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High court overrules Newsom Ruling says churches can meet indoors, but local places of worship plan to continue outdoor services
Man, juvenile charged in double homicide By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
In a Supreme Court ruling Friday, California places of worship, which include sites such as the Santa Barbara Mission, were given the allclear to resume indoor services with some restrictions. However, a number of churches in Santa Barbara County are not resuming indoor services right away.
By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
Churches, synagogues, temples and other places of worship in California were granted permission to resume indoor services over the weekend after the U.S. Supreme Court threw out Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ban on indoor worship during the pandemic. In a 6-3 decision, the high court ruled Friday that Gov. Newsom’s order violated the Constitution’s provision for the free exercise of religion. As a result of the ruling, the Supreme Court
declared that the state can limit churches to 25% capacity indoors and restrict singing and chanting. However, a number of places of worship in Santa Barbara County will not be returning to indoor services immediately. Many cited the ongoing threat of the pandemic towards vulnerable populations in their congregation. A number of churches in the county belong to the Episcopal Dioceses based in Los Angeles, who declared earlier this week that services would remain outdoors or online despite the ruling. “It’s not safe for people to be indoors for
an hour at a time across household groups, especially those most at-risk,” bishops of the Episcopal Dioceses in Los Angeles said in a statement. “Constitutional law experts will debate the fine points. But those who think the government is singling out churches, temples, mosques, and other worship venues would have to overlook theaters, museums, lecture halls, and fitness centers — secular businesses and institutions whose inside activity has also been suspended to keep people from prolonged contact with one another.” Please see worship on A4
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
Old Mission Santa Inés will have limited seating at its indoor services Wednesday and Sunday morning and plans to comply with all COVID-19 regulations.
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Community advocates for reopening SB schools Drive-by protest planned for today By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Santa Barbara Unified seeks to reopen its campuses, but state law prohibits schools from reopening until the county’s case rate decreases. Schools Superintendent Hilda Maldonado and board President Kate Ford released an article to local media last week, expressing their desire to reopen school, arguing that districts with a lower socioeconomic status are harmed by the state’s policy. Their oped was published Sunday in the News-Press’ Voices section. And now a physician in a local group is encouraging parents to drive by their children’s schools and Santa Barbara City Hall today and honk in support of schools reopening for in-person instruction. Parents and community members have been advocating for the return to in-person learning for months. Santa Barbara Parent Leadership Action Network formed this summer in response to COVID-19’s effect on education. Dr. Sunita Beall, an SB PLAN member and parent of two students, organized a drive-by protest from noon to 1 p.m. today. The physician encouraged parents to drive by their children’s school and Santa Barbara City Hall and honk three times. “I’m hoping that the principals in the school, the staff in the
school, the teachers who are actually teaching these students over Zoom in their classrooms will hear that there is a sizable amount of people who would like their students to be back in person,” she told the News-Press. She picked today, the day of the Santa Barbara Unified board meeting, to get board members’ attention. Because board meetings are held over Zoom, she doesn’t think the district sees the number of concerned parents and community members. In response to news of today’s parade, Superintendent Maldonado said in an email to the News-Press, “We see you ... We hear you … And we support your requests to reopen our school. We want to be sure that our teachers and administrators get vaccinated as soon as possible, so we are working to advocate for this at all levels.” Other parents called into the Santa Barbara County Board of Education meeting Thursday to express their frustration with the county education office’s inaction. “What has the county done to negotiate with the governor to get our kids back to school?” asked Caroline Harrah, SB PLAN organizer and district parent. Friday, Dr. Susan Salcido, the Santa Barbara County superintendent of schools, and Maggi Daane, the county school board president, sent a letter to Please see protest on A4
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Bryan Munoz, 21, of Santa Barbara, and an unnamed juvenile have been charged with the murders of 19-yearold residents Enzo Rastelli and Jasper Pieter van der Meulen. On Monday, District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced Mr. Munoz and the juvenile are being charged separately in adult and juvenile courts. Mr. Munoz was scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Department 8 of Superior Court of Santa Barbara, but his arraignment was continued to Feb. 16 And according to a statement from Ms. Dudley’s office, Mr. Munoz is eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. The juvenile will be arraigned in juvenile court, according to the statement. The statement also alleged that a conspiracy to commit a robbery, which resulted in the murders, is connected with the Westside criminal street gang. Consistent with the practice against identifying those being charged in juvenile court, the District Attorney’s Office is referring to the juvenile with the generic term “John Doe.” According to the District Attorney’s Office, “it is alleged that the murders were committed
for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with the Westside criminal street gang in Santa Barbara County, in order to promote, further or assist in any criminal conduct by gang members on or about Jan. 7, 2021.” The shooting occurred around 12:30 p.m. Jan. 7. The Sheriff’s Office responded to the 600 block of Burtis Street, which is in an unincorporated area near Goleta. A passerby observed a suspect fleeing the area on foot. Responding deputies discovered two victims in the front seat of a parked vehicle. Mr. Rastelli suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head, and Mr. van der Meulen suffered a gunshot wound to the head, but survived the shooting and was transported to a local hospital. He succumbed to injuries and died Jan. 28. Arrests were announced Thursday by Sheriff Bill Brown. In Monday’s statement, the District Attorney’s Office alleged that a principal in the murders “personally discharged a firearm causing death to both victims within the meaning of Penal Code sections 12022.53(d) and (e). “It is further alleged that Bryan Munoz and minor John Doe unlawfully killed Enzo Rastelli and Jasper Van Der Meulen while active participants in a criminal street gang within the meaning
Obituaries............. A4 Sudoku................. b3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-16-34-35-45 Meganumber: 17
Monday’s DAILY 4: 3-4-8-5
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 14-17-28-29-44 Meganumber: 2
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Monday’s DAILY 3: 8-7-0 / Sunday’s Midday 7-5-5