Santa Barbara News-Press: April 13, 2023

Our 167th Year

The pandemic in Santa Maria

Report: Community was disproportionately affected by COVID-19 - A2

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023

Montecito natural Foods to close

The second oldest Coast Village Road tenant set to leave after 60 years

By CALEB BEEGHLY NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Montecito Natural Foods recently received its 90-day vacate notice by the property lease holder, Jim Rosenfield.

Montecito Natural Foods has been in place for the last 60 years, which does not happen without building an intimate relationship with the Santa Barbara community.

This is due, in part, to the workers’ passion for their store.

Matt Moseby, who has been in the nutrition

supplement field since 1980, explained how every Montecito Natural Foods employee is invested in ensuring that each customer walks away with the best option for them.

This commitment to the customer led Montecito Natural Foods to stay open during the 2018 Montecito mudslides and during the pandemic.

And Montecito Natural Foods is the oldest tenant at the Montecito Country Mart shopping center and is the second oldest tenant on Coast Village Road, Mr. Moseby said.

The store’s pride and commitment to the

community has not been unappreciated. Store owner Slim Gomez said that many customers have said they would like to protest the store’s closure.

However, Ms. Gomez said that the store would most likely close before the vacate notice is due. And although specifics are unclear, there is already another tennant lined up to take Montecito Natural Foods’ place.

Simply put, Mr. Moseby describes the reason for the store closing as this: “(Mr. Rosenfield) has a certain vision, and he wants that vision.

Please see STORE on A2

SBHS’ VAdA program breaks ground on new building

Open house to detail SBA Master Plan Update

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) is inviting the community to join an interactive Open House on the SBA Master Plan Update.

The Open House will be held Thursday, April 20, from 4-6 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Airport Administration Building, 601 Firestone Road.

The objective of the SBA Master Plan Update is to provide the community and public officials with proper guidance for future development, which will satisfy aviation demands and be wholly compatible with the environment. This project will update the 2017 SBA Master Plan and will focus on:

• Preparing for coming air service trends

• Promoting financial resiliency

• Addressing environmental challenges

• Involving stakeholders in the process

The Open House will provide community members an opportunity to discuss the Master Plan Update process and provide input. Airport staff and members of the consultant team will be available to take comments, answer questions, and discuss points of interest.

The SBA team looks forward to meeting with the community and hearing ideas.

Airport officials will also discuss the SBA Master Plan Update at the April 18 Santa Barbara City Council meeting, which is held in council chambers at City Hall, 735 Anacapa St., starting at 2 p.m.

The next day, the Airport Commission will provide the public with another chance to learn about the SBA Master Plan Update. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 19, in the Airport Administration Conference Room, 601 Firestone Road.

And on April 20, airport officials will present their SBA Master Plan Update at the Santa Barbara Planning Commission meeting, scheduled for 1 p.m. in council chambers on Anacapa Street.

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The students and supporters of Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) eagerly awaited the press conference for the start of construction of the new VADA building on the morning of April 12.

“It is so much more than a building, but it is how we use this to launch our kids into their amazing futures,” exclaimed Daniel Barnett, the VADA Program Director.

The project has been in the works for seven years according to Mr. Barnett.

After many years of grant writing, donation collections and community support, in November of 2022, the Santa Barbara Unified School Board gave the

thumbs up for the construction to begin. Santa Barbara High School’s VADA program is a four-year, career-technical educational program serving about 220 students. The program specializes in teaching students about the intersection of education in art within their respective artistic field of interest. The program specifically builds skills in a wide range of media, including both traditional and digital media, painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, graphic design and photography. Additionally, the program has a commitment to equitable access to education and training for high-demand skills. About half of the program’s students

To learn more, view the current SBA Master Plan documents, and sign up for future notifications on the topic, please visit FlySBA.com/MPU.

Santa Barbara Airport served more than 1.2 million passengers in 2022 and is leading California Airports in post-pandemic commercial service recovery. American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines serve the airport with 20 daily departures to 10 non-stop destinations – Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Seattle.

SBA is a self-sustaining enterprise operated by the City of Santa Barbara. email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

Jewelry, mosaic, photography available at Santa Barbara Maritime Museum event - B1

KENNETH SONG /

Montecito Natural Foods is set to close after receiving a 90-day vacate notice.

Report: SM residents disproportionately affected by pandemic

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, in partnership with Cottage Health, has completed the subpopulation analysis of the City of Santa Maria as part of the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA).

The 121-page report was conducted in October 2022. The Santa Maria Needs Assessment (SMNA) was one of two subpopulation needs assessments conducted in the CHNA.

The report asserts that Santa Maria residents have been disproportionately

affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison to the rest of Santa Barbara County. Although only 25% of Santa Barbara County’s population lives in Santa Maria, 37.3% of the county’s COVID-related deaths and 29.9% of county cases have been among Santa Maria residents.

With the goal of learning more about the cause of the health disparities that have contributed to these deaths and cases, the survey included questions on the following topics: economic and housing stability, childcare, healthcare access, neighborhood environment, food access and security, and the overall impact of COVID-19.

Over three days, close to 200 households were randomly selected and agreed to participate. Data was adjusted to proportionally represent all households in Santa Maria.

The report concluded that there was a higher chance that a household would fall under the federal poverty level, have a household member employed seasonally, and/or suffer from food insecurity if English was not the primary language of the household. From the data that they collected, 55% of Santa Maria households spoke primarily Spanish in the home and that 60% of households rented their home; values far higher than data presented in the CHNA across the

county. There were multiple impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that were identified from Santa Maria households in the report. Over a third of households shared that the pandemic was currently causing job and/or wage loss, reduction of work hours and financial problems. The survey also revealed that 15% of Santa Maria households had someone suffering from long-term COVID-19 symptoms in the last year. This was new health information gathered for the Public Health Department, as there is not much research done on long-term COVID19 affects.

The report also provided recommendations for positive actions in the community. These include increased community education on safety net programs, investing in expanding cross-cutting efforts to address social determinants of health, and achieving health equity.

In collaboration with Cottage Health, the Public Health Department will be conducting community presentations to share the CHNA and SMNA this summer. Those wishing to read the assessments can visit www.countyofsb.org/410/PublicHealth.

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

Preliminary hearing delayed in carjacking case

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

An alleged Santa Maria gang associate will return to court next month to set a date for his preliminary hearing on 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, had been scheduled to undergo his preliminary hearing on Wednesday, after which a judge would have decided whether his case should proceed to trial. But it didn’t happen.

County seeking public input on evacuation planning

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara County is seeking public involvement in a survey to help enhance emergency response plans and preparedness in local areas. The purpose of the survey is to understand constraints and behavior during emergencies such as wildfires, floods, chemical spills and other emergency situations. The survey will take less than five minutes to complete, and public participation will greatly contribute to local emergency preparedness. An English and Spanish version of the survey can be found at https://sbcsurvey.kld. engineering.

The survey will directly inform the county’s Evacuation Modeling and Planning Project, which will assist the county in complying with new state laws requiring jurisdictions to map and evaluate evacuation routes and locations. The county is coordinating with the county fire department, county Office of Emergency Management, a consultant and numerous other agencies to develop an evacuation modeling and planning process.

The survey and project are a part of the updates to the county’s safety element, which contains policies to protect the community from natural hazards. It addresses geologic, seismic, fire and flood hazards. A copy of the safety element can be found at https://www. countyofsb.org/762/Safety-

Element-Update.

The Final Evacuation Route Plan will be completed in 2024 and will include a map and tool for community members to learn more about evacuation issues where they live and work.

The safety element is also undergoing other updates related to its wildfire policies and climate adaptation planning.

To learn more about these other updates, go to https:// www.countyofsb.org/762/SafetyElement-Update. To receive information on upcoming activities and updates on the project, register for the P&D Safety Element Update mailing list at https://signup.e2ma.net/ signup/1883430/1753150/.

email: kzehnder@newspress. com

“Mr. Dolores’ case was continued to 5/23/23 for a preliminary hearing setting,” Deputy District Attorney Bryant Estep said. “He waived time through the month of June.”

Mr. Dolores-Morelos pleaded not guilty to the charges on April 5.

He was identified by Santa Maria Police Detective Cole Whitney as a suspect in the armed carjacking following his March 29 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.

The complaint against the defendant alleges that he used a BB gun in the commission of the Jan. 30 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.

Mr. Dolores-Morelos was named a suspect in the Jan. 30 carjacking

The future of vehicle charging stations on the Central Coast

SANTA BARBARA - The Central Coast Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy is hosting an online community forum, starting at 6:30 P.M. today. The forum will be focusing on new locations for vehicle charging stations as well as tackling challenges with zero emission infrastructure in six central coast counties between Ventura, Santa Cruz and San Benito.

during the investigation following the March 29 robbery.

At approximately 12:41 a.m. March 29, Santa Maria police patrol officers were dispatched 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.”

Regional transportation planning officials are creating a space for feedback on zero emission vehicle strategy through the Central Coast from April 13 to June 9. The forum will be presented in English with simultaneous English and Spanish interpretation. The public can join the public online zoom webinar at https://bit.ly/centralcoastzevs or visit www.centralcoastzevstrategy.com for more information.

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. The complaint against him does not include any charges pertaining to the beating and robbery because that police investigation is ongoing.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Montecito Natural Foods has served community members for 60 years.

Owner says store will not relocate

STORE

Continued from Page A1

We do not fit that vision.”

Ms. Gomez has been the store owner for over the last 30 years.

Having only been in a health foods store once, Ms. Gomez saw an ad asking if someone wanted to live in Santa Barbara and listing the store for sale. The

previous owners offered to stay and help her learn the ropes, which Ms. Gomez gladly accepted.

Although Ms. Gomez learned and studied about owning a health foods store on her own time, she said that a key to the store’s success was surrounding herself with experienced people. Collectively, the workers in the store have close to 150 years of

knowledge, regarding nutrition supplements.

Montecito Natural Foods will not be relocating, and Ms. Gomez said she will most likely retire.

And Ms. Gomez said she would like to “thank all of our loyal clientele. These deep relationships are what we’ll all miss, more than anything else.”

email: cbeeghly@newspress.com

Biden administration follows California’s lead on Electric Vehicles

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - “This is a great day for America as our country, under the leadership of President Biden, charts a new course for a zero emissions future,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom referencing the new federal emissions standards proposed by the U.S. EPA.

Under the Biden administration, the two new proposals for emissions standards announced today cover Heavy-duty vehicles, and light- and mediumduty vehicles emission standards for 2027 and beyond.

The proposal builds upon EPA’s final standards for federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2023 through 2026. Gov. Newsom is excited about the administration’s announcement releasing a statement of his own saying, ‘The standards… would effectively require a majority of all cars sold in the U.S. to be zero emissions vehicles by 2032, and if adopted, they

would be the most stringent federal tailpipe requirements in history. “

The new proposed emissions standards for light, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles for model year 2027 and beyond promises to reduce climate and other harmful air pollution.

The EPA anticipates that with the requirements, electric vehicles (EVs) could account for 67% of new light-duty vehicle sales and 46% of new medium-duty vehicle sales in 2032.

The first set of proposed standards announced today, the “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium Duty Vehicles,” leverages advances in clean car technology to further reduce both climate pollution and smog- and soot-forming emissions while retaining current EPA standards for light-duty vehicles in effect until 2026.

California’s plan to require nearly half of all new heavy-duty trucks be zero emissions by 2035 got the nod from the EPA last month.

Please see ELECTRIC on A4

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sports@newspress.com

By ERIC BOOSE UCSB SPORTS WRITER

The UCSB baseball team (21-9, 6-3 Big West) completed a two-game sweep of the San Jose State Spartans (15-13, 8-4 Mountain West) on Tuesday, with Christian Kirtley’s walk-off home run deciding the first game, 65, in favor of the Gauchos and Jared Sundstrom’s grand slam putting UCSB ahead for good in the second game, which they ultimately won by a score of 122. JD Callahan and Alex Schrier each turned in their longest and finest pitching performances of the season, with both righties striking out seven Spartans.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first game of the series began on Monday night, but was suspended in the bottom of the sixth inning due to heavy fog. When the weather put a stop to the action, the Gauchos led, 3-1, thanks in large part to Callahan and Kirtley. In his second start of the season, Callahan shut down the Spartan bats, going 4 2/3 innings before allowing a hit, and striking out seven to keep the visitors off the board.

The Gaucho bats got their starter some run support in the very first inning, despite (or perhaps thanks to) a moment of chaos on the basepaths. Runners on first and second turned into second and third thanks to an errant pick-off throw, but then that lead runner was caught between third and home on an Aaron Parker grounder. While that resulted in an out, LeTrey McCollum narrowly escaped a rundown of his own, ending up at third. Zander Darby’s sacrifice fly drove McCollum home for the first run of the game. UCSB added two more in the fourth, in much more straightforward fashion. Kirtley led off the inning with

his first home run of the game to make it 2-0, which kicked off a hit parade. Broc Mortensen singled, took second on a wild pitch, then scored on an RBI double from Sundstrom.

The fog only thickened as Monday evening went on, and it almost certainly played a role in San Jose State getting on the scoreboard. After a lead-off walk, a two-out fly ball disappeared into the haze, inhibiting Sundstrom’s ability to get a read on the ball. It found the grass for an RBI triple, and after the top of the sixth ended, the game was suspended.

When play resumed on Tuesday, the eighth inning started a flurry of scoring, first with an RBI double from the Spartans to cut the lead to one. In the bottom of the eighth, Corey Nunez’s twoRBI single extended the Gaucho lead back to three, but San Jose State would get all three of those runs back in the top of the ninth, including a two-run home run. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Kirtley hit his second solo shot of the game to nearly the same spot as his first, giving UCSB their second walk-off win of the season.

Frank Camarillo opened the second game on the mound for UCSB, working a scoreless first inning before making way for Nick Welch, who worked a scoreless second. Parker and Sundstrom combined to open the scoring in the bottom of the second, with the catcher legging out an infield single, then stealing second, which allowed Sundstrom to drive him home with a base hit to left.

Schrier took the mound to start the third inning, getting a nifty defensive play from Nick Oakley behind him but also allowing a run on a sacrifice fly, as the game was tied heading into what turned out to be a very eventful fourth inning.

In the top of the fourth, San Jose State led off with a walk,

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023

Kirtley’s walk-off, Sundstrom’s slam help Gauchos sweep Spartans Sports

then the next batter reached on catcher’s interference, as his bat hit Parker’s glove hand hard enough to leave the Gaucho catcher wincing. Parker gutted his way through the next atbat, a strikeout from Schrier, but had to leave the game. With John Newman, Jr. serving as the designated hitter, Kirtley had to replace Parker behind the plate. Jessada Brown took Kirtley’s place in left. A two-out, basesloaded walk gave the Spartans their first lead of the series before the inning was over. In the bottom of the fourth, the new catcher Kirtley worked a walk, then moved around to third on a Mortensen single. In his first plate appearance of the season, Brown walked to load the bases, then Sundstrom crushed his ninth home run of the year well over the fence in left field for his first career grand slam. A ground-rule double from Darby made it 6-2 Gauchos before the frame ended. With a comfortable lead, Schrier was back on the mound and shut down the Spartans, allowing just one more baserunner as he worked through the seventh inning, earning himself the win, striking out seven batters in doing so.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Gauchos doubled their run total, putting the game beyond all doubt. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Mortensen, who doubled to right center field, driving in two runs. A bad relay throw on the play let Kirtley score from third to make it 9-2, with Mortensen advancing to third behind him. UCSB re-loaded the bases, then got two more runs with some help from the Spartan defense. Oakley’s ground ball could have become a double play, but San Jose State’s shortstop air-mailed the throw to first, watching it sail out of play, allowing a second run to cross the plate, and putting Oakley on second. The Santa

Solid pitching leads to Westmont win

By RON SMITH WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

In the final NAIA regular season game at Russ Carr Field, eleventh ranked Westmont Baseball (32-7) put together a 6-0 combined shutout of Saint Katherine (12-15).

With a midweek non-conference game, Westmont’s head coach Tyler LaTorre elected to sit his starters and use his bullpen in a “staffed” game.

“As we get toward the end of the year, it is important that guys get put into different situations,” expressed LaTorre. “Tournament play can be a lot of doubleheaders or starters who have already been used. That’s why Youngerman started for us today, so that he would be able to know what it is like to start a game.”

Sean Youngerman pitched the first three innings for the Warriors allowing two hits and striking out five without giving up a walk.

Laguna Blanca beats Foothill Tech in boys volleyball

On April 11, the Owls defeated Foothill Tech in a home league match 3-0, with scores of 25-9, 2725, and 25-14. This improves the Owl’s overall record to 15-3 and league record to 6-0.

Thomas Couvillion led the Owls with 13 kills, seven digs, and four aces. Tyson Deveze was also a major addition to the owls, adding eight kills, four digs, and two aces to the stat line. Drew Levinson also was a help with five kills and three aces.

Laguna Blanca will play Cate next on April 13.

Santa Barbara baseball loses to Buena

The Dons had a tough game against Buena, barely losing with a score of 3-4.

Liam Keithley started the game as the pitcher for Dons. Keithley lasted four innings, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out six players. Enrique Ramirez and Zeke Adderley entered the game from the bullpen, with Ramirez throwing two and a third innings and Adderley pitching

“Sean set the tone early for us, then we got going offensively with three runs in the first inning,” said LaTorre. “For him to pitch three innings in his first collegiate start is what we were hoping for. When you get to tournament play, you need to have all hands on deck.”

Youngerman was followed by Christopher Ceballos who also pitched three innings, allowing only one hit while striking out four. He also did not issue a walk.

“Ceballos didn’t start out the season the way he, or any of us, had hoped,” acknowledged LaTorre. “He’s been battling back pitching out of the pen and he is settling into that role. For him to have that outing today was special. This is his first full season as a collegiate player.”

Aidan Holly, Zach Yates and Robbie Haw worked the seventh, eighth and ninth innings respectively, collectively giving up one hit.

“We were able to get Holly another inning of work

Please see WESTMONT on A4

SPORTS ROUNDUP

one-third of an inning.

Dane Dawson led Dons with two hits in four at bats.

The Dons will play Buena again on April 14.

Dos Pueblos competes against San Marcos in swim and dive

The Chargers headed over to San Marcos to face their swim and dive team in a cross-city league game. The meet ended in a split result, with the boys winning 9492 and the girls losing 70-109. For the boys, there were many successful races and dives. In the diving competition, John Contakes took second place, Max Maybrun took fourth place, and Jake Kuwata finished in sixth place.

Seniors Nikko Carrillo, Cooper Costello and John Bish helped lead the Chargers to the win over the Royals. Bish took fourth and third in the 200 and 500 freestyle respectively. Carrillo won both of his events, specifically by overtaking San Marcos’ anchor leg in the 400 freestyle relay.

On the girls side, sophomores Addison Parrish and Megan Garner had impressive races in the 100 backstroke. Garner took first place and Parrish took the second spot. Parrish also came in second in the 200 freestyle, while

Barbara native promptly took off for third, and a throwing error from the Spartan catcher allowed him to come home to score the Gauchos’ 12th run.

Michael Rice, Jed Decooman, and Elliot Gallegos combined to finish the game on the mound, with Rice taking the eighth and Decooman the first two outs of the ninth. After three consecutive walks loaded the bases, Gallegos came on and got the final out.

ON THE STAT SHEET

• Sundstrom’s hitting stats from the series make for remarkable reading. He went 5-for-6 at the plate, with a double and a home run, posting six RBI and a 1.500

slugging percentage.

• Nunez was also swinging a hot bat, going 5-for-7 at the plate against the Spartans, recording a double and two RBI of his own.

• Callahan had his finest outing of the season Monday night, pitching 4 2/3 innings, not allowing a run and giving up just one hit, while striking out seven hitters.

• Schrier earned the win in the second game on Tuesday, pitching his longest and strongest outing of the season: five innings, two runs on two hits, with seven strikeouts of his own.

• With their three long balls in the series, UCSB becomes the first team in The Big West to hit 50 home runs this season. No other

team has more than 40.

UP NEXT

The Gauchos are back at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium this weekend, as they will host a three-game series against the UC Irvine Anteaters, April 14-16. First pitch times are set for 5:05 p.m. Friday, 4:05 p.m. Saturday, and 1:05 p.m. Sunday. For fans who cannot make it to the ballpark, all three games will be live on ESPN+ with live stats and an audio-only broadcast available through ucsbgauchos.com.

Eric Boose is assistant director of athletic communications at UCSB. email: sports@newspress.com

Garner took third in the 50m freestyle. Senior Captain Brynn Graham won the 200 individual medley and finished in second for the 100m freestyle. Captain Ava Bennett finished fourth in both the 50m and 100m freestyle and was part of the second place 200m and 100m freestyle relays.

The Chargers will compete against Ventura next on April 18.

San Marcos boys golf plays Oxnard

The Royals boys golf team had a decisive win against Oxnard at their recent match that took place at the Santa Barbara Golf Club. The final score of the match was 388-623. This win improved the Royals overall record to 7-0 and league record to 5-0.

Holdt Gore was a medalist at the match, with a final score of 75. This was the first time he was awarded the medal in his high school career. Brody Ricci, Aaron White, and Himmat Singh posted scores of 78. Ethan Klawuhn and Graham Chapman tied for 5th place, with a score of 79.

“All the guys played really solid and it was exciting to see all of them finish in the 70s,” shared head coach Jeff Ashton. The Royals will play Valencia next at the Sandpiper course on April 13.

- Compiled by Annika Bahnsen

EV battery costs expected to decline

ELECTRIC

Continued from Page A2

For the car industry the EPA standards are expected to drive widespread use of filters to reduce gasoline particulate matter emissions and spur greater deployment of CO2reducing technologies for gasoline-powered vehicles.

The second set of proposed standards announced today, the “Greenhouse Gas Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles - Phase 3,” would apply to heavy-duty vocational vehicles (such as delivery trucks, refuse haulers or dump trucks, public utility trucks, transit, shuttle, school buses) and trucks typically used to haul freight. These standards would complement the criteria pollutant standards for model year 2027 and beyond heavyduty vehicles that EPA finalized in December 2022 and represent the third phase of EPA’s Clean Trucks Plan.

‘There is a dedication to everyone in VADA’

VADA

Continued from Page A1 come from diverse backgrounds and/or socio-economic disadvantages.

This is something that Laura Capps, the County Supervisor for the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors and previous Santa

Barbara Unified Board President, explained in her speech at the press conference, sharing that “over 80% of art in major galleries is white men. This is something that VADA is changing everyday. There is a dedication to everyone in VADA. Compassion and inclusivity are something we value so heavily here.”

Many different supporters,

donors and Santa Barbara Unified board members shared their excitement and thanks to the community, right before they all participated in the “groundbreaking” ceremony.

“We use the word “beacon’,” shared Mr. Barnett, “and it is really an appropriate word, because we are up on a hill where the Santa Barbara community

can see a symbol of what we see as encouraging students in their worth as well as saying to them ‘your creativity is an asset and will help your future.’” If you would like to learn more about the program or construction progress, visit the VADA website at www.vadasbhs.org. email: abahnsen@newspress.com

Westmont planned bullpen game for second straight Tuesday

WESTMONT

Continued from Page A3

and to continue to work Yates back from his delayed start to the season. Robbie has pitched in big moments over the course of his career, which he hasn’t had to do this year. We were able to get him and inning of work. Everything worked out perfectly today.”

The five Warrior pitchers allowed just four hits, struck out 12 and surrendered just one walk.

This is the second Tuesday in a row that Westmont has intentionally staffed the mound with multiple pitchers who normally work out of the pen. Last Tuesday, seven bullpen arms recorded a 10-1 win over Biola. In 18 innings over the last two Tuesday games, the normal relief pitchers have allowed just one run and seven hits while striking out 17.

On the offensive side, Westmont put together two three-run innings. In the first inning, leadoff hitter Michael Soper singled to center then took second with Daniel Patterson recorded an infield single. A single to center by Brady Renck drove in Soper and advanced Patterson to third. With some head’s up baserunning, Renck took second on the play when he caught the Firebird’s infield napping.

Patterson then scored on a sacrifice fly by Justin Rodriguez to right. Renck advanced to third on the play and later scored the inning’s third run on a single to right by Liam Critchett.

Renck went two for four on the day with a run scored and an RBI. His run scored was the 153rd of his career, just four back of the career record held by Michael Stefanic (2015-18) at 157.

“Brady is continuing to be the special player that he is,” noted LaTorre.

With two away in the fourth inning, Kaden Tsuji recorded an infield single to second and was replaced by Bryce McFeely on first base. McFeely stole second before Trey Dunn was walked, giving the Warriors runners at first and second.

Jonah Paez came to the plate and reached on an error by the Firebirds’ first baseman that allowed McFeely to score and Dunn to reach third. Paez, alert that the ball was still live but second base was left uncovered, took second uncontested.

That brought up Jack Fletcher who singled to center field, driving in both Dunn and Paez. Fletcher was two for three at the plate for the Warriors.

“I am very proud of Jack,” expressed LaTorre. “Even though he hasn’t played as much as he would like, he has been a great teammate over the last few weeks. For him to

JOHNSTONE, Lammy Olcott

Lammy passed away at the Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara California at the age of 79. She was born in New York City on January 23, 1944. Her time growing up was spent in New York City and summer homes in Saratoga and Pound Ridge NY. She was a graduate of the Hewett school in New York and Debutant in the New York Infirmary Ball at the Waldorf Astoria. She continued her education at Mercy and Finch Colleges in New York City. It is there where she found her passion for writing and reporting.

She had a long illustrious career in various roles from coast to coast in positions including society reporter for the New York Daily News and LA Times, columnist and senior editor for Ad Week and freelance writer with her work appearing in Good Housekeeping, Women’s Day, Sports Illustrated and Cosmopolitan.

Over the years she had the opportunity to interview a few icons in history including Martin Luther King Jr., Pelé, and Joe Namath. Lammy also was the media consultant who rode across Russia on her own motorcycle with Malcom Forbes.

Later in her career, Lammy joined Macmillan Publishing Co. where she was named president of Showtime Publications division. When Macmillan was sold, she purchased the rights to Showtime and started her own successful company under Olcott Communications.

She eventually landed in Solvang where she has resided for the past 25 + years and has been a passionate member of the community. She was always involved in the local government, charities, exhibitions, and papers. Lammy had many friends and will be deeply missed in her Solvang community.

Her love of animals was apparent as her home was always filled with dogs, cats and birds. All are considered part of her extended family.

Horses were her true passion from an early age. She learned to ride at Ox Ridge in Darien Connecticut and would be seen riding through Central Park in her teenage years. She continued to ride throughout her life and was the proud owner of five horses. We will miss Lammy’s passionate spirit for all things in life.

Lammy was the granddaughter of the late Rita Olcott and the well-known Irish tenor Chauncey Olcott. Mr. Olcott was the performing artist and composer of several Irish songs, including When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, My Wild Irish Rose, and Mother Machree.

Lammy is survived by her brothers, Chauncey and wife Pat of Wilton, CT, Charles Johnstone of New York, NY, and sister Jyll Johnstone and husband Michael Davis of Belvedere, CA. In addition, she is survived by her four nieces, and six grand nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Edmund and Janet Johnstone, and her brother Ned Johnstone.

There will be a service to celebrate her life on Friday April 14th at the Old Mission Santa Inés in Solvang at 11am. Memorials may made to the Happy Endings Animal Rescue Sanctuary of Santa Ynez Valley and the Old Mission Santa Inés in memory of Lammy Johnstone-Kockler.

get the start in center field and put together quality at bats and drive in two runs - I am super proud of him.

“I thought we did enough offensively. The last few weeks we have had big innings. I would hope that as we continue down this stretch that we would put more pressure on the other team in multiple innings.”

Defensively, the Warriors played an error free game.

“I thought it was a good day for us defensively,” said LaTorre, “especially with us giving some days off to guys who have played every weekend. Soper started at short and Patterson started at third base, I thought it was great the way we played defense behind stellar pitching.”

Westmont will finish off the regular season with a three-game series at The Master’s (2611, 10-8) on Friday and Saturday and another three-game series at Ottawa (5-12-1, 13-22-1) the following weekend. The Warriors, who are 15-3 in GSAC play, currently enjoy a two-game lead over #6 Hope International (24-7, 13-5) for first place in the GSAC standings.

Ron Smith is the sports information director at Westmont College.

email: sports@newspress.com

IN MEMORY

ANNA ‘TINA’ LORGE

Your forever devoted husband, loving family, and cherished friends miss you so, so much!

Taking comfort in knowing you are in Heaven with Jesus our Savior, caring, praying, and waiting for us.

Obituary notices are published daily in the Santa Barbara News-Press and also appear on our website www.newspress.com

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standards and needing charging stations require technologies to advance at an equal speed. EV battery costs, which drive up the price of EVs, are expected to decline.

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program to install charging stations throughout the states has a budget of $7.5 million. California expects to receive $384 million of federal funding from that pool.

The California Energy Commission’s approval of a $2.9 billion investment plan last winter, accelerates California’s 2025 electric vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling goals.

The California Air Resources Board directed 70% of a $2.6 billion investment plan in ZEV projects toward disadvantaged and low-income communities, the largest investment of its kind.

“The proposed standards align with commitments made by automakers and U.S. states as they plan to accelerate clean vehicle technologies in the lightand medium-duty fleets in the next 10 to 15 years. Car and truck companies are moving to include electric vehicles as an integral and growing part of current and future product lines, leading to an increasing diversity of clean vehicles for consumers,” the EPA announced.

As consumer demand for electric vehicles grows with the increasing stringent standards, the push for EVs meeting the

“We’re proud of our work here in California that has made our state the national leader in ZEV sales – and now we stand ready to work together to lead the most significant economic transformation since the Industrial Revolution,” Gov. Newsom said.

The EPA’s proposals are informed by robust and inclusive stakeholder engagement with industry, labor, advocates, and community leaders, while the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program secured investment commitments of over $100 billion from private companies to make more EVs. California requires all new car sales to be ZEVs by 2035.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Santa Barbara Unified school officials and personnel involved in the planning and construction of Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts and Design Academy Design Lab & Art Studio break ground on the planned site of the VADA building on Wednesday.

Life theArts

‘Artist Pop-Up’

Jewelry, mosaic, photography available for purchase

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Designers Janey Cinzori, Gina Sylvia and Lori West will present items ranging from sea glass jewelry, ceramics, mosaics and stained glass to photography at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum’s first “Artist Pop-Up” of the year from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

April 22.

Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Ms. Cinzori has followed her passion for and love of the ocean and its surroundings by working in the field of arts and design for more than 30 years.

“My jewelry is an expression of my love for color, shapes, textures and design,” she said. “Inspiration comes from the natural beauty that we live in and the beauty of the people I meet. Everyone has their own style, and I love to create to enhance the beauty of one’s self.”

Her jewelry is handcrafted and designed in her Santa Barbara studio and can be found in many retail locations along the California Coast or at oceanjewelsb. com.

FYI

She has taught drawing, watercolor, acrylic painting, collage and ceramics classes.

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum,113 Harbor Way, will host its first “Artist Pop-Up” of the year from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 22 on the museum’s patio. For more information, call 805-962-8404 or visit sbmm.org.

Partial proceeds of Ms. Cinzori’s sales are donated to local nonprofits working to protect the ocean and the Santa Barbara community.

Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Ms. Sylvia feels a deep connection to the inherent splendor of the local coastline.

As an art instructor for Arts Outreach in the Santa Ynez Valley, she has helped children in the local schools develop their talents as artists.

More recently, she has been creating stained glass, ceramic mosaic animals and landscapes on stone and wood, but she also loves to use soft pastels to capture the beauty in the local scenery.

Lori West has been photographing people and places for more than 40 years. Her true love is portrait and music photography, but during the pandemic, her love of landscape photography grew. For more than 12 years, she has lived in Santa Barbara, where she can capture nature’s beauty almost every day. As much as Ms. West loves photographing people, she also loves the sea, and the colors of the Pacific Ocean dominate her

collection. She regularly travels the coast, but the beauty of Santa Barbara is exhibited in most of her images. Throughout the year, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

presents various pop-up events featuring ocean-themed art, jewelry and books created by some of the area’s artists and authors. The events are free and open to

CALENDAR

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Please email them a full week before the event to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@newspress.com.

TODAY 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Storytelling: 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

the public. For more information about the year’s schedule, go to sbmm.org/santa-barbara-events.

email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

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. to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

7:30 p.m. John Oates, onehalf of the duo of Hall & Oates, will perform at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara. The concert will also feature singersongwriter and guitarist Steve Postell. Tickets cost $45 and $55 for general admission and $106 for VIP seats, which include pre-concert reception.

APRIL 14

7:30 p.m. Nic & Joe — the musical duo of Nicole Lvoff and Joe Woodard — will perform at Roy Restaurant, 7 W. Carrillo Street in Santa Barbara. The two-hour concert will feature music by the Beatles and Joni Mitchell, as well as jazz standards. 8 p.m. Out of the Box Theatre Company will perform “Once” a musical about Guy and Girl, who meet on the streets of Dublin at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in Santa Barbara. Curtain rises at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through April 23. There is limited on-stage seating, for ages 12 and older, and that costs $40. Other tickets cost $35 for general admission and $20 for college students and seniors. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org. Those 17 and younger get free admission but must show their ID at will call. (A preshow concert starts at 7:30 p.m., and the bar will be open during the preshow.) For more details, see the story that will appear in Friday’s News-Press or visit www.outoftheboxtheatre.org.

APRIL 15

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform “Beethoven Dreams” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. The all-Beethoven program will include a collaboration with the Ensemble Theatre Company’s artistic director, Jonathan Fox. Mr. Fox will direct the West Coast premiere of Ella Milch-Sheriff’s staged monodrama, “The Eternal Stranger,” based on one of Beethoven’s dreams. The concert will also feature the symphony playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Symphony No. 4. The concert’s piano soloist is Inna Faliks. Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org. 8 p.m. Out of the Box Theatre

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO Nic & Joe — the musical duo of Nicole Lvoff and Joe Woodard — will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Roy Restaurant, 7 W. Carrillo Street in Santa Barbara.

Janey Cinzori’s jewelry. “My jewelry is an expression of my love for color, shapes, textures and design,” said Ms. Cinzori.

COURTESY IMAGES Lori West’s true love is portrait and music photography, but during the pandemic, her love of landscape photography grew.

Gina Sylvia’s mosaic of an octopus. As an art instructor for Arts Outreach in the Santa Ynez Valley, Ms. Sylvia has helped children in the local schools develop their talents as artists.

Ms. West’s photo of Summerland Beach.

People’s Self-Help Housing receives support from MediCal system

By KIRA LOGAN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

People’s Self-Help Housing has been approved as a Community Support provider for the MediCal (CalAIM) system. This will be offered through its Supportive Housing Program, which is onsite.

Using the help of the Supportive Housing Program through CalAIM, PSHH residents who use MediCal can now access more equitable and person-centered care. According to a news release, this means increased flexibility in navigating Medi-Cal services, and improved quality outcomes, among a myriad of other benefits.

PSHH was awarded more than $70,000 by CenCal Health to support the implementation and expansion of these services.

CalAIM is a long-term effort to transform and strengthen MediCal in hopes of offering California residents a more equitable approach to maximizing their life expectancy and overall health.

“We’re so grateful to be

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1

Company will perform “Once” a musical about Guy and Girl, who meet on the streets of Dublin at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in Santa Barbara. Curtain rises at 8 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m.

Sundays through April 23. There is limited on-stage seating, for ages 12 and older, and that costs $40.

Other tickets cost $35 for general admission and $20 for college students and seniors. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org. Those 17 and younger get free admission but must show their ID at will call. (A pre-show concert starts at 7:30 p.m. April 15, and the bar will be open during the preshow.) For more details, see the story that will appear in Friday’s News-Press or visit www.outoftheboxtheatre.org.

APRIL 16

2 p.m. Out of the Box Theatre Company will perform “Once” a musical about Guy and Girl, who meet on the streets of Dublin at Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in Santa Barbara. Curtain rises at 8 p.m.

able to serve our residents in this new, expanded capacity,” said Rick Gulino, director of PSSH Resident Services and Neighborhood Development.

“The services administered through our Supportive Housing Program are critical to our efforts of bringing sustained stability and compassionate care to our neighborhoods.”

The PSHH program offers free and confidential case management, including onsite care, to more than 5,000 people in three counties.

The PSHH collaborates with other 70 local area agencies, helping to connect patients to resources and programs for healing and wellness. Mental health support, food distribution, rental assistance and health screenings are a few of the many collaborations PSHH incorporates.

To learn more, visit pshhc.org or dhcs.ca.gov.

email: klogan@newspress.com

Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through April 23. There is limited on-stage seating, for ages 12 and older, and that costs $40. Other tickets cost $35 for general admission and $20 for college students and seniors. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org. Those 17 and younger get free admission but must show their ID at will call. (A pre-show concert starts at 1:30 p.m. April 16, and the bar will be open during the preshow.) For more details, see the story that will appear in Friday’s News-Press or visit www.outoftheboxtheatre.org.

3 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform “Beethoven Dreams” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. The all-Beethoven program will include a collaboration with the Ensemble Theatre Company’s artistic director, Jonathan Fox. Mr. Fox will direct the West Coast premiere of Ella Milch-Sheriff’s staged monodrama, “The Eternal Stranger,” based on one of Beethoven’s dreams. The concert will also feature the symphony playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Symphony No. 4. The concert’s piano soloist is Inna Faliks. Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

— Dave Mason

Fresh blueberries

The first spring harvest of fresh blueberries started a couple of weeks ago, and the quantity and quality continues to be enhanced on a daily basis.

While fresh blueberries are available most of the year when grown under hoop houses in our area, the most full flavored are those produced out of the hoops during their standard season, which runs from approximately April through October. These blue to purple berries are plump and delicious, loaded with antioxidants, dietary fiber, and a list of essential vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy.

Fresh locally grown blueberries are excellent any time of the day, whether incorporated into your regular meals or as a mid-morning or afternoon snack. You can find fresh blueberries from several local growers and available at all weekly Santa Barbara Certified farmers’ markets.

This week I prepared a blueberry and apple crisp, the Fix of the Week, below. Price averages $5 per basket.

Hass avocados

The local Hass avocado season is officially under way, with fruit finally reaching appropriate oil content levels, delivering that smooth buttery texture and subtly sweet and nutty flavor.

The best tasting of the varieties

to emerge all year, local Hass are excellent for your morning avocado toast, used to make guacamole, to dice over a salad, or enjoy on a sandwich or burger. I prefer to select Hass avocados that are still in their firm-ripe stage, making them easier to peel and work with in the kitchen.

Grown from several local farmers throughout the greater Santa Barbara area, the price averages $3.50 per pound. Certified organic is available.

Maple pecan butter

Maple pecan butter has been flying off the shelves at the Avila and Sons Farm stand at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real, Tuesday Santa Barbara, Wednesday Solvang, and Thursday Carpinteria farmers’ markets.

It’s often difficult to choose from the stand’s array of pistachio, peanut and almond offerings, but this week I grabbed a jar of pecanbased butter, produced from Avila and Sons’ rich and flavorful annual harvest of pecans grown in Hanford. This spread has a very distinct pecan flavor throughout, with sweet notes of maple worked in.

Spread maple pecan butter over a tart apple, use it on a sandwich, or incorporate it into baked goods. It is also delicious served with ice cream. Price averages $13 per 8-ounce jar.

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

Fix of the Week

The spring harvest of fresh berries along our coastal and inland area has officially begun. The longer day with persistently warming conditions accelerates the transformation from blossom to ripe fruit on the plant. April is when the first true seasonal push begins, starting with the strawberries, and closely followed by blueberries, raspberries, olallieberries and blackberries. Antioxidant rich berries of all shapes, sizes, colors, flavors and textures will soon be readily available at all weekly farmers markets from our local growers.

Fresh berries have seen quite an expansion in seasonal availability over the past 10 years, primarily due to the use of hoop houses.

Hoop Houses allow for a heated micro-climate for the plants to thrive during the cooler times of year. Plants are still placed in the ground outdoors, but are protected from much of the elements which would normally hamper their growth during the winter months.

Such hoop houses are particularly evident in Ventura, Oxnard and Santa Maria when driving along Highway 101, as well as in San Luis Obispo County.

When selecting your blueberries, a general rule of thumb is the darker the berry, the sweeter it will be. Larger blueberries generally tend to be sweeter. They should possess a nice blue to purple hue across their entire surface, free of any green.

Once home, blueberries are best kept refrigerated, unless they are going to be enjoyed within 24 hours. I usually refrain from

washing my blueberries until I am ready to eat them, as any moisture on the berry in the refrigerator will cause them to break down much faster. They can be stored in a food storage container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. If you leave them uncovered in the fridge, they tend to shrivel and dry rather quickly. Blueberries can be enjoyed in an array of ways, but this week I incorporated them into a delicious blueberry apple crisp.

BLUEBERRY APPLE CRISP

3 cups sliced and peeled apples.

2 cups blueberries.

2 tablespoons flour.

2 tablespoons granulated sugar. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. For the topping:

2/3 cup packed brown sugar.

½ cup flour.

½ cup rolled oats. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.

1/3 cup butter, softened.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine apples and blueberries and toss with flour and sugar until evenly coated. Place contents in a lightly sprayed

8- by 8-inch baking dish. Make the topping in your mixing bowl by tossing sugar, flour, oats and cinnamon.

Then work in your butter with a fork or using your hands to form nice crumbly clumps of topping. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit and place in the oven. Cook for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the apples are soft. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Yield: Serves 6.

SAM EDELMAN PHOTO

Thought for Today

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”

— Saint Augustine

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Thursday, April 13, 2023

ARIES — Your level of physical and mental energy is high today, Aries. You may have been overindulging in food and drink lately, and so you could spend much of the day working out at the gym. Take a good book to read in the sauna, because you will also want the mental stimulation.

TAURUS — A memory, dream, vision, or meditation could trigger a rush of spiritual energy, Taurus. As a result, you might want to jot your experiences down so you won’t forget them. Try not to dwell on it too much. This isn’t the time to be reclusive! The process won’t stop. The insights should continue to come.

GEMINI — A message from a friend could make your day, Gemini. The good news may involve travel, money, or a love relationship. There could also be an intellectual matter that you’re anxious to look into, perhaps for the purpose of writing or teaching. A journey, possibly related to education, could be in the offing, perhaps with friends.

CANCER — The planetary energy leaves you in a contemplative mood, Cancer.

A lot of different possibilities have opened up for you recently, and you’re trying to figure out which is the most appropriate now. Sometimes it’s better to let things churn around in your subconscious for a while, and this could be one of those times. Forget it for now and have fun.

LEO — Talk of traveling to distant and exotic places could come up at a gathering of family and friends, Leo. Some of the talk is pure fantasy, but there are a few people among you who are genuinely serious about their plans. Are you considering going away for a while? If so, you might listen to what your friends have to say.

VIRGO — Career matters may be put on hold for a few days, Virgo, but your professional future probably won’t be far from your thoughts, even in the midst of time spent with family and friends. You want to improve your financial situation, and a number of possibilities have come up. Don’t mull them over too much now.

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Thursday, April 13, 2023

Preempts have been around forever. Players who embrace an undisciplined, hyperactive style tend to remember their triumphs and forget their losses.

There was nothing hyper about West’s preemptive jump to two spades; it would have been chosen by many players. But North-South still reached six hearts. West led the queen of clubs, and South won with the king, drew trumps, took the ace of clubs and ruffed dummy’s last club.

South next cashed three diamonds and, placing West with 6-1-2-4 distribution, played a low spade from both hands. The defender who won was end-played. Making six.

BLUEPRINT

If West doesn’t bid, North-South will get to slam, but without a blueprint of the distribution, South may try for a 12th trick by taking the ace of spades and leading toward his queen. I’m certainly not anti-preemption, but you must accept occasional losses. You may induce the opponents to bid with all the more resolve and reach an unlikely contract, then help them judge the play.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: Q 5 3

LIBRA — So many fascinating ideas have come your way over the past few days that your mind is spinning. Some of what you’ve heard could be so radical that it will take some time to make sense of it. You could also want to memorialize your thoughts, perhaps by making some notes or writing an article. Watching TV might get your mind off it all and help you relax a little. Go to it!

SCORPIO — A deep, intimate conversation could take place today between you and a romantic interest, Scorpio. If this is a casual relationship, it may suddenly become more. If you’re involved but not committed, you could reach an understanding. If you’re already committed, there may even be talk of marriage.

SAGITTARIUS — This morning you may wake up from a dream with many inspiring new ideas. If you’re into creative activity of any kind, you will want to jot these ideas down, as well as possibilities for bringing them to the rest of the world. This could be through music, painting, writing, or any kind of art form.

CAPRICORN — A few extra things need to be done around the house today, Capricorn. A few more letters need to be written, a few more cleaning chores should be done, and you might still want to dress the place up a little. Your mood is very positive, and you should speed through these tasks with little energy drain. You will have plenty left for socializing tonight.

AQUARIUS — Children may be a part of your day today, Aquarius. You might attend a party for children or a larger gathering that includes them. At some point you might even be telling them a story. This will probably be as much fun for you as for your audience, who are likely to be very appreciative. Don’t be afraid to ham it up a little - they’ll love it!

PISCES — Books that you may have received as gifts could have you thinking deeply about spiritual or philosophical matters today, Pisces. Your mind is quicker than usual, so you can probably grasp some rather complex ideas. Your practical side could bring up doubts as to the applicability of what you’re learning, but don’t worry about that.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

Q 9 5 3

Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your right,

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-Saturday and on the crossword solutions page in Saturday’s Life section.

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

opens one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: To enter the auction, you must weigh your prospects of gain against loss. If your partner has heart support and a decent hand, you might reach a makeable game. But that is against the odds, and if he has nothing, you may be doubled and clobbered. Your hand looks better for defense, especially with Q-x-x in spades. Pass. South dealer

vulnerable

North Dakota judge blocks controversial water rule

By KIM JARRETT THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) - North Dakota U.S. District Court

Judge Daniel Hovland issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday that blocked the implementation of the Biden administration’s clean water rule, also known as WOTUS.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers published the rule on Jan. 18 that brings the country’s wetlands, streams and other waterways under federal jurisdiction. The rule was implemented during the Obama administration and repealed under the Trump administration.

Twenty-three states and several organizations joined North Dakota in the lawsuit filed on Feb. 21.

Judge Hovland said in his order that the EPA exceeded its statutory authority and could be unconstitutional.

“The first category under the new Rule are traditional navigable waters, territorial seas, and interstate waters,” Judge Hovland said. “The EPA has now taken the position that ‘interstate waters’ includes all such waters—even those that are not ‘connected to navigable waters’ in any manner. There are serious questions whether this is a permissible construction of the Clean Water Act as the Rule essentially reads nonnavigability out of the Act. And does the Clean Water Act support making every wetland, stream, tributary or other water traversing a border subject to federal jurisdiction?”

Judge Hovland said claims by North Dakota and West Virginia officials that the rule would cause their agencies harm outweighed the harm the injunction could do.

“An injunction at this early stage can avoid the massive waste of resources and delayed projects in pursuit of permits that may soon be legally irrelevant,” Judge Hovland said.

“By contrast, the EPA will not

Questionable COVID-relief spending allegations pile up

schools, sparking backlash.

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Lawmakers are outraged after reports that federal COVIDrelief tax dollars may have gone to wealthy hospitals while avoiding helping out poor hospitals in recovering from the pandemic.

spending post pandemic, most of which has already been spent.

““Even though state and local governments did not see a meaningful drop in tax revenue, Congress still shoveled hundreds of billions of dollars in ‘relief’ their way,” Mr. Ditch said.

suffer any real harm that would justify a denial of injunctive relief. And any potential harm the federal agencies may suffer from compliance with an injunction is not enough to tip the scales at this stage. In fact, it is difficult to see what those potential harms may be.”

The EPA said in an email to The Center Square that the agencies are reviewing the decision and their options.

“The agencies continue to believe the rule, which is informed by the text of the relevant provisions of the Clean Water Act and the statute as a whole, as well as the scientific record, relevant Supreme Court case law, input from public comment, and the agencies’ experience and technical expertise after more than 45 years of implementing the longstanding pre-2015 regulations defining waters of the United States, is the best interpretation of the Clean Water Act,” the agency said. “In light of the preliminary injunctions, the agencies are interpreting ‘waters of the United States”’ consistent with the pre-2015 regulatory regime in 26 States until further notice. The agencies remain committed to establishing and implementing a durable definition of “waters of the United States” informed by diverse perspectives.”

Gov. Doug Burgum said the rule would have created confusion and driven up costs for consumers.

“North Dakota has some of the cleanest air and water in the nation because we responsibly develop our natural resources and properly exercise our state’s authority to protect our own waters from pollution,” Gov. Burgum said.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond also praised the ruling.

“The Biden administration routinely infringes on the 10th Amendment rights of Oklahoma and other states, but today the Court put that overreach on hold,” Mr. Drummond said in a statement.

Republican members of Congress have raised this very question, asking why $17 billion of COVID-19 relief funds was used by hospitals with profits topping more than $53 billion, “while $35 billion went to hospitals that reported a loss of almost $130 billion.”

House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., launched an investigation this week into the Department of Health and Human Services over the matter, the latest of several questions about about how trillions of COVID-19 relief dollars were spent, or misspent.

“The federal spending spree during the COVID-19 pandemic produced historic amounts of waste and fraud, and American families are paying a steep price as a result,” Heritage Foundation Budget expert David Ditch told The Center Square. “The exact amount is impossible to calculate because so much was given in so many directions.”

The lawmakers sent a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra demanding answers for why rural hospitals were “battling bankruptcy” while wealthier hospitals received more funds.

“It is crucial that we understand how the Department of Health and Human Services distributed these funds to hospitals that did not need it while hospitals in need received minimal benefit,” the letter said. “We request documents and communications to assist the Committee’s oversight of HHS’s administration of COVID-19 relief funds to low-income hospitals.”

This isn’t the first time COVID-19 relief funding has come under scrutiny. Lawmakers passed six bills totaling about $4.6 trillion in

“With money to burn, states embarked on a spending spree of their own that featured boondoggles, corporate welfare, and food stamp expansions for wealthy households.”

Much of the funding passed in the wake of COVID-19 was lost to waste, fraud and abuse, watchdog groups say.

“Massive increases in federal unemployment benefits led to individuals and criminal networks targeting the program for easy money, to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars in fraudulent claims,” Mr. Ditch said. “The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) also suffered from large amounts of fraud, with just one notable example including a Georgia man using a PPP loan to buy a $57,000 Pokémon trading card.”

The Government Accountability Office has documented this kind of waste at length. From GAO’s February report: While fraud and accountability issues will continue to occur in COVID-19 relief programs, there is already ample evidence of widespread fraud, improper payments, and accountability deficiencies during the pandemic. For example, GAO found that from March 2020 through January 13, 2023, at least 1,044 individuals pleaded guilty to or were convicted at trial of federal charges of defrauding COVID-19 relief programs. This includes the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (COVID-19 EIDL) program, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs, and economic impact payments issued by the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service.

As The Center Square previously reported, billions of dollars went to “equity warriors” in

“For example, California used ESSER funds for training in ‘environmental literacy,’ ‘ethnic studies,’ and ‘LGBTQ+ cultural competency,’” Republican lawmakers said in a letter last year to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. “New York used part of the $9 billion it received to provide staff development on ‘culturally responsive sustaining instruction’ and ‘privilege’ and to recognize ‘equity warriors.’ Illinois received $5.1 billion, which it partially used to emphasize ‘equity and diversity’ and make ‘equity driven investments.’ At least ten other state plans included proposals to use the ESSER funds to implement racially biased curriculum and programs based on Critical Race Theory.”

The federal Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan were reportedly rushing funds out the door, leading to significant issues. Unemployment insurance also saw high levels of waste.

The Department of Labor Inspector General estimated about 42% of the pandemic unemployment dollars were misspent, with 20% going to fraudulent recipients. “[Employment and Training Administration] and states made significant efforts; however, they did not protect pandemic-related UI funds from historic levels of improper payments, including fraud,” the IG said in its report from last September. “We attribute this to four causes.”

The watchdog group pointed to government failures that allowed “large-scale fraud.”

“Specifically, states did not perform eligibility testing, ETA’s oversight was not timely enough, PUA initially allowed claimants to self-certify their eligibility, and ETA suspended 1 of their primary oversight tools for the first 3 months of the CARES Act,” the report said. “Furthermore, ETA’s interpretation of its regulations hindered the OIG’s timely and complete access to state UI claims data to assist in detecting and deterring large-scale fraud.”

Inflation rises again in March, but at slower pace

By CASEY HARPER

THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Inflation rose again in March, but at a slower pace than previous months, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics latest consumer pricing data shows.

The Consumer Price Index rose 0.1% in March, contributing to a 5% rise over the last 12 months, about double what economists say is a healthy inflation rate. Price changes varied by the respective goods and services.

“The food at home index fell 0.3 percent over the month, the first decline in that index since September 2020,” BLS

said. “Three of the six major grocery store food group indexes decreased over the month. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs decreased 1.4 percent in March as the index for eggs fell 10.9 percent. The fruits and vegetables index declined 1.3 percent over the month, and the dairy and related products index decreased 0.1 percent.”

Inflation’s increase is much slower than earlier in President Joe Biden’s term, but economists are not certain that a downward trend could continue.

“Some reasons to expect inflation to slow, like lagged shelter [and] possibly labor cooling,” Jason Furman, an

economist and Harvard Professor, wrote on Twitter. “But would be a mistake to extrapolate from the fact that inflation is slower now than 6 months ago to predict it will be even slower 6 months from now. Best to think of a ~4% pace.”

President Biden took fire for the price increases after the data was released. Prices have steadily risen during his administration, fueled in part by trillions of dollars in federal debt spending, which the federal government helps offset by printing money.

“Since Joe Biden took office, inflation has risen 15.4% and has remained extraordinarily high,” U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said.

“Now, by ignoring the opportunity to fix this with the debt ceiling, Biden is showing he has no plan to get America’s fiscal house in order. We can’t accept that. Now is the time to make structural spending reforms that bring fiscal sanity back to America.” Republicans also point to this data and elevated debt levels as evidence of the need for spending cuts ahead of the debt limit deadline. The U.S. Treasury has given lawmakers a soonapproaching deadline to raise the debt ceiling or face defaulting on the national debt. Experts remain uncertain how this will affect the Federal Reserve’s rate hike decisions.

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