Santa Barbara News-Press: January 24, 2023

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Rebecca Brand, pictured above, says a transient forcibly seized her cell phone because she was calling 9-1-1 to report a window she saw shattered on Christmas Eve at Rudy’s

Transient robbery case continued until next month

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The case of a transient charged with using force and fear to seize a cell phone from a woman who saw a rock shatter the front window of Rudy’s restaurant on Christmas Eve was continued Monday until next month.

The defendant, Nelly Gackowska, 60, had been scheduled to be arraigned for a second time on charges of second-degree robbery and grand theft from a person, both felonies. She could receive a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted.

Ms. Gackowska previously pleaded not guilty. But after a judge found the charges against her to be true at a preliminary hearing and ruled that her case could proceed to trial, she was granted a second opportunity at another arraignment to choose between pleading guilty or not guilty.

Ms. Gackowska represented herself at her preliminary hearing, but a public defender was appointed Monday to represent her at her new arraignment, which was continued to Feb. 27, prosecutors said.

Rebecca Brand, the witness to the rock breaking the

Master plan for s tate s treet

Santa Barbara City Council to receive progress report today on efforts

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara City Council today will receive a progress report for the State Street “Create State” Master Plan — a long-term plan for downtown Santa Barbara that focuses on the creation of public space designed for people rather than vehicles.

The council will meet in its chambers, 735 Anacapa St., starting at 2 p.m.

The Create State Master Plan prioritizes pedestrians and the public realms to benefit residents, visitors and the local economy through the creation of a designated public space, according to staff.

The project area includes Anacapa to Chapala streets and State Street from Sola Street to the Highway 101 underpass.

The final product for the Create State project will include a preferred conceptual design concept and implementation plan that the city will use to construct the downtown capital improvement project.

The Create State project remains on schedule for completion of the Master Plan between December 2023 and February 2024, staff said.

Staff’s report today will highlight the work undertaken over the last six months, including existing conditions analysis, the various opportunities for public engagement, and the next steps to determine a design concept and implementation plan for State Street and the downtown area.

Major work over the last six months associated with Create State (the State Street Master Plan) has included analyzing existing economic, transportation, utility and land use conditions downtown; confirming the community’s vision for the project area; developing a project website that more than 5,200 people have visited; releasing a community survey that more than 5,500

people have viewed and 4,000 people have taken; and engaging more than 1,500 people during inperson outreach events.

The Create State team is analyzing economic trends, mobility patterns and land uses in downtown Santa Barbara to determine what considerations should be made in the conceptual design, what opportunities exist for redevelopment, what is economically viable, and what infrastructure to consider in a future design.

The team conducted existing conditions analysis “because staff wants to ensure that the designs we put forward for the community to react to are realistic and achievable given constraints in the right-of-way.

“The block structures in downtown Santa Barbara allow for a unique pedestrian experience and the potential for further variation along the street

frontage, with over 20 doorways on each block and a concentration of multi-story buildings along the 700–900 blocks of State Street,” staff said.

“Given the existing concentration of retail (50% more retail per capita on State Street than retail per capita regionally), State Street has opportunities for growing experiential-based activities, mixed use and food and beverage businesses.”

Staff said State Street sales tax data show that restaurants generate the most revenue and that food services and drinking establishments have recovered from their low numbers during the 2019–2020 pandemic.

Additional economic analysis is being conducted, including case studies related to retail retention and expansion. Interconnected market support between retail and other uses, office space and business and employment trends

by industry and location are also being studied.

“These analyses will help determine the economic feasibility of the future conceptual design and proposed closure location,” staff said. “A future design will also need to consider utilities, including water, sewer, traffic signal and conduits, fiber optic and stormwater infrastructure.

“Initial transportation data shows that the State Street closure created a safer environment than prepandemic conditions due to the reduced number and severity of accidents,” staff said.

Collision analysis indicates that before the State Street closure, between October 2018 and April 2020, there were 17 total collisions along State Street, with a maximum of six crashes at

Four charged in wharf murder case

No pleas entered during arraignment

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The four alleged gang associates arrested Thursday in connection with last month’s fatal shooting of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf have been charged with murder, Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch announced Monday.

The defendants — Jiram Jhunue Tenorio Ramon, Ricardo Tomas Jauregui-Moreno Jr., Christopher Dave Miranda and James Lee Rosborough, all Santa Barbara residents — were charged in a four-count felony complaint in connection with the murder of Robert Dion Gutierrez that occurred as a result of the Dec. 9 shooting on Stearns Wharf,

Please see MURDER on A4

Monterey Park shooting leaves 11 people dead

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

The death toll increased to 11 Monday in the aftermath of the mass shooting during a Lunar New Year celebration last weekend in Monterey Park.

The 11th victim, whose name wasn’t released, died at LAC+USC Medical Center.

Three of the victims were identified as My Nhan, 65; Lilan Lie, 63; and Alvaro Valentino, 68, the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner said Monday.

Another nine people were injured in what was the nation’s fifth mass killing this month.

The shooting Saturday night at Star Ballroom Dance Studio was the deadliest attack since the May 24 shooting that left 21 people dead at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

The suspect, Huu Can Tran, 72, of Hemet, died from a selfinflicted gunshot wound, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. Mr. Tran was inside a white van as a SWAT team closed in on him, Sheriff Luna said.

About a half-hour after the Monterey Park shooting, Mr. Tran walked into the Lai Lai Ballroom in nearby Alhambra, but Brandon Tsay, 26, of San Marino seized Mr. Tran’s weapon before he could start shooting. At that point, Mr. Tran reportedly ran away.

Please see shooting on A 4

restaurant on upper State Street in Santa Barbara.

REBECCA BRAND PHOTO

Rebecca Brand took this photo of Nelly Gackowska, 60, who has been charged with second-degree robbery and grand theft from a person.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

“Given the existing concentration of retail (50% more retail per capita on State Street than retail per capita regionally), State Street has opportunities for growing experiential-based activities, mixed use and food and beverage businesses,” according to the city of Santa Barbara staff.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Bicyclists travel down lower State Street, which has been closed to vehicular traffic since May 2020.

National Guard honored

No DUI arrests made at checkpoint

LOMPOC — The Lompoc Police Department successfully completed a DUI checkpoint between 7 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

Nearly 400 vehicles drove through the checkpoint during those hours.

No arrests were made for driving under the influence. There were a total of 26 stops

Central Library reopens upper level

SANTA BARBARA — Beginning today, visitors can go upstairs again at the Central Library.

Construction work at the Santa Barbara Public Library, 40 E. Anapamu St., has progressed to the point that people can go up to the upper level. So patrons will have full access to the nonfiction, graphic novels and young adult collections as well as the microfilm machine and local

completed. Six drivers were cited for driving a vehicle unlicensed or other infractions.

The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired, according to the police department.

The checkpoint was funded by a grant from the California Office of Public Safety.

Checkpoint locations are based on a history of crashes and DUI arrests.

— Neil Hartstein

history archives. Public computers are available for library cardholders on the upper level. Printing from public computers as well as personal wireless devices has also been restored.

There are three construction projects at the Central Library, and they all started in July: the renovation of the Library Plaza, the construction of a new accessible elevator in the center of the library, and a new staff workspace on the lower level. Construction is expected to be completed this fall.

— Dave Mason

Border patrol: More than 300,000 apprehensions, gotaways in December

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – At least 225,797 people were apprehended entering the U.S. illegally nationwide in December, according to official U.S. Customs and Border Protection data released late Friday.

Combining official apprehension data with preliminary Border Patrol reported gotaway data obtained by The Center Square – a record 87,631 in gotaways – December numbers total at least 313,428, another record.

December’s total was greater than November’s record-breaking total of at least 306,069.

Some of those who were apprehended attempting to enter the southern border illegally did so more than once in the past 12 months, bringing total encounters to 251,487 in December, CBP reported.

Official data published by CBP excludes data reported about gotaways, those who are categorized as individuals who are documented to have evaded capture by law enforcement and didn’t return to Mexico or Canada.

The monthly gotaway data reported by The Center Square comes from nine out of 20 sectors and excludes Office of Field Operations data. It excludes record gotaway data from northern border sectors including Vermont, for example, which has reported record numbers over the past few months as foreign nationals fly to Canada attempting to enter through bordering upstate New York and New England states, Border Patrol agents have told The Center Square.

CBP released the numbers on Jan. 20, two years to the day President Joe Biden was sworn into office. The National Border Patrol Council, the union representing Border Patrol agents, tweeted its disdain for the current administration, saying, “Two years ago today our border was turned over to cartel thugs and the worst period of lawlessness and illegal immigration in our history began.”

In several tweets, the union reiterated that the Mexican cartels control the U.S. southern border. It also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris, whom President Biden dubbed the “border czar.” Vice President Harris has visited the southern border once while she’s been in office while President Biden visited the border for the first time earlier this month. While in Houston last year, the primary destination of cartel trafficking in Texas, Vice President Harris said the border was secure more than once on national television.

Publishing a photo of Vice President Harris, the NBPC tweeted, “If you were given a job 2 years ago with the explicit goal of reducing illegal immigration, and then you sit around and do nothing while illegal immigration explodes to levels never seen

before, you should be fired and replaced. Period.”

According to CBP data, the number of unique individuals encountered nationwide in December was 225,797, representing a 10% increase from November.

The 251,487 encounters along the southwest land border in December represented a 7% increase from November. Among them, 14% involved individuals who attempted to enter the U.S. illegally at least once in the past 12 months.

Nearly two-thirds, 64%, of all southwest land border encounters were single adults, CBP reported, totaling 161,808 encounters in December, a 2.3% increase from November.

About 20% of total illegal entries were processed for expulsion under Title 42.

Encounters with family unit individuals also increased in December, by 22% from November; unaccompanied children encounters decreased by 6.4%, CBP said.

CBP officers, Border Patrol agents, and Air and Marine Operations agents apprehended record amounts of drugs in December, by weight an overall increase of 17.5% from November. Seizures by weight of cocaine and heroin increased by 32% and 1%, respectively. Meth seizures decreased by 4%. Fentanyl seizures increased by a record 52%.

In contradiction to the NBPC’s view, CBP Acting Commissioner Troy Miller said, “The December update shows our new border enforcement measures are working. Even as overall encounters rose because of smugglers spreading misinformation around the court-ordered lifting of the Title 42 public health order, we continued to see a sharp decline in the number of Venezuelans unlawfully crossing our southwest border, down 82% from September 2022.”

He added that “early data suggests the expanded measures for Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans are having a similar impact.”

Also not reported by CBP were sector apprehensions previously reported by The Center Square, which show that Texas sectors continue to be hit the hardest.

In December, BP agents in the El Paso Sector apprehended approximately 55,766 people and reported at least 32,632 gotaways; Del Rio Sector agents apprehended 51,497 people and reported at least 18,639 gotaways; Rio Grande Valley Sector agents apprehended 29,471 people and reported at least 2,974 gotaways.

Of the nine southern border sectors, Texas’ five sectors reported the greatest number of apprehensions and gotaways of nearly 1.8 million in fiscal 2022, the most in recorded U.S. history.

California and Arizona BP agents also reported record numbers of over 300,000 and over 800,000, respectively, in fiscal 2022.

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Kinney County, Texas, Sheriff Brad Coe is pleading for help from his colleagues in three states as his department is overwhelmed by the surge in foreign nationals crossing the border illegally who are “wreaking havoc in our communities.”

Sheriff Coe sent letters to sheriffs in all 254 counties of Texas, all 75 counties in Arkansas and all 77 counties in Oklahoma asking for help to defend his residents from the surge in illegal immigration.

The border crisis “has made all counties a border county,” he argues, and it’s “imperative that we stand ready here at the border in order to protect and serve.”

Kinney County was the first to issue a disaster declaration in Texas, on April 21, 2021. It also was the first to declare an invasion on July 5, 2022. One of the smallest, rural counties in Texas, it shares 16 miles of border with Mexico. Download PDF

As mostly single young military age men enter Texas illegally through ports of entry and intentionally evade law enforcement, they commit a range of crimes, he said, including engaging in shootouts with law enforcement. DPS state troopers and sheriffs from Goliad and Galveston counties have provided assistance, but the volume of men coming through mostly from Central American countries is too much for them to apprehend, he said.

Even with the aid, law enforcement officers “are stretched to the breaking point to successfully maintain operations. We are therefore expanding our request and calling upon the people of Texas and beyond for your help,” he wrote fellow sheriffs.

Sheriff Coe’s county of only two stoplights “consists of 3,129 souls” who heavily rely on ranching and hunting to sustain themselves. Sheriff Coe, who’s one of the sheriffs who’s most familiar with the Texas-Mexico border, is a retired Border Patrol agent. He said he knows where people are coming in and how to stop them. And he’s never seen the volume he’s seeing now, he told The Center Square.

Sheriff Coe is asking other sheriffs to provide manpower, equipment and operational assistance. The county also needs help on the judicial and prosecutorial side, County Attorney Brent Smith told The Center Square. Although they’ve received some from the state, it’s not enough, Mr. Smith said. All the funding from the state’s Operation Lone Star already has been allocated, he added.

“Our homes are being broken into in the middle of the night,” Sheriff Coe wrote his colleagues. “The local school district has been forced to erect military barricades around campus to

protect students from smugglers evading law enforcement. Walking outside on our own property after dark is no longer safe. The residents of Kinney County no longer enjoy the comfort and safety of their own home. Words cannot adequately describe the conditions on the ground and the daily threats we have been forced to contend with.”

“Under normal circumstances, our county would not support a large or robust law enforcement presence,” he continued. “However, these are extraordinary times.”

Despite being overrun, outnumbered and stretched thin, he maintains hope, saying he’s “empowered by our constitution, our citizens, and our governor to establish working coalitions and taskforces to uphold the law and ensure the peace in our state.”

He also cites authorization from the governor to form coalitions to “combine their resources and coordinate their activities to successfully protect their own residents.”

Texas has borne the brunt of illegal activity stemming from the border as nearly 1.8 million people were apprehended or evaded capture by Border Patrol agents in fiscal 2022, according to data obtained by The Center Square.

While private military contractors have previously offered support, their costs are prohibitive, exceeding the entire county’s budget, Kinney County Sheriff spokesperson Matt Benacci told The Center Square, with start-up costs in the milliondollar range.

Funding received from the state must be approved by the state and these funds have already been allocated or spent, including on prosecutorial and judicial support and hiring additional law enforcement officers, purchasing equipment and other resources, he said.

Mr. Smith, who’s office was the first to successfully prosecute criminal trespassers through Operation Lone Star, told The Center Square that his office is helping to prosecute a volume of cases that only larger counties would normally handle. With only one secretary assisting him, his office went from prosecuting 10 cases a month to 500 last February. Those numbers have only gone up, he said.

Since August 2021, Kinney County officers have made more than 5,000 arrests on misdemeanor and evading on foot charges, far exceeding the number of arrests made in all Texas border counties.

Smuggling arrests in fiscal 2022 in Kinney County totaled 3,045, according to data obtained by The Center Square from the District Attorney’s office. By comparison, they totaled 67 in fiscal 2021 and 64 in fiscal 2020.

All felony arrests and charges from January 2021 to January 2023 totaled 5,524, according to the DA’s office. And arrests would be higher if there were more law enforcement officers in the field, Mr. Smith said.

the Santa Barbara News-Press, P.O. Box 1359, Santa Barbara, CA 93102. Published daily.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

The Chico unit of the California National Guard, pictured above in a Jan. 13 photo at the Randall Road Debris Basin, was honored Monday for its around-the-clock work in removing debris from the basin, which filled up during the recent storms. Members of the unit did the equivalent of 30 days’ work in 10 days at the Montecito site, according to the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department. Speaking at a ceremony at the basin Monday in honor of the National Guard unit were Brigadier Gen. Robert F. Paoletti, director of joint staff at the California Joint Force Headquarters, and 1st District Supervisor Das Williams.

Texas border sheriff sends SOS seeking aid: ‘Illegal aliens wreaking havoc in our communities’

CBO projects Social Security funds to be exhausted by 2033

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) –Fresh projections from the Congressional Budget Office show the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund would be exhausted by 2033 if benefits are paid as scheduled.

In January, Social Security beneficiaries got an 8.7% increase in monthly checks, the largest cost-of-living adjustment since 1981. The increase added $146 to the average recipient’s monthly benefit. That is expected to push the average benefit to $1,827, up from $1,681, according to the Social Security Administration.

The Disability Insurance Trust Fund would be depleted by 2048 under the same schedule, according to the latest report from the federal agency that provides budget and economic information to Congress.

To keep the funds solvent through 2096, the federal government would need to

immediately and permanently hike payroll tax rates by 4.9 percentage points or reduce benefits or implement some combination of tax increases and benefit reductions.

“After 2096, however, the gap between revenues and outlays would widen, and shortfalls would continue to increase,” according to the CBO report.

If Social Security outlays were limited to payable revenues after the trust funds’ exhaustion in 2033, Social Security benefits would be about 23% smaller than scheduled benefits in 2034. They would be 35% smaller by 2096, and the gap would remain stable thereafter.

Social Security, which is the largest single program in the federal budget, has two components. The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance provides benefits to retired workers, their eligible dependents, and some survivors of deceased workers.

Disability Insurance provides benefits to disabled workers and their dependents.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

DP girls wrestling takes part in Lady Eagle Invitational

The Dos Pueblos girls wrestling team appeared at the Lady Eagle Invitational on Saturday at John Glenn High School, sending a wrestler to the championship finals.

Victoria Bernard finished second in the event, pinning Chaparal’s Brelynn Smith in 15 seconds and John Glenn’s Urena Andrea in 48 seconds. She followed up these wins with a victory by tech fall over Buena’s Mallely Perez Diaz, but fell in the final round to San Fernando’s Hailee Moreno.

“Victoria continued to open it up with some dominant wins en route to the finals,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Matthew Bernard. “Though the finals did not go her way, she learned some things that will only make her stronger and that much more of a fierce competitor.”

Alyssa Warner filed to place after taking a pair of losses in the event, but Bernard said she “continues to get better every single week.

“Her physical and mental toughness continues to

Social Security is funded by payroll taxes and income taxes on benefits. The payroll tax is generally 12.4% of earnings up to a maximum annual amount. That amount was $147,000 in 2022. Employees and their employers each pay half of the 12.4%. People who are self-employed pay the full amount, according to the CBO.

To pay benefits as required by existing law and maintain trust fund balances through 2096, that 12.4% would need to be raised to 17.3% of taxable payroll, according to the report.

“Other ways to maintain the necessary trust fund balances include reducing scheduled benefits by an amount equivalent to 4.9% of taxable payroll or combining tax increases with benefit reductions,” the report noted.

Many Americans depend on Social Security payments, according to the AARP. Social Security is the largest source of retirement income for most Americans, AARP research shows. It provides nearly all

income for 1 in 4 seniors, according to AARP.

“Under no circumstances should Republicans vote to cut a single penny from Medicare or Social Security to help pay for Joe Biden’s reckless spending spree, which is more reckless than anybody’s ever done or had in the history of our country,” former President Donald Trump said Friday in a video posted on Truth Social.

Some Republicans have said that changes to Social Security and Medicare should be considered, according to media reports. Republican leaders have not embraced those calls.

grow,” Bernard said of Warner. “She continues to go out there, try things, and push her limits. That’s everything a coach could ask for.”

DP boys basketball falls to SB

The Dos Pueblos boys basketball team lost to Santa Barbara on Friday, falling by a score of 64-50.

Dos Pueblos kept the game close in the first half, finishing the first quarter down by only one and the second down by four. Santa Barbara put the game out of reach in the third quarter, outscoring and outrebounding Dos Pueblos on their way to expanding their lead to 18 points. Dos Pueblos got four of those points back with a strong fourth quarter, but was unable to make up the difference.

“We have to get better at taking care of the ball,” said Dos Pueblos Coach Joe Zamora. “We play Oxnard tomorrow, so we need to cut down on our turnovers.”

Dos Pueblos falls to 7-14 with the loss, with a 2-6 mark in league play

- Compiled by Matt Smolensky

Council to appoint mayor pre tempore

the mayor pro tempore, and chairs and members of the Ordinance and Finance Committees.

one intersection. After the State Street closure, between June 2020 and December 2021, there were 10 total collisions, with a maximum of two crashes at one intersection.

Other transportation data analysis currently being finalized includes review of mobility patterns on State, Anacapa and Chapala streets; analysis of the transit system and parking supply; and percentage of the rightof-way on each block used for pedestrians, bicycles, parking and vehicles.

“This information will help to refine a conceptual design and ensure that various modes of transportation connect to the project area,” according to staff.

In other business today, the City Council is being asked to appoint

The council also has several items to approve on its consent calendar, which usually do not require discussion.

They include adopting an ordinance establishing a standing Finance Committee (now governed by resolution) and Ordinance Committee process revisions pertaining to its powers and duties, and a resolution of intention to modify the Management District Plan of the Santa Barbara South Coast Tourism Business Improvement District.

Also on the Consent Calendar, staff is asking the council to authorize the community development director to execute a one-year $450,000 agreement with Kingdom Causes Inc. (City Net) to provide street outreach (including

evenings and weekends), case management and housing navigation services for homeless individuals, with an option by the city to extend an additional year.

In addition to its regular meeting, the council will hold a special meeting today at 10 a.m. to conduct a public employee performance evaluation of City Administrator Rebecca Bjork.

And the Finance Committee is scheduled to meet at 12:30 p.m. today in the David Gebhard Public Meeting Room, 630 Garden St., to consider whether to ask the full council to establish a low-income homeowner rehabilitation pilot program for city residents. That would involve providing grant funding of up to $50,000 to Habitat for Humanity to operate the program.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Here’s how the water level stood Sunday at Lake Casitas in Ojai as seen from State Route 150. According to the Casitas Municipal Water District, the lake is registered at 43% capacity, 502.6 feet lake elevation and 101,545 acre-feet. Its capacity is 238,000 acre-feet. The last time water spilled over the Casitas Dam, which was built in 1958 to create the Lake Casitas Reservoir, was back in 1998.

Beach gets suddenly bigger

SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS OBITUARIES

HORTON STRAHORN, Jo Ann

Jo Ann Horton Strahorn, loving mother and grandmother, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, November 5th. She was 94 years old.

Born to Isabelle and William Crawford she spent her early childhood in Sausalito, California during the Depression. She remembered how the chilling wind and fog would roll in on the San Francisco Bay and how she warmed herself around the woodburning stove. She witnessed the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and walked across it the day it opened in 1937. Soon after, the family moved back to Oregon where most of her relatives lived. She vividly remembered her 14th birthday when Pearl Harbor was attacked and changed the course of many lives.

Jo Ann loved to dance. In high school she said the kids would even dance to the swing music of the big bands in the cafeteria during lunch. Her favorite subject was art, which turned out to be a lifetime passion and hobby.

When she was 20 years old she went on a date with Navy veteran Richard Horton and he was smitten.

He asked her to marry him on their second date and she became Mrs. Richard Horton in 1948.

They settled in Santa Barbara and raised their four children. The family pastime became horseback riding. And JoAnn joined in, learning how to ride with the kids. A lot of time was spent horse camping, going on trail rides, going to horseshows and being involved in the Montecito YMCA. Tragically, Richard passed away at the age of fortyeight. Jo Ann raised the children on her own, but was very grateful for all the loving support of her friends and the community.

Jo Ann had many passions: cooking, fashion, art, bridge, and crossword puzzles. She did crosswords until her time of death - she amazed her children with her ability to answer obscure questions even after losing her memory!

She was the rock of the family, always hosting the holiday dinners and family get togethers. She will be dearly missed by her children, grandchildren and friends.

Jo Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Horton and second husband, Bob Strahorn, her sister, Nan and her son, David. She is survived by her children, Ann, Richard, and Tom and her grandchildren, David, Sam, Loren, and Serena.

The family is having a private memorial.

Obituary notices are published daily in the Santa Barbara News-Press and also appear on our website www.newspress.com To place an obituary, please email the text and photo(s) to obits@ newspress.com or fax text only (no photos) to (805) 966-1421. Please include your name, address, contact phone number and the date(s) you would like the obituary to be published. Photos should be in jpeg format with at least 200 dpi. If a digital photo is not available, a picture may be brought into our office for scanning. We will lay out the obituary using our standard format. A formatted proof of the obituary and the cost will be emailed back for review and approval. The minimum obituary cost to print one time is $150.00 for up to 1.5” in length -- includes 1 photo and up to 12 lines of text, approximately 630 characters; up to approximately 930 characters without a photo. Add $60.00 for each additional inch or partial inch after the first 1.5”; up to approximately 700 characters per additional inch. All Obituaries must be reviewed, approved, and prepaid by deadline. We accept all major credit cards by phone; check or cash payments may be brought into our office located at 715 Anacapa Street.

Prosocutors have insufficient evidence for vandalism charge

Robb ERy Continued from Page A1

window at the Santa Barbara restaurant, contends the defendant forcibly took her cell phone from her because she took pictures of her at the scene, and because she was calling 9-1-1 to report the incident.

Ms. Brand claims the defendant injured her by repeatedly slamming her cell phone against her hip while trying to pry it from Ms. Brand’s hand, and that the alleged attack left her with a large bruise. (Ms. Brand emailed a photo of the bruise to the News-Press.)

Ms. Brand never said she actually saw the defendant throw the rock that broke the window at the upper State Street restaurant. She told the News-Press that she heard the rock hit the window and saw it shatter, and saw Ms. Gackowska

and an unidentified man standing there.

Because she was not an eyewitness to Ms. Gackowska throwing the rock, prosecutors have declined to also charge the defendant with breaking the restaurant window despite Rudy’s willingness to press charges.

“We don’t have enough evidence to prove a vandalism (incident) beyond a reasonable doubt, so that charge has not been filed for the broken window,” Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Branch said Monday.

At the same time, prosecutors have left the door open to charging Ms. Gackowska with that crime, telling the NewsPress previously that “we are waiting on more information before making a filing decision on the breaking of the window.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Existing home sales slid 17.8% last year

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Sales of existing homes fell 17.8% in 2022, marking the weakest sales performance since 2014 as interest rates climbed.

Interest rates rose quickly last year, a factor that weighed on the residential real estate market. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.15% as of Jan. 19, down from 6.33% last week, but up from 3.56% a year ago, according to Freddie Mac.

Sales of previously owned homes declined 17.8% last year from 2021 to 5.03 million, the National Association of Realtors said Friday. Previously owned homes account for most home sales.

Existing-home sales dropped for the 11th consecutive month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million. Sales fell 1.5% from

November and 34.0% from one year ago.

“December was another difficult month for buyers, who continue to face limited inventory and high mortgage rates,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said. “However, expect sales to pick up again soon since mortgage rates have markedly declined after peaking late last year.”

The median existing-home sales price climbed 2.3% from the previous year to $366,900. It marked 130 consecutive months of year-over-year increases, the longest-running streak on record.

“Home prices nationwide are still positive, though mildly,” Mr. Yun said. “Markets in roughly half of the country are likely to offer potential buyers discounted prices compared to last year.”

The annual share of firsttime home buyers was 26%, the lowest since the association began tracking the data.

All defendants being held without bail, none have entered pleas

MURDER

Continued from Page A1

D.A. Savrnoch said.

Mr. Tenorio Ramon, 22, is charged with murder with the special circumstance of committing the murder to benefit a criminal street gang (WestsideSanta Barbara) and with the special allegation of personal use of a firearm causing death. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy.

Defendants Jauregui-Moreno, 20, and Miranda, 21, are charged with murder, with special allegations of committing the murder for the benefit of a criminal street gang and principal use of a handgun, conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy. Defendant Jauregui-Moreno is also charged with having been previously convicted of a violent felony or “strike” offense.

Mr. Rosborough, 21, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, criminal street gang conspiracy and being an accessory after the fact, with the special allegation of committing the crime for the benefit of a criminal street

gang.

Prosecutors allege the four defendants verbally challenged a group of pedestrians while driving on Stearns Wharf; stopped their vehicle for the purpose of deploying two of their party to attack the group of pedestrians with a firearm; discharged a firearm at the group of pedestrians and murdered Mr. Gutierrez, an innocent bystander; fled the location of the murder, two on foot and two by vehicle; and then traveled back to the location of the murder in vehicles to extract those who fled on foot to avoid apprehension.

All four defendants appeared with their attorneys Monday morning for arraignment in Department 8 of the Santa Barbara County Superior Court.

None of the defendants entered pleas at the Santa Barbara courthouse, and all are being held without bail, prosecutors said.

Defendant Jauregui-Moreno will appear in court Feb. 1 for appointment of counsel. He appeared with a public defender on Monday and informed the court he wished to retain private counsel, Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McCallister said.

The three other defendants

already have private counsel.

Mr. Rosborough will appear in court Wednesday for a bail hearing.

Mr. Miranda will appear in court Feb. 1 for a bail hearing.

Mr. Tenorio Ramon, the only defendant charged with the special circumstance of committing the offense for the benefit of a criminal street gang, and Mr. Jauregui-Moreno have not asked for bail hearings.

Mr. Tenorio Ramon and Mr. Miranda continued their arraignments to Feb. 17.

No action was taken Monday pertaining to Mr. JaureguiMoreno’s arraignment.

Santa Barbara police officers and Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol responded Dec. 9 around 8:40 p.m. to the area of Stearns Wharf and Cabrillo Boulevard for a report of a shooting that had just occurred.

Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from a single gunshot wound. The man was provided medical attention on scene and transported by ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment.

On Dec. 20, the shooting victim, Mr. Gutierrez, a 52-yearold Camarillo resident, was pronounced dead at Cottage

Hospital.

“Mr. Gutierrez’s death was a direct result of the gunshot wound he sustained on Dec. 9, deeming this case a homicide investigation,” police said. “It appears Mr. Gutierrez was an innocent bystander when the shooting occurred.”

Detectives from the Santa Barbara Police Department continually investigated this homicide, and “their extensive and diligent investigation led to the identification of multiple suspects connected to a local criminal street gang,” police said.

The Santa Barbara Police Department, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, and Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office executed searchand-arrest warrants on Thursday at several locations throughout the city and county, and the four defendants were arrested.

A 16-year-old male (name withheld due to age) was also arrested and booked at the Santa Barbara County Juvenile Hall in Santa Maria for allegedly being a juvenile in possession of a firearm.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Monterey Park mayor suggests suspect was targeting his ex-wife

shooting

Sheriff Luna said Mr. Tsay and another brave community member were involved in taking the weapon from Mr. Tran.

On Monday, police were still looking for a motive in the shooting. Monterey Park Mayor Henry Lo told NBC News that his

understanding was that Mr. Tran was targeting the suspect’s ex-wife.

Sheriff Luna said the suspect killed his victims with a magazine-fed semi automatic assault pistol with an extended high-capacity magazine attached.

Mr. Tran shot himself with a second weapon, a handgun.

After the mass shooting, President Joe Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-staff until

Thursday’s sunset.

Gov. Gavin Newsom visited Monterey Park on Sunday, praised the community for its strength and called for “real gun reform at a national level.” The assault pistol and high capacity magazine reportedly used by Mr. Tran are illegal in California but can be purchased legally in various other states.

email: dmason@newspress.com

The deadline for Weekend and Monday’s editions is at 10a.m. on Thursdays; Tuesday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Fridays; Wednesday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Mondays; Thursday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Tuesdays; Friday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Wednesdays (Pacific Time). Free Death Notices must be directly emailed by the mortuary to our newsroom at news@ newspress.com. The News-Press cannot accept Death Notices from individuals.

Today Wed.

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W

Cuyama 60/31/s 58/30/s

Goleta 64/38/s 63/40/s

Lompoc 65/37/s 64/35/s

Pismo Beach 64/37/s 62/40/s

Santa Maria 64/36/s 61/38/s

Santa Ynez 65/33/s 64/36/s

Vandenberg 62/42/s 59/41/s

Ventura 63/42/s 66/51/s

Bakersfield 57/37/s 59/37/s

Barstow 59/33/s 61/33/s

Big Bear 41/16/s 41/19/s

Bishop 56/29/s 53/26/s

Catalina 58/49/s 63/54/s

Concord 60/36/s 60/37/s

Escondido 65/36/s 68/40/s

Eureka 58/38/pc 58/35/pc

Fresno 59/36/pc 60/37/pc

Los Angeles 64/41/s 68/44/s

Mammoth Lakes 37/12/s 36/11/s

Modesto 58/34/pc 59/34/s

Monterey 61/41/s 63/41/s

Napa 65/35/s 68/43/s

Oakland 62/39/s 62/45/s

Ojai 62/40/s 64/41/s

Oxnard 62/42/s 64/46/s

Palm Springs 70/46/s 71/50/s

Pasadena 64/43/s 67/45/s

Paso Robles 62/29/s 62/30/s

Sacramento 58/33/s 61/34/s

San Diego 64/42/s 65/48/s

San Francisco 62/43/s 63/46/s

San Jose 62/38/s 63/38/s

San Luis Obispo 66/34/s 65/39/s

Santa Monica 61/42/s 66/48/s

Tahoe Valley 41/17/pc 40/20/s

Atlanta 55/46/pc 63/37/r

Boston 42/28/pc 37/34/sn

Chicago 37/32/c 34/26/sn

Dallas 42/33/r 46/33/c

Denver 27/17/pc 28/14/sf

Houston 58/39/t 55/36/pc

Miami 79/72/c 83/71/pc

Minneapolis 29/22/c 29/15/sf

New York City 44/34/pc 41/40/r

Philadelphia 46/32/pc 46/40/r

Phoenix 57/37/s 62/41/s

Portland, Ore. 48/40/c 50/34/c

St. Louis 45/33/c 38/29/sn

Salt Lake City 34/24/pc 32/20/c

Seattle 47/43/c 48/38/c

Washington, D.C. 50/35/pc 45/41/r

4.1’ 7:09 p.m. 0.4’

Beijing 25/3/s 27/8/pc Berlin 36/29/c 37/31/c

Cairo 72/52/s 71/51/s

Cancun 83/76/s 84/70/sh London 43/29/pc 45/35/c

Mexico City 79/44/pc 78/44/s

Montreal 35/8/sn 17/13/sn

New Delhi 69/56/pc 70/54/t Paris 39/33/c 38/31/c

Rio de Janeiro 85/78/r 87/76/pc

Rome 53/35/c 55/36/c Sydney 81/71/pc 82/72/pc Tokyo 53/27/sh 37/31/s

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Passersby take interest in the sand exposed by the low tide Sunday at East Beach, as seen from Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara.

Life theArts

REVIEW

One ‘Whale’ of a movie

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Brendan Fraser portrays a reclusive writing teacher with weight issues and more in “The Whale.”

It’s Mr. Fraser’s comeback role after his own, real-life health problems (including a knee replacement, operations on his back and repairs to his vocal cords).

Well … what a comeback!

This is the best acting of Mr. Fraser’s entire career. It’s no wonder Mr. Fraser, who will appear at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, won the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Actor for the role.

And Oscar nominations are being announced early this morning. By the time you get your News-Press today, it’s likely that Mr. Fraser will be among the nominees for best actor. He deserves to win the Oscar. (This story will be updated at newspress.com.)

Darren Aronofsky does an incredible job directing this movie, which is based on Samuel D. Hunter’s acclaimed play and takes place entirely in the home of Charlie, Mr. Fraser’s character.

Charlie, who teaches an online writing class, is dangerously overweight and eats excessively as he continues to mourn the death of his boyfriend. Charlie’s friend Liz (played brilliantly by Hong Chau) is a nurse who checks up on him and gives him plenty of tough love.

As Charlie faces the reality that he’s dying, he wants to make things right with his estranged teenage daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink), who hasn’t forgiven him for leaving her and her mother Mary (Samantha Morton) when Ellie was 8 years old.

Ms. Sink plays Ellie with honesty and layers, showing the heart beneath her anger, the soul behind her mask. Ellie may seem, at first, to be an understandably bitter teenager, but she’s much more than that, and as Charlie recognizes what makes Ellie wonderful, viewers will do so as well.

Most of the movie consists of Mr. Fraser acting with just one other person, and those scenes work wonderfully because Mr. Fraser and Ms. Sink or Mr. Fraser and Ms. Chau are listening to each other and reacting with fierce honesty.

Holocaust survivors

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Jana Zimmer, a secondgeneration Holocaust survivor, weaves together fragments of her family’s history in her book

“Chocolates from Tangier,” which was released Jan. 17.

“I’m ending a 40-year career as a lawyer, and I’m at the point in life where I feel the judge is asking me to sum up,” the Santa Barbara author and artist told the NewsPress. “I’ve been making art and writing about the Holocaust on and off for about 40 years. It is in my bones, and it literally made me exactly who I am today.

“There are three Hebrew words that I interpret to mandate righteous behavior,” she continued.

“One is Repair (Tikkun); the second, Teshuvah (Return), and the third is Tzedekah (Justice). This book speaks to all three.”

Her book is being sold at Chaucer’s Books in Santa Barbara, as well as online through Doppelhouse Press (doppelhouse. com) and Amazon.

Ms. Zimmer was born in 1946, the only child of two Holocaust survivors from Czechoslovakia, who fled with them as a refugee from the communists to land in Canada days after her second

birthday.

Ms. Zimmer became a collage/ mixed media artist after her mother came to live with her in 1995. In her artwork, through text and image, she explores issues of memory, exile and responsibility.

Ms. Zimmer talked to the NewsPress about how her parents influenced “Chocolates from Tangiers.”

“My mother and father were each the sole survivor of their immediate family. I asked them each to write down their whole life

stories in about 1984 — 40 years after the liberation,” Ms. Zimmer said. “I did that because I was afraid to ask them to speak only about the Holocaust; I thought it would be too painful.

“Now, I’m glad I did it that way, because I learned that fundamentally they were not formed by their wartime experience, but by earlier circumstances,” she said. “Still, their core experiences were carried very differently after the war.

“I know my father had nightmares about Auschwitz every single night of his life, until he died at 86, because he told me that. But when I asked my mother if she ever had bad dreams, she insisted that she did not. She said that the war was horrible, but it was in the past. That was not true, at all, even for her. But it helped her to believe it.

“Their losses, as well as their resilience, their individual coping strategies dictated the direction of my own life,” Ms. Zimmer said.

“The book is structured around my art exhibits in Prague and Terezin (my father’s losses), and Freiberg, Germany (my mother’s). In the dedication, I call them the Cynic and the Mystic, my yin and my yang.”

The News-Press asked Ms.

CALENDAR

TODAY 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Entangled: Responding to Environmental Crisis,” runs through March 25 at the Westmont RidleyTree Museum of Art. The museum is open from 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It’s closed on Sundays and college holidays. For more information, call 805-565-6162 or visit westmont.edu/museum.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Interlopings: Colors in the Warp and Weft of Ecological Entanglements” is an exhibit that runs through March 12 at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The exhibit features weavings dyed with pigments from non-native plants on Santa Cruz Island. The weavings were created by artists Helen Svensson and Lisa Jevbratt. For more information, see sbbotanicgarden.org.

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “The Search for the Modern West,” an exhibit, continues through Feb. 20 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, see sullivangoss.com or call the gallery at 805730-1460.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit “Parliament of Owls” runs through Feb. 5 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, go to www.sbnature.org.

2 to 6 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at Camino Real Marketplace, 7046 Marketplace Drive, Goleta. For more information, go to vitalant.org.

7 p.m. UCSB Arts & Lectures presents mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and a music ensemble in “Eden” at The Granada, 1214 State St. “Eden” explores the individual human connection with nature and features music from four centuries. Tickets cost $46 to $131 for general admission and $20 for UCSB students with ID, one hour before the performance, and youths 18 and younger. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JAN. 25 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at Allan Hancock College, 800 S. College, Santa Maria. For more information, go to vitalant.org.

7:30 p.m. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will perform at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. The ensemble will perform Beethoven’s “Coriolan” Overture and Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Opus 93; Anatoly Lyadov’s “The Enchanted Lake”; and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” The concert is being presented by the Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara. TIckets cost $36 to $156. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JAN. 28

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Chamber Players orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Santa Barbara, 305 E. Anapamu St. Tickets cost $16. To purchase, go to sbchamberplayers.org.

JAN. 31

6 p.m. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Nick Hornby will discuss his book, “Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius,” with fellow writer Jessica Anya Blau at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza, Santa Barbara.

Mr. Hornby will also sign copies of his book. For more information, call Chaucer’s at 805-682-6787 or go to www. chaucersbooks.com.

FEB. 1

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Coast artist and London native Annie Hoffman’s exhibit “Seeing Ourselves in Colour” will be displayed through Feb. 28 at Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. For more information, visit anniehoffmann.com.

FEB. 5

Agriculture Museum and the Santa Paula Museum. For more information, visit socalmuseums.org.

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.

Free admission will be available on this day at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Ventura County, the Museum of Ventura County’s

COURTESY IMAGE

The exhibit “Parliament of Owls” runs through Feb. 5 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

Family inspires Santa Barbara author Jana Zimmer’s writing of ‘Chocolates from Tangier’

COURTESY PHOTOS

Jana Zimmer, a second-generation Holocaust survivor and a Santa Barbara resident, is the author of “Chocolates from Tangier.”

Brendan Fraser makes his comeback with the best acting of his career

A24 PHOTOS

Charlie (Brendan Frasier) deals with weight issues and more in “The Whale.”

At left, Ellie (Sadie Sink) deals with her anger toward Charlie, the father who abandoned her when she was 8. At right, Liz (Hong Chau) is the friend and caregiver who speaks her mind and gives Charlie some necessary tough love.

Please see WHALE on B2

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ tops box office — again

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

“Avatar: The Way of Water” remains the No.1 movie at the box office.

Last weekend, the popular sequel grossed $20 million.

Hopping up to second place from third was “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” The sequel picked up $11.5 million at the box office.

Dropping to third place from second was the sci-fi/horror thriller “M3GAN,” about a robotic doll. The film grossed $9.8 million.

“Missing,” the story about a missing mother, opened in fourth place with $9.3 million.

“A Man Called Otto,” starring Tom Hanks as a curmudgeon with friendly neighbors, dropped to fifth place from fourth with a gross of $9 million.

“Plane,” which stars Gerard Butler as a pilot who’s forced to land his commercial plane during a storm, dropped to sixth place from fifth with $5.25 million.

Placing seventh was the remake of the comedy “House Party” with $1.78 million.

Opening in eighth place was “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Scarlet Bond.”

The anime film, which is about a murdered corporate worker

who is reincarnated as a slime monster, grossed $1.46 million.

“The Whale,” starring Brendan Fraser as a reclusive English teacher trying to reconnect with his teenage daughter, placed ninth with $1.28 million.

And placing 10th was“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The Marvel Studios sequel grossed $1.26 million.

email: dmason@newspress.com

UCSB to show ‘Hiding in Plain Sight’

UCSB Arts & Lectures is hosting free screenings of “Hiding in Plain Sight,” a two-part documentary film from critically acclaimed director Ken Burns on the mental health crisis among youth.

Episode 1 will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 31, followed by episode 2 at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 1. Both screenings are at UCSB Campbell Hall,

WHALE

Continued from Page B1

And during the one segment when Mr. Fraser isn’t acting in the film, the movie progresses with strength because of Ms. Morton’s acting chops in her scenes with Ty Simpkins, who plays Thomas, the missionary who visits Charlie. Mr. Simpkins is a good actor, but his best acting comes about in his scenes with Ms. Morton, who gives him much to react to and the time to make those reactions genuine.

The spirit of generosity among the actors, who obviously believe in this story and their characters,

SURVIVORS

Continued from Page B1

Zimmer what she learned about her family during the writing of “Chocolates from Tangier.”

“What seems to be coming up is that this search for what and who has been lost is never over. If you look at my art, you see that I am constantly excavating for clues to what they were thinking and feeling.”

She said that in the beginning, she was trying to honor her family and make them count as individuals among the European Jews, which includes the six million who were killed by the Nazis.

“I am still learning new things and new people are finding me. The connections are attenuated, because my immediate family was murdered, but I take what I can get. A woman who was related to

where a panel with local leaders in mental health will follow both viewings.

“Hiding in Plain Sight” follows the journeys of more than 20 young Americans from all over the country and all walks of life who have struggled with thoughts and feelings that have troubled — and, at times —overwhelmed them.

FYI

“The Whale”” is rated R and has a running time of one hour and 57 minutes.

The drama is playing at The Hitchcock Cinema & Pub, 317 Hitchocock Way, Santa Barbara, and Fairview Theatre, 225 N. Fairview Ave., Goleta. See metrotheatres.com for times.

The film, which stars Brendan Fraser, is also screening at Regal Edwards Santa Maria, 100 Town Center East, Santa Maria. See regmovies.com.

is a tribute to the cast and the director. And Mr. Fraser plays

FYI

“Hiding in Plain Sight” looks at the obstacles faced by those who live with mental disorders and the hope that many have found after that storm.

While the event is free, registration is recommended at artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events.

— Katherine Zehnder

Charlie with just the right amount of calmness at times and the right amount of emotion at other times. Mr. Fraser’s acting is an incredible crescendo. There’s just one way this movie could have been improved. As you watch “The Whale,” you’ll notice it’s very darkly lit, which certainly was intentional for the mood of this story, but at times that darkness is a distraction.

This film could have benefitted from a bit more physical light to match the light that the outstanding cast put on their characters. Bravo and brava!

email: dmason@newspress.com

world.”

Ms. Zimmer spoke to what she hopes her readers take from this book.

my grandmother’s twin sister in America found me a few months ago. She wrote me an email that asked, ‘Are you the Jana Zimmer who is Berta Altschul’s granddaughter?’ I said yes, and that started a communication, and she sent me letters in Czech and German that were written between 1939 and 1945 by my one uncle who had survived.

“There are some very sad and confusing references to my father’s condition when he came back from Auschwitz that he had not disclosed to me. I suspect there will be more occurrences like this as the book finds its way into the

“I have to say that my hopes have changed in the last couple of years. The book was 40 years in the making. Of course, I wanted to respect and make a mark on behalf of my family, and I want and need to come to terms with who I am as a result.

“But things that were concerns 40 years ago, and which I believed we had made progress in combating —especially Holocaust denial and anti-semitism, but also racism, misogyny have exploded. I hope that readers will feel compassion, and connectedness —not just for the victims and the survivors, but that they will open or re-open their hearts to the Other, however that is represented in their lives and circumstances.”

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

2OTH CENTURY STUDIOS

“Avatar: The Way of Water” grossed $20 million last weekend.

Santa Barbara resident Jana Zimmer’s “Chocolates from Tangiers” is sold at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St., Santa Barbara (Loreto Plaza); amazon. com and doppelhouse.com.

Thought for Today

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

ARIES — You’re likely to spend time with someone who energizes and rejuvenates you today. With luck, this meeting won’t occur too late in the evening, or else you will have a problem going to sleep, Aries. This energy is going to give your projects a muchneeded boost. You’re about to go on a crusade. Choose your quest carefully, Aries.

TAURUS — You may feel an urgent need to use your physical energy. This need will raise the issue of how to incorporate more exercise into your life. This would be an ideal time to join a gym. Participating in a group sports activity would be a good choice for you. Get started, no matter what outlet you choose, Taurus. Excuses won’t be tolerated.

GEMINI — A day such as today should demonstrate an old truth - people remember the good and forget the bad. You will be brimming with energy, Gemini, hopeful and optimistic for the future. The question is how are you going to spend this incredible energy of yours? You could go in many different directions. It’s up to you to choose which one.

CANCER — Do you have a desire to go away on a trip? Would you like to live in Europe or Asia? These are desires that you may well have at the moment as you begin the process of widening your field of vision. See if you can set up a journey of this kind, Cancer. People will have confidence in you now, so all sorts of possibilities are at your disposal.

LEO — What’s happening in your personal relationships, Leo? It seems as though you’re looking for a fight. Could it be that someone has stolen a leadership position out from under your nose? You have a tendency to lead any group, yet now you’re confronted with resistance. You might want to get involved in a new group project.

VIRGO — At certain moments you can feel where your destiny lies. Today will be such a moment for you, Virgo. You may want to shift your fundamental orientation. Every area of your life will be affected by this shift - where you live, who you live with, your children, and your job. Interesting times lie ahead, Virgo. There is no doubt about that.

LIBRA — The day ahead will reenergize you after these last few days of apathy, Libra. Anyone who tries to hold you back today had better watch out, because you won’t be in the mood to tolerate any objections. You refuse to be restrained. This is an excellent time to reinforce your reputation as an excellent coach.

SCORPIO — Today you may be touched by a person who exudes the kind of determination produced by a combination of spiritual and intellectual strength and faith. This is what is meant when people speak of a leader of great integrity. The encounter with this person is likely to inspire you to commit yourself wholeheartedly to some good work, perhaps a charity.

SAGITTARIUS — Have you been lethargic lately? If so, today is your wakeup call. You will be alert and clear about the task at hand. You understand that your help is urgently needed, and that there’s no time to waste. You can expect to pour a great deal of energy into a single, well-defined goal today. If you usually wander from project to project, this will be a change for you, Sagittarius.

CAPRICORN — The day will be fairly eventful, Capricorn. There’s some likelihood that you will feel suddenly compelled to settle a tedious matter once and for all. It may concern something in your domestic life that’s been left unattended. You won’t rest until it’s finished, and you won’t be distracted, no matter how you’re cajoled to join the others.

AQUARIUS — The day may be somewhat trying for you, Aquarius. You may have a speech to deliver or a private performance to put on for your beloved. In any case, you will have to prove yourself, and you will spare no energy in the attempt. By the end of the day, you will be satisfied but completely drained. Plan to rest afterward. You will have earned it.

PISCES — You can look forward to a busy day, Pisces. Don’t schedule any additional tasks. Your home, family, or mate is likely to demand a great deal of you. In fact, Pisces, your energy is likely to be stretched to the breaking point, so be careful to keep some strength in reserve for yourself. If you give yourself completely, you’re likely to strain your nerves.

SUDOKU

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.

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Tuesday, January 24. It was cool in Los Angeles. We were working the daywatch out of Bunco. My partner’s Bill Gannon. He’s a good player. My name’s Friday.

We got a call about a scam at a Ventura club. We checked it out. The suspect was still playing. One of his opponents spoke with us. “It was terrible, officer.”

“Just the facts, ma’am.”

“That man sitting South conned us out of a game. I led the king of spades against four hearts and shifted to a trump, won by dummy’s king. Declarer next led the queen of spades ... and threw a diamond!”

DISCARD

“When I took the ace, I naturally led a diamond. South won with the ace and pitched clubs on the jack of diamonds and jack of spades. He’s a grifter. Nab him!”

We arrested South on a charge of deceptive play. At trial, the judge said he wished he played as well.

(In an expert partnership, East would follow with his lowest spade on the queen, suggesting a shift to the low-ranking suit, so South’s ruse wouldn’t work.)

K 10 5 7 3

5 4 2 9 5 4. The dealer, at your left, opens two diamonds (a weak

two-bid). Your partner doubles, you bid two spades and partner raises to three spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your response (“advance” in modern terminology) promised no strength, but partner was willing to undertake a nine-trick contract nevertheless. Since you actually have seven good points, to bid four spades is clear.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

“If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.”

— H. G. Wells