Gauchos have a longdistance touch
Special pizzas Rusty’s Pizza Parlor and Outside Aisle Work to create cauliflower crust - A5
Our 165th Year
UCSB men’s basketball team stays close with a viral connection- A10
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T H U R S DAY, AUGUS T 6 , 2 0 2 0
Feeling the Spirit
Spaceport seen as Vandenberg’s destiny
Old Spanish Days kicks of COVID-modified Fiesta with La Fiesta Pequena telecast
Organizations announce united efforts By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
Kenneth song/NEWS-PRESS
Officials talked excitedly Wednesday about Vandenberg Air Force Base’s future — one that could lead to thousands of new jobs. It depends on establishing a thriving spaceport. “Vandenberg is space country,” an upbeat Col. Anthony Mastalir, 30th Space Wing commander at Vandenberg, told the News-Press and other media Wednesday. Col. Mastalir spoke during online news conferences that announced a memorandum of understanding among the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the 30th Space Wing, Cal Poly, REACH and Deloitte Consulting LLP. The memorandum covers the development of a master plan for the space program at Vandenberg, which has been a launch site for unmanned NASA and military missions. The agreement includes identifying the required infrastructure, human capital development, governance and financing needed to support the U.S. Space Force mission. The memorandum also emphasizes making California a global leader in the commercial space industry.
Col. Anthony Mastalir
Wednesday’s news conferences included representatives of the participants in the master plan. Speakers also included Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, R-San Luis Obispo, and Josh Brost, vice president of business development of Relativity Space, which is manufacturing rockets through 3D-printing and setting up a new launch space at Vandenberg. The parties are working toward making Vandenberg a thriving spaceport. That could lead to many new jobs at the base and support industries. Please see space on A2
The 2020 Spirit of Fiesta Alena Velasco performs during Wednesday night’s opening ceremony for Old Spanish Days.
By JOSH GREGA NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Rather than the grand, in-person spectacular performed before a large crowd at the Santa Barbara Mission, Old Spanish Days began this year’s Fiesta with what el presidente Erik Davis called “the Santa Barbara televised event of the year.” The kickoff performance for this year’s Fiesta, La Fiesta Pequena, was broadcast Wednesday night in a program on KEYT Newschannel 3 and showcased a mix of live performances, interviews, and archival footage from past Fiestas.
Because a majori- To see streaming video singers Irma Segura ty of the local festival and Josue Hernandez GO TO has been driven to a later in the newspress.com presented virtual format due to show. COVID-19, the live porMr. Villa’s song was tion of the televised Fiesta Pequena then followed by archival Fiesta was performed without an audience Pequena performances by Grupo at KEYT’s studio on TV Hill over- Folkorico de West L.A. and Sahagun looking Santa Barbara. KEYT co- Dance Group from 2018 and 2017, reanchors C.J. Ward and Beth Farns- spectively. Other dances from past worth hosted the program. Fiesta Pequenas included a 2017 After opening prayers from James performance by Danza De Cota, a Yee of the Barbareno Band of Chu- 2013 performance by Las Fiesteras, mash Indians and Father Larry Gos- and a 2015 performance by Baile selin, operatic tenor Eduardo Villa Folklorico “Bell Arts,” and a 2016 sang the first live vocal performance performance by Cruz Dance and of the evening, with another two from Entertainment.
The broadcast also featured live performances from this year’s Spirit of Fiesta Alena Velasco, 18, and Junior Spirit of Fiesta Alexandra Nocker, 10. The former danced to Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalia’s “Pienso en tu mira,” while the Junior Spirit danced to “Cambalache” by Fernando Terremoto. Both songs are in the flamenco style buleria, and the Rosalia song marries traditional flamenco with modern pop music, according to Alena. The Spirit of Fiesta told the News-Press on Tuesday that dancPlease see spirit on A2
Fiesta kicks off with ribbon cutting By: BRIAN MACKLEY NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS
Present at the 96th annual Fiesta days ribbon cutting ceremony were: El Secretario, David Bolton (Back Left), Saint Barbara (Back Middle), La Primera Vice Presidente, Stephanie Petlow (Back Right), The 2020 Spirit of Fiesta, Alena Velasco (Front Right), El Presidente, Erik Davis (Second on the right), Santa Barbara City Councilmember, Eric Friedman (Front and center), External Relations and Education Division Chief, Angelique Davis (Second on the left), and The 2020 Junior Spirit of Fiesta, Alexandra Nocker (Front Left).
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Community members came together on Wednesday at Santa Barbara City Hall to celebrate the official ribbon-cutting ceremony of Old Spanish Days 2020 Fiesta. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is an annual tradition that marks the kick-off of the local celebration each year. Present at the 96th annual Fiesta days ribbon cutting ceremony were El Presidente, Erik Davis, El Secretario, David Bolton, Saint Barbara, La Primera Vice Presidente, Stephanie Petlow, The 2020 Spirit of Fiesta, Alena Velasco, External Relations and Education Division Chief, Angelique Davis, The 2020 Junior Spirit of Fiesta, Alexandra
Nocker, and Santa Barbara City Councilmember, Eric Friedman. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many typical Fiesta events are being conducted virtually this year. According to El Presidente Davis, Wednesday’s events will be highlighted by a live broadcast known as La Fiesta Pequena. Beginning at 8 p.m. on KEYT, La Fiesta Pequena is an annual tradition that features live performances by the Spirit of Fiesta, the Jr. Spirit of Fiesta and other live musical acts. El President Davis told the News-Press that although it may be strange to celebrate some Fiesta events virtually, it’s already been a strange year. He thinks with everything that has happened this year, everybody Please see ribbon on A4
Goleta agrees on train depot project By JORGE MERCADO NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Goleta City Council held a special meeting Wednesday afternoon to get an update from the staff on the Goleta Train Depot Project as well as voting unanimously to select the “traditional theme” over the “sunrise” and “schooner” themes for the design. Once completed, the Goleta Train Depot will be a full-service multi-modal train station next to the existing Amtrak platform on South La Patera Lane. The “traditional” design takes inspiration from Goleta’s agricultural history as well as the historic nature of many of the historical train depots found throughout California, including Goleta’s historic depot that now serves as the home of the South Coast Railroad Museum. “I’m glad we are moving forward. There seems to be a positive team here and that is always good news for a project,” Anil Verma, owner of Anil Verma V Associate, said during Wednesday’s special meeting. “What is really exciting about this project, the site is located right between the 101 (freeway) and the ocean and mountains, and so it’s just a magnificent area to be dealing with.” Additionally, the council also voted to defer a decision on roadway improvements from Hollister Avenue to the terminus of South La Patera Lane to the Fall of 2020.
“Thank you Madam Chair and members of the council for your support of the project. We look forward to our continued work with the community in moving this wonderful project forward and bringing it to Goleta,” Vyto Adomaitis, Department of Neighborhood Services & Public Safety Director, said. “When it’s built -- as you can just see from the drawings alone -- it’s going to be an incredible project for our community, and we look forward to seeing you in October with discussion about the public improvements on La Patera.” The project is being designed by Anil Verma Associate. The project is expected not to exceed $2.4 million dollars with the term of agreement expiring on June 30, 2022. In terms of cost, the “traditional” theme was the most economical choice as the other two would have cost slightly more. Also, now that the council has settled on the theme of the project, this allows the design team to focus deeper on the construction and the details of what to add. “For the purposes of trying to get a project afloat and getting people to comment on it can be really hard to have some kind of a starting point, so you can’t have too many variables at one point,” Mr. Verma said. He also added that regardless which theme was selected, they all would be built the same and acPlease see depot on A9
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L O T T E RY RESU LTS
Comics................. A8 Classified.............. A9 Life.................... A 5-6
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 2-4-5-40-47 Meganumber: 16
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 3-7-0-2
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 2-22-30-42-62 Meganumber: 20
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 22-26-27-32-39
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 04-03-06 Time: 1:41.84
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 7-14-17-57-65 Meganumber: 24
Obituaries........... A10 Soduku................. A7 Weather.............. A10
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 3-2-9 / Wednesday’s Midday 5-5-8