Santa Barbara News-Press: November 17, 2022

Moon and beyond

NASA sends uncrewed Artemis I to the moon as the first step toward a base there and eventually a crewed mission to Mars

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Today, the moon.

Tomorrow, Mars.

At least that’s NASA’s plan as the space agency prepares to send astronauts back to the moon for the first time since 1972.

The space agency took a giant leap closer with the launch of the uncrewed, Artemis I mission for a trip to the moon. The most powerful rocket in NASA’s history — the Space Launch System — blasted off from Pad 39B at 1:47 a.m. EST Wednesday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with the Orion capsule on top of it.

The launch was a sweet victory after two previous launches were scrubbed — first on Aug. 29 because of a faulty temperature sensor, then again on Sept. 4 because of a liquid hydrogen leak. Repairs were made, and the Space Launch System impressed NASA officials and fans of space missions as Wednesday’s launch set the stage for the big prize: bringing astronauts back on the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

NASA plans to do that in 2025 when Artemis III puts the first woman and the first person of color on the moon.

And NASA has said that getting back to the moon is an important step to eventually sending the first astronauts to Mars.

During the Artemis I mission, the Orion capsule will travel approximately 40,000 miles to the moon and return to Earth over 25.5 days.

“It’s taken a lot to get here, but Orion is

ELECTiOn 2022

Stoker concedes Assembly race

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Mike Stoker has conceded the 37th Assembly District race to Gregg Hart.

Mr. Hart, the Democratic candidate, won the race with 72,357 votes or 59.29% of the ballots cast, according to the latest unofficial results Tuesday night from the county Elections Office.

Mr. Stoker, the Republican candidate, garnered 49,687 votes or 40.71%.

On the night of the Nov. 8 election, Mr. Stoker, a former regional Environmental Protection Agency administrator, held out hope that votes would lean in his direction. But the trend continued to favor Mr. Hart, who currently represents the 2nd District on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

“Our campaign no longer has a path to victory,” Mr. Stoker told the News-Press and others in a statement. “As a result, I called

ELECTiOn 2022

Clark grateful to supporters after victory in Carpinteria

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Carpinteria Vice Mayor Al Clark claimed victory Wednesday over his two campaign rivals to win another four years on the city council, representing District 5. He told the News-Press he was thankful for all the support he received in this year’s election contest against Councilmember Gregg Carty and political newcomer Patrick O’Connor.

“I am grateful for the (outpouring) of support for my ideas and plans for how Carpinteria should grow,” he said. “The voter outreach strategy of knocking on every door helped me listen to many people in the district. My wish is that all Carpinterians stay engaged in the political process and we engage in a true public dialogue going forward.”

Vice Mayor Clark, a 16-year council member, received 502 votes, or 54.15%, versus Councilmember Carty, who garnered 320 votes, or 34.52% of the votes cast on Nov. 8.

His margin of victory was 182 votes, as opposed to the 136vote difference between the two candidates on Election Night.

Mr. O’Connor received 93 votes, or 10.03% as listed in the postelection first update.

The election results still need to

be certified.

Using the campaign theme, “Let’s keep Carpinteria Carpinteria,” Vice Mayor Clark ran a series of ads, claiming that he “listens to the people of Carpinteria … and he acts,” and that he “always stands up for what is best for Carpinteria residents over commercial and developer interests.”

Vice Mayor Clark had the strong endorsement of U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, who said Mr. Clark “brings integrity and commitment to Carpinteria city government. Al’s experience and record show that his is the right voice for District 5.”

email: nhartstein@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO Vice Mayor Al Clark

BILL INGALLS / NASA PHOTOS

The moon is seen rising above the Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket in NASA’s history, with the Orion spacecraft at top, on Monday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s return to the moon is seen as a prelude to a crewed mission to Mars.

The Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches at 1:47 a.m. EST Wednesday from the Kennedy Space Center.

Please see ARTEMIS on A2

AT&T settles environmental protection case for nearly $6 million

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER

District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced this week that her Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit, as part of a statewide team of prosecutors, settled a civil action against AT&T concerning hazardous-materials violations in Santa Barbara County and across the state.

The $5.9 million settlement is the largest ever awarded statewide for this type of environmental violation.

The settlement included $5.65 million in civil penalties, of which $613,479.16 is going to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office and $110,625 will go to Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services.

In addition, $250,000 is being paid as a Supplemental Environmental Project to the CUPA Forum Environmental Protection Trust Fund.

On Monday, a Stipulated Final Judgment and Injunction was entered to resolve the case. The judgment includes the settlement

Information being sought on shooting

The California Highway Patrol is seeking information from witnesses to a shooting that took place at 12:30 a.m. Saturday on State Route 1, just south of San Antonio Road West.

This shooting resulted in major injuries to the victim, who was driving a silver 2022 Dodge Charger. The suspect’s vehicle was reported to be a white crew cab mid-size pickup.

If you have information related to this case, you’re asked to call the CHP at 805-593-3333 or email 710tips@chp.ca.gov. Tips should be addressed, “Attention: Detective Ernstrom.”

— Katherine Zehnder

Shooting ruled as justified

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office has ruled a non-fatal shooting was a justified use of force by sheriff’s

deputies.

The D.A.’s Office completed its review of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office investigation into the non-fatal shooting of Rudy Angel Delgadillo, 24, occurring in the Lompoc area.

The District Attorney’s Office found the shooting by Deputies Ross VanTassel and Yeshella Jimenez was a justified use of force – pursuant to Penal Code section 835a. Under the finding, the deputies bear no state criminal liability, according to the D.A.’s Office.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. Feb. 23, the deputies responded to an unincorporated area by Lompoc after receiving reports of a reckless driver who had collided with parked vehicles and a fence and fled the scene.

Deputies VanTassel and Jimenez encountered the suspect, later identified as Rudy Delgadillo, on Mercury Avenue.

According to the D.A.’s Office, Deputy VanTassel was the first to encounter Mr. Delgadillo.

Deputy Van Tassel saw Mr. Delgadillo running toward a neighborhood clubhouse in the

Stoker: Allegations of election corruption suppressed Republican turnout, hurt party

Supervisor Hart, conceded and congratulated him on becoming our Assemblyman-elect.”

“I am proud of the race we ran over the past nine months,” Mr. Stoker continued. “While we unfortunately came up short, our campaign made large inroads with the Latino community throughout the Central Coast, and we have set our party up for further success in down-ballot Santa Barbara County races.

“However, let me be perfectly

clear about one issue: Our loss here in the 37th Assembly District had nothing to do with a rigged election, ballot counting trickery or election gremlins,” he said.

Mr. Stoker said Republicans in California or elsewhere in the U.S. can’t win races if they argue the system is rigged and discourage people from voting before the day of the election.

“Pursuing that strategy significantly suppresses Republican turnout,” said Mr. Stoker, a former Santa Barbara County supervisor. “And that is exactly what happened in our race

details and an injunction requiring the defendants to comply with environmental laws and regulations.

The case centered around the telecommunication company’s failure to report hazardous materials (batteries) at cellphone towers and other facilities to the California Environmental Reporting System.

Reporting the presence of hazardous materials is mandated by law as part of a business’ requirement to submit a Hazardous Materials Business

Plan to CERS. The batteries in question were used to operate emergency generators at more than 3,200 sites across California. Although the plaintiffs in the People v. AT&T Services Inc. had no evidence of damage to the environment at any of these sites, AT&T is still liable for failing to report the presence of the hazardous materials.

California businesses, which handle 55 gallons, 200 cubic feet or 500 pounds of hazardous materials, must submit a Hazardous Materials Business

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

600 block of Mercury Avenue.

Deputy VanTassel parked his patrol car at the entrance to the clubhouse. When Deputy VanTassel got out of his patrol car, Mr. Delgadillo was approximately 91 feet away.

The D.A.’s Office said Deputy VanTassel gave Mr. Delgadillo verbal commands to raise his hands and get on his knees.

Deputy Jimenez arrived within a matter of seconds.

Mr. Delgadillo ignored the commands, lifted his jacket and reached into his waistband, according to the D.A.’s Office.

Fearing Mr. Delgadillo had a firearm concealed in his waistband and that he was going to shoot at them, Deputies VanTassel and Jimenez shot at Mr. Delgadillo, the D.A.’s Office said.

Deputy VanTassel had an unobstructed view of Mr. Delgadillo. Seconds later, Deputy Jimenez arrived in her patrol car.

Deputy Jimenez saw Deputy VanTassel with his gun out, so she got out of her patrol car and drew her gun as well, according to the D.A.’s Office.

Deputy VanTassel began giving commands to Mr. Delgadillo to get on his knees, but Mr. Delgadillo did not respond or obey the commands, according to the D.A.’s Office.

Deputy VanTassel told Mr. Delgadillo eight to 10 times to get on his knees.

At 1:55 p.m., Deputy VanTassel broadcast on the radio that he had “one at gunpoint.”

Also at 1:55, in an attempt to gain Mr. Delgadillo’s compliance, Deputy VanTassel told him they would send a canine and he would get bit, but Mr. Delgadillo continued standing and refused to comply with commands.

According to the D.A.’s Office, Deputy Jimenez can be heard on the audio recording saying “K9’s on its way.”

Deputy VanTassel said that despite these efforts, he could not de-escalate the situation because Mr. Delgadillo would not interact with him. Mr. Delgadillo was not saying anything or complying with the commands.

Deputy VanTassel said as he was giving commands and Mr. Delgadillo was ignoring him,

Plan to CERS. Under the law, the location, type, quantity and health risk of the materials must be reported.

That information is then shared with firefighters, health officials, public safety offices and regulatory agencies, which in turn is used to protect the public, first responders and the environment.

Ms. Dudley’s office said AT&T self-reported the violations and cooperated with statewide investigations, including those conducted by the Santa Barbara County Certified Unified Program

Agency and the District Attorney’s Office.

“Having a complete understanding about the presence of hazardous materials is a vital aspect of public safety and emergency preparation,” Ms. Dudley said in a statement. “Whether handled by a small business or a large corporation, these materials can present great danger, and the law must be equally enforced to protect us all.”

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

he began to hear sirens. Deputy VanTassel said Mr. Delgadillo then lifted up his jacket and began digging in his waistband.

When Deputy VanTassel saw Mr. Delgadillo’s hands come up from his waistband, he feared for his life and the life of Deputy Jimenez, so he began shooting, according to the D.A.’s Office.

At 1:55:28, Deputy VanTassel fired eight shots in the direction of Mr. Delgadillo. He then broadcast, “shots fired” over the radio. After the initial volley of shots, Deputy VanTassel looked at Mr. Delgadillo and said he was digging into his

waistband again. Under these circumstances, Mr. Delgadillo’s actions caused Deputies VanTassel and Jimenez to reasonably believe that he was reaching for a firearm and was going to kill or seriously injure one or both of them, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Deputies VanTassel and Jimenez reasonably believed that deadly force was necessary to respond to the threat Mr. Delgadillo posed to them, the D.A’s Office said.

— Katherine Zehnder

and throughout California.

“Republicans in the past were the party that voted early, and our candidates benefited as a result,” Mr. Stoker said. “We need to again start voting early and unite with the message to track your ballot by going to www.WheresMyBallot.

sos.ca.gov.”

The 37th Assembly District is a newly created district, which contains all of Santa Barbara County and the southern, unincorporated end of San Luis Obispo County. email: dmason@newspress.com

Orion capsule to attain stable orbit around moon on Nov. 21

ARTEMIS

Continued from Page A1

now on its way to the moon,” said Jim Free, NASA deputy associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “This successful launch means NASA and our partners are on a path to explore farther in space than ever before for the benefit of humanity.”

Orion is scheduled to fly by the moon on Nov. 21. It will be in a highly stable orbit thousands of miles above the lunar surface.

The first crewed mission, Artemis III, will

The first crewed mission, Artemis III, will bring astronauts back to the moon, where NASA says the missions will be more scienceintensive than the days of Apollo.

bring astronauts back to the moon, where NASA says the missions will be more scienceintensive than the days of Apollo.

NASA plans to build an Artemis Base Camp on the surface and Gateway, a spaceship that NASA plans to be in lunar orbit for more than a decade. The Orion capsule will bring astronauts to Gateway, and they will take a lander from there to the lunar surface. In addition,

astronauts will work and live on Gateway.

Plans also call for them to live and work on the moon’s surface at the Artemis Base Camp. NASA says the camp will feature a lunar cabin, mobile home and rover.

For more information, see www.nasa.gov/ artemis.

email: dmason@newspress.com

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Gregg Hart, left, and Mike Stoker

COURTESY PHOTO

UCSB women’s basketball win third straight to start season

By SYDNEY GOLDFLAM UCSB SPORTS

The undefeated UCSB women’s basketball team (3-0) brought the heat this Tuesday in the Thunderdome, as the Gauchos were determined to start the year off 3-0 for the first time since 1999 hosting Idaho State (2-1). The Gauchos and The Bengals demonstrated fierce defense as the score remained dangerously close throughout the entire game, however, the Gauchos’ showed persistence to claim their win 5452.

On the Stat S heet

• Three Gauchos scored in the double digits, led by Alyssa Marin with 12 points, going 4-for-10 from the field.

• Ila Lane notched her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds to lead all players. She added three steals as well and shot 50% from the floor and 83% from the free-throw line.

• The Gauchos made a living at the line, converting 82% of their free-throws (19-for-23) led by Anya Choice, who went 9-for-10. Choice added a team-high four assists as well.

hOw it h appened

The Gaucho’s took charge upon gaining possession in the tip off as Sophomore Kennedy Johnson lit up the scoreboard with a secondchance jumper just 45 seconds into the contest. Despite UCSB’s early lead of seven-nil, the scoring gap shrunk as ISU found their footing. Santa Barbara nailed only a quarter of their shots, going 4for-16 with four Gaucho’s tallying a single field-goal, and made eight rebounds, three of which were achieved by Lane. With the Bengals hot on their tail, the Gaucho’s kept grasp of their lead 10-8.

ISU managed to surpass UCSB

in the second period. However, the Gauchos proved determined to repossess the lead with a layup by Senior Alexis Tucker. The score remained dangerously close throughout the period as there was only a single point lead or less on six occasions. Tucker spearheaded UCSB’s battle with five points and one assist. UCSB continued to fight, but the Bengals managed to clutch and maintain the lead, ending the second period 19-8.

The Gauchos fell behind in the second period, making no threes and going 7-for-22. Tucker shot more than a fourth of her team’s total score, going 2-for-5, and Lane led by making seven out of 17 total rebounds. The Gaucho’s scoring can be attributed to 74% twos and 32% layups, an equal amount of shooting in the paint and off the bench. The first half’s fiery competition was evident as teams headed into the locker room determined to defend and widen their edge following the first half.

UCSB proved tenacious in the third quarter, eventually prevailing over ISU. Though the score remained tight, Alyssa Marin took command as the Gaucho regained the lead. The Sophomore managed 10 points, going 3-for-7 by dishing out both of the two three-pointers for UCSB and nailing a pair of twos. The Gauchos made 12 total rebounds, with seniors Taylor Mole and Anya Choice both tripling in boards. With improved offense, the Gauchos overcame the Bengals 35-31.

Santa Barbara maintained their lead in the fourth quarter, led by Lane’s eight points and four rebounds. Choice followed with 7 points. Going 16-for-44, the Gaucho’s claimed the extremely close 54-52 win.

Sydney Goldflam writes about sports for UCSB.

email: sports@newspress.com

Westmont volleyball swept by William Jessup

By JACOB NORLING WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Westmont Volleyball (22-6) ran into a buzzsaw in the GSAC Championship on Saturday, ultimately losing in three sets to William Jessup (17-9). William Jessup, who is advancing to their first NAIA National Tournament in program history, out-scored top-seeded Westmont 75-48 en route to the sweep.

“We’re still proud of our team,” said Westmont head coach Ruth McGolpin. “Obviously, the scoreboard didn’t go the way we wanted, but we showed fight in games one and three. Tonight, running the 5-1 was tough.

“Still, our women fought to the end, and we are proud of them.”

In the first set, Keelyn Kistner opened the night on a fourpoint service run, allowing Westmont the first chance to grab momentum. In a quick turnaround, however, Jessup went on a 15-7 run, forcing McGolpin to call timeout trailing 15-11.

Three service aces kick-started the run for Jessup, which bought time for their attackers to arrive and put Westmont on their heels. At the time of McGolpin’s final timeout, Jessup had collected 15 kills with an attack percentage of .464, leading to 22-14 advantage. Moments later, Jessup capped off a tone-setting 25-16 win.

Four attacking errors from Westmont combined with five kills from Jessup put Westmont on the ropes early in set two, with McGolpin calling timeout trailing 9-4. Matters grew only worse following the first timeout, as Westmont’s fifth and sixth attacking errors of the set put Jessup up 16-7. At that point, McGolpin called her final timeout, but the stoppage did little to slow Jessup, who took the second set in commanding fashion by a score of

25-11.

During set two, Westmont had only seven kills compared to nine attacking errors in 31 attempts, ultimately leading to an attack percentage of -.065. On the other end, Jessup collected 10 kills with a hitting percentage of .348.

The third set saw Westmont play their most competitive game yet, leading into double-digits at 119. Then, a kill by Jessup followed by three consecutive Westmont attacking errors forced McGolpin to once again call timeout, this time trailing 13-11.

McGolpin called her final timeout of the match with Westmont trailing 19-15, giving her team one final chance to regroup. Minutes later however, Jessup stormed the court following a 25-21 win, and their first GSAC Championship in program history.

“That’s a good team over there,” said McGolpin of the tournament champions. “They will represent the GSAC well. They were flawless today- they passed well, they hit well, they served well- they did it all. Kudos to William Jessup. I hope they go far in nationals.”

On Monday morning, the NAIA National Tournament Selection Show will take place at 8 a.m. From there, it will be revealed if Westmont has earned a host bid, or if they will be sent on the road for the NAIA Opening Round.

Either way, on Saturday, Nov. 19, Westmont will play for the right to return to Sioux City, Iowa.

“The page is already turned,” said a forward-looking McGolpin. “Even though we didn’t win this game, we’re still GSAC Regular Season Champs, and we should feel proud moving forward.”

Jacob Norling is the sports information assistant at Westmont College.

email: sports@newspress.com

SBCC women’s volleyball ends regular season with win

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

The SBCC women’s volleyball team closed out its regular season on Tuesday with a four set WSC

Crossover home win over Santa Monica, 25-14, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21.

After playing through a series of touch matches to start the season, the Vaqueros (14-10, 8-3) head into

Please see SBCC on A4

House majority near for Republicans; here’s how remaining 10 races stand

By ALAN WOOTEN THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – At noon on Wednesday, a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives remained unresolved but was nearing a decision.

By consensus, Republicans have been called victorious for 217 of the 435 seats and needed just one more to flip control of the chamber with 10 remaining. Races in California, where seven are uncalled, could be decided today and have a mix of the GOP and Democrats leading.

The following are the remaining situations:

• California 3rd Congressional District: Republican Kevin Kiley 52.8% of the vote, Democrat Kermit Jones 47.2%; precincts counted 57%; difference about 10,000+ votes.

• California 13th; Democrat Adam Gray 50.3%, Republican John Duarte 49.7%; precincts 86%; difference about 3,000+ votes.

• California 22nd; Republican Rep. David Valadao 52.4%, Democrat Rudy Salas 47.6%; precincts 64%; difference about 3,000+ votes.

• California 27th; Republican Rep. Mike Garcia 54.2%, Democrat Christy Smith, 45.8; precincts 70%; difference about 13,000+ votes.

• California 34th; Democrat Rep. Jimmy Gomez 52.3%, Democrat David Kim 47.7%; precincts 70%; difference about 4,000+ votes.

• California 47th; Democrat Rep. Katie Porter 50.8%, Republican Scott Baugh 49.2%; precincts 84%; difference about 3,000+ votes.

• California 49th; Democrat Rep. Mike Levin 52.3%, Republican Brian Maryott 47.7%; precincts 89%; difference about 8,000+ votes.

• Colorado 3rd; Republican Rep. Lauren

Boebert 50.2%, Democrat Adam Frisch 49.8%; precincts 99%; difference, about 1,000+ votes.

• Maine 2nd; ranked choice voting results expected to be announced Wednesday; Democrat Rep. Jared Golden 48.2%, Republican Bruce Poliquin 44.9%, independent Tiffany Boyd 6.9%; difference, about 10,500 votes lead for Golden over Poliquin, and Bond earned 21,555 votes that will be dispersed through the ranked choice tabulation.

• Alaska at-large: ranked choice voting results are being tabulated so that a candidate secures 50% of the vote; Democrat Rep. Mary Peltola 48.1%, Republican Sarah Palin 26.1%, Republican Nick Begich 23.8%, Libertarian Chris Bye 1.7%; precincts 90%; difference, Rep. Peltola by 53,000+ votes over Ms. Palin, by 58,000+ votes over Mr. Begich.

Senate Republicans pick McConnell to lead party

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Senate Republicans voted Wednesday to keep U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell as head of their party in the Senate.

The votes came in for Sen. McConnell despite a push from Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., to take the spot. Sen. Scott leads the National Republican Study Committee. He sent a letter to his Republican colleagues dated Nov. 15 making the case for their vote.

“I’m writing to you today because I believe it’s time for the Senate Republican Conference to be far more bold and resolute than we have been in the past. We must start saying what we are for, not just what we are against,” he said. “I do not believe we can simply continue to say the Democrats are radical, which they are. Republican voters expect and deserve to know our plan to promote and advance conservative values. We need to listen to their calls for action and start governing in Washington like we campaign back at home. There is a Republican Party that is alive and well in communities across America. It is time there is one in Washington, D.C., too. That is why I am running to be Republican Leader.”

He laid out a range of policy priorities in the letter.

“For those who want to get serious about ending reckless government spending and the devastating inflation it has caused, finally take action to protect Social Security and Medicare and preserve the promise of these programs for our children and grandchildren, hold government accountable from the FBI to the IRS, truly combat the extreme danger posed by Communist China and refocus our military on lethal defense instead of woke nonsense, I ask for your support in changing the direction of the Senate and rescuing America from the dangerous path Democrats have set it on,” Sen. Scott said.

The vote proceeded despite calls to delay it to include Herschel Walker, who is taking on Democrat Raphael Warnock in a Dec. 6 runoff for a Georgia Senate seat.

“We have a contested leadership election in the Senate GOP,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wrote on Twitter Tuesday. “My view is we should let @HerschelWalker vote! Don’t disenfranchise him.

Tomorrow at the election meeting I will ask for a vote on a delay to allow Herschel, if elected, to participate.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, blasted Sen. McConnell Monday.

“Mitch would rather be leader than have a Republican majority,” Sen. Cruz said on “Verdict,” his podcast. “If there’s a Republican who can win who’s not going to

support Mitch, the truth of the matter is he’d rather the Democrat win.”

Sen. McConnell told reporters Tuesday he was confident he would continue to lead the party.

“I think the outcome is pretty clear,” he said. “I want to repeat again, I have the votes. I will be elected.”

Sen. McConnell also shifted the blame for Republicans’ underwhelming midterm election performance to other leaders in the Republican party.

“We under-performed among independents and moderates because their impression of many of the people in our party, in leadership roles is that they’re causing chaos, negativity, excessive attacks,” he said. “And it frightened independent and moderate Republican voters.”

Sen. Scott, though, made that poor performance a key argument in his letter.

“Like each of you, I am deeply disappointed by the results of the recent election,” he said. “Despite what the armchair quarterbacks on TV will tell you, there is no one person responsible for our party’s performance across the country. I know there is no shortage of people who are eager to point fingers and assign blame here in Washington, but I won’t be one of them. It’s unproductive and a massive waste of time. We know that chief among our problems in races across America was a lack of Republican voter turnout. There

may be many reasons for that, but after traveling the country to support our candidates I believe voters want a plan. They are begging us to tell them what we will do when we are in charge. Unfortunately, we have continued to elect leadership who refuses to do that and elicits attacks on anyone that does. That is clearly not working and it’s time for bold change. The voters are demanding it.”

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives remains up for grabs with Republicans just one seat away from the needed 218 votes to secure a majority. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is expected to get the official House Speaker spot when the new Congress takes over next year.

UAW on strike

SBCC golfer earns All-State again

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

SBCC’s Carlee Steven capped off her sophomore year with a second straight All-State selection, finishing sixth overall at the CCCAA Women’s Golf State Championship at Morro Bay Golf Course this past weekend.

The Ventura native moved into the top-6 thanks to a huge final round on Monday, leading all 56 golfers by carding a 76.

She finished with a score of 162 (86/76), eight strokes out of first place and one ahead of seventh.

Joey Fletcher also enjoyed a big Monday, improving on her day one score by 15 strokes. That put her in a tie for 42nd overall with a 189 (102/87).

Modesto (666) captured its second straight team state title, followed by Canyons (668) and Saddleback (672). Fullerton’s Catherine Lee shot a 154 to win the individual championship on a tiebreaker with Canyons’ Motoka Shimoji.

Michael Jorgenson works in communications/media relations at Santa Barbara City College.

email: sports@newspress.com

SoCal Regional draw set for this afternoon

SBCC

Continued from Page A3

the postseason winners in 10 of their last 13.

On Tuesday, SBCC was able to avenge an earlier nonconference defeat at the hands of the Corsairs (18-7, 9-4). Setter Mikayla Butzke ran the offense and filled up the box score with 33 assists, 12 digs, four kills and five aces.

It was defense by committee for Santa Barbara’s three defensive specialists, as Gabby Russell, Jordyn Anderson and Celia Espinoza all played well in contributing to what was a great late-season win. Pin hitters Piper Ellbogn-Pettersen and Callie Rule each had solid nights, both attacking and blocking as well.

The Vaqueros will now look ahead to the SoCal Regional Playoff draw, which will come out this afternoon.

Michael Jorgenson works in communications/media relations at Santa Barbara City College.

email: sports@newspress.com

Minneapolis 27/14/sn 16/14/c

New York City 46/34/s 43/31/s Philadelphia 47/32/pc 44/28/s Phoenix 71/45/s 69/46/pc Portland, Ore. 50/32/pc 47/32/s

St. Louis 44/22/pc 33/21/pc Salt Lake City 41/24/pc 35/20/s Seattle 51/32/pc 47/32/pc Washington, D.C. 47/32/s 48/33/s

56/43/c Berlin 43/36/c 36/21/c Cairo 74/60/s 76/57/s

Cancun 86/71/pc 85/73/sh London 52/46/sh 52/40/c Mexico City 75/51/pc 73/51/pc Montreal 33/20/sf 33/22/sf

New Delhi 82/51/pc 83/52/pc Paris 57/45/r 55/39/pc

Rio de Janeiro 77/65/s 75/66/s Rome 67/57/pc 67/52/sh Sydney 68/52/s 71/55/s Tokyo 57/48/c 60/50/pc

COURTESY PHOTO

Sen. Mitch McConnell

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

UCSB academic workers and students picket on campus Wednesday.

Life theArts

CALENDAR

Scoring points

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Sasha Vujacic is no stranger to scoring points on the basketball court. These days he is earning them for his boutique Aleksander wines — Bordeaux blends from Paso Robles. His family-owned vineyard is open to wine club members only.

An exclusive opportunity to experience several vintages paired with a multi-course meal curated by S.Y. Kitchen and Nella Executive Chef Luca Crestanelli and Nella’s Chef Marco Longinotti will take place Friday at Nella Kitchen and Bar at the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn, 2860 Grand Ave., in Los Olivos.

A welcome reception begins at 5 p.m. followed by dinner at 6.

Mr. Vujacic spent six full seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers after they selected him in the 2004 National Basketball Association draft.

But ultimately, the Slovenian shooting guard will likely always

be remembered for the two late free throws he made in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals.

Mr. Vujacic’s freebies gave L.A. a four-point lead over the Boston Celtics with 11.7 seconds to go, effectively sealing the Laker’s 16th title. And the 38-year-old said he still gets love from the Lakers faithful for making those two title-winning free throws 12 years ago.

“It’s been amazing. When you get drafted by the Lakers, and I was one of those people, whose dream was not only to go to the NBA, but my dream was to go to L.A. and win with the Lakers — and obviously to play with one of the best players that’s ever played the game. And then, thank God, I didn’t miss those free throws.”

During his time with the Lakers, Mr. Vujacic became close friends with the legendary guard Kobe Bryant, whose tragic death in a helicopter crash truly shook him.

“You know, Kobe was my big brother and an incredible teammate and someone that was one of a kind. I was honored and

lucky, and you know, just happy to be able to learn and compete against him every day. I think he accepted me the first day when he saw that I’m also a little bit obsessed with winning and hard work, and that’s how the mutual respect and brotherhood kind of started.”

Asked how he got on Mr. Bryant’s good side, Mr. Vujacic said he simply put in the hard work and focused solely on winning the NBA championship with the Lakers.

“I didn’t figure out the way. I didn’t care about that. When I showed up at the gym at 4 o’clock, 5 o’clock in the morning, and there’s Kobe, so when you see there’s the franchise player and a young kid that came from Europe that I have to prove myself, and he recognized why I was in L.A.

“I didn’t care about Hollywood. I didn’t care about celebrity statuses and stuff like that. All I cared about was winning, and when you put the hard work in, when you combine talent and opportunity, the real ones recognize real, and that was with

Basketball star chooses new career as winery owner

Kobe.”

According to the winery website, www.aleksanderwine. com, Mr. Vujavic’s journey as a winemaker began in Slovenia, a small country renowned for its ability to produce quality wines of all kinds. He and his father Goran started to nurture a profound interest in wine during the early years of Mr. Vujacic’s professional basketball career in Italy.

Exploring the northern Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, they developed a deep appreciation for the wines of Livio Felluga. Quickly, the father and son began to envision themselves owning a family winery that would reflect their respective palates and inherent familial epicureanism.

After he joined the Lakers, Mr. Vujacic and his family — father Goran, mother Sena, his brother Al, and his sister, Nina —– settled in California. They quickly embarked on a quest for the perfect piece of land, which would take them one step closer to bringing their vision to fruition.

Having accomplished the goal of founding what is now S&G Estate in Paso Robles in 2010, the whole family joined efforts to create a memorable, Merlotdominant red, reminiscent of Old-World wines but made on California soil.

After obtaining his business degree from the University of Redlands in 2016 and a subsequent successful season as head coach of a professional basketball team in Japan, Al Vujacic decided to dedicate himself fully to Aleksander as chief operating officer.

Sena and Goran live on the estate, running every aspect of the business, from production to logistics, as well as curating exclusive private wine tasting experiences. While pursuing her doctoral degree at UCLA, their daughter Nina remained deeply involved in the family business.

The cost of the dinner on Friday is $145. See the FYI box for reservation details.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.

com

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Email them to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@ newspress.com.

FRIDAY

11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The NEW Santa Barbara Antique, Decorative Arts and Vintage Show and Sale (formerly known as the CALM Show) will be held at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real. Santa Barbara. Admission is $8, $6 with a flier: Children under 12 are free, and so is parking.

5 p.m. “Game Day” will feature master’s of fine arts students in their studios below the UCSB Harder Stadium bleachers. The free studio tours will run from 5 p.m. until the final buzzer.

7:30 p.m. Santa Barbara City College theater students are performing “The Importance of Being Earnest” at the Jurkowitz Theatre on the West Campus in the 900 block of Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to www. theatregroupsbcc.com.

8 p.m. Daughtry, the Grammynominated rock band formed by Chris Daughtry of “American Idol” fame, will perform at the Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 State Route 246, Santa Ynez. Tickets cost $59 to $89. To purchase, go to www. chumashcasino.com.

SATURDAY

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: The Santa Barbara Sea Glass & Ocean Arts Festival “Holiday Pop-Up” will take place at the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center, 865 Linden Ave.,. Carpinteria. For more information, go to santabarbaraseaglassandocean artsfestival.com.

11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The NEW Santa Barbara Antique, Decorative Arts and Vintage Show and Sale (formerly known as the CALM Show) will be held at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real. Santa Barbara. Admission is $8, $6 with a flier: sbantiqueshow.com/discountflyer. Children under 12 are free, and so is parking.

7:30 p.m. Santa Barbara City College theater students are performing “The Importance of Being Earnest” at the Jurkowitz Theatre on the West Campus in the 900 block of Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to www. theatregroupsbcc.com.

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform “Wisdom of the Water, Earth and Sky,” featuring music by composer and preservationist Cody Westheimer, at The Granada, 1214 State St. The concert is a salute to the Chumash heritage. To purchase tickets, go to granadasb.org. For more information, see the upcoming story in this Friday’s NewsPress.

SUNDAY

10 a.m. to dusk: The Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show takes place at Chase Palm Park, 236 E. Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara. The show is located along the boulevard from Stearns Wharf to Calle Cesar Chavez.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The NEW Santa Barbara Antique, Decorative Arts and Vintage Show and Sale (formerly known as the CALM Show) will be held at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real. Santa Barbara. Admission is $8, $6 with a flier: sbantiqueshow.com/discountflyer. Children under 12 are free, and so is parking.

3 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform “Wisdom of the Water, Earth and Sky,” featuring music by composer and preservationist Cody Westheimer, at The Granada, 1214 State St. The concert is a salute to the Chumash heritage. To purchase tickets, go to granadasb.org. For more information, see the upcoming story in this Friday’s News-Press.

NOV. 22

8 p.m. Guitarist Joe Bonamassa and his band will perform at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $79 to $199. To purchase, go to granadasb. org.

DEC. 7 4 p.m. The Hoodlum Friends will perform at 4 p.m. at Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara.

— Dave Mason

COURTESY PHOTO Sea glass jewelry by Rachel Kenney will be among the offerings at the Santa Barbara Sea Glass & Ocean Arts Festival “Holiday Pop-Up” Saturday.

At top, the Vujacic family creates Bordeaux blends in Paso Robles. Above, Sasha Vujacic and his family work to produce vintages that are reminiscent of Old-World wines but made on California soil.

Mr. Vujacic stands in his family’s vineyard in Paso Robles.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Former Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Sasha Vujacic is now winning fans with his and his family’s boutique Aleksander wines.

The national distinction recognizes the two hospitals for achievements in protecting

Local hospitals get high ratings

patients from preventable harm and errors.

“This Leapfrog award marks the third consecutive time that Cottage hospitals in Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley have earned the ‘A’ Safety Grade. We received the honors in fall 2021, spring 2022 and

now fall 2022. This is a tremendous accomplishment made possible by the commitment of everyone in our organization to keep our patients safe,” said Dr. Babji Mesipam, chief medical quality officer for Cottage Health.

For more information, visit

www.hospitalsafetygrade.org.

In addition to the Leapfrog awards, Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital in Solvang recently earned a four star-rating from Medicare.gov, which rates how well a hospital performs on quality measures compared

to other hospitals in the nation (www.medicare.gov/carecompare/#search).

“Many small hospitals may not report data on all measures and aren’t eligible for an overall hospital rating on Medicare.gov,” said Dr. Mesipam. “For Santa

Tuesday Santa Barbara and Wednesday Solvang farmers’ markets. Certified organic, this radish sells for an average price of $3 per bunch.

Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, an 11-bed critical access hospital, earning a four-star rating is a great achievement.”

For more information, see cottagehealth.org.

— Dave Mason

The green tops of this winter root vegetable are indeed edible. The portion that develops below the earth’s surface is the desired culinary portion. Named after their watermelon-like appearance once sliced open, this radish has a prominent white ring around the outer portion of the flesh and a magenta, red or purple center.

Best suited for raw preparations, watermelon radish is a nice addition to a charcuterie platter. It pairs well with Mexican or South American cuisine and helps cleanse the palate when eating spicy food. It also can be incorporated into an array of salads.

This week I prepared watermelon radish tofu spring rolls as the Fix of the Week, below. This dish is currently available from Roots Farm of Los Olivos. It can be found from late fall throughout the winter at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara,

Caviar limes

Caviar limes are commonly referred to as “finger” limes.

When they’re sliced in half, the small caviar-looking breeds of citrus are exposed.

And when the skin is squeezed, the beads separate from the flesh.

With a prominent lime flavor, this small, elongated citrus is excellent when paired with seafood preparations, often used as a garnish.

Add caviar limes to tacos, ceviche, fall fruit salads or in a host of cocktails such as margaritas.

You can currently find these unique limes at the Saturday Santa Barbara and Sunday Santa Barbara farmers’ markets from several local producers. Price averages $5 per basket.

Fuyu persimmons

A few weeks ago, I featured the Hachiya persimmon, which is primarily incorporated into baked goods. Its counterpart, the Fuyu persimmon, is also readily available this time of year, commonly enjoyed out of hand as you would an apple.

The more orange the color, the sweeter and softer they will become.

This non-astringent variety is shaped like a saucer, and it can be added to mixed green salads, diced into grain bowls, and pairs well with chicken and pork preparations.

Fuyu persimmons are readily available from several local growers and can be found at all weekly Santa Barbara certified farmers’ markets. Certified organic, they sell for an average price of $3.50 per pound.

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.

FARMERS MARKET

Fix of the Week

Over the past couple of years, I’ve noticed watermelon radishes have been finding their way onto decorative plates at several local restaurants.

When sliced into thin rounds, the stunning variegated magenta, red and, or purple color fills the center, with a white ring of flesh present just below the skin portion.

The flesh itself delivers a crisp yet moist texture, as well as a refreshing balance of sweetness and the signature underlying peppery radish flavor. The skin is the more bitter portion of the radish, so it’s often peeled off before using. One can additionally soak the radishes in ice water to help reduce their peppery notes.

While I find watermelon radishes best suited for raw preparations, I do, on occasion, add them to soups and stir-fries, or roast them in the oven with other seasonal root vegetables and potatoes. I also commonly add very thinly sliced rounds to a hot chicken tortilla soup, delivering a wonderfully refreshing flavor to every bite.

Other great uses for watermelon radishes are to fry them into chips, turn them into pickled radishes or incorporate them into an array of salads. One of my

favorite seasonal salads combines sliced watermelon radishes, sliced Fuyu persimmon, pomegranate seeds, cilantro and thin slices of jalapeno, all tossed in a rice vinegar dressing.

This week I added thin slices of watermelon radishes to homemade spring rolls. Spring rolls are something I make quite often, usually filled with cooked seared tofu, cucumber, avocado, fresh mint, and cilantro.

When it is in season, however, I love to swap out the cucumber for watermelon radishes, delivering a uniquely refreshing flavor and stunning presentation.

WATERMELON RADISH TOFU SPRING ROLLS

2 watermelon radishes.

8 ounce package firm tofu, liquid drained and tofu wrapped in paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.

10 spring roll wrappers.

1 large avocado (firm-ripe), cut into slices,

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves.

1 cup fresh mint leaves coarsely chopped.

Serve with a side of peanut

sauce and sweet chili sauce for dipping.

Peel your watermelon radish and slice very thin, then set aside. You can use a mandolin if you have one to slice them. Cut your tofu block into 8 spears. In a large non-stick pan, put over high heat and spray with a small amount of cooking oil. Once the pan is very hot, add the tofu.

Flip every few minutes to evenly sear on all sides, and once a semi-crispy exterior is formed, add teriyaki sauce to the pan and gently toss to coat tofu. Set tofu aside.

Roll one at a time on a plate.

Place spring roll wrappers in hot water for about a minute, then transfer to the plate. Add, toward the bottom portion of the spring roll wrapper, a tofu stick, followed by avocado slices, cilantro and mint. Finish with a layer of watermelon radishes.

Roll the spring roll, folding in the sides after the first roll, and finish rolling to the end. Repeat.

Serve with a side of Thai style peanut sauce and sweet chili sauce for dipping.

Yield: Makes 10 spring rolls.

Sam Edelman

SAM EDELMAN PHOTO

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital both received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for fall 2022 from the Leapfrog Group.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital have earned “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group. Santa Ynez Valley Hospital has received a four-star rating from medicare.gov.

Diversions

Thought for Today

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Thursday, November 17, 2022

ARIES — There’s an advantage to joining people in a social or family situation if possible, Aries. Your role today is to bridge communication gaps. Be aware of details that need doing, but don’t feel like you have to do them all yourself. This is a good time to delegate responsibility.

TAURUS — Calm down and get organized before you spread your ideas to others, Taurus. This is especially true when it comes to love and romance. As soon as this topic comes up, you tense up and erupt inappropriately. Ground yourself and find your center of balance - literally and figuratively - before you proceed.

GEMINI — You’ve reached a climactic time of year regarding love and romance, Gemini. This is the time when your dream finally materializes, or you realize that all your efforts are failures. It all depends on how you played your cards over the past few months. This is one of those moments of reckoning when you face reality.

CANCER — Your emotions are solid, and you feel good, Cancer. At the same time, you may be tongue-tied. You’re having a hard time expressing your true feelings in the way you’d like to, especially when it comes to love and romance. Perhaps you have so many thoughts that you don’t know how to sort them out, or which to disclose and which to keep hidden.

LEO — Matters of love and romance should be going well, but try not to overdo it, Leo. Be careful of getting so caught up in the fantasy of romance that you fail to take care of the details. Today is a good day to get the foundation solid before you start building. If you’ve already started building, you may need to stand back and consider areas in which some extra support beams may be necessary.

VIRGO — This is one of those days when the road forks in several directions and you must decide which way to go, Virgo. This usually isn’t hard. You just go with the flow. But now things are flowing in multiple directions and you need to figure out which way to go. Stick with the way that seems most natural. Remember that whatever choice you make will be the right one.

LIBRA — Your plane is fueled, your bags packed, and you have clearance from the control tower, but for some reason, Libra, you just can’t seem to get off the ground. Perhaps there are details of the trip that you haven’t taken into account. People are firing questions at you, and you don’t have all the answers.

SCORPIO — The person who is most organized and stable will win the race, so let it be you, Scorpio. Be careful, though. Other people may try to distract you from your work. You may be in the middle of an important project and decide to take a break. Before you know it, the phone rings and suddenly you’re trapped with no escape.

SAGITTARIUS — Your brain is buzzing in high gear, Sagittarius. Anyone else would get dizzy trying to process even a fraction of the things that filter through your head in one day. The key for you is to not speak every single thought aloud but to keep your processing internal. People want to hear your final decision, not the process you went through to reach it.

CAPRICORN — You may have a hard time relating to people in social situations, Capricorn. Perhaps you’re frustrated at hearing the same shallow conversations over and over. While you have to mingle (even virtually) with different people, all you can think about is how nice it would be if you could be alone in front of the TV.

AQUARIUS — Things have probably been going well lately in the love and romance department, Aquarius. You find that communication has improved, and the witty banter is invigorating and educational. Today there may be a blip on the radar. You may have been so caught up in the good parts that you failed to take care of the details and do the actual work needed to make things run smoothly.

PISCES — You may be feeling emotionally good, Pisces, but unfortunately the people around you don’t seem to share this feeling. Your first instinct may be to sacrifice yourself in order to make the path easier for the next guy. Remember that other people need to learn how to do things on their own. If someone is in a bad mood, let them be in a bad mood.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART

Early in the Spingold Teams at the Summer NABC, Nick Nickell’s topseeded team was upset by a squad from Australia/New Zealand.

The match was close when today’s deal arose. At one table NICKELL’s East-West played at four hearts, down two, minus 200.

In the replay, on the auction shown, the second-round double by North for NICKELL was responsive; most players would have bid two spades. When South competed to three spades, North’s normal action was a pass; but he broke discipline and went on to game.

SINGLETON

The defense took two hearts, and East led his stiff club. Declarer avoided a calamity when he took the ace, but he was down one, minus 100.

I can’t be too critical of the fourspade bid: If the opening bidder had held the king of clubs, game would have made. Still, if NICKELL is plus 140 at the second table and minus 100 at the first (where declarer could have saved a trick), they would have won an IMP instead of losing seven. And the final score was 104 to 97.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3-by-3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9. that means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

Sudoku puzzles appear on the Diversions page Monday-Saturday and on the crossword solutions page in Sunday’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

Immature love says: “I love you because I needyou.” ”Mature love says “I need you because I love you.”

— Erich Fromm