Small businesses on edge
‘An Evening of Exceptional Silliness’
Owners fear rising inflation, consider shutting down in droves - A4
John Cleese returns to Santa Barbara for show at Granada - B1
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T U E SDAY, M AY 2 4 , 2 02 2
ELECTION 2022
Determined to make America better Dr. Brad Allen runs for 24th Congressional District seat
Texas ramps up oil production as gas prices reach new record high By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR
(The Center Square) – As the Biden administration doubles down on its policies restricting domestic oil and gas production and promoting green energy, Texas is ramping up production and hiring people to work in the industry. West Texas producers are expected to pump out a record amount of crude next month, and last month Texas saw its highest monthly job growth in the industry in nearly 11 years. Texas is seen as the model of how to respond and lead during an energy crisis, one those in the industry argue was created by President Joe Biden. From canceling federal land and offshore leasing permits, to increased regulation and proposed taxes, to depleting the Strategic Oil Reserves, to turning to foreign oil production, President Biden has done everything to hamper, and in
many ways, halt domestic oil production, those in the industry contend. Under the Trump administration, the U.S. became the largest producer of crude oil in the world, led by Texas. Under the Biden administration, within months of implementing a range of restrictive policies, gas prices reached a seven-year-high and inflation reached a 40-year high. And on Monday, the average price of a gallon of gasoline reached yet another record high. AAA reports gasoline on average costs $4.60 a gallon as of Monday. A month ago, the average price was $4.12 a gallon. A year ago, it was $3.04. The price of diesel, the fuel used by truckers to transport food and other consumer goods across the country, was $5.55 a gallon Monday, up from $3.18 a gallon a year ago. Surging energy prices are in part responsible for 40year-high inflation. Please see OIL on A4
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
Dr. Brad Allen stands in front of the Reagan Ranch Center on lower State Street in Santa Barbara. He said he’s running for Congress because of the country’s many problems.
Editor’s note: This is part of a series on candidates in advance of the June 7 primary. By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
Brad Allen knew he had to run for Congress after seeing what’s happening to America and the world. “I had enough. We’ve got inflation going through the roof. Gas is going up. Crime is going up. We’re attacking the police,” the Republican candidate told the News-Press recently. “We have fentanyl coming across the border. It’s the No. 1 killer of young adults 18-34. “We have the Ukraine war, which was caused by mismanagement,” said Dr. Allen, a semi-retired pediatric heart surgeon who continues to consult at USC for trauma care. “We have runaway spending. We have COVID mismanagement,” said Dr. Allen, who has worked in medical research. “I’ve never seen our country develop so many problems so quickly, and the mismanagement is so horrible,” said Dr. Allen, who has homes in Summerland and Los Angeles. “At some point, I realized, ‘I can’t take this anymore,’ ” Dr. Allen, 67, said. “I can either sit on the sideline and keep complaining
about it, or I can do something about it.” He chose the latter. He’s running in the June 7 primary against U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, and independent candidates Michele Weslander Quaid and Jeff Frankenfield, for the 24th Congressional District seat representing all of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties and part of Ventura County. It’s Dr. Allen’s second run for the 24th District seat. He previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2014 as one of approximately dozen candidates challenging then U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, DSanta Barbara. “I ran then because of Obamacare and came in fourth,” he said. Dr. Allen described himself as “a libertarian and fiscal conservative who believes in limited government. “I am a social moderate,” he said. Dr. Allen has never held public office, but his wife is well-known, especially among “Charlie’s Angels” fans. She’s Jacquelyn Smith, who starred as Kelly Garrett in the original series (1976-81 on ABC). If elected, Dr. Allen said he would bring to Congress 40 years’ experience of problem solving. “We need to stop spending and
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point of time, the fetus has rights as well as the mother.” And Dr. Allen condemned the leak of the Supreme Court draft ruling. “The Supreme Court is the one body that is not overly political. This leak is making it that way. I hate when people say it’s not a big deal when it (the leak) benefits you. It undermines government, and that’s not a good thing.” Dr. Allen criticized Rep. Carbajal for consistently voting with the rest of the Democratic Party on legislation. “Salud has voted 100% of the time with (Speaker) Nancy Pelosi. He might as well live in San Francisco (Ms. Pelosi’s home base).” Dr. Allen also criticized the COVID-19 lockdown, which included school closures and the requirement that kids learn at home. “We knew more than a year ago that the lockdown caused more detrimental harm than good. The people who were hurt the most were the kids. We kept them out of schools. “We now know from multiple studies the mental anguish these kids were experiencing, the social damage, the intellectual damage, how far behind they’ve gotten,” Dr. Allen said. “We’re just hoping these kids will eventually catch up and do well.” He noted that while there was Please see ALLEN on A3
DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS
The Santa Barbara City Council will meet at 2 p.m. today at Santa Barbara City Hall.
SB City Council to hear bicycle plan update By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
The Santa Barbara City Council will receive an update on the 2016 Bicycle Master Plan during its regular meeting at 2 p.m. today at Santa Barbara City Hall, 735 Anacapa St. The council will also: • Review speed limits on portions of Anapamu Street, De la Guerra Street, Garden Street, Las Positas Road and Modoc Road. • Review changing the oneway designation for the 400 block of Anacapa Street. • Consider a long-term resource adequacy agreement with Tecolote Wind on behalf of the Santa Barbara Clean Energy Community Choice Energy Program. • Consider accepting a $100,000 California State
Library grant to enable the Santa Barbara Public LIbrary to launch a teen internship program. • Consider authorizing the library director to execute a city professional services agreement for $134,938 with the Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara to provide support services and outreach to homeless individuals. This would be done through a contracted position, and that individual would work with the library staff through June 30, 2023. People can attend the meeting in-person or watch it online at santabarbaraca.gov/cap. To participate in the virtual meeting during public comment, visit santabarbaraca-gov.zoom. us/webinar/register/WN_ BHXU9bk1SWq0ntGHplRq0Q. email: dmason@newspress.com
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printing money we don’t have,” Dr. Allen said. “That causes inflation.” He also called for curbing regulatory costs, which he said are killing small businesses and contributing to the supply chain disruptions and inflation. And Dr. Allen disagrees with the proposal to cancel student loan debt. “Not only is that unfair to the people who paid, you’re penalizing people who never went to college,” he said. Dr. Allen noted that 40% of student loan recipients go into professions such as medicine and law and can afford to repay the loans He added that student loan cancellations would drive up the cost of college. On the issue of Roe v. Wade, Dr. Allen said he favors letting the states determine their abortion laws. He noted if Roe v. Wade is overturned, it wouldn’t affect California because of its prochoice laws. He discussed his personal views on abortion. “I’m a pediatric heart surgeon. I’ve spent my life saving babies,” he said. “I would never do an abortion. “When we talk about abortion, women have rights. Yes. When does the fetus have rights? At 12 to 15 weeks, the fetus is fully formed,” Dr. Allen said. “At some
Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 8-13-21-39-47 Mega: 9
Monday’s DAILY 4: 8-2-4-7
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 33-40-59-60-69 Mega: 22
Monday’s FANTASY 5: 14-27-33-37-38
Monday’s DAILY DERBY: 10-11-12 Time: 1:42.64
Monday’s POWERBALL: 1-33-37-39-42 Meganumber: 26
Monday’s DAILY 3: 6-0-2 / Midday 1-4-6