment hoax number two. The illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar-aLago right here.”

Mr. Trump was impeached twice by the then Democratcontrolled U.S. House during his presidency, but was acquitted by the Republican-controlled Senate both times.

Mr. Trump also pointed to media reports that showed federal law enforcement working with social media companies to censor the Hunter Biden laptop story, which Mr. Trump said “exposes the Biden family as criminals” and would have swayed the election in his favor.

“And we remember the 51 intelligence agents who said Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinformation,” Mr. Trump said, pointing to an open letter signed by those agents making that assertion. “Russian disinformation, remember that? And that was all confirmed strongly by the FBI, when they all knew that it wasn’t Russian

Trump supporters say prosecution is politically motivatd

TRUMP

Continued from Page A1

exists.” All while maintaining a smile and a thumbs up in response to the many middle fingers from cars driving by.

The emotionally charged interaction is a clear sign of what Mr. Vampola is referring to. For the brief moments that a car would be driving through the intersection, the drivers would often fully express how they were feeling. Some drivers would even pull over — holding up traffic — in order to offer the Trump supporters their kindest expletive.

To be clear, the Trump supporters were not there with the explicit intent of trying to overturn Mr. Trump’s indictment, but rather, they were there to raise awareness of what they believe is happening in the government.

disinformation.”

The indictment was unsealed after Tuesday’s arraignment. It alleges Mr. Trump falsified business records related to the hush money scheme.

Mr. Trump blasted New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Letisha James, attorney general for New York, both of whom promised to go after Mr. Trump while on the campaign trail.

“We have a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign, and a lot of it,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump’s speech hit political notes as well. He attacked President Joe Biden on the Afghanistan withdrawal, the border, the loss of energy independence, rising crime, and more.

Mr. Trump surrendered to New York Police before the arraignment after a grand jury voted to indict him last week, the first time a current or former president has been charged with a crime. Mr. Trump is also the 2024 Republican frontrunner for president.

During his speech, Mr. Trump also blasted the investigation into his possession of classified documents from his time as president, arguing that he had the power as president to declassify them despite having presented no documentation indicating that he had done so. He said President Biden had classified documents as well from his time in the Obama administration but did not have the power to declassify as vice president.

‘Everyone deserves access to safe drinking water’

WATER

Continued from Page A2

protect communities from PFAS pollution.”

U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, DFremont, praised the news, calling clean drinking water a “basic human right.”

“Access to clean drinking water is a basic human right. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making long overdue upgrades to water infrastructure that will ensure that all Californians have safe drinking water in their homes,” Rep. Khanna said. “I’m glad to have worked with my colleagues in Congress and the administration to pass this historic legislation and deliver for communities in our state.”

U.S. Representative Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, praised the Bipartisan Infrastructure law for providing this additional funding for the state.

“Communities, economies, and ecosystems across the US rely on clean water, but the nation’s water infrastructure has been woefully neglected for decades, leading to a dilapidated, contaminationriddled system,” Rep. Huffman said in the release. “Everyone deserves access to safe drinking water, which is why we included historic funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure law to invest in a clean water future. I’m happy this funding is on its way to our state and will make sure we see the full

benefit of this program.”

And Yana Garcia, California Secretary for Environmental Protection, said that while the news is a positive development, the state needs more money to make its necessary upgrades.

“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, California and many of our sister states will see an increase in federal funding this year for drinking water projects in some of our most vulnerable communities,” Ms. Garcia said in the release.

“Although we’ve made great strides, many California communities continue to lack access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water. Current estimates price our drinking water infrastructure needs at $64.7 billion. Securing sustained federal and state funding to meet this need is critical and remains a key priority for our administrations.”

The EPA is basing its revolving fund allotments on the results of its 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment.

The survey, which is required by law, assesses the country’s public water systems’ infrastructure needs once every four years and uses its findings to allocate grants to states.

The drinking water utilities will need $625 billion in infrastructure funding over the next 20 years, “to ensure the nation’s public health, security and economic wellbeing,” according to the release.

One Trump supporter, Miki, explained that she was there to ‘wake people up,’ so that they would start to question what the mainstream media is claiming. This reflects the sentiment of many of the Trump supporters who believe that the media is acting as a dividing force and spreading misinformation.

Another Trump supporter, Caroline Abate, said that she wishes for young people to “read their history books,” so that they can see the parallels in history, revealing the situation for what it really is, which in Ms. Abate’s opinion is a free country turning into a country of tyranny.

As one might expect, a politically charged event like this one is likely to draw the attention of those on the other side of the political spectrum.

Although not all of the people there in support of Mr. Trump would identify as conservative or Republican. One Trump supporter, Celeste Barber, said that she would identify as an independent or a liberal and would be there regardless of which president was being

indicted.

Most people that disagreed with the event let their opinion be known and then left, but there was one car that drove by and then came back with balloons with “F– Trump” written on them. They then drove through the intersection about five times before stopping at the gas station where some Trump supporters were standing, so they could more clearly convey their thoughts. When asked why they stopped, they said that they think there should be equality for all and that everyone should have the freedom to be their own person.

Interestingly enough, that is a common belief expressed by both sides of the debate — one Trump supporter, Matthew Gonzales, credits his support of Mr. Trump to Mr. Trump’s purported belief

that everyone should experience the same amount of freedom — but unfortunately, the two groups did not listen to the other long enough to realize this, both groups reverting to the use of personal attacks in their dispute.

However, there were a few people passing by who stopped to talk to the Trump supporters and carried out peaceful discourse.

One man was on a bike ride when he saw the rally and thought about how he has never felt strongly enough about a president to stand on the corner of a busy street to raise awareness about it, so he wanted to know why the Trump supporters were so passionate about their cause.

A common reason people expressed for their passion behind supporting Mr. Trump is

their belief that Trump is the only person who is fighting for them against what they perceive to be the nation’s elites and corrupt agencies.

This belief also extends to some outside the United States. One person in support of Mr. Trump is an Iranian-American woman (who wishes to remain anonymous), who believes that Mr. Trump is good for the Middle East. She opined that Mr. Trump was hard on the leaders of Iran (specifically referring to Iranian clergymen called Mullahs), citing the Mahsa Act. She also said she believed that President Biden isn’t working with the Mullahs but is being tricked by NIAC (National Iranian American Council).

email: news@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO

Donald Trump

ARTHUR VON WIESENBERGER / NEWS-PRESS

Those supporting former President Donald Trump in Goleta were frequently greeted with disdain by passing drivers.

Cleaning the courthouse

Legislation remains in the early stages of consideration

INSURANCE

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would allow many dog owners to apply for coverage with less fear of rejection or discriminatory pricing. Many Santa Barbara residents are pushing for the bill to be enacted, specifically Elizabeth Reed, a local great dane owner.

In a recent open letter to the News-Press, Ms. Reed shared that her great dane, Sol, was a local therapy dog for many children in the Santa Barbara area. If Ms. Reed was denied coverage, she would have had to send Sol back, even though the dog was nothing like the stereotype of the breed.

Many people in the Santa

San Jose fire captain made $482k thanks to spike in overtime

By TOM GANTERT THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) - A city of San Jose fire captain has made $1.25 million over the past three years thanks to $706,699 in overtime he racked up from 2020-2022 making him the highest paid employee.

That fire captain made $482,051 in 2022, one of five city employees to make $400,000 or more that year.

Another fire captain made $460,712, a police lieutenant made 435,201 and a police sergeant made $400,332 in 2022. The city manager made $405,136 as the fourthhighest paid employee.

San Jose has seen the cost of public safety increase to a record $727.3 million in 2021-22. That was a 7.8% increase over public safety expenses in 2018 when factoring in inflation.

The city’s audited financial reports show that the number of people on the payroll in the fire and police departments has been stable from 2020 to 2022.

The fire department had 794 employees on payroll in 2018 and the same number in 2020. That included full and part-time employees.

Thirty-five of the top 50 paid employees were from the police and fire department in 2022.

The city overtime in the fire department in 2022 was due to staffing shortages.

“The Fire Department maintains a minimum of 190 sworn personnel on duty to provide consistent service levels on a 24-hour basis across several ranks and specialties,” said Demetria Machado, deputy public information officer for the city of San Jose. “Daily vacancies and/or absences are filled by overtime. Overtime opportunities are first offered to those availing themselves and meeting position qualifications and on the basis of lowest number of previous overtime works. Over the last fiscal year the department has experienced staffing shortages and these individuals have voluntarily signed up for overtime shifts to maintain minimum staffing levels. In addition, some of the employees have unique qualifications required for them to work in Special Operations programs, making them part of a limited pool of personnel available to fill absences and vacancies within their respective specialties (Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF), Hazardous Incident Team (HIT) or Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) programs.”

Preliminary data: Nearly 245,000 apprehensions, gotaways at southwest border in March

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Nearly 245,000 foreign nationals were apprehended or reported as gotaways after illegally entering the southwest border in March, according to preliminary data obtained by The Center Square.

“Gotaways” refers to those known and reported to illegally enter the U.S. primarily between ports of entry, who intentionally evade capture by law enforcement and don’t return to Mexico. In March, gotaways totaled at least 74,924, with the greatest numbers reported in the Tucson Sector of Arizona, followed by the El Paso Sector, which includes all of New Mexico and two west Texas counties.

Due to a combination of factors, cartel-driven illegal entry is shifting west into Arizona and increasingly in California. However, the El Paso Sector led all southwest border sectors with the greatest number of apprehensions of at least 39,785 last month.

Despite claims made by Biden administration officials, March numbers were

higher than January and February, continuing the trend where each month sees greater numbers than the previous month.

The preliminary March data was obtained by The Center Square from a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent. The agent provided the information on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation; it only includes Border Patrol data and excludes Office of Field Operations data.

February apprehensions and gotaways totaled at least 205,032 and January numbers totaled at least 215,998, according to the data. Official CBP January data and February data were higher than preliminary data first reported by The Center Square because they include Office of Field Operations data. Overall, February saw a 2% increase from January. All CBP data would be higher if gotaways were included in official data it publicizes.

Not all gotaways are recorded because not all are identified, meaning the number of those illegally entering the U.S. is expected to be much greater than reported.

Attorneys general coalition opposes federal gas stoves regulations

By MARY STROKA THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Twenty-one states’ attorneys general wrote a letter opposing Department of Energy regulations regarding gas stoves.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird joined the coalition in a letter Monday to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm that said the department’s standards for consumer conventional cooking products are an attempt to micro-manage Americans’ lives.

The department released a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking in February. Responses were accepted through Monday.

The document said that the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, with its 2020 amendments, stipulates that any energy conservation standard must seek the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that the department determines is technologically feasible and economically justified. It must result in a significant conservation of energy.

The Department of Energy’s Feb. 1 document said that under its authority in 42 U.S.C. 6295(h)(2), it proposes that beginning in 2026, conventional gas cooking tops must have no more than 1,204 kBtu per year. Conventional ovens will not be allowed to have a control system with a linear power supply. The control system for gas ovens couldn’t be equipped with a constant burning pilot light. The energy secretary had to publish a final rule in 1992 to determine whether standards for kitchen ranges and ovens should be amended and provide that the amendment applies to products beginning in 1995.

With a 7% discount rate for consumer benefits

and costs and nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxide reduction benefits, and a 3% discount rate case for greenhouse gas social costs, the estimated cost of the proposed standards for consumer conventional cooking products is $32.5 million annually in increased product costs, the department said. The estimated annual benefits are $100.8 million in reduced product operating costs, $67.0 million in climate benefits and $64.9 million in health benefits. The net benefit would be $200.3 million per year.

According to the department, the ruling doesn’t pose an issue to federalism because states can petition the department for exemption under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

In the letter, the attorneys general said the ruling does pose issues regarding federalism. The letter said that the proposed standards would preempt state procurement rules and state institutions consume energy, including natural gas.

The department’s also relying too much on the social costs of carbon, methane and nitrous oxide because the IWG’s model is flawed. The attorneys general said the department should exclude intrastate commerce in stoves and ovens from any final standards to avoid constitutional issues with the regulation.

Ms. Bird said the ruling’s a power grab from the Biden Administration to advance its goals regarding climate change.

Louisiana and Tennessee led the letter.

The attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia also signed the letter.

Barbara area may find home ownership easier to accomplish should the bill pass.

Kerri Burns, the CEO of Santa Barbara Humane Animal Shelter, also shared her excitement for this bill. “It would be an amazing step forward for animal welfare,” Ms. Burns said. “For the community, they will feel more comfortable in adopting and reporting to their carrier.”

The bill is still in the early stages of consideration, but Assemblyman Hart stated that it is in the works and he hopes that his fellow lawmakers will be equally enthusiastic about passing the bill.

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

Shown

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Workers powerspray and clean the surfaces underneath the arch of the Santa Barbara Courthouse on Wednesday. The ongoing cleaning project is funded by the Courthouse Legacy Foundation.

Life theArts

CALENDAR

COURTESY PHOTO Linda Purl (“Matlock”) is part of the cast of “The Children,” which the Ensemble Theatre Company is performing tonight through April 23 at The New Vic in Santa Barbara. See details in today’s calendar and in a story in Friday’s NewsPress.

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 in Montecito. 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. “Storytelling:

‘Cargo in Question’

UCSB global studies experts to speak at Maritime Museum

Native People Through the Lens of Edward S. Curtis” is on display through April 30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, visit sbnature.org.

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “SURREAL

WOMEN: Surrealist Art by American Women” is on display through April 24 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, www.sullivangoss. com. By appointment on weekdays: “Holly Hungett: Natural Interpretations” is on view through May 20 at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara’s gallery, 229 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and weekdays by appointment. For more information, call the foundation at 805-965-6307 or go to www.afsb.org.

Noon to 5 p.m. “Clarence Mattei: Portrait of a Community” is on view now through May at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, which is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 136 E. De la Guerra St. Admission is free. Hours are currently from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and from noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, visit www.sbhistorical. org.

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum will present “Cargo in Question: Two Films about Labor, Shipping and Globalization in the 21st Century” at 7 p.m. April 20. The program will take place at the museum, 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara.

As part of this event, Dr. Mae Miller-Likhethe and Dr. Charmaine Chua, assistant professors of global studies at UCSB, will screen two films, “Cargo” and “All that Perishes at the Edge of Land,” followed by a Q & A session and discussion.

The films, which blur the lines between fiction and reality, offer insights into the daily lives, working conditions and dreams of the seamen and ship-breakers across global supply chains.

Admission is free for SBMM’s Navigator Circle Members, $10 for all other members and $20 for members of the public.

There will also be a pre-lecture reception for members only from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m.

To register for the program, go to sbmm.org/santa-barbara event. You also can become a member at sbmm.org.

“All that Perishes at the Edge of Land” features a dialogue with several workers at the Gadani ship-breaking yard in Pakistan. The conversation moves between dreams, desires, places that can be called home and the violence embedded in the act of dismantling a ship at Gadani.

As the workers recall the homes and families they left behind, the long work days mesh indistinguishably into one another, and they are forced to confront the realities of their work in which they are faced with death every day. How can they survive and look toward the future?

“Cargo” is the story of a journey on a container ship with a group of Romanian and Filipino sailors, who were delivering cargo to the Middle

FYI

“Cargo in Question: Two Films about Labor, Shipping and Globalization in the 21st Century” will be presented at 7 p.m. April 20 at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara. For more information, call 805-9628404 or visit sbmm.org.

East. Most of the sailors weren’t allowed to leave the boat, and they spent their days waiting, singing karaoke and telling stories in a small TV room In Syria, the ports were military zones. The filmmaker hid at a porthole and secretly filmed the life below — a man stealing wood and a soldier fishing off the edge of an abandoned submarine — and later created a narrative that falls between reality and fiction. It was a way of showing the limbo these men were living in. Dr. Miller-Likhethe, an assistant professor at UCSB and a curatorial fellow at IMPAKT Centre for Media Culture in

Utrecht (the Netherlands), is an interdisciplinary scholar, storyteller, educator and curator who studies social movements, global shipping and cultural production.

As Dr. Miller- Likhethe describes her work, “I research the intellectual histories and political cultures of the black diaspora and Third World Left throughout the 20th century. I approach this work with a desire to understand the past and to draw lessons for the present.”

She holds a bachelor’s degree in geography from Ohio State University, studied at UCLA, International Institute for Research and Education in Amsterdam and the University of Bologna in Italy and completed her doctorate in earth and environmental sciences at City University of New York.

She has also been a visiting lecturer at Vassar College, a postgraduate researcher at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkele,

before coming to Santa Barbara.

Dr. Charmaine Chua is an organizer, writer and researcher who focuses on political economy, postcolonial development and technological change, with a specific interest in the history and present of maritime and hinterland logistical systems.

Dr. Chua, whose writing has appeared in the Boston Review, The Nation and The New York Times, is currently completing a book manuscript, “The Logistics Counterrevolution: Fast Circulation, Slow Violence and the Transpacific Empire of Capital.”

She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and political science from Vassar College and a doctorate in political science from the University of Minnesota. Before accepting her current position at UCSB, she taught at Macalester College in Minnesota and Oberlin College in Ohio.

email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

7:30 p.m. Stacie Burrows will perform her one-woman dark comedy “Bulletproof Unicorn,” which she wrote, at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara. Ms. Burrows, a Los Angeles comedian, tells how she went to Texas to fix everything that was wrong with her dysfunctional family. It was a challenge. Tickets cost $30 for general admission and $50 for a patron ticket, which includes one drink. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org.

7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “The Children” April 6-April 23 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Michael Butler, Linda Purl and Nancy Travis star in the play set at a remote cottage on the British coast after a tsunami wreaks havoc on a nuclear reactor. A married couple’s lives are further disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a long-lost colleague. The April 6 and 7 shows are preview performances, and the regular run begins April 8. Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-9655400.

APRIL 7

7:30 p.m. Stacie Burrows will perform her one-woman dark comedy “Bulletproof Unicorn,” which she wrote, at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

Dr. Mae Miller-Likhethe, left, an assistant professor of global studies at UCSB, is joining her colleague, Dr. Charmaine Chua, in presenting two fi lms, “Cargo” and “All that Perishes at the Edge of Land” at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Dr. Charmaine Chua, right, is an assistant professor of global studies at UCSB.

COURTESY PHOTOS

The movie “All that Perishes at the Edge of Land,” features a dialogue with several workers at the Gadani ship-breaking yard in Pakistan. The fi lm will screen as part of a program at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

SB Youth Council to host ‘Youth Speak Out’

Editor’s note: UCSB student Kira Logan joins the News-Press this week as an intern reporter.

By KIRA LOGAN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The Santa Barbara Youth Council, a group formed to help give teenagers a voice in their local government, plans to host the 2023 “Youth Speak Out” 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Palm Park Beach House, 236 E. Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara.

This event is intended for teens who are interested in bridging the gap between youth and local government, and who would like to uplift youth voices.

The event, mainly styled in a question-and-answer forum, will

RADIO FOR HERE

connect teenagers to local leaders as they cover youth-focused and youth-passionate topics. These topics include but are not limited to: environmental justice, public safety and public space for teenagers, transportation, and ways to harvest a more inclusive and diverse community. There is a scheduled panel of speakers, including Santa Barbara City Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez and a representative from the Santa Barbara Police Department. Attendees can meet teen leaders and ask questions to a panel of local representatives.

“We want to use our unique position as youth representatives in the city to create a bridge between our

local government and teens in our community,” said Youth Council Chair Amelia Vander May.

The Youth Council hopes this event will increase teens’ involvement in local government and city affairs, helping to create more cohesive communication between local government and teens. Light food and drink will be provided.

The event is funded by a Youth Making Change Grant, gifted by The Fund for Santa Barbara.

Registration for the event is encourage. Visit bit.ly/401yQeC to register. Contact NMorgan@ SantaBarbaraCA.gov with any questions or concerns.

email: klogan@newspress.com

FROM HERE

Goose eggs

This is not something that is encountered very often, but I was quite pleased to find these jumbo goose eggs at the Lily’s Egg stand sitting in a basket next to quail eggs, duck eggs, and, of course, numerous cartons of multi-colored chicken eggs.

Goose eggs are three times the size of a chicken egg. Once they’re cracked, you can’t help but notice the massive yolk inside.

Fattier and more nutrient dense than chicken eggs, goose eggs have a creamy, custard like texture ideal for scrambling, as well as custards and an array of other desserts.

This week I prepared a goose egg omelet as the Fix of the Week, below. With a very limited availability of goose eggs, Lily’s Eggs participates in our weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Goleta, Tuesday State Street and Thursday Carpinteria farmers’ markets.

Price for goose eggs averages $6 each.

Snow peas

These flat green peas are one of my favorites right now, delivering a nice sweet and grassy flavor. Excellent both raw and cooked, they can be enjoyed in a mixed green salad, chopped and added to spring rolls, as well as sautéed.

The peas inside the pods are very petite, and they’re an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals and dietary fiber.

I regularly enjoy snow peas dipped in hummus. With a crisp and snappy texture, you can currently find certified organic snow peas from Tutti Frutti Farm of Lompoc at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real, Tuesday Santa Barbara and Wednesday Solvang farmers’ markets.

Price averages $6 per pound.

Gem lettuce

Gem lettuce has become one of the more popular lettuces found at farmers markets. The leaves are about 5-6 inches in length and the heads very compact. Similar in texture and flavor to romaine lettuce, although a little crispier and less bitter, their ripped leaves hold salad dressing really well. The leaves are also ideal for lettuce cups or a bun substitute for a lettuce wrapped burger. You can find gem lettuce at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Tuesday Santa Barbara and Wednesday Solvang farmers’ markets from several local growers. Certified organic is available. Price averages $1.50 each.

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

With Easter just around the corner, there is no item found at the farmers’ market that is more commercially emblematic of the holiday than eggs.

With kids gearing up for their annual Easter egg hunt, dyeing and finding eggs is a fun tradition in many households.

While you may get more excited about sourcing seasonal asparagus, artichokes and English shelling peas, or possibly a beautiful cut of fresh lamb for culinary purposes, eggs too come in handy in the kitchen, whether turned into deviled eggs or worked into a host of desserts.

Chicken eggs, of course, are by far the most popular and readily available type of eggs you will encounter at grocery stores and farmers’ markets. However, those are not the only options you can pick up from area producers.

In fact, I stumbled across four other types of eggs at the farmers market this past weekend that included duck, quail, goose, and turkey eggs. All varied greatly in appearance and offered unique flavor comparisons, and I found myself branching out this week to sample some chicken egg

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1

Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara. Ms. Burrows, a Los Angeles comedian, tells how she went to Texas to fix everything that was wrong with her dysfunctional family. It was a challenge. Tickets cost $30 for general admission and $50 for a patron ticket, which includes one drink. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org.

8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “The Children” April 6-April 23 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Michael Butler, Linda Purl and Nancy Travis star in the play set at a remote cottage on the British coast after a tsunami wreaks havoc on a nuclear reactor. A married couple’s lives are further disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a long-lost colleague. The April 6 and 7 shows are preview

alternatives.

Quail eggs are, by far, the most petite of the group, averaging about a third the size of a chicken egg. With their signature speckled shell, these eggs are treated as a delicacy, delivering a mild neutral flavor. Next is the turkey egg, which is slightly larger than a chicken egg with a very comparable flavor and just a little egg creamier due to its higher fat content.

Duck eggs are typically the most intensely flavored of all of the eggs, with very rich yolks. They’re about 50-100% larger than a standard chicken egg, and when cooked, their large yolks are very creamy. When pan fried, the white portion of a duck egg takes on a firm and somewhat rubbery texture.

Last but not least is the goose egg.

The largest of the five kinds of eggs, goose eggs are about three times the size of chicken eggs with a flavor between that of chicken and duck eggs. Pasture-raised geese deliver eggs that have a grassy flavor and a rich and cream yolk.

This week I prepared a goose egg omelet, using just one of these jumbo eggs for a full meal. You can stuff this omelet with your filling of choice for a delicious breakfast to

performances, and the regular run begins April 8. Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

APRIL 8

7:30 p.m. Stacie Burrows will perform her one-woman dark comedy “Bulletproof Unicorn,” which she wrote, at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara. Ms. Burrows, a Los Angeles comedian, tells how she went to Texas to fix everything that was wrong with her dysfunctional family. It was a challenge. Tickets cost $30 for general admission and $50 for a patron ticket, which includes one drink. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org.

8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “The Children” through April 23 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Michael Butler, Linda Purl and Nancy

kick off the day.

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.

GOOSE EGG OMELET

1 goose egg. Pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper.

1 teaspoon butter.

Sautéed spinach.

Diced tomato.

Diced ham or crumbled bacon.

Cheese (I used jalapeño chèvre from Drake family farm at the Saturday market).

Crack your goose egg into a small mixing bowl and scramble until well mixed, working in a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. Melt butter in a small nonstick pan over medium-high heat, and once the base of the pan has a coating of butter, add the egg. Cook for a minute or two until it just starts to bubble. Then flip. Cook for about 30 seconds. Then add filling and fold over to create your omelet.

Yield: Make 1 omelet.

Travis star in the play set at a remote cottage on the British coast after a tsunami wreaks havoc on a nuclear reactor. A married couple’s lives are further disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a long-lost colleague. Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

APRIL 9 2 and 7 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “The Children” through April 23 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Michael Butler, Linda Purl and Nancy Travis star in the play set at a remote cottage on the British coast after a tsunami wreaks havoc on a nuclear reactor. A married couple’s lives are further disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a long-lost colleague. Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

“The Comfort Sleeper® is the standard by

all other sleeper sofas are measured.”

FARMERS MARKET Sam Edelman

SAM EDELMAN PHOTO

— Dave Mason

Diversions

Thought for Today

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Thursday, April 6, 2023

ARIES — In order to reach your destination, you may have to take an unusual route today, Aries. Zigzag your way to the finish line. Don’t automatically assume that this is a bad thing. You may find that this is the preferred path. You’re likely to experience many side adventures and make some wonderful discoveries.

TAURUS — Get out of the doldrums and enjoy life, Taurus. The situation is such that if you remain stagnant for a little while, you will soon sink into a spiral of depression and downward thinking. If you stay afloat and focused on your dreams, you will remain active in your pursuit of all your life’s goals. You will have the power of the Universe behind you, supporting you all the way.

GEMINI — This morning is your time to shine, Gemini. You should be in a good mood, with a positive outlook that helps you attack the day’s tasks with vitality. Elements of the unexpected may pop up and remind you that things don’t always go according to plan. This should be fine, however.

CANCER — You may get a bit frustrated in the morning because of a lack of commitment on the part of others, Cancer. You may find it hard to pin down an answer when everything seems to be up in the air. The good news is that things should run much more smoothly by this evening and well into tonight. Note a major boost in emotional selfconfidence now.

LEO — The energy you put out today will most definitely fuel the fire, Leo, so make sure you have an extinguisher within reach. There’s a spark of excitement in the air indicating that something new and different is coming around the bend. You may feel anxiety building up. Be patient and you will find that good things naturally come your way.

VIRGO — You may feel indecisive today, Virgo, especially in the morning. Other people’s actions may confuse you. Don’t worry. Concentrate on your projects and goals. Other people can take care of themselves.

Don’t feel like you need to make sure everyone is attended to

before you start your day. In fact, you may be the one who needs to be cared for by others.

LIBRA — Emotionally, you should be feeling quite good today, Libra. This is important since you may get thrown off balance by a strange, unexpected force. The more stable you are on the inside, the less disruption this foreign energy will cause. Keep in mind that unexpected things usually happen for a reason. There might be a key opportunity waiting for you now.

SCORPIO — Free your mind and consider alternative options, Scorpio. This is a time to throw away the old to make room for the new. There’s a distinct advance in original and forward thinking today. You should make it a point to go to higher levels of thought now.

SAGITTARIUS — You might find your energy comes in strong, erratic bursts today, Sagittarius. Don’t be surprised if you’re high as a kite one moment and down in the dumps the next. Even if you’re driving everyone crazy with your yo-yo behavior, don’t let this stop you from keeping on in this fashion.

CAPRICORN — You may feel a tendency to do things the same old way today simply because it’s what feels most comfortable, Capricorn. Even though the familiar route may be tempting now, it’s actually better if you seek a different way to go. Things may feel chaotic, especially in the morning and early afternoon. Still, don’t automatically resist things that are new and different.

AQUARIUS — An extra log has been thrown on your fire today, Aquarius, so don’t be surprised if you burn especially hot. Use your internal furnace to make some breakthroughs and bring matters to a higher level. Turn up the intensity on certain issues that require more life. You will bring a great deal of positive energy to just about everything you touch, so use it wisely.

PISCES — Don’t feel like you have to rationalize everything, Pisces. Accept the fact that there are some things in life that occur without a specific logical explanation. More than likely these are the most interesting events and experiences that add the most spice to your routine existence.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Thursday, April 6, 2023

An optimist sees green lights, a pessimist sees red lights. A wise player is color-blind; he focuses on his goal and tries to anticipate trouble.

In today’s deal, both Souths in a team match played at five diamonds after both Wests tossed in a preemptive jump-overcall. West led the king of hearts.

One South took the ace and optimistically let the queen of trumps ride. East won and led his last heart, and West won and led a third heart. Declarer ruffed with dummy’s ace of trumps to avoid an overruff, but East’s 10-8 were worth a trick. Down one.

REPLAY

In the replay, South was pessimistic about winning a trump finesse; he led low to the ace and returned a trump. East rose with the king and returned a heart, and when West won and led a third heart, East scored his ten of trumps. Down one again. Both Souths were unwise: They should let West win the first trick. After they win the next heart, they can attack the trumps in any reasonable way and lose one trump and one heart.

You hold:

You are the dealer. What is your opening call?

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3-by-3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9. that means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box. Sudoku puzzles appear on the Diversions page Monday through Saturday.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers to previous CODEWORD

How to play Codeword

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.

PUZZLE

ANSWER: You have a mandatory opening bid. I believe a slight majority of experts would open one diamond with this pattern. I prefer to open one club, so as to make a fit in either minor suit easier to locate. I would certainly open one club here when the club suit is so much stronger.

Lead-direction if the opponents buy the contract is a factor. South dealer

— Winston Churchill

obtaining all addenda from the District’s PlanetBids portal. If any Addendum issued by the District is not acknowledged online by the Bidder, the PlanetBids system may prevent the Bidder from submitting a Bid Proposal. Bid results and awards will be available on PlanetBids immediately following the bid opening date/time. Bids shall be valid for sixty (60) calendar days after the bid opening date. The date and time for receiving bids shall be extended by no less than 72 hours if the officer, department, or Project Manager issues any material changes, additions, or deletions to the invitation later than 72 hours prior to the bid closing. Any bids received after the time specified above or any extension due to material changes shall be returned unopened.

Project Description: The Project involves the removal of an 8” force main crossing over Oak Creek within Caltrans right-of-way and relocating it within County of Santa Barbara right-of-way. The work includes installation of 8” sewer force main, bridge pipe supports along Oak Creek Bridge, and other appurtenances. The Project site is located near the intersection of S Jameson Lane and Posilipo Lane in Montecito, CA; and within the jurisdictions of Caltrans and the County of Santa Barbara. Posilipo Force Main Relocation and Restoration Project – Phase 2 will be bid out separately. Project documents for the work are available to prospective bidders through the District’s PlanetBids Portal website at www.montsan.org/bids.

In accordance with the provisions of California Public Contract Code § 3300, and Business and Professions Code § 7028.15(e), the contractor and any subcontractors shall be licensed by the contractors’ state licensing board and registered with the California

Critics raise concerns about Strategic Petroleum Reserves’ decline

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Lawmakers are raising concerns that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which President Joe Biden has relied on heavily since taking office, is getting dangerously low.

Gas prices hit record highs last summer, surpassing $5 per gallon nationally. To curb rising prices, President Biden released more than 200 million barrels from the U.S. stockpile, bringing the reserves to the lowest point since 1984.

“By gutting vital fuel storage to lower short-term prices, the Biden Administration exposed the U.S. to future market volatility and increased supply dependence on adversarial nations instead of supporting an all-of-the-above energy approach to unleash American energy potential,” House Oversight Republicans said in a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

Republicans argue President Biden used the reserve to temporarily lower prices ahead

of the last November midterm elections.

Oversight lawmakers say the Department of Energy has failed to provide documents requested in the inquiry despite repeated requests.

“As a depleted SPR weakens the U.S.’s ability to respond to future supply disruptions, prompt delivery of the requested documents is vital to help Congress ensure U.S. energy security,” the letter said.

According to AAA, the current national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.53, up from $3.46 a week ago and $3.40 one month ago.

Gas prices are poised to continue rising.

As The Center Square previously reported, OPEC+ announced Sunday a cut in oil production to the surprise of many who speculate prices could rise significantly as a result.

Energy prices have soared under President Biden’s administration, in part because of the disruption to global oil markets caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but also because of President Biden’s work to discourage

Illegal entries at U.S. northern border continue to surge

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Federal agents patrolling the U.S.Canadian border in Vermont, upstate New York and New Hampshire continue to apprehend record numbers of foreign nationals illegally entering the U.S. from Canada.

Last month, Border Patrol agents reported 816 apprehensions and 371 gotaways, according to preliminary data obtained by a Border Patrol agent on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. The data only represents Border Patrol data and excludes Office of Field Operations data, meaning the numbers are likely higher. Agents also reported 19 people they identified who illegally entered the U.S. but turned back to Canada.

These are the highest numbers ever recorded in Swanton Sector history.

The sector encompasses 24,000 square miles, which in addition to all of Vermont’s border, includes six upstate New York counties and three New Hampshire counties. It spans 295 miles of international boundary with the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, of which 203 miles is on land. The remaining 92 miles of border fall primarily along the St. Lawrence River. The sector is the first international land boundary east of the Great Lakes.

This sector has consistently led northern border sectors in reported apprehensions and gotaways. Last month, Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia said, “In just over 5 months, we have apprehended more individuals than the last three (3) Fiscal Years combined. The current rate of illicit cross-border activity is unprecedented for Swanton Sector.”

He also said over a 12day-period in March, agents “encountered 28 children under the age of 14, the youngest only five months old.”

“Illegal entry along the northern border is dangerous” he added, saying illegally bringing in the “vulnerable population” of children “is reprehensible.”

Agent Garcia also described how concerned citizens help Border Patrol agents save the lives of foreign nationals disoriented by subfreezing temperatures. In one incident that occurred last month, for example, Champlain Station agents responded to residents’ calls about a woman wandering in the snow. Agents searched the area in question and found a female Mexican citizen who’d illegally crossed the border into the U.S. from Canada that morning when it was 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

The woman was observed shuffling shoeless through snowy fields and ditches near the outskirts of Champlain, New York, using a tree branch for support. One of her feet was bare, swollen and bloodied. She also appeared to be disoriented and incoherent. Border Patrol agents radioed Emergency Medical Services and team-carried her to a warm patrol vehicle.

“Temperature extremes and the associated hazards have

done practically nothing to deter cross-border human traffic in our area,” Raymond Bresnahan, acting patrol agent in charge of the Champlain Station, said in a statement of the incident. “Stations in Swanton Sector – Champlain in particular – have responded to historic levels of illicit border crossings that have trended upwards since October 2021.”

Due to the severity of her frostbite injuries, the Mexican woman was transported to Champlain Valley Physician’s Hospital in Plattsburgh, New York, and later transferred to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington at taxpayer expense.

In another instance, Border Patrol agents have helped U.S. attorneys prosecute human smugglers. Last month, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont announced the sentencing of a New Jersey man to 14 months in prison for “conspiring to transport foreign nationals in furtherance of their illegal entry into the United States.” He was also required to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his prison term.

The sentencing was announced March 23 after Jose Alvarez, 31, of Trenton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty. He’d been arrested last September near East Berkshire, Vermont, after he picked up four Guatemalan citizens who entered the U.S. illegally. Three of the Guatemalans said they each expected to pay $2,000 to $3,000 to Mr. Alvarez or his associates as a fee to be smuggled into the U.S.

“Alvarez admitted to soliciting others to engage in the transportation of foreign nationals and to coordinating payment and pick up logistics with other members of the conspiracy,” the U.S. Attorney’s office said.

U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest credited Border Patrol agents “for their investigation and apprehension of Alvarez and their continued efforts to prevent the exploitation of foreign nationals by human-smuggling organizations.”

Last month, Agent Garcia said encounter data showed a “persistent upward trend despite average temperatures below freezing and greater snowfall than January.

Dauntless in the face of all obstacles, our Border Patrol agents stand against the breach of our 295-mi. of border.”

In January, Swanton Sector agents apprehended more people than they did in “12 preceding years of January totals combined,” he said. “Prior to January, Swanton Sector experienced an uninterrupted 7-month streak of sustained encounter increases – part of an upward trend dating back to the beginning of FY22.”

While the number of apprehensions pale in comparison to southern border apprehensions, they represent a 743% increase from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022, and an 846% increase from Oct. 1, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023, comparative to those time frames last year.

Once official March data is released, they’re expected to surpass these records.

domestic oil and gas drilling and pipeline development.

House Republicans passed the “Lower Energy Costs Act” last week pointing to those very price increases, but the bill is unlikely to get the needed Democrat support to gain traction in the Senate.

“Only a few short years ago, foreign governments were unable to use energy as a weapon against the United States,” Daniel Turner, executive director of the energy workers advocacy group Power the Future, recently told The Center Square. “Then Joe Biden came along and made OPEC great again. Just last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill to put America back on the road to energy independence and it’s clear OPEC was paying attention. The Senate should pass H.R. 1 immediately and President Biden finally needs to put politics aside and unleash the power of American energy. Otherwise the high prices of food, utilities, and food will continue to punish the American people.”

Virginia Gov. Youngkin to visit

Taiwan, Japan and South Korea

By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Amid speculation that he could be weighing a potential presidential run in 2024, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will travel to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea as part of his first intentional trade mission as governor later this month, his office announced Tuesday.

While overseas, the governor is slated to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, as well as other government officials, business associations, company executives and global industry leaders, according to Youngkin’s office. The trip is scheduled for April 24 through April 29.

“I’m excited to represent the Commonwealth in my first trade mission to Asia that will focus on economic development opportunities, our shared priorities and national security,” Gov. Youngkin said in a statement Tuesday.

“Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea represent critical markets that will advance economic growth and prosperity in Virginia. In strengthening these relationships, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to our allies but also strengthening the spirit of Virginia and America.”

Gov. Youngkin’s trip comes on the heels of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last August, which made Rep. Pelosi the first speaker to visit the island in 25 years. The former speaker’s visit drew ire from China, who claims Taiwan as part of its territory. Chinese officials view visits by foreign government officials as recognition of the island’s sovereignty, according to an explainer from The Associated Press.

Additionally, Gov. Youngkin’s visit will follow a meeting between Taiwan’s president and current U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy scheduled for this week. President Tsai and Rep. McCarthy are slated to meet Wednesday in California.

Historically, Japan and South Korea have been long standing allies of the United States. In recent years, both nations have become “essential allies” in the United States’ effort to counter the “perception of a Chinese threat,” according to Michael Hunzeker, an associate professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.

The U.S. does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but has a “robust unofficial relationship,” and the nation is an important U.S. partner in trade and investment, according to the U.S. Department of State.

Several consecutive presidential administrations have “tightened our relationship with Taiwan” as part of a “larger effort to counter Chinese aggression in the region,” Mr. Hunzeker said.

Gov. Youngkin raised concern about China several times leading up to this

While overseas, the governor is slated to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ingwen, as well as other government officials, business associations, company executives and global industry leaders, according to Youngkin’s office. The trip is scheduled for April 24 through April 29.

year’s legislative session. His administration asked for legislation to ban “foreign adversaries” – including China – from purchasing Virginia farmland and issued an executive order in December banning the use of Chineseowned apps, like Tik Tok, on state devices and networks.

The governor also told reporters in January that he blocked Ford from considering Virginia as a site for its new electric vehicle battery plant, raising concerns over the company’s partnership with a Chinese manufacturer, CATL. Ford announced last month that a site in Michigan was selected for the factory.

As political observers look to 2024, Gov. Youngkin’s name has been thrown in the mix of potential candidates who could seek the Republican nomination. During an appearance on a CNN town hall last month, Gov. Youngkin did not directly rule out running for president, but said his focus right now is on Virginia.

Mr. Hunzeker, from George Mason, said he thinks Gov. Youngkin’s visit will be “symbolically important,” particularly if the governor is considering launching a presidential campaign for 2024.

“Because he doesn’t have a tremendous amount of foreign policy experience, this is an opportunity to kind of polish that piece of his résumé and [show] that he understands these three countries are very important allies and/or partners,” Mr. Hunzeker said.

“[The trip] is a way to kind of push Youngkin’s profile in the national media as well as to signal he is willing and able to kind of get down into some of these really important foreign policy issues that will loom large for whatever administration ends up taking over in 2024,” he added.

The governor’s office did not provide additional information regarding the types of economic development opportunities Gov. Youngkin will be discussing while he is overseas in response to an inquiry from The Center Square.