‘Star Trek’ and its Rat Pack
U.S. is No.1 at Olympics
Lompoc High School graduate Jeffrey Combs and fellow ‘Star Trek’ actor Casey Biggs talk to the News-Press about their next concert - B1
Tokyo Olympics concludes with Team USA ahead in gold medals and overall medals - A4
Our 166th Year
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T U E S DAY, AUGUS T 10 , 2 0 21
Mission Canyon Bridge Coalition plots alternatives to reconstruction
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
Cold Spring School in Montecito will be requiring masks indoors.
Cold Spring continues mask accommodations Superintendent says school district will follow guidelines By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
ANNELISE HANSAW/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Mimi Hildbrand shares her personal story of growing up in the Mission Canyon neighborhood during a Coalition to Preserve Mission Canyon demonstration Monday afternoon at Santa Barbara City Hall.
By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Coalition to Preserve Mission Canyon met in front of Santa Barbara City Hall Monday to present its plan for a safe walking path — a plan that does not include reconstruction of the Mission Canyon Bridge. The group plans to speak up at today’s Santa Barbara City Council meeting, in which Public Works will seek council’s direction on a potential $10.8 million bridge replacement. The city could receive $5.8 million from the Federal Highway Bridge Program because the bridge has been ruled obsolete. Rich Untermann, a Santa
Barbara resident and professor emeritus of urban planning at the University of Washington, said the city could spend less by just addressing the path and crosswalks and maintaining the bridge. “The bridge is considered to be functionally obsolescent, but that’s to say that it’s narrower than a modern bridge and the angles are a little sharper,” Dr. Lanny Ebenstein told the News-Press. “But it’s exactly that functional obsolescence that is a natural traffic calmer, keeps traffic slower than it would otherwise be. “So a bigger, wider bridge wouldn’t just have a modern look. It would speed traffic up and be less safe.”
Pedestrian safety was the original focus of 2012 plans to renovate the Mission Canyon Corridor. At the time, the city only planned to add a separate pedestrian bridge but later learned of engineers’ reservations about the bridge. A study by the Wallace Group out of San Luis Obispo says the bridge is structurally vulnerable if faced with an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude. “During the earthquake in 1925, it survived 6.8 magnitude without even cracking. And downtown was demolished. And the (nearby) Mission itself had major damage,” coalition member Paulina Konn said.
Pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen in areas where COVID-19 is surging — just before school starts. Parents nationwide are examining school district policies to decide if they are safe enough. Locally, districts are making decisions on masking, testing and vaccination. Masks are required indoors at schools, per California Department of Public Health guidelines. Some community members
believe the Cold Spring School District in Montecito is bending the rule. A statewide news outlet interviewed Superintendent Dr. Amy Alzina on her stance on masks, publishing quotes that can be perceived as lenient. But Superintendent Dr. Alzina told the News-Press the singleschool district is adhering to public health guidance. “I’m not going to go rogue,” she said. “We’re going to continue to implement the health and safety guidelines.” Please see MASKS on A3
Evan Jones feels confident that the bridge’s builder, his greatgreat-grand uncle Roland Hazard, designed a sturdy structure. “Do you think for one moment that future philanthropists are going to help this community in any way if they thought that their gifts will be torn asunder a few generations later on?” he said in a speech to the small crowd who gathered Monday afternoon. Sentiment was strong among some members. Mimi Hildbrand, a member of the Van Schaick family, was raised in the Mission Canyon neighborhood. She’s afraid the area she loves may soon not be reminiscent of her childhood’s Santa Barbara. Please see BRIDGE on A2
COURTESY PHOTO
Live scent search dog Riley searches for community members during the Montecito Debris Flow.
Search dog Riley dies a hero By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS
RAFAEL MALDONDO/NEWS-PRESS
The Mission Canyon Bridge, built in 1891, has withstood the earthquake of 1925. The bridge does not meet modern standards, so the city of Santa Barbara has various renovation options.
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Please see RILEY on A3
L O T T E RY RESULTS
INSIDE Classified.............. B4 Life.................... B 1-2 Obituaries............. A4
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department on Monday announced the death of live scent search dog Riley, who was part of the Montecito debris flow rescue team. Riley paired up with the department’s Capt. Eric Gray on Oct. 15, 2009. The duo trained and passed their FEMA certification seven months later, starting nearly a decade of service together.
Extensive training is required to maintain the precision needed for disaster search. Capt. Gray and Riley trained daily and traveled a minimum of twice a week for training with California Task Force 2 teammates, based in Los Angeles. Their first disaster showed Riley’s dedication. On Aug. 24, 2010, a semi-truck of gravel crashed into a Santa Barbara home. Riley tirelessly searched,
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Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 2-9-12-20-39 Meganumber: 5
Monday’s DAILY 4: 3-4-6-9
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 9-18-40-46-69 Meganumber: 9
Monday’s FANTASY 5: 2-6-9-12-15
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Monday’s DAILY 3: 6-0-0 / Monday’s Midday 1-2-9