Santa Barbara News-Press: April 04, 2023

Spring Sing

improving Elings Park

Privately funded Santa Barbara park makes changes to landscape and facilities

‘Rabbit Hole’

deputies, CHP respond to false report about shooter

San Marcos High School goes on lockdown; law enforcement determines call was a hoax

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office responded Monday morning to a report of an active shooter at San Marcos High School that was quickly determined to be a “swatting”

call that turned out to be a hoax.

The incident began at approximately 10:26 a.m., when deputies, along with California Highway Patrol, responded to San Marcos High School, while County Fire and American Medical Response staged

Please see HOAX on A4

Carjacking suspect appears in court

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A Santa Maria man accused of participating in beating two people and then robbing them and another adult, appeared in court Monday for arraignment on charges connected to that incident as well as a January carjacking.

Mr. Dolores Morelos was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was being held Monday without bail.

represent

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Elings Park, located on the Mesa of Santa Barbara, has been making grand changes to its landscape and facilities to enhance its beauty.

Twice the size of Disneyland, the park is the largest privately funded park in the United States. The park provides the community with breathtaking views, recreational fields, wedding venues, hiking trails and more.

Since 2019, the park has been undergoing major changes to its property. Titled the “Elings Park Infrastructure Campaign,” also known as “EPIC!,” this $10 million project is designed to completely transform the park. The “EPIC!” project includes improvements at the park’s Las Positas Tennis Center.

On Monday, the park held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the tennis center to unveil the new bathrooms. This was the completion of the first of three phases of the construction of the

Please see TENNIS on A4

FYi

Elings Park is located at 1298 Las Positas Road, Santa Barbara. For more information, go to elingspark. org or contact the park at 805-569-5611 or info@ elingspark.org.

The case, however, was continued to Wednesday for further arraignment, Deputy District Attorney Bryant Estep said.

Santa Maria police announced last Thursday they had arrested Saul Dolores Morelos, 19, early in the morning on March 29 in connection with an armed robbery that took place about a half hour earlier.

At approximately 12:41 a.m. March 29, Santa Maria police patrol officers were sent to the 900 block of East Jones Street regarding a robbery that had just occurred. Officers responded and located three adult victims of robbery, Sgt. Daniel Rios said.

“Two victims reported being physically assaulted before personal property was forcibly taken from them by the suspects (small group of juveniles and/or young adults),” Sgt. Rios said.

“During the commission of the crime, one of the suspects brandished a firearm.”

The suspects left the area in a vehicle that collided with a parked vehicle while fleeing the scene, Sgt. Rios said.

Patrol officers’ investigation led to a suspect vehicle being identified. At approximately 1:14 a.m., officers located and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle.

The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, Mr. Dolores Morelos, was ultimately arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and robbery. Vehicle damage to the suspect vehicle was also tied to the parked vehicle that was hit while fleeing the scene.

Later on March 29, SMPD Detective Cole Whitney conducted a subsequent followup investigation that led to Mr. Dolores Morelos being identified as an additional suspect in a Jan. 30 armed carjacking in Santa Maria. So he was booked on suspicion of carjacking, too.

On March 26, Santa Maria police arrested a 17-year-old suspect in connection with the Jan. 30 carjacking, plus another one on Jan. 23, both occurring in Santa Maria.

He was considered the primary suspect in both carjackings.

The juvenile, whose name was not released because of his age, is a known gang member, police said. His arrest was the result of an ongoing investigation by detectives.

The Santa Maria Police Department’s Detective Bureau, with assistance from the Santa Maria Police Department’s SWAT Team, served search-andarrest warrants at a residence in the 1200 block of West Bethel Lane around 11 p.m. on March 26.

The 17-year-old juvenile was taken into custody during the execution of the warrant service without incident.

He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of carjacking (two counts), vandalism and gang enhancement.

Anyone with further information related to any of these investigations is encouraged to contact Detective Whitney at 805-928 -3781, ext. 1329, or the SMPD Communications Center, ext. 2277.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Review: Kiefer Sutherland stars in new compelling series - B1

Westmont students entertain Santa Barbara Bowl audience - A3

JULIA MCHUGH PHOTOS

After receiving instruction from contractor Mike Seragosa, Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse briefly operates a backhoe in a ceremonial action to

the removal of a concrete wall at Las Positas Tennis Center.

Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse, right, cuts the ribbon on the newly renovated restrooms. He is joined by Elings Park Board member Lauren Katz, left, and board chair Patti Bryant, middle.

California attorney general joins lawsuit to stop proposed JetBlue-Spirit merger

By TOM JOYCE

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - California Attorney General Rob Bonta recently joined a multistate coalition spearheaded by the U.S. Justice Department in a lawsuit opposing the proposed merger of Spirit and JetBlue airlines. The lawsuit says the proposed merger violates the Clayton Act because it could reduce competition.

It is the second antitrust lawsuit filed against JetBlue since 2021. In September 2021, Mr. Bonta joined the U.S. Justice Department and six other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against American Airlines and JetBlue. Back then, they opposed a joint venture between the two companies known as the Northeast Alliance.

“Fewer flights. More expensive tickets. Lower quality service. That’s what happens

The lawsuit says the proposed merger violates the Clayton Act because it could reduce competition.

when competition is eliminated from the market for air travel,” Mr. Bonta said in a press release. “As the people’s attorney, I am committed to fighting for a fair and competitive economy – and I won’t stand by when a proposed merger threatens to further eliminate consumer choice and drive up prices. We need more options and higher standards, not less.”

As Mr. Bonta’s office points out, Spirit and JetBlue are competing airlines that have planes flying the same routes.

“If the proposed merger were approved, JetBlue would eliminate Spirit, its largest and fastest growing competitor in the low fare segment, reducing available seats and leading to an increase in fares,” Mr. Bonta’s office

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

Caltrans plans lane, ramp closures

wrote in the release.

“Consumers saw the impact of airline consolidation on price and quality first-hand following the American-U.S. Air merger and Alaska Airlines’ acquisition of Virgin America,” the release continues. “JetBlue’s plan would further eliminate competition by removing from the market a competitor that causes other airlines to lower their fares. Tens of millions of travelers will face higher fares and fewer options. This includes travelers in California, particularly on the Los Angeles to Miami route.”

Other than the U.S. Justice Department and California, Massachusetts, New York, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and New Jersey have joined the lawsuit.

Illegal border activity intensifies in California

(The Center Square) – As Texas’ Operation Lone Star efforts continue to put pressure on the Mexican cartels that control human and drug smuggling and as cartel infighting continues, illegal border activity is increasing farther west in Arizona and California.

300 people from over 30 countries apprehended in 13 hours in San Diego Sector California Border Patrol agents, with San Diego Sector agents reporting the bulk, reported more than 35,000 apprehensions and gotaways last month, according to preliminary data obtained from a Border Patrol agent on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

California Border Patrol agents, with San Diego Sector agents reporting the bulk, reported more than 35,000 apprehensions and gotaways last month, according to preliminary data The Center Square obtained from a Border Patrol agent on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. This is after California Border Patrol agents reported more than 300,000 apprehensions and gotaways of foreign nationals illegally entering the U.S. in fiscal 2022, The Center Square previously reported.

So far this fiscal year, California CBP agents have seized enough lethal doses of narcotics to kill over 15 million people, according to Border Patrol data.

San Diego Sector’s Imperial Beach station agents recently apprehended 290 people from more than 30 different countries illegally entering the U.S. in less than 13 hours, CBP reported. On March 24, they encountered the first large group of 90 people who’d illegally entered in the Goat Canyon area four miles west of San Ysidro Port of Entry.

As agents secured the first group, a second group of 56 people illegally entered near the South Levee area one mile west of San Ysidro POE. Later on, a third group of 114 was apprehended near South Levee; a fourth group of 30 was apprehended near Goat Canyon.

Overall, in 13 hours, Border Patrol agents apprehended citizens of Afghanistan, Angola, Belize, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, India, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Mali, Mauritania, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Turkey, Vietnam and Yemen, CBP reported. San Diego Sector CBP Office of Field Operations agents are also seizing record amounts of narcotics. On March 17, CBP reported that since Oct. 1, 2023, San Diego Sector agents had seized over 514 pounds of cocaine, 765 pounds of methamphetamine, 45 pounds of heroin, and 583 pounds of fentanyl. That was before agents made record drug busts that weekend.

From March 17-19, San Diego agents thwarted three major narcotics smuggling attempts. In one stop, they seized 33 packages of methamphetamine weighing over 201 pounds hidden in the seats, floor, and firewall of a vehicle driven by a 25-year-old woman. In a second, they seized 80 packages of fentanyl pills weighing nearly 175 pounds. In a third, they seized nearly 11 pounds of fentanyl pills and over seven pounds of fentanyl powder. In total, they seized over $5.7 million worth of narcotics.

California signs two new gaming compacts with Native American tribes

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square)California signed two tribalstate gaming compacts with the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, and the Redding Rancheria.

The compacts allow the two groups to operate up to two gaming facilities each on eligible Indian lands for Nevada-style games including slot machines, electronic games of chance, and many banked card games like blackjack. The Tribes would retain the right to acquire more lands for future expansion and negotiate for amendments to authorize gaming on those lands.

The Tribes would be entitled to operate up to a total of 1,200 gaming devices and offer offtrack wagering on horse races at a satellite wagering facility. PlayCA reports that “Tribal casinos do not pay taxes like commercial casinos. In California, tribal members who live on the reservation are not subject to state income tax, and tribal casinos do not have to pay corporate income tax. Instead of paying tax, the casinos pay fees into various funds and in some cases help support state and/or local

agencies and programs. The amount they pay depends on how much revenue the casinos generate as well as the number of slot machines they operate. Each tribal-state compact determines the precise terms of the tribes’ payments and where those payments go.”

The two newest compacts signed provide for contributions to The Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, the Special Distribution Trust Fund and “The Tribal Nation Grant Fund” created by the Legislature to make discretionary distribution of funds to Non-Gaming Tribes and Limited-Gaming Tribes upon application of such tribes for purposes related to effective self-governance, self-determined community, and economic development.

Still, California’s 85 Tribal casinos generate almost $20 billion for state and local economies, $1.3 billion in revenue-sharing to the state and local governments and 125,000 jobs for Californians.

on

online sports betting

In one day, on March 20, agents at San Ysidro, Tecate and Otay Mesa ports of entry seized an estimated street value of $1.6 million worth of methamphetamine, fentanyl, pharmaceutical drugs, and a handgun and ammunition.

In separate instances, San Ysidro POE agents seized a total of 468.9 pounds of methamphetamine, one handgun, two magazines, and 51 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. Otay Mesa POE agents also seized a 4.85pound package of fentanyl powder with an estimated street value of $48,500 and nearly 160 pounds of liquid methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $500,000.

On March 17, Newton-Azrak POE agents seized 30 packages of cocaine weighing 73 pounds hidden inside a vehicle with a street value of $991,500.

In the El Centro Sector, on March 15, Calexico East Cargo Facility agents seized nearly 120 pounds of cocaine hidden inside a shipment of watermelons with an estimated street value of $1.5 million.

The majority of alleged drug smugglers CBP apprehended were men between the ages of 25 and 65.

Two grams of fentanyl, 150 milligrams of meth, and 82.5 milligrams of cocaine are considered lethal doses, according to AddictionResource.com. A standard lethal dose of heroin remains inconclusive. The amount

of drugs seized translates to over 354,000 lethal doses of fentanyl, over 4.8 million lethal doses of meth, and over 2.8 million lethal doses of cocaine.

Much farther north, in Kern County, a multi-agency effort led to the bust of a methamphetamine conversion lab operating on a large rural property in the Neenach area, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office announced March 28. The meth lab was run by three male Mexican nationals from Mexicali. After a search warrant was issued, two men attempted to flee on foot but were apprehended. All three were arrested and charged with multiple counts of crimes related to a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit a crime, the sheriff’s office said.

After dismantling the lab, officers found and seized 121 pounds of finished crystal meth, roughly 350 pounds of liquid methamphetamine, and several rifles and handguns. They also found 758 pounds of packaged meth hidden inside a vehicle. In this one drug bust alone, law enforcement officers seized enough lethal doses of meth in Kern County to kill over 3.7 million people. The combined 18.7 million lethal doses of narcotics seized excludes seizures by other law enforcement officers statewide this fiscal year, meaning the volume of narcotics being seized is significantly higher.

California’s new ACT - A push for clean running heavy

duty trucks

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH

CONTRIBUTOR

CENTER SQUARE

THE

(The Center Square) - A new ACT for California is on the horizon. “This is a big deal for climate action,” Gov. Gavin Newsom stated. The Advanced Clean Trucks rule will set new minimum limits for zeroemission truck sales, with increasing ZEV manufacturing standards starting from 2024 through 2035.

Last week, two Clean Air Act waivers for California’s heavyduty truck regulations were approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, allowing the rule to go into effect.

California truck manufacturers will be required to increase new ZEV truck sales to as high as 75%, including 40% of semi-tractor sales by 2035.

“We’re leading the charge to get dirty trucks and buses – the most polluting vehicles – off our streets, and other states and countries are lining up to follow our lead around the world,” Gov. Newsom stated.

The governor’s 2020 ZeroEmission Vehicle Executive Order, requires 100% heavyduty vehicles in California to be clean-running by 2045. Following that order, the

VENTURA — Caltrans plans daytime closures of the Seacliff off- and on-ramps on southbound Highway 101 near Ventura today through Thursday, as well as overnight closure of the Seacliff off- and on-ramps and one southbound lane on Thursday. Signs will be posted. Caltrans said motorists can expect delays. All work is subject to change due to weather.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today through Thursday, Seacliff’s southbound ramps will be closed.

From 7 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday, the Seacliff off- and onramps will be closed.

From 9 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday, one southbound lane will be closed.

Caltrans said one southbound lane and two northbound lanes will remain open overnight. Two lanes in both directions will be open during the day.

Check quickmap.dot.ca.gov for real-time traffic information.

Motorists traveling south on Highway 101 can reach state beaches on State Route 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) by continuing to the Main Street

off-ramp in Ventura, making a Uturn to northbound Highway 101 and exiting at the State Beaches off-ramp.

La Conchita residents traveling south can use the same route but continue north on Highway 101.

Residents and businesses located near the freeway may experience noise, vibrations and dust associated with construction activities.

Caltrans reminds drivers to “Be Work Zone Alert” and to “Slow for the Cone Zone.”

– Neil Hartstein

No detour today at Gaviota Tunnel

GAVIOTA COAST — A project to clean the inside of the Gaviota Tunnel on Highway101 will no longer result in a detour today.

The project is canceled until further notice. An update will be provided once a new date is set. Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_ D5.

– Neil Hartstein

California Air Resources Board (CARB) developed the ACT Regulation as a means to accelerate a large-scale transition to zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles.

Eight states are following California’s blueprint and moving to adopt or have adopted ACT. Together with California, the states represent 22% of all truck sales in the country.

The “decision by the U.S. EPA allows California to be the world’s first government to require zero-emission trucks and paves the way for clean trucks and buses across the globe,” a statement from the governor’s office read.

The governor and legislature have committed over $5 billion to the transitional shift to cleaner trucks and buses. Last year similar incentives resulted in 19% of all new car sales in the state being zero-emissions vehicles.

“Last year, California became one of the first jurisdictions in the world with a real plan to end tailpipe emissions for cars,” Gov. Newsom said.

Much of California’s electricity continues to come from fossil fuels with 3% from coal and 38% from natural gas according to the California Energy Commission.

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VOL. 167 NO.

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By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

Westmont entertains SB Bowl audience

Montecito college’s Spring Sing features variety of musical skits

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The cool air filled the Santa Barbara Bowl on Saturday evening, as Westmont College students and families anticipated the start of the long-awaited Spring Sing.

As one of Westmont’s longeststanding traditions, Spring Sing showcases many skits full of singing, dancing and comedic performances for the entire community to enjoy.

This year’s theme was “April Fools.”

Jackie Takarabe, a Westmont senior, and Blake Thomas, the school’s Intercultural Programs Director, were the emcees of the event. They produced skits and musicals of their own to entertain the crowd in between each performance. These little skits by the two were a highlight of the night, as each skit gave a humorous commentary on the diversity of the school.

The judges of this year’s Spring Sing included various professors; the producer of the event, Dylan Ferguson, and Ms. Ferguson’s father, William Ferguson.

There was a range of acts at the event including a kazoo performance from some members of the Westmont band, a duet from seniors Emma Hammond and Sibo Msibi, a skit about the sibling pairs at the school, and so much more.

The biggest event of the night, though, came from the campus’ residence halls. Each year, the dorm halls compete against each other with the creation of their own skits.

This year, the off-campus housing, nicknamed “OV,” took the winning trophy with their skit about an alternate reality where

the school’s campus pastor, Scott Lisea, never graduated from Westmont and became the school’s pastor. The skit was intricate and included lots of the school’s inside jokes about chapel.

Lower-campus halls Armington and Van Kampen came in second and third place.

The award for the best side act of the show was given to a yo-yo performer, “Drake,” who wowed the crowd with his yo-yoing abilities.

A favorite skit of the Westmont

community titled “Men in Short Shorts” made its beloved return. This skit has been part of Spring Sing for many years, as many of the men in the student body perform an abstract skit about, you guessed it, men being in short shorts.

NSTEP, the school’s dance team, also had the crowd on their feet as they danced to many well-known songs such as Lil Uzi’s “I Just Wanna Rock,” Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA” and Sean Paul’s “Shake That Thing.”

Ms. Ferguson alongside many other board members put together a show of a lifetime. She told the News-Press, “It truly was a night to remember. Everyone brought so much energy and excitement from the moment they entered the bowl.”

As this year’s Spring Sing comes and goes, the Westmont student body eagerly awaits next year for the event’s legendary return.

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

SBCC women’s swim and dive team

in another first place

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

The SBCC women’s swim and dive team hosted WSC #3 at San Marcos High School on Friday, claiming first place in five different events and earning another top finish as a team.

SBCC head coach Chuckie Roth was quick to praise a trio of spectacular freshman performances, starting with Morgan Cederholm, who won the diving competition and secured her highest score of the season with a series of beautiful dives.

“We had some great performances yesterday,” Roth said. “Isabella Urlando swam very well, winning the 200 backstroke and 200 butterfly. Makenna Bloom had her best meet of the season, winning the 50 free and 100 free against a stacked heat from Santa Monica. Both of those times place her in the top five in both events in the state.”

finish

hosting

excels

WSC

#3

SBCC head coach Chuckie Roth was quick to praise a trio of spectacular freshman performances, starting with Morgan Cederholm, who won the diving competition and secured her highest score of the season with a series of beautiful dives.

Urlando’s 200 backstroke time of 2:07.89 is the fastest in the state thus far.

Lexi Persoon also swam her fastest time of the season in the 400 IM at 5:09.12, good for a top-10 spot in the state.

Freshman Natalie Mancinelli dropped nine seconds in the 400 IM to 5:42.38.

“We had several other great swims,” Roth said. “This next Thursday, Friday and Saturday we have the Pasadena Invite at East

LA Community College. Diving will be hosted on Thursday while Swimming will be hosted Friday and Saturday. We remain undefeated in duel meets this year and we are excited about next week’s invitational.”

Michael Jorgenson works in communications/ media relations at Santa Barbara City College. email: sports@newspress.com

ANNIKA BAHNSEN / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

The Westmont and Santa Barbara community filled the Santa Barbara Bowl on April 1 for the school’s biggest tradition, Spring Sing.

The residence halls on campus competed against each other in hopes to win major bragging rights on campus. Pictured is a skit by Westmont’supper campus hall, Page.

“Men in Short Shorts” is one of the skits featured at the event, a Westmont fan-favorite. In the middle is campus pastor Scott Lisea.

HOAX

Continued from Page A1

in the area, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Raquel Zick said.

Deputies were on scene within minutes at the Santa Barbara Unified School District school and quickly suspected that this was a “swatting” incident, she said. In an abundance of caution, students and staff at the school were asked to shelter in place while law enforcement conducted a room-by-room search of the campus. No injured persons or shooters were found during the search, and the report was determined to be a hoax.

The shelter-in-place was lifted at 11:15 a.m.

“The Sheriff’s Office is currently working to identify the individual(s) responsible for the swatting call and bring them to justice,” Ms. Zick said.

“The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind the public that swatting calls are not only illegal, but they put the lives of innocent people at risk,” she said, adding that anyone

TENNIS

Continued from Page A1

tennis center.

“The existing restrooms were barely standing and pretty dilapidated,” said the architect for the bathroom project, Joe Andrulaitis. “We had to replace nearly everything.”

Now, with Mr. Andrulaitis’ help and expertise, the bathrooms are beautiful and modern.

Work will now begin on the second phase of the tennis court’s improvements, which will focus on the accessibility of the courts. The project includes rebuilding all of the sidewalks and entrances to the courts, as well as new stadium seating. The third phase will redo the tennis center’s parking lot, lighting and security.

The tennis center project’s budget is $3.2 million, 75% of which has been entirely raised from the public’s donations. Elings Park receives no government support and relies on donations from the community.

Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse attended Monday’s event and performed the ribbon cutting. He also briefly operated a backhoe in a ceremonial representation of the removal of

found responsible for making a swatting call will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

“The Sheriff’s Office would also like to thank the students, parents and staff at San Marcos High School for their cooperation during this incident, and for their efforts in maintaining a safe and secure campus environment,” Ms. Zick said.

When she first tweeted about the incident, Ms. Zick cautioned the report was unfounded.

Nevertheless, the school was placed on lockdown while the entire campus was searched, she said.

“Please avoid the area,” Ms. Zick tweeted.

People reading her tweets responded with fear and hope. “Oh, please no,” one tweeted. “Hope this report is false,” another one wrote.

About 11:20 a.m., Ms. Zick tweeted that the school had been searched “and is SAFE.”

The lockdown was lifted, she said, adding that concerned parents should check in at the attendance office.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

a concrete wall.

In his opening remarks to the crowd, Mayor Rowse said, “As someone from the government, it is humbling to see what happens when you turn a public asset like this over to a board and a bunch of volunteers. This place was going to fall in on itself and thanks to everyone here, that is not going to happen.”

Dean Noble, the executive director of Elings Park, shared his personal motivation for the restoration of the tennis center with the News-Press. “The real drive for me is the youth program. We are trying to get as many kids out to play tennis and bring them to the park.”

Mr. Noble also said he hopes for work to be done with the second phase of the Tennis Center by September.

Other projects included in “EPIC!” are the additions of native plants to the park, two more playgrounds, trail improvements, a new disc golf course and overall restoration to the entirety of the park.

If you would like more information on the restoration process or the park itself, visit elingspark.org.

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

METZ, Joyce L.

Santa Barbara, CA - Joyce L. Metz, 92, a resident of Valle Verde retirement community, died peaceably in her residence on Monday, March 6, 2023.

Joyce was born December 14, 1930, in Lyons New York to Harold (Butch) and Florence Lauster. She was a graduate of Lyons High School (1948) and a graduate of Keuka College (1950). She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Santa Barbara.

She married William E. Metz in 1950, and they raised two children; Holly (1954) and William (1956). Joyce worked at the Lyons Public Library for 26 years as Assistant to the Librarian.

In 1996, she moved from Lyons NY to Santa Barbara CA to be closer to her children. She was an avid book reader and prolific writer of short stories. Joyce enjoyed decades as a golfer and enthusiast of all things art. Throughout her adult life in upstate New York she was an indefatigable volunteer advocating change to end discrimination in her home town.

She is survived by her daughter, Holly (Edward) Bennett of Santa Barbara CA, her son William (Jasmin) Metz of San Diego CA, two grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren; and her brother David Lauster of Lyons NY.

She was predeceased by her husband, William E. Metz, and brother Donald Lauster. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lyons Public Library, 122 Broad Street, Lyons NY 14489 (LyonsLibraryDirector@owwl.org) or Trinity Lutheran Church, 909 North La Cumbre Road, Santa Barbara CA 93110 (office@telcsb.org).

Obituary notices are published daily in the Santa Barbara News-Press and also appear on

COUNTY

Deputies were on scene within minutes at the Santa Barbara Unified School District school and quickly suspected that this was a “swatting” incident, said Raquel Zick, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office.

‘Swatting calls are not only illegal, but they put the lives of innocent people at risk’

JULIA MCHUGH PHOTO

Bruce Giffin, Elings Park Foundation Board member and EPIC! Fundraising campaign co-chair, welcomes supporters to a preview of the newly renovated restrooms, while Mayor Randy Rowse stands by to cut the ribbon.

‘We are trying to get ... kids out to play tennis and bring them to the park’

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

‘24’ actor Kiefer Sutherland stars in new compelling series

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

All he has to do is swear, and you know it’s the end of the world.

That’s the power of Kiefer Sutherland’s acting.

From “24” to “Designated Survivor,” Mr. Sutherland has become a household name for action series involving conspiracies and national security threats. Few actors are able to create the same level of urgency.

And in his latest series, “Rabbit Hole,” Mr. Sutherland stars as John Weir, a damaged hero in a world where everyone thinks he’s a villain. You might call him more of an anti-hero at times.

Ultimately “Rabbit Hole,” which streams with new episodes on Sundays on Paramount+, is fun to watch because it’s a giant jigsaw puzzle of intrigue and misdirection, and nothing is what it seems to be.

John Weir is a master of deception in the world of corporate espionage. He and his crew can engineer scenarios with “Mission: Impossible”-like planning and logistics. But his world is flipped upside down when he’s wrongly framed for murder by powerful forces.

You might think this is simply a case of John having to clear his name, but John is also involved with a mysterious, immense plan to protect democracy from an unidentified threat. “Rabbit Hole” takes its time to drop clues about that threat and what John is doing in a storyline that will keep you guessing.

In fact, it’s probably best to watch “Rabbit Hole” with someone so you can trade your own conspiracy theories after each episode.

One thing’s for sure. Writers and directors John Requa and Glenn Ficarra have created a compelling storyline with intense characters in a series with just the right amount of action and plenty of suspense.

Besides Mr. Sutherland, “Rabbit Hole” stars the talented Charles Dance as Dr. Ben Wilson, a psychotherapist with a special connection with John and the mind behind the plan; Rob Yang as Edward Homm; Walt Klink

Life theArts

TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2023 CALENDAR

Going down the ‘Rabbit Hole’

as the intern and Jason Butler Harner as Valence.

Meta Golding plays Hailey Winton, a random woman whom John meets in a bar but finds he must bring into his hidden life of protecting democracy. At the same time, John must avoid being captured by the police for the murder he didn’t commit.

There’s more to Hailey than what meets the eye, which is a theme for all of these characters.

On John’s trail is Josephine “Jo” Madi (Enid Graham), an FBI agent who’s been demoted to white-collar crimes but has better instincts about John than her colleagues. But she’s one step behind John, and the fun of “Rabbit Hole” is seeing what she’ll get right and what she’ll get wrong as she puts the puzzle together.

email: dmason@newspress.com

TUNE IN

New episodes of “Rabbit Hole” stream Sundays on Paramount+.

‘Dungeons and Dragons’ is a fun and funny adventure

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

‘Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is in dire need of more dungeons and dragons.

Other than that, the Paramount Pictures movie, which topped the box office in its first weekend, is a great story with unexpected plot twists and strong acting. While more mythical creatures would be nice, the movie has a lot of fun with magic and pays some effective homage to the Hasbro Bros. game that inspired it.

Directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein do a great job with the film’s pacing and bringing out the best from the cast. Mr. Goldstein, Mr, Daley and fellow writer Michael Gilio have crafted a strong story with a great blend of action, character-driven drama and humor.

In fact, the movie will make you laugh, keep you on the edge of your seat and will lead you on a great adventure without a lot of blood and gore. (It’s rated PG13 for some language, action and fantasy violence, and young kids might get scared. You don’t need to have played “Dungeons and Dragons” to enjoy the story.) Studios should make more

FYI

“Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is screening at Paseo Nuevo Cinemas in downtown Santa Barbara and Camino Real Cinemas in Goleta. See showtimes at metrotheatres.com.

It’s also playing at Regal Edwards Santa Maria & RPX (regmovies.com) and Movies Lompoc (playingtoday. com).

“Dungeons and Dragons” is rated PG-13 for fantasy violence, some language and action. Its running time is 2 hours, 41 minutes.

movies like this one.

Chris Pine stars as Edgin, a widowed father and thief who joins another thief, Holga (Michelle Rodriguez of the “Fast and Furious” franchise) on a quest to find a special relic. Edgin leaves his daughter Kira (the talented Chloe Coleman) in the care of his friend Forge (Hugh Grant), but in trying to steal that valuable relic, Chris and Holga get caught and imprisoned.

It’s not spoiling too much to say Edgin and Holga escape from prison and recruit the help of notso-great sorcerer Simon (Justice Smith), the wise and literalminded Xenk (Rege-Jean Page) and Dorci (Sophia Lillis), a druid or shape-shifter.

From there, “Dungeons and Dragons” is like a theme park ride, going from one adventure to another, and the characters run into plenty of direction and misdirection as they try to save the day.

It’s a motley crew. They make mistakes, and a lot goes wrong. And they’re up against dragons and other menaces, but these characters prove to be heroic in the best ways.

In fact, “Dungeons and Dragons” has a lot of heart. Ultimately it’s about family, the kind you’re born into and the one you choose. And Mr. Pine deserves a lot of credit for that as an actor with a knack for combining bravado with vulnerability. It’s why he made a great successor to William Shatner as Capt. Kirk in this century’s “Star Trek” movies, and it’s why he is the perfect choice to play Edgin.

Ms. Rodriguez also stands out for her ability to be funny simply by being totally serious. She also gets some great fight scenes (defeating a lot of bad guys by herself), and there’s no doubt her character is the toughest hero in this film.

Mr. Grant does a good job of playing a character who has an unexpected role in the story.

email: dmason@newspress.com

perform

the

Company

6 through April 23 at The New

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.

TODAY

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Storytelling:

Native People Through the Lens of Edward S. Curtis” is on display through April 30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, visit sbnature.org. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “SURREAL

WOMEN: Surrealist Art by American Women” is on display through April 24 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, www.sullivangoss. com.

By appointment on weekdays: “Holly Hungett: Natural Interpretations” is on view through May 20 at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara’s gallery, 229 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and weekdays by appointment. For more information, call the foundation at 805-965-6307 or go to www.afsb. org.

Noon to 5 p.m. “Clarence Mattei: Portrait of a Community” is on view now through May at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, which is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 136 E. De la Guerra St. Admission is free. Hours are currently from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and from noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, visit www. sbhistorical.org.

7 p.m.: The Wynton Marsalis Septet will perform a variety of jazz music at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $46 to $131 for general admission and $20 for UCSB students with ID. To purchase, go to www. artsandlecturesucsb.edu or call Arts and Lectures at 805-893-3535. You can also buy tickets at www. granadasb.org or by calling The Granada at 805-899-2222.

APRIL 5

7:30 p.m. Singer-songwriter Colin Hay, the former lead vocalist for Men at Work, will perform at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara. The concert will feature his songs varying from “Now and the Evermore” to “I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself.” The evening will also feature special guest Lazlo Bane. Tickets cost $59 and $69 for general admission and $106 for VIP seats, which include a pre-show reception. To purchase, go to lobero.org or call the Lobero at 805-963-0761 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or 1-888-4562376.

APRIL 6

7:30 p.m. Stacie Burrows will perform her one-woman dark comedy “Bulletproof Unicorn,” which she wrote, at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara. Ms. Burrows, a Los Angeles comedian, tells how she went to Texas to fix everything that was wrong with her dysfunctional family. It was a challenge. Tickets cost $30 for general admission and $50 for a patron ticket, which

COURTESY PHOTO Nancy Travis (“Last Man Standing”) is starring with Michael Butler and Linda Purl in “The Children,” which

Ensemble Theatre

will

April

Vic in Santa Barbara. More details are in today’s calendar and a story that will appear in Friday’s News-Press.

MICHAEL GIBSON/PARAMOUNT+

At left, FBI agent Jo Madi (Enid Graham) pursues the truth about John Weir in “Rabbit Hole.” At right, Dr. Ben Wilson (Charles Dance) is a psychotherapist with a special connection with John.

PHOTOS BY MARNI GROSSMAN/PARAMOUNT+

John Weir (Kiefer Sutherland) is wrongly framed for murder in “Rabbit Hole,” a Paramount+ series where characters aren’t what they seem.

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

“Jurassic Park” and its sequels handled dinosaurs much better.

That’s what stands out about “65,” starring Adam Driver as Mills, a spaceship pilot who crashes on Earth 65 million years ago in the age of dinosaurs. He and a young girl named Koa (Ariana Greenblatt) deal with this dangerous world as they try to reach their spaceship and get off prehistoric Earth.

“65” features some intriguing scenes between Mr. Driver and the talented Ariana Greenblatt, whose character, Koa, speaks a different language than Mills. They find ways to communicate as they strive to survive in the worst circumstances. As usual, Mr. Driver effortlessly becomes the character he’s playing.

As the movie progresses, viewers learn more about the backstory for Mills and his daughter Nevine (Chloe Coleman).

Otherwise, the film is about Mills and Koa using their wits and

some technology, such as explosive balls and Mills’ pulse gun, to battle and outsmart dinosaurs of various sizes. The best scenes come toward the end when they approach their spaceship, and one thing after another goes wrong. But there have been many better movies about dinosaurs or two people stranded together on a planet. “65” is lacking in terms of story.

It’s a good film to see at a discount theater or at home if it lands on a streaming service, where you can fast forward through some of the slower parts. The film was directed by Scott Becks and Bryan Woods. By the way, there is a local connection. The movie has a good orchestral score, and the end credits list Jessica Guideri as the concertmaster. The talented musician is also the concertmaster of the Santa Barbara Symphony, and she’s in the orchestra that recorded the score for the upcoming “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” email: dmason@newspress.com

‘Dungeons & Dragons’ tops box office

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor

Among Thieves” stole the No. 1 box office spot from “John Wick: Chapter 4” over the weekend. Based on the popular Hasbro Bros. game, the film grossed $38.5 million in its first weekend. That left the latest “John Wick” movie starring Keanu Reeves in second

place with $28.2 million.

‘His Only Son,” based on the Biblical account of Abraham being called on to sacrifice his only son, opened last weekend in third place with $5.5 million.

“Scream VI” dropped to fourth place from third from second with $5.3 million.

“Creed III” dropped to fifth place from fourth with $5.07 million

“John Wick: Chapter 4” topped the box office during its first weekend.

Starring Ventura native Zachary Levi, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” fell to sixth place from second with $4.6 million.

“A Thousand and One,” about a mother who kidnaps her son from the foster care system, opened in seventh place with $1.8 million.

“65,” starring Adam Driver as

a spaceship pilot who encounters dinosaurs on Earth 65 million years ago, dropped to eighth place from fifth with $1.58 million.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” fell to ninth place from sixth with $1.23 million.

“Jesus Revolution” fell to 10th place from eighth with $1 million. email: dmason@newspress.com

Wilderness Spirit Brunch to honor advocate, cougar P-22

SOLVANG — Wildlife advocate Beth Pratt and famous cougar

P-22 will be honored during the Wilderness Spirit Brunch, set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 21 at Craft House at Corque, 420 Alisal Road, Solvang.

Ms. Pratt is the California

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1 includes one drink. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org.

APRIL 6

7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “The Children” April 6-April 23 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Michael Butler, Linda Purl and Nancy Travis star in the play set at a remote cottage on the British coast after a tsunami wreaks havoc on a nuclear reactor. A married couple’s lives are further disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a long-lost colleague. The April 6 and 7 shows are preview performances, and the regular run begins April 8. Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

APRIL 7

regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation. The brunch will feature a buffet and a bloody Mary and mimosa bar. There will be a live auction for an Alaskan cruise, a Santa Ynez getaway with gourmet wine and

7:30 p.m. Stacie Burrows will perform her one-woman dark comedy “Bulletproof Unicorn,” which she wrote, at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara. Ms. Burrows, a Los Angeles comedian, tells how she went to Texas to fix everything that was wrong with her dysfunctional family. It was a challenge. Tickets cost $30 for general admission and $50 for a patron ticket, which includes one drink. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.org.

8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “The Children”

April 6-April 23 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Michael Butler, Linda Purl and Nancy Travis star in the play set at a remote cottage on the British coast after a tsunami wreaks havoc on a nuclear reactor. A married couple’s lives are further disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a long-lost colleague. The April 6 and 7 shows are preview

dining outings, and more. The event is being presented by the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature in Solvang.

Tickets cost $150 for the general admission and $250 for VIP admission, which includes a

performances, and the regular run begins April 8. Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

APRIL 8 7:30 p.m. Stacie Burrows will perform her one-woman dark comedy “Bulletproof Unicorn,” which she wrote, at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara. Ms. Burrows, a Los Angeles comedian, tells how she went to Texas to fix everything that was wrong with her dysfunctional family. It was a challenge. Tickets cost $30 for general admission and $50 for a patron ticket, which includes one drink. To purchase, go to centerstagetheater.

org. 8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “The Children” through April 23 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Michael Butler, Linda Purl and Nancy

reception with Ms. Pratt at 10:15 a.m.

To purchase, go to wildlingmuseum.org/news/2023wilderness-spirit-brunch.

— Dave Mason

Travis star in the play set at a remote cottage on the British coast after a tsunami wreaks havoc on a nuclear reactor. A married couple’s lives are further disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a long-lost colleague. Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

APRIL 9 2 and 7 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “The Children” through April 23 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Michael Butler, Linda Purl and Nancy Travis star in the play set at a remote cottage on the British coast after a tsunami wreaks havoc on a nuclear reactor. A married couple’s lives are further disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a long-lost colleague. Tickets cost $40 to $84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

Koa (Ariana Greenblatt) is hoping to find her parents after a spaceship crash.

PHOTOS BY PATTI PERRET/SONY STUDIOS Mills (Adam Driver) finds himself on Earth 65 million years ago.

— Dave Mason

Thought for Today

—

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

ARIES — Go deeper beneath the surface today, Aries. You may get along just fine with the way you now handle things.

Keep in mind, however, that you aren’t likely to progress down your path until you turn up the intensity. If you don’t, you may find that someone turns it up for you.

TAURUS — You may wonder why it is that you can gain control of so many parts of your life, but nothing seems to go right when it comes to romance?

Dismiss the notion that you’re unworthy of love. Don’t try to portray yourself as someone you’re not. Perhaps you’re confusing the people around you by projecting an image that’s completely different from who you really are.

GEMINI — Try to stay on the lighter side today, Gemini. This may be easier said than done. You’re the bridge that connects an island to the shore. The water is rising and the island is about to be completely submerged. People are scrambling to reach you. Be careful that the situation doesn’t become an issue of selfsacrifice.

CANCER — You may be trying to deal with things in a neat, orderly manner today, Cancer. Try not to get too frustrated if things don’t work out exactly the way you’d like. Tension may occur when matters of the heart come up for discussion. People may get rather emotional, sending your neat, orderly plan right out the window.

LEO — Just when you thought you had love and romance all worked out in your head, Leo, something or someone steps in to put your heart in a whirl once again. More than likely, the intensely emotional drama of the day is a passing phase, so try not to get too worked up about it.

VIRGO — Be careful of letting your heart get carried away today, Virgo. Extreme emotions are likely, making you very aware of your environment and what other people are thinking about you. You may want to retreat to the forest and seek council with the fairies and trolls.

LIBRA — Be prepared for an emotional backlash that’s

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

“Did Noah keep the bees in his Ark hives?” — graffiti

When Noah wasn’t sitting on the deck, they played bridge on the Ark. Noah declared today’s four spades. He won the first club with dummy’s ace and led a diamond to his king. Ham as West won and led a second club.

Noah won and belatedly led the king of hearts, and Shem, East, took the ace and led his last diamond. Noah won and craftily led the jack of trumps, but East ducked. When Noah next ruffed a diamond with dummy’s nine of trumps, Shem overruffed and returned a trump, and Noah had a diamond to lose.

FORESIGHT

“I needed foresight to make it,” Noah sighed.

“If you had foresight,” Ham said, “you’d swat those two mosquitoes we have on board.”

South does best to lead the king of hearts at Trick Two. He wins the club return, pitches a diamond on the queen of hearts and leads a diamond: deuce, king, ace. He can ruff the next club, cash the A-K of trumps, take his queen of diamonds and ruff a diamond with the nine of trumps to make his game.

You hold:

likely today if you get too possessive about your romantic partner, Libra. Issues about freedom versus commitment could arise whether you’re involved in a close relationship or not. Perhaps these feelings are simply internal and you’re trying to figure out your position on the matter before you proceed.

SCORPIO — You may feel blocked on all sides today, Scorpio, with no escape hatch. There’s a strong set of forces acting in such a way as to make you feel responsible for some mess that has occurred in your life. Remember that when it comes to partnerships, it takes two to make or break a situation. Don’t blame everything on yourself.

SAGITTARIUS — Your emotions could be quite strong today, Sagittarius. You may find it difficult to act without having intense feelings come into the picture. Be careful about speaking without first thinking how your words will affect other people. It’s important for you to be receptive in order to tune into the activity around you. Be open to others’ opinions.

CAPRICORN — Other people may find it difficult to deal with today’s intensity, Capricorn, but you will be quite adept at fitting into whatever situation comes your way. The waters may get quite rough, especially when it comes to love and romance, but know that the boat you’re on is seaworthy. There’s also room for others, so let more people on board.

AQUARIUS — Issues of the heart may be a bit difficult to deal with now, Aquarius. Try not to completely shut off the channels of communication while you work on dealing with these issues. It’s vital that you open the channels wider and bring more of your feelings to the surface.

PISCES — You may get frustrated today when people don’t seem to act rationally. To you, Pisces, the issues may be perfectly cut and dried. Keep in mind that not everyone sees the world the way you do. There’s an element of strong emotion that’s likely to play into the picture, an element that you probably failed to take into account.

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 Saturday’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

Your partner bids one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: You had a mandatory opening bid with three Quick Tricks. You also have a mandatory rebid since partner’s response is unlimited and forcing. A rebid of two hearts would promise a longer suit. I would accept a bid of 1NT. I would reluctantly try a raise to two spades. If partner passes, the contract may be no worse than any other.

“The only sure weapon against bad ideas is better ideas.”

Alfred Whitney Griswold

Bringing Buyers & Sellers Together

Classified Section

U.S. gas prices poised to rise as Dems block energy bill

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – International oil producers are planning to cut oil production, meaning gas prices will likely begin rising immediately as Democrats block Republican efforts to increase domestic oil and gas energy production.

OPEC+ announced Sunday a cut in oil production to the surprise of many who speculate prices could rise significantly as a result. Last summer, regular gas prices set new records, surpassing $5 per gallon on average.

Gas prices are already on the rise this year. According to AAA, the current national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.51, up from $3.44 a week ago and $3.39 one month ago. In California, the average price is $4.83 while the average price in Santa Barbara County is $4.84.

Energy prices overall have soared since President Joe Biden took office, in part because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but also because of President Biden’s work to discourage domestic oil and gas investment and production.

Trump’s poll numbers spike post indictment

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump is expected to turn himself in to be arraigned Tuesday after he was indicted by a New York grand jury last week. Despite the serious legal challenges he faces, new polling shows that Mr. Trump’s political outlook may have been boosted by those very woes.

A new Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows that Mr. Trump’s numbers among Republicans have soared since the indictment, propelling him well past Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the assumed biggest threat to Mr. Trump’s chances, by 26 percentage points.

Mr. Trump has announced his presidential bid. Gov. DeSantis has not.

The same poll was conducted just two weeks ago and found Mr. Trump beating Gov. DeSantis by only 8 points, with 47% to Gov. DeSantis’ 39%. Polling earlier this year actually showed Gov. DeSantis beating Mr. Trump.

But the indictment appears to have shifted Republican sentiment in Mr. Trump’s favor, at least for now. In the Yahoo News/YouGov poll, Mr. Trump has 57% support to Gov. DeSantis’ 31% in a head-to-head matchup. Whether that political advantage grows or diminishes throughout Mr. Trump’s legal proceedings remains to be seen.

Mr. Trump is expected to be arraigned Tuesday.

“I will be leaving Mar-a-Lago on Monday at 12 noon, heading to Trump Tower in New York,” Mr. Trump wrote on TruthSocial late Sunday. “On Tuesday morning I will be going to, believe it or not, the Courthouse. America was not supposed to be this way!”

Mr. Trump’s indictment has remained sealed, but media reports suggest there are dozens of charges.

As The Center Square previously reported, prosecutors presented evidence that Mr. Trump allegedly paid hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels through a lawyer seven years ago and illegally covered it up as a legal expense before being elected president.

Many Republicans have backed Mr. Trump, calling the prosecution politically motivated and attacking New York County District Attorney Bragg, the prosecutor who has been placed under House investigation is response to his prosecution of the embattled former president.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly blasted the prosecution in this case, calling it a “witch hunt.” He took to TruthSocial again Sunday night.

“The Corrupt D.A. has no case,” Mr. Trump wrote. “What he does have is a venue where it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to get a Fair Trial (it must be changed!), and a Trump Hating Judge, hand selected by the Soros backed D.A. (he must be changed!). Also has the DOJ working in the D.A.’s OfficeUnprecedented!”

Mr. Bragg has taken fire for refusing to prosecute all kinds of violent crimes in New York, even as major crimes have soared in recent years.

“Alvin Bragg allowed Charles Lindsay, a notorious gang member, to walk free from four felony charges if Lindsay attended five ‘counseling sessions,’” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, wrote on Twitter. “But if you’re a Republican running for president, you’re held to a different standard of ‘justice.’”

“Only a few short years ago foreign governments were unable to use energy as a weapon against the United States,” Daniel Turner, executive director of the energy workers advocacy group Power the Future, told The Center Square. “Then Joe Biden came along and made OPEC great again. Just last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill to put America back on the road to energy independence and it’s clear OPEC was paying attention. The Senate should pass H.R. 1 immediately and President Biden finally needs to put politics aside and unleash the power of American energy. Otherwise the high prices of food, utilities, and food will continue to punish the American people.”

Citing President Biden’s role in cost increases, House Republicans passed the “Lower Energy Costs Act” last week. House Democrats opposed the bill, which is unlikely to get traction in the Senate.

“Under H.R. 1, America and our allies won’t be forced to rely on Russian natural gas, which is 41 percent dirtier than American natural gas,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a speech after the bill’s passage. “If we had replaced Russian natural gas in Europe for just one year, we would have reduced C02

emissions by 218 million tons.”

Experts say gas price increases are not a sure thing.

“Whether OPEC’s announced production cuts raise prices depends on whether global demand for oil holds up,” Myron Ebell, an energy analyst at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, told The Center Square. “It seems to me that OPEC are guessing that the global economy is slowing down or even moving into recession, in which case demand will go down. By cutting production, they are trying to stay a step ahead of lower demand and avoid the collapse in oil prices that has happened in past economic downturns.

Mr. Ebell said President Biden’s policies have empowered OPEC to have more control over the global market, including the U.S.

“The shale oil and gas revolution and the Trump deregulatory agenda made the U. S. the world’s top oil and natural gas producer and thereby lessened OPEC’s power to control the global oil market,” he said. “President Biden’s policies to constrain U. S. production and scare away investment in new production are empowering OPEC once again. To what extent remains to be seen.”

Cost of over-the-counter Narcan could be barrier to use

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision to give an opioid overdose antidote over-the-counter status could help as illicit fentanyl floods the nation’s illegal drug market, but how helpful it will be could depend on how much it will cost.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision means sales of Narcan nasal spray would soon be allowed at pharmacies, grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations and online. Narcan, a naloxone product, is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose. Naloxone is the standard treatment for an opioid overdose.

Emergent BioSolutions Inc., which makes Narcan, said that the nasal spray will be available on U.S. shelves and at online retailers by the late summer. The company said it will have to account for “manufacturing changes that will be implemented to support nonprescription packaging” and “supply chain modifications.” It has not yet said how much the drug will cost.

FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in a statement that the agency was encouraging Emergent BioSolutions to make access to the product at an affordable price a priority. How much it will cost could determine how effective it is at reducing overdose deaths, said Evan Peet, an economist at the RAND Corporation. While making the drug available without a prescription could help reduce one barrier to access, price could be another barrier, especially for addicts.

The FDA decision is “likely good for some groups, bad for others, and still uncertain for some,” Mr. Peet said. Making Narcan available without a prescription could increase costs for people with insurance, particularly those with Medicaid, the government program that provides health coverage to low-income people.

“Typically, if something is available over-thecounter, then it is not covered by insurance,” Mr. Peet said.

People with private insurance typically pay $10 to $30 for naloxone while those with Medicaid or Medicare pay even less, about $2 to $3 for naloxone. For those without insurance,

Groups have forecasted the estimated over-the-counter price for the drug will range from $35 to $65.

the current price is much higher, about $250 on average, according to the most recent estimates available from 2018.

Groups have forecasted the estimated over-thecounter price for the drug will range from $35 to $65. Emergent BioSolutions did not respond to requests about pricing information or when such information would be available.

“Disproportionately, people with opioid use disorder are uninsured,” Mr. Peet said. “And so maybe [over-the-counter] is going to be a net benefit because those people are potentially the most vulnerable. But also, people with Medicaid have lower income and are more price sensitive, so it may be particularly negative for that group.”

Illicit fentanyl, which is more potent than heroin and some other opioids, poses additional challenges.

“Fentanyl is really driving the bus now,” Mr. Peet said.

Because of its potency, fentanyl overdoses may require more than one dose of Narcan. Adulterants, such as the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine, pose additional challenges. Earlier this month, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration issued a warning about a sharp increase in trafficking of fentanyl mixed with xylazine. The federal agency said xylazine and fentanyl mixtures had been seized in 48 of 50 states. It also noted that the DEA Laboratory System reported that in 2022 about 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% of fentanyl pills seized by the DEA contained xylazine.

“Xylazine is making the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, fentanyl, even deadlier,” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said in a statement.

U.S. officials reported 107,735 overdose deaths between August 2021 and August 2022 from drug poisonings, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 66% of those deaths involved synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.

Prosecution continues in ComEd bribery trial as star witness leaves the stand

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – A former Commonwealth Edison executive who cooperated with federal investigators stepped down Monday afternoon after five days on the witness stand.

Fidel Marquez, 61, who had served as the utility’s senior vice president of governmental and external affairs, was on the stand for more than 18 hours over those days. Prosecutors used Mr. Marquez to go over dozens of exhibits, including secretly recorded audio and video tapes, to show that ComEd executives and lobbyists took part in a multi-year scheme to illegally gain former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s support for legislation that would help the utility. Prosecutors allege former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker, former ComEd consultant Jay Doherty and former lobbyist and state lawmaker Michael McClain gave out $1.3 million in jobs, contracts

and payments to Mr. Madigan associates in exchange for Mr. Madigan’s support with legislation that affected ComEd in Springfield. All four have pleaded “not guilty” to conspiracy, bribery, and willfully falsifying ComEd books and records.

During their cross-examination, defense attorneys expanded on their counter-claim that what prosecutors have labeled as wrongdoing was nothing more than day-to-day machinations in the world of political lobbying.

From the moment Mr. Marquez took the stand, the defense sought to color him as an opportunist who agreed to work with the government to save himself, adding that they think he was being coached by the government on what to say about the secret recordings he captured.

U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber made it clear Monday that he was ready for everyone to move on. The judge limited the prosecution’s questioning on re-direct and the defense on recross examination.

Prosecutors have more witnesses lined up for Monday afternoon.