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U.S. plans exit from Afghanistan President announces withdrawal of all troops by 9/11 By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
President Joe Biden officially announced Wednesday that he will be withdrawing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021.
President Joe Biden formally announced Wednesday morning that he will withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021. The exit date marks the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, which began
the United States’ longest war in history, the War on Terror. “We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan, hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal, expecting a different result,” the president announced from the White House Treaty Room, where President George W. Bush announced the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2001. “I am now the fourth American president to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan — two Republicans, two Democrats. I
will not pass this responsibility to a fifth.” He added that “diplomacy does not hinge on having boots in harm’s way.” There are officially 2,500 troops in Afghanistan currently, but the fluctuating number is more like 3,500. There are 7,000 additional troops in the coalition, the majority of which are NATO troops, according to national media reports. This decision will keep thousands of U.S. forces in Afghanistan beyond the Trump administration’s May 1 exit deadline that the former
BCycle’s low-income option By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Please see E-BIKES on A2
Please see TROOPS on A4
Health and Human Services groups make budget pitch
E-bike pilot program provides discounted subscription for 30-min rides By now, BCycle’s white electric bikes and their docks can often be spotted around downtown Santa Barbara. The recent pilot program — an effort by the city to determine if a bike sharing system fits Santa Barbara — is offering a lowincome pass option for residents who may not be able to afford monthly or annual passes. The monthly pass costs $30, and the annual, $150. Both include unlimited 30-minute trips and charge $3 for every additional 30 minutes after that. However, eligible low-income residents have the opportunity to pay just $25 for an annual pass — and no one has signed up yet. “This program has always been an important part of bike share and to the city of Santa Barbara,” Jesse Rosenberg, general manager of BCycle, told the News-Press. “Bike share is about serving all demographics of the community, and if we are not hitting everyone, we are not successfully completing our bike share mission: Change the world by getting more people on bikes.” There are currently around 140 docks in the ground and 70 bikes around downtown Santa Barbara, upper State Street and the Eastside and Westside. On average, Ms. Rosenberg said BCycle sees anywhere from 100 to 120 rides per day, with anywhere
president negotiated last year with the Taliban. America’s longest war has cost the lives of more than 2,000 U.S. service members and trillions of U.S. dollars. In addition, at least 100,000 Afghan civilians have been killed or injured, the Washington Post reported. U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, praised the commander-in-chief’s announcement. “Half the service members who have been killed in the war in Afghanistan were children
By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
First 5 Santa Barbara County is setting its sights on reaching each of the county’s 27,000 children who are 5 and younger. The state-run program, which invests in childhood development, health and family support programs for young children, is seeking to expand its efforts by increasing outreach to parents and childcare workers in the coming fiscal year. The group is making an immediate goal of reaching half of the county’s children with its services, while trekking toward its long-term goal of reaching all 27,000. The organization is just one of a number of county departments eyeing monumental goals in fiscal year 2021-22. During the Board of Supervisors’ second budget hearing of the week, officials heard from leaders in the county’s Health and Human Services sector. Directors from each branch of the department presented their proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, while highlighting key achievements over the past year and goals for the future. First 5 is proposing an operating budget of $3.8 million. A portion of this budget will
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS
BCycle, Santa Barbara’s pilot bike share program, is offering a discounted annual bike pass for lowincome residents — $25 for a year of unlimited 30-minute rides as opposed to the regular $150 cost for the annual pass.
fund an ongoing Dual Language Learning pilot program that aims to beef up existing infrastructure for educators to support multilingual students. First 5 recently received more than $550,000 in state funding to institute this project, the department reported during Wednesday’s meeting. These efforts to promote DLL within school systems align with the organization’s goal to promote equitable practices within programming, Executive Director Wendy Sims-Moten told supervisors Wednesday. “We want all of our children and families to appreciate their diverse backgrounds and have access to high quality and culturally competent programs and services so they can reach their full potential,” Ms. SimsMoten said. Other branches of the Health and Human Services sector are also prioritizing services for families and children in the coming fiscal year. The county’s Social Services Department is proposing a budget of more than $190 million for the next fiscal year, setting sights on improving IT infrastructure, creating a text reminder system to remind clients about important meetings and implementing a Santa Please see BUDGET on A2
First-degree murder charge filed in Kristin Smart case By MITCHELL WHITE NEWS-PRESS ASSOCIATE EDITOR
San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow on Wednesday said Paul Flores raped or attempted to rape and then killed missing Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. Paul Flores, 44, was arrested Tuesday morning in San Pedro. He was charged with firstdegree murder by the D.A.’s office Wednesday, while his father, Ruben Flores, 80, was charged as an accessory after the fact to murder. Ruben Flores is accused
of helping to conceal Kristin’s body after the murder was committed, Mr. Dow said. Both defendants are expected to appear for arraignment at 8:30 this morning in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. “These charges mark a major milestone,” Mr. Dow said during a press conference at the San Luis Obispo Superior Court courthouse on Wednesday while discussing the charges in the nearly 25-yearold case. “For more than two decades, three sheriffs, three district attorneys and countless investigators have worked to bring
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held on $250,000 bail. Deputy District Attorney Chris Peuvrelle will be the lead prosecutor in the case. Mr. Peuvrelle said Wednesday the prosecution may ask for a higher bail amount during arraignment. It will be up to a judge as to whether the case is heard in San Luis Obispo or moved to a different venue. While authorities have yet to locate Ms. Smart’s remains, Mr. Dow said his office has filed a “no body” homicide on at least Please see SMART on A4
COURTESY PHOTOS
At left, Paul Ruben Flores was charged with first-degree murder on Wednesday. Prosecutors say he raped or attempted to rape and then killed missing Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. At right, Ruben Flores was charged as an accessory after the fact to murder, and is accused of helping to conceal Kristin’s body after the murder was committed, prosecutors said.
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justice to Kristin Smart.” Mr. Dow said the Smart family has been “incredibly gracious” over the past 25 years. “They have willed this moment to happen,” he said, “and we owe them a debt of gratitude.” After the case was turned over to the district attorney’s office on Tuesday, Mr. Dow said his team has “carefully reviewed the case, and concluded independently that we do have enough evidence to go forward and prosecute both Mr. Paul Flores and Ruben Flores.” Paul Flores is being held without bail, while Ruben is being
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Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 7-10-20-28-33 Meganumber: 15
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 4-0-4-4
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 10-15-19-45-68 Meganumber: 9
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 6-27-28-32-36
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 07-12-04 Time: 1:45.12
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Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 1-0-7 / Wednesday’s Midday: 3-9-2