Ride Santa Barbara 100
High school golf Metzger leads San Marcos golfers past DP - A3
Our 165th Year
Big cycling event to be in-person again - B1
75¢
T U E S DAY, A PR I L 13 , 2 0 21
Southwest lands in SB Airport celebrates inaugural flights with joyous fanfare
Board of Supervisors hears budget proposals Officials complete first day of budget workshops By MADISON HIRNEISEN
Leaders from the county’s Public Defenders, District Attorney’s office, Fire Department, Probation Office and the Sheriff ’s Office appeared before the Board of Supervisors to deliver their proposed budget.
NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESs
Fire trucks salue the arrival of Southwest Airlines’ arrival at the Santa Barbara Airport Monday morning.
By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Southwest Airlines and the Santa Barbara Airport welcomed the inaugural Southwest flights with a flourish Monday morning after much anticipation from the local tourism industry.
The first Southwest flight arrived from Las Vegas, and water canons created an archway to greet the plane, a Boeing 737. The aircraft was decked out with a bear, and airport personnel said, “It’s ‘California One.’” Inside, red, yellow and blue balloons announced the special occasion, and airport staff members handed out Southwest goodie bags and SBA sugar
cookies. The doors at the gate opened, and travelers entered wideeyed to a crowd of reporters and tourism professionals. “It’s exciting,” said Carla Kennedy, an Arizona native who flew in with friends for a birthday. “I’ve never been on an inaugural flight before.” The group of friends, one of whom is a Southwest employee, chose the inaugural flight
intentionally and was not disappointed. Aboard the plane, the passengers played games and ate special snacks for the occasion. “We’re so grateful to Southwest Airlines for recognizing the potential and the possibilities in our community — and certainly the undeniable appeal of Santa Barbara as a leisure travel Please see southwest on A4
Prince Harry to travel to London for funeral Doctor orders Meghan, who’s pregnant, to stay home in Montecito By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
Meghan Markle will not be joining her husband, Prince Harry, to attend this Saturday’s funeral of Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, following her doctor’s orders to stay in Montecito due to her pregnancy. A private funeral for the late Prince Phillip, Prince Harry’s grandfather, will take place at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor this Saturday. The 99-year-old duke died April 9. Prince Harry will fly to Britain to participate in the funeral proceedings, marking the first time the ex-royal will be united with his family since he and Meghan’s bombshell interview in March with fellow Montecito resident Oprah Winfrey. During the CBS interview, Meghan and Prince Harry alleged numerous claims against the Royal Family. These claims included a lack of protection from the press, the dismissal of Meghan’s mental
health struggles and alleged conversations about the race of the royal’s child before he was born. These allegations prompted responses from members of the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William. Meghan and Prince Harry also announced during the interview that they are expecting a baby girl to be born in the summer. Prior to the funeral, members of the royal family will gather inside the grounds of Windsor Castle for a procession on foot before the coffin departs for the chapel. During the procession, Buckingham Palace said, guns will be fired by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. “The plans for the funeral are in line with the Duke of Edinburgh’s own personal wishes, and the occasion will recognize and celebrate the Duke’s life and his more than 70 years of service to the Queen, the U.K. and the Commonwealth,” the palace said in a statement. email: mhirneisen@newspress.com
FOLLOW US ON
66833 00050
3
it opens in the Summer and establish a new Data Analysis Unit to enhance the jail’s data collection and case management efforts. In addition to these projects, Sheriff Brown cited various departmental needs for the budget increase, including the need for a more robust data center, an expansion of the Cannabis Compliance Team and Please see budget on A2
Lawyer asks AG to investigate death By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
The attorney for the family of Lompoc resident Krys Brandon Ruiz has asked the state attorney general to investigate his death. Mr. Ruiz, who was 26, died during a shooting that involved Lompoc police, which asked the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the incident. The officers involved in the shooting were Cpl. Andrew White, a 14-year veteran of the department, and Officer Mauricio Calderon, a 12-year veteran of the department with 25 years of law enforcement experience, police said. Both are on paid administrative leave during the investigation. The shooting occurred during the night of March 28. Mr. Ruiz was pronounced dead at the scene, in the alley behind the 100 block of N. H & G streets in Lompoc. The Lompoc Police Department responded to a report just after 8 p.m. of a subject with a gun walking northbound on H Street. The officers responded to the call. Fresno attorney William L. Schmidt told the NewsPress Monday that he plans to eventually file a wrongful death lawsuit in Santa Barbara County, as well as a civil rights, wrongful death lawsuit in federal district court.
For now, Mr. Schmidt is focused on involving the attorney general. “Although there have been intimations that Mr. Ruiz, a 5’1”, 150 lb. transgender male with no history of violence, was armed with a handgun at the time he was killed, no such weapon has yet been found,” Mr. Schmidt wrote Attorney General Robert Andres Bonta in a letter dated April 7. On Monday, the News-Press received a copy of the letter, which is also addressed to District Attorney Joyce Dudley, Sheriff Bill Brown and Lompoc Police Chief Joe Mariani. The News-Press contacted Ms. Dudley, who said she hadn’t seen the letter. She added she always supports involving the state attorney general’s office in investigating officer-involved shootings. “It’s always great to have another agency involved in this,” Ms. Dudley said, but added, “I’m not sure of these particular circumstances nor do I know if the attorney general will take this case.” The News-Press plans to contact Ms. Dudley again after she reads the letter. When told about Ms. Dudley’s initial comment, Mr. Schmidt told the News-Press he finds it encouraging that the district attorney would welcome the Please see SHOOTING on A2
LOTTERY
ins id e Classified............... B4 Life..................... B1-2
6
JOE PUGLIESE / HARPO PRODUCTIONS
Prince Harry will be flying to the U.K. this week in preparation for the funeral of Prince Phillip, who died at 99 years of age April 9. His wife, Meghan Markle, will not be joining him at the funeral due to her doctor’s orders to stay stateside in the couple’s Montecito home. It will be Prince Harry’s first reunion with his family since his and Meghan’s interview, pictured above, with Oprah Winfrey.
The County Board of Supervisors heard from leaders of each branch of the Public Safety Department during its first budget workshop of the week Monday. Leaders from the county’s Public Defenders, District Attorney’s office, Fire Department, Probation Office and the Sheriff’s Office appeared before the Board of Supervisors to deliver their proposed budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 and explain the delegation of funds for various expansion projects. The county’s total preliminary budget to cover all operating expenses is projected at $1.34 billion for FY 2021-22. The Board of Supervisors will host additional budget hearings Wednesday and Friday of this week. Sheriff Bill Brown, presenting on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office, proposed a budget of more than $176 million in the coming fiscal year, an increase of approximately $11 million compared to last year’s budget. In the coming year, the Sheriff’s Office is aiming to begin a remodel of their Main Jail, staff the new Northern Jail before
Obituaries............. A4 Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 7-8-29-33-47 Meganumber: 20
Monday’s DAILY 4: 3-7-7-4
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 22-26-27-58-66 Meganumber: 12
Monday’s FANTASY 5: 30-31-32-34-35
Monday’s DAILY DERBY: 11-01-03 Time: 1:40.99
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 14-16-23-50-53 Meganumber: 3
Monday’s DAILY 3: 2-4-9 / Midday 2-6-3