Santa Barbara News-Press: October 18, 2022

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Gym going strong after 10 years

Interest shown in new police/fire board

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

One person has responded already to the city of Santa Barbara’s open invitation for people to apply for a seat on the newly reconstituted Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.

And several others could be right behind.

Shelly Cone, the city’s public information officer, told the NewsPress Monday that the site to accept applications went live on Thursday afternoon, and “so far we have had 21 views and received one application.”

“We will be doing extensive community outreach until the deadline of Nov. 10, including informational presentations to community groups, email outreach to community leaders and their networks, as well as encouraging word-of-mouth to recruit individuals that represent unique and diverse life experiences,” Ms. Cone said.

“This is in addition to our regular outreach methods of posting on social media, to our subscriber list, in our weekly newsletter and on our website.”

The Santa Barbara City Council took a historic first step last week to create a civilian oversight system with a unanimous vote to adopt an ordinance assigning additional oversight duties and authorities to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.

“We are creating, with the passage of this ordinance, a framework,” Councilwoman Meagan Harmon said at the time.

“It is the single most significant step toward meaningful civilian oversight in our city’s history. That is a big, big deal.” Councilwoman Alejandra

FYI

By JARED DANIELS NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

AC4 Fitness — a local gym founded on the philosophy of “exercising to live, rather than living to exercise” — is celebrating 10 years of providing Santa Barbara area residents with a low-stress, go-at-your-ownpace workout environment to improve their health.

The gym, which was opened by Tony Calhoun and his family in 2012 and today boasts more than 2,000 members between two locations in Goleta and Santa Barbara, was largely influenced by his son, Anthony Calhoun IV, who died in a car accident in 2009 and for whom the fitness club is named.

“Traditional ‘big box’ clubs can be very intimidating for many people that really need exercise in their lives, so we wanted to create a different culture that provided a unique fitness alternative for our friends and neighbors,” AC4 owner Tony Calhoun told the News-Press.

“We see (AC4) very much as being a community-oriented club — a club for the people and by the people.”

Prior to opening AC4, Mr. Calhoun was a franchisee of Gold’s Gym on the Central Coast for 30 years. As time went on in that role, however, he found that committing to the communitycentric model he worked to build in his gyms was becoming too difficult to maintain in a franchise environment.

Four years after selling his franchises, Mr. Calhoun and his son Anthony began working on

Gutierrez acknowledged at the meeting that there is still work to do on building trust and strengthening the community, which is why she helped bring forward the initial proposal that ultimately led to the night’s vote.

She said that since she has been on the council, she has advocated for better access to law enforcement in underserved areas. She also noted she supported the opportunity for commissioners to join police in a ride-along in order to have a better understanding of law enforcement.

“I think for any profession that’s going to be having an oversight committee looking after them or judging them, I think it’s out of respect you put yourself in these law enforcement shoes,” she said.

During its deliberations, council members took pains to ensure that former firefighters and law enforcement officers could apply for a position on the board. The council opted to take advantage of their up-close and personal experience fighting fires and responding to dangerous situations in their efforts to save others.

Some people had questioned whether there might be at least a perception of bias on the part of former law enforcement officers because of their ties to colleagues they consider as close as family members. They proposed that former officers who worked in Santa Barbara County be banned from applying, as well as former officers who worked outside the county unless they were off the force for at least five years.

The council, however, rejected that idea, echoing the sentiments of several speakers at last week’s

Santa Barbara City Council to review accessibility for people with disabilities

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara City Council today will receive an update on the recent activities and achievements of the Access Advisory Committee, including making sure the downtown dining parklets are accessible to people with disabilities.

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

In 1988, the city of Santa Barbara recognized the importance of accessibility in design and construction and started an ad hoc advisory committee to assist the Architectural Board of Review and the Historic Landmarks Commission with accessibilityrelated items, staff said in its report.

In 2001, this ad hoc committee became a standing committee known as the Staff Advisory Access Committee, which was renamed the Access Advisory Committee seven years later. The city’s Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator was directed to report annually to the council regarding the activities and achievements of the AAC.

Over the past year, the AAC has actively engaged in a variety of areas related to accessibility, staff said.

“The majority of AAC members have a physical disability and personally navigate accessibility challenges throughout the city on a daily basis,” staff said. “One key area of ongoing interest and concern is the ADA compliance of temporary outdoor business facilities (i.e. outdoor dining parklets on lower State Street) operating within the city’s right of way, as authorized under the City Council’s Economic Recovery Extension and Transition Ordinance through Dec. 31, 2023.”

The city said that in the past year, AAC has:

• Provided guidance and feedback to city staff on accessibility for the city’s Outdoor Dining Program.

• Had the city staff, with support from a certified access specialist consultant, perform ADA-compliance inspections of temporary outdoor business facilities within the State Street Promenade.

The first round of inspections found that 12 of 44 outdoor business facilities were ADAcompliant.

The city held multiple outreach and education sessions, in group settings and one-onone meetings, with business owners and operators regarding

“We see (AC4) very much as being a community-oriented club — a club for the people and by the people,” said AC4 owner Tony Calhoun, standing in the gym’s location in Goleta.

The Goleta location of AC4, pictured above, is at 52 N. Fairview Ave. The Santa Barbara location is at 3883 La Cumbre Plaza.

Hydromassage beds provide comfort for sore muscles at AC4.

AC4 Fitness

located at

News-Press announces its election endorsements

The

STATE

Governor: Sen. Brian Dahle.

Lieutenant Governor: Angela Underwood Jacobs.

Secretary of State: Rob Bernosky.

Controller: Lanhee Chen.

State Treasurer: Jack Guerrero.

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Lance Christensen.

Attorney General: Nathan Hochman.

Insurance Commissioner: Robert Howell.

State Board of Equalization, 2nd District: Peter Coe Verbica.

U.S. Senate/Partial Term: Mark Meuser.

U.S. Senate/Full Term: Mark Meuser.

U.S. House Representative, District 24: Dr. Brad Allen.

State Assembly, District 37: Mike Stoker.

SCHOOL BOARDS

Santa Barbara County Board of Education, Trustee Area 1: Rosanne Crawford.

Santa Barbara Community College District, Trustee Area 1: Debi Stoker.

Santa Barbara Community College District, Trustee Area 5: Sharon Salvador-Jegottka.

Santa Barbara Unified School District, Trustee Area 1: Efigenia Banales.

Santa Barbara Unified School District,

Trustee Area 4: Phebe Mansur.

Goleta Union School District, Trustee Area 1: Caroline Abate.

Goleta Union School District, Trustee Area 3: Christy Lozano.

Lompoc Unified School District: To be announced.

SPECIAL DISTRICT

Goleta Water District, District 2: Greg S. Hammel.

CITY COUNCIL RACES

Carpinteria City Council, Trustee Area 3: Patty Boyd (write in).

Lompoc Mayor: Jim Mosby.

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

Man pleads guilty to arson

LOMPOC — The man accused of starting a fire at Hollister Ranch pleaded guilty Monday to one count of arson of a structure or forest, Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley announced.

The defendant, Edward Junior Macklin, admitted starting the fire on March 12 in the Hollister Ranch area between Cuarta Canyon and Alegria Canyon.

The fire burned more than 120 acres of forest land across five properties within Hollister Ranch.

Mr. Macklin will be receiving a jail sentence and felony probation, and he will be required to register as an arsonist.

His conviction is a felony and is a strike offense in California.

Gastroenterologist to discuss colon, rectal cancers

LOMPOC — Dr. Rahim Raoufi, a Lompoc gastroenterologist, will discuss guidelines and screenings for colon cancer and rectal cancers during a free talk Wednesday.

Dr. Raoufi will speak at 6 p.m. in the Ocean’s Seven Café at the Lompoc Valley Medical Center, 1515 E. Ocean Ave., Lompoc.

Dr. Raoufi will answer audience’s questions and plans to discuss:

• How to prepare for a colon screening.

• Early warning signs.

• Risk factors for colon and rectal cancers.

• Treatment options.

His speech is part of the Lompoc Hospital District Foundation’s Community Lecture series.

Dr. Raoufi began his practice in Lompoc in 2012. He is a graduate of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran and completed a family practice residency at East Tennessee State University and an internal medicine residency at the UC San Francisco campus in Fresno.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 26 in Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Lompoc.

— Neil Hartstein

Driver injured during rollover

LOS ALAMOS — The driver of an SUV sustained major injuries during a rollover accident early Monday and was taken by ambulance to Marion Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The unidentified woman was ejected from the vehicle during the accident, which occurred at 4:27 a.m. on northbound Highway 101 at the junction of Cat Canyon, Capt. Scott Safechuck, the department’s public information officer, said.

Fog prevented a rescue helicopter from landing, he said. Firefighters and paramedics rode in the ambulance with the patient.

The SUV, which went through multiple rollovers, was found approximately 100 yards off the highway.

— Neil Hartstein

Work planned for highways

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — A pair of Culvert Replacement Projects along State Routes 154 and 246 began Monday and will continue each week through Nov. 18.

Travelers will encounter reversing traffic control along State Route 154 near Santa Barbara one-quarter mile east of West Camino Cielo Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m.

to 3 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Reversing traffic control will also take place on State Route 246 near Santa Ynez at the Gainey Vineyard entrance Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Delays are not expected to exceed 10 minutes.

The contractor for these projects totaling $184,000 is R. Burke Corp. of San Luis Obispo.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway work zones.

For traffic updates on other state highways in Santa Barbara County, motorists may call Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 805-549-3318 or visit the District 5 website: dot.ca.gov/ caltrans-near-me/district-5.

— Neil Hartstein

Armed Forces Tribute

SUBSCRIPTION

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) — New polling shows that gas prices are a top concern for voters these midterms as those prices are poised to rise in the coming weeks.

Convention of States Action, along with Trafalgar Group, released the poll, which found that “54.4 percent of voters say rising gas prices will make them more likely to vote for Republican candidates in the 2022 midterm elections.”

Notably 55.5% of independents say the same.

The current national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.89, according to AAA. Those prices have fluctuated in recent weeks but are higher than one month ago, when prices were $3.62 per gallon. Earlier this year, prices surpassed a record high $5 per gallon before dipping down.

Now, those prices are rising again and are expected to rise even more after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, known as OPEC, announced it would cut its oil production beginning in November.

At the same time, President Joe Biden’s release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is coming to an end. President Biden’s handling of energy issues has been a source of criticism for Republican lawmakers.

“We are the world’s leading producer of oil and gas, and our workers are eager to produce millions of additional barrels of oil per day to lower costs and ensure America’s energy

dominance,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. “Instead, President Biden continues to turn to OPEC, Russia, Iran, China, and now Venezuela, who are all emboldened because he is shutting down American energy and ceding our global leadership to their corrupt regimes.

“Lifting sanctions to allow Venezuela’s dictator to collect millions of dollars in revenues harkens back to President Biden’s decision to waive sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which strengthened Putin and invited the attack on Ukraine.”

The higher energy prices come as Americans are also dealing with soaring inflation. Recently release pricing data shows consumer and producer prices have risen more than 8% in the last 12 months.

Energy prices, which rose about 20% in the last twelve months, have been a top pain point for Americans.

“The news that inflation surged 8 percent on the year in September is all too familiar to Pennsylvania families,” said Nathan Benefield, senior vice president of the Pennsylvania-based Commonwealth Foundation. “While we are enjoying a brief reprieve with a seasonal drop in gas prices, the worst is yet to come—with gas prices and home heating costs rising yet again.

“Voters consistently report that inflation and the economy is their top issue—and no wonder, as average workers are worse off than they were last year,” he added.

The survey queried more than 1,000 voters from Oct. 8 through Oct. 11th.

COURTESY PHOTO

A rollover accident took place early Monday on northbound Highway 101 at the junction of Cat Canyon in Los Alamos.

Polls show gas prices are top concern for midterm voters with price increase looming

SBCC football dominates L.A. Pierce in 63-0 home shutout

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

The SBCC football team earned its fifth straight victory on Saturday against L.A. Pierce, dominating at home once again in a 630 blowout win.

With their second straight home shutout, the Vaqueros are now on an incredible 156-0 scoring run at La Playa Stadium. They improve to 5-1 overall and are 1-0 in the American Pacific League with the conference-opening win. The Brahmas fall to 0-6 overall and 0-1 in the APL.

“Very similar to our last two games, I just told the guys that we’re going to compete for four quarters and play hard until the last snap,” head coach Craig Moropoulos said. “And the guys did it again. Our defense did well forcing a lot of turnovers and we capitalized on all of them, so it was a good day.”

Santa Barbara’s active defense shut down LA Pierce’s offense from the opening play, when linebacker Amir Brown stepped into the passing lane to intercept the first pass of the day. It was one of four interceptions for the Vaqueros, as Keenan Stokes and Tyrone McCoy would later get their first picks of the year and Blake Vollbrecht got his third.

“It all starts with the guys up front,” Moropoulos said. “The back end people, they get the benefit of somebody putting pressure on quarterbacks, making them hurry and put the ball up in the wrong spots. And, just like when we’re rushing the ball, it all starts with our O-Line.”

On the other side of the ball, the SBCC offense made it look easy. On the Vaqueros’

first possession, quarterback Alex Johnson hit receiver BJ Phillips out right for a nineyard score. On the next drive, he found Kayden Chan on a slant out left before Chan made his way across the field for a 23-yard touchdown.

Johnson would later sneak it in from one yard out and toss a 12-yard score to Damare Ward on the next two possessions as SBCC scored on its first four drives.

Johnson finished 8-of-10 for 143 yards through the air. He accounted for five of SBCC’s nine touchdowns, tossing three and running in two.

“Alex does so much more than people really see. His run checks, and what he did getting us in and out of plays, taking advantage of what a defense tries to do was really a strength for him,” Moropoulos said. “Being a part of five touchdowns, that’s pretty special. What real football people understand for the value of a quarterback is efficiency. Not necessarily throwing the ball, or just checking or running, but all of it. As a head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, the most value a quarterback can have is efficiency and he’s doing a fantastic job.”

The ruthless running of sophomore Brandon Smith saw him become the first Vaquero during the Moropoulos era (since 2007) to go over 100 yards on the ground in four straight games. He finished with 156 rushing yards on 16 carries (9.8 Y/R), including a remarkable 52-yard run on the first play of the second half where he shook off multiple would-be tacklers before bouncing it outside all the way to the end zone.

“I was already calling the personnel for the next play and then all of a sudden

Brandon squirted out of there and runs for a touchdown,” said Moropoulos. “He’s a pretty special player. He’s almost at 1,000 yards already. I don’t think anybody’s done anything like what he’s doing, not in my time.”

Averaging 135 yards per game, Smith is on pace to set the Vaqueros’ single-season rushing record in their Nov. 12 regular season finale at Santa Monica. As a team, SBCC is also on pace to set a new all-time rushing record in that game.

Runningbacks Mekhi Norfleet, Cameron Woolsey and Uri Loza all ran it into the end zone in the fourth quarter. It was the Vaqueros’ fifth straight game with over 200 rushing yards and third straight with at least 400 yards of total offense.

Defensive lineman Jordan Tagaloa led the defense with six tackles, constantly clogging things up on the run. LA Pierce ended the day with just seven rushing yards on 29 attempts.

Defensive back Jamari Cannon was all over the place and was one of four Vaqueros with 1.5 tackles for a loss, forcing a fumble on a kickoff return as he flew down the field.

Kicker Joe Bowman continued to be incredibly reliable, making all nine extra points to improve to 37-for-37 on the year.

The Vaqueros’ five-game win streak is tied for their longest since 2015, when they won seven straight. They will remain home for their next game on Saturday, Oct. 22 against L.A. Valley at 1 p.m.

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

SBCC men’s soccer bounces back with win at Moorpark

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

The SBCC men’s soccer team got back to its winning ways on Friday at Moorpark, as five different Vaqueros found the back of the net in a 5-0 victory.

Santa Barbara improves to 62-4 overall and earns its first conference win to move to 1-1 in the WSC. Moorpark is now 0-10-2 overall and 0-2 in conference.

“A relatively straightforward day as we bounced back from our defeat on Tuesday,” assistant coach Matt Wilkinson said. “Good to see everyone who traveled get on the field and playing together with smiling faces. Shoutout to Dan Baradaran for his second clean sheet of the season and the defense again for playing a solid game. Our captain Joep Wouters has been fantastic all season and continues to show the same form

throughout.”

Freshman forward Gino Contreras started things off by scoring his third goal in four games in the 13th minute, assisted by freshman defender Noah Herold. Bart Muns scored his 13th goal of the season eight minutes later.

The Vaqueros got another two goals in quick succession before halftime. Defender Jahir Valdez put in his first of the season in the 33rd as midfielder Dylan Rogers

got his second straight assist. Wouters then scored his first goal as a Vaquero in the 38th minute.

In the second half, with the SBCC bench getting quality playing time, Liam Wilder became the third Vaquero to score for the first time this season on an assist by Ivan Virgen.

This was SBCC’s third win in four outings during the month of October, all of which have been won by at least four goals. It was

Santa Barbara improves to 6-2-4 overall and earns its first conference win to move to 1-1 in the WSC. Moorpark is now 0-10-2 overall and 0-2 in conference.

SBCC women’s volleyball sweeps L.A. Pierce

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

The No. 14 SBCC women’s volleyball team picked up another sweep on Friday at LA Pierce, defeating the Brahmas 25-13, 25-19, 25-12.

The Vaqueros (10-8, 4-1) were led once again by sophomore opposite Caroline McCarty with teamhighs of 12 kills and two blocks.

“We had a nice win over LA Pierce, playing clean volleyball, working hard to minimize our errors and force them to earn all of their points,” said head coach Kat Niksto. “We hit .442% as a team and served up 12 aces on the match. Every rostered player saw some court time and I was impressed with our court composure throughout the match.”

Freshmen Ava Guenther and Heidi Collins finished with nine kills each. Setters Mikayla Butzke and Emma Crabbe set up the offense to the tune of 20 and 17 assists, respectively.

Crabbe also had a match-high four aces, as did defensive specialist Gabby Russell. Libero Jacelin McKie led the defense with eight digs.

SBCC earned its fifth sweep in its last seven contests. The Vaqueros have now won six of their last seven. They will return home for a Friday, Oct. 21 meeting with Cuesta at 6 p.m. at the Sports Pavilion.

Michael Jorgenson works in communications/media relations at Santa Barbara City College.

email: sports@newspress.com

also the Vaqueros’ fourth shutout in five games, thanks to Danial Baradaran’s six saves.

Santa Barbara will be back in action on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Allan Hancock at 1:30 p.m.

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

Girls Inc. breaks ground on Lynda Fairly Courtyard

CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Lynda Fairly Courtyard at its Foothill Road campus.

More than 50 community members and supporters joined Girls Inc. staff, members and families at the ceremony. Among them were Carpinteria Unified School District Superintendent Diana Rigby and members of Grant Cox Enterprises, which facilitated the courtyard design.

Also attending was local philanthropist Lynda Fairly. Funding for the courtyard was primarily from Ms. Fairly and La Centra-Summerland Foundation.

Ms. Fairly joined Girls Inc. of Carpinteria Executive Director Jamie Collins and several members of Girls Inc. programs in breaking ground during the ceremony.

The work is designed to completely renovate the previous courtyard into a mixed use community space, complete with dedicated outdoor classroom areas and an interactive natural playground, in what Girls Inc. calls “an environmentally conscious and meditative landscape.”

For more information, call Girls Inc. of Carpinteria at 805-684-6364 or visit girlsinc-carp.org.

— Dave Mason

‘It was a call to faith and to act’

GYM

a business plan for a fitness club that would return them to their roots of a family-owned business concerned for the well-being of their fellow man, rather than keeping up with the ever-evolving trends that define many people’s understanding of what gyms are.

“One of the reasons that I decided to get back into the industry was my son, Anthony, who

had literally grown up working for and being a part of our Gold’s Gym experience here locally,” Mr. Calhoun recounted. “When he was just a couple of years old, maybe 3 years old, I still remember him sitting on the front counter at our first Gold’s Gym in Old Town Goleta checking member cards.”

“Maybe a year later after having coped with the loss of Anthony, I was ready to turn back and resurrect our project, and in a way use AC4 Fitness as a means of memorializing Anthony and

his contribution to his family and to this business,” Mr. Calhoun continued.

Another driver of both Mr. Calhoun’s now decade-old decision to open AC4, and his overall business philosophy, comes from his Christian faith, particularly the story of Jesus calling on the soon-to-be apostle, Peter, to continue casting his fishing nets despite going through the night without success. Upon following His instructions, Peter and his companions’ ships nearly capsized

from the weight of the bounty they hauled in from the sea.

“When I was really searching for an answer as to whether or not we should essentially ‘let down our nets’ (by opening AC4), that particular story really struck me hard as an act of faith to go ahead and submit and be obedient and let down the nets and let Him fill them to overflowing,” Mr. Callhoun explained. “It was a call to faith and to act.”

email: jdaniels@newspress.com

City held multiple outreach, education sessions

COUNCIL

ADA compliance standards and requirements. Through outreach, education, and enforcement efforts, 33 of 44 were in compliance as of Aug. 24.

The majority of the remaining 11 non-compliant facilities have accessible dining areas, but don’t meet the letter of the ADA requirements, according to the city.

• Advocated for the addition of six accessible parking zones in the Downtown Plaza area, which were installed by city staff.

• Notified city staff of a noncompliant parklet on private property infringing on required disabled parking spaces, which have now been restored for use.

• Prioritized sidewalk barrier removals, such as missing access ramps, sidewalk uplifts due to tree roots, miscellaneous street furniture within the path of travel, etc.

• Advanced aspects of a Blue Curb Parking Initiative.

• Advised Public Works staff on recommended locations for the installation of new accessible pedestrian signals and recommended locations for

future installations on an annual basis.

• Participated as a stakeholder in the city’s Website Application Replacement Project and provided guidance and feedback on accessibility of the city’s new website for the blind and visually impaired.

• Reviewed and provided feedback on the city’s draft Housing Element update.

• Helped the city to complete capital improvements that included 89 new and retrofitted access ramps, 140,000 square feet of new sidewalk, completion of Cabrillo Pavilion Renovation, completion of Las Positas and Modoc roads’ Multi-Use Path, completion of intersection improvements at West Carrillo/ San Andres and West Carrillo/ San Pascual intersections and the West Carrillo lighting corridor.

• Started the construction phase of the Central Library Plaza Renovation and the ADA Elevator Project.

• Enabled progress in the remodeling of the City Hall restrooms, now in its final design and the ADA Elevator Project, which is in design.

email: nhartstein@newspress.com

council meeting.

At the same time, council members encouraged those who have had negative experiences at the hands of law enforcement — minorities in particular — to apply for a commission seat, saying the five-member board could benefit from their point of view.

“In determining the desirable qualifications of the members of the commission, the City Council intends to promote diversity, fairness and equity among the commission’s membership by assuring it is inclusive and reflective of life and professional experience, race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, economic status, neighborhoods and various communities of interest in the city,” according to the ordinance.

“Toward that end, in soliciting applications for the position of a commission member, the City Administrator’s Office shall reach

out to civic, community, and civil rights organizations, among others to leverage their expertise, outreach and representation of cross-sections of the community.”

Under the ordinance, the council will also take into consideration a board member’s personal, professional and academic experience, as well as the member’s history of working with local government entities and/or nonprofits.

Nevertheless, not everyone can apply.

Under the ordinance, the following persons are not eligible to serve as a commissioner:

• Any individual or attorney who represents a person or entity with a pending claim or lawsuit against the fire or police department, or any of their officers or employees.

• Any current or former law enforcement officer or firefighter, or where relevant or comparable, any member of the public, who has a sustained finding of serious misconduct made by any law enforcement agency, independent investigator contracted by a public agency or court.

The ordinance defines such “serious

misconduct” as:

• Unreasonable or excessive force or an unjustified officer involved shooting.

• Failure to intervene against another officer using force that is clearly unreasonable or excessive.

• Conduct including, but not limited to, verbal statements, writings, online posts, recordings and gestures involving prejudice or discrimination against a person on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status.

• An unlawful arrest or an unlawful search.

• Sexual assault involving a member of the public.

• Dishonesty directly related to the reporting, investigation or prosecution of a crime or an investigation of misconduct by another officer.

email: nhartstein@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Go-at-your-own-pace workouts are emphasized at AC4, which has locations in Goleta (pictured above) and Santa Barbara.

PAGELife

Crossing cultural lines with his comedy

Comedian and actor Vir Das to perform at Lobero

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Vir Das says there are two things you should expect from comedians such as himself.

“I should make you laugh, irrespective of who you are,” the comedian from India told the News-Press. “And do you know the artist by the end of the time they’re on stage?

“It’s easy enough to make people laugh. Truly great artists make you feel like you know them. That’s something I strive in my standup,” said Mr. Das, who has starred in four standup comedy specials since 2017 on Netflix. His fifth one, which he recently taped before an audience of 2,000 people at New York University, will premiere in December on the streaming service.

The new special is called “Wanted,” and that’s also the name of the show Mr. Das will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara.

The show is inspired by Mr. Das’ return to India after his performances in America.

“It chronicles the Indian upbringing — what our values are and how they apply to the rest of the world,” Mr. Das explained.

“The one thing I value the most about Indian culture is our approach to family,” he said, noting that when children grow up, they invite their parents to live with them. “It’s honorable.”

He created “Wanted” after his “Two Indias” show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., went viral.

Mr. Das, who was born in Mumbai, India, and grew up in Nigeria, is known for his leading roles in Bollywood films and his standup comedy performances around the world. And he acted on the ABC spy dramedy “Whiskey Cavalier,” the ABC sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat” and the Netflix series “Hasmokh,” which he created and executive-produced.

He added that he’s starring in two upcoming movies — an action story and a comedy — for the American market. He’s also writing one of those films.

“I always wanted to be an actor,” Mr. Das said. He added that his comedy finds truths that cross cultures.

“It’s understanding that we’re pretty much the same,” he said.

“You have some version of what I have in my life,” Mr. Das said, referring to family members, friends and people in general that he grew up with.

“We’ve all lived in a pandemic together. There has never been a more common global ground,” he said. “We all got the same COVID tests.”

FYI

Vir Das will perform “Wanted,” his new standup comedy show, at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $53.75. To purchase, go to lobero.org or call the theater at 805-963-07621.

‘Amsterdam’ takes mystery genre in new direction

By DAVE MASON

MANAGING EDITOR

FYI

‘A

msterdam” is an offbeat mystery that emphasizes intriguing characters and relationships over the plot.

The flawed heroes are likable, and the villains are ones you’ll love to hate.

David O. Russell did a great job directing and writing the movie, which is set in the 1930s.

Dr. Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale) and Harold Woodman (John David Washington) served together during World War I, and their friendship circle grew to include Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie). After the war, the three lived together in Amsterdam, where they felt free to be themselves without judgment. But eventually, Burt and Harold

decide to return to America, and the circle is broken.

One night, Burt and Harold are on a street when they witness a murder — and they’re framed for it.

They discover Valerie’s in America, and they seek her help to clear their names. In their efforts, they discover a threat to American security, while dealing with Detective Lem Getweiler (Matthias Schoenaerts).

Burt, Harold and Valerie must also contend with Libby (Anya Taylor-Joy), Valerie’s sister-inlaw without a filter, and Tom (Rami Malek), Valerie’s brother.

The story eventually leads all of them to Gen. Gil Dillenbeck (Robert de Niro), and the characters include Ima St. Clair (Zoe Saldana) and Paul Canterbury (Mike Myers).

“Amsterdam” has a complicated plot, as well as colorful characters played by talented stars. This isn’t a straightforward narrative, and “Amsterdam” isn’t for everyone. You have to pay close attention. But if you like unusual heroes who ultimately won’t let you down and a story that doesn’t go in a straight line but arrives at a good destination, this is your kind of film.

“It’s easy enough to make people laugh. Truly great artists make you feel like you know them,” said Vir Das, a comedian from India.

“Halloween Ends,” the final chapter in the franchise that launched Jamie Lee Curtis’ movie career, topped the box office in its opening weekend.

The film scared up $41.25 million at the box office and knocked another horror movie, “Smile,” off its No. 1 pedestal.

“Smile” fell to second place and grossed $12.4 million.

Slipping to third place was “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” the

asked further about

No. 1 at box office

movie about a singing crocodile.

The film grossed $7.4 million.

“The Woman King,” starring Viola Davis, remained in fourth place with $3.7 million.

“Amsterdam” — the offbeat mystery set during the aftermath of World War I and starring John David Washington, Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and Robert De Niro — placed fifth with a gross of $2.89 million.

Placing sixth was “Don’t Worry, Darling,” which is about a 1950s housewife who worries about secrets in what’s supposed

to be a utopia. The film grossed $2.18 million.

The horror thriller “Barbarian” placed seventh with $1.41 million.

“Bros,” a comedy about two gay men (played by Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane) and their relationship, was No. 8 with $920,265.

The horror film “Terrifier 2” placed ninth with $850,000.

And placing 10th was “Top Gun: Maverick” with $685,433. email: dmason@newspress.com

Working your way through emotional pain

Sometimes life just hurts.

may have lost a love or a job, or even

and that can have a profound effect on your sense of well-being. It’s hard to be at ease when your heart is aching. You think about all kinds of things over and over again. This process is normal, but it sure isn’t comfortable.

Whenever you review what happened to you, the feelings come up, and you have to walk around carrying the weight of your pain. It’s daunting and nothing anyone wants to go through.

can last a very long time if you let it, and I don’t recommend that you do. If it goes on for more than a couple of weeks, I would suggest talking with a medical professional.

That being said, most people don’t go running for help when they’ve been down for a fortnight, but it should be a signal that you need to do something to help yourself.

Trying to stay positive while there is a big hole in your soul is never easy. Any bad news, no matter how small, can feel like a major issue.

is hurting you, so get yourself going so your head can get clear. Make diet and regular exercise part of your plan, along with time to heal by reading, talking or writing about your feelings. Spending time with loving friends and relatives who won’t judge you can also be very soothing. Being with people who will let you be where you are — those who won’t criticize but instead will help to heal your heart — is some of the best medicine available.

Das said.

think apart from

surprised every year by how

rest of

whole idea that America

know the

said, repeating, “We’ve never had more common

You have choices on how to deal with this type of discomfort. You may feel like giving in to it and pulling the covers up over your head. You may decide to become totally proactive and rebuild your work or love life. Some people enjoy doing this. There’s no time to feel the hurt if you are too busy thinking about how to get out of the pit and back into life. But not everyone has this ability.

Some people choose to sulk through their lives until something else happens. This sulking habit

Your brain is almost constantly engaged in the whys and wherefores of how you got here, making it even tougher to come up with ideas to be proactive about your emotional well-being. The rumination process can also suck up your days and leave you feeling worse because you haven’t done a thing but feel your pain.

This is when having a healthy routine can be helpful.

Start by getting up when you wake up. If you lie in bed, chances are you will be thinking about what

Learning to take care of yourself when you are feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders is an important technique to master. Life is always going to have difficult moments. The sooner you learn to get through them, the longer you will have to enjoy this journey — pitfalls and all.

Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D., is an award-winning psychotherapist and humanitarian. He is also a columnist, the author of eight books and a blogger for PsychologyToday. com with more than 28 million readers. He is available for video consults worldwide. Reach him at barton@bartongoldsmith.com. His column appears Sundays and Tuesdays in the News-Press.

Christie Lenée to perform at SOhO

Sophie B. Hawkins finds her personal truth in her songs

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Emotional moments inspire Sophie B. Hawkins’ original songs.

“I’ll be triggered by some emotional event that brings up these really deep feelings,” the singer and songwriter told the News-Press. “There’s nothing I can do but to go to the piano or guitar and write the song. There’s no other way I can process, to get to the depth of that feeling and why I’m triggered.

“I say on stage that my songs tell the truth,” the New York City native said.

Ms. Hawkins, who sang last weekend at the Libbey Bowl in Ojai, will perform at 8 p.m. Sunday at The Canyon, 28912 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills.

Her tour is celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Tongues and Tails,” her debut album.

“In some ways, the album was groundbreaking,” Ms. Hawkins said. “I was so unabashedly myself.”

She said she continues to enjoy performing the album’s songs such as, “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover.”

“They’re fun to perform, even now, but they’re really difficult to sing. They were then, and they are now,” Ms. Hawkins said. “The intervals (between notes) are nuts. The melodies are kind of unique. The lyrics are phenomenal. The harmonies were beautiful.”

She said her new music is also popular.

Her recent music includes the song “Love Myself.”

“That song came from a true story. I went to a party, drank wine and ate coconut cake,” Ms. Hawkins said.

On the way home, Ms. Hawkins thought about her life and the party.

“Did I eat too much? Did I drink too much? Did I say too much?” Ms. Hawkins said.

When she got home, Ms. Hawkins explored her thoughts about her life by going to the piano and writing “Love Myself.”

“The message is that pivotal moment — you never know when it’s going to be — when you transcend all these different beliefs about yourself,” she said. “It frees you from your baggage, and you start living and loving yourself. You get to enjoy yourself.”

Ms. Hawkins started playing the drums at age 14 and played in a rock band in high school. She said

she played piano, banjo, guitar — “anything I can write a song on.”

She went on to attend the Manhattan School of Music as a classical percussionist.

“I want to keep writing songs that are meaningful,” Ms. Hawkins said. “My songs are my teachers.”

email: dmason@newspress.com

FYI

Sophie B. Hawkins

go

wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com.

SANTA BARBARA — Acoustic guitarist Christie Lenée will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at SOhO Restaurant and Music Club, 1221 State St., suite 205, Santa Barbara. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Ms. Lenée has been described as “Dave Matthews meets Joni

Mitchell and Michael Hedges.” Her new album, “Coming Alive,” is scheduled to be released Nov. 18 and features the previously released single “That Voice,” a self-empowerment anthem. Tickets cost $25 for general admission and $67 for a dinner

reservation and priority seating. To purchase, go to www.sohosb. com. For more about Ms. Lenée, go to christielenee.com. (There is no accent mark in the website url.)

— Dave Mason

COURTESY PHOTO

Christie Lenée’s album “Coming Alive” will be released Nov. 18.

COURTESY PHOTO

Sophie B. Hawkins will perform Sunday in Agoura Hlils.

Vir Das will perform “Wanted,” his new standup comedy show, Thursday at the Lobero Theatre.

Diversions

Thought for Today

HOROSCOPE

October

ARIES — Your mood should be quite good today, Aries, although there may be some strong forces at work trying to subvert this positive attitude. Try not to let other people’s disagreements bring you down. Take the high ground and you will certainly prevail.

TAURUS — Today’s arena is one in which you can find a great deal of material, Taurus. There will be no shortage of energy to work with or opinions coming from you. Realize that your words have a greater potency about them as people become more intent on uncovering the truth. Apply yourself to peace and cooperation among groups.

GEMINI — Peace and harmony are in the regularly scheduled program for the day, but there is a good chance that there could be a warring force with strong opinions and vindictive tendencies. Hold onto your hat, Gemini, and make sure you have your actions well aligned with your soul or else you could be thrown into a battle that has nothing to do with you.

CANCER — I told you so might be your motto of the day. Try not to rub this in other people’s faces, Cancer. Indeed, you have the foresight to witness an action and see the consequences right away. These consequences might rear their ugly heads on a day like this.

LEO — You may know exactly the right thing to do today, but for some reason, the action required may be a hard thing for you to implement, Leo. Take an active role to get involved. Say your peace, but don’t get so attached to the results that you get upset and discouraged if things don’t exactly work out according to plan.

VIRGO — Make sure your opinion doesn’t get lost in the frenzy of the day, Virgo. Your words may not quite fit with the things that people want to hear. Try not to take this personally. Realize that this isn’t an indication that your words are any less important. You have an incredible gift of being able to see things that others can’t.

LIBRA — You have two choices today. Either jump into

the thick of the mess with both feet or stay out of it altogether. There are definitely two distinct camps setting up their arsenals for battle. Realize that there is also a soft, tender, harmonious aspect that just wants peace. It will be hard to ignore the fact that your usual warring nature is ready to do battle.

SCORPIO — You may end up being the peaceful savior that calms everyone down today, Scorpio. Use your artistic nature and love of beauty and harmony to inspire others to put away their differences and concentrate on the positive aspects. Generous acceptance of others is the only way to go, especially today, when people are riled up and ready to fight.

SAGITTARIUS — Your unique ability to communicate with many different groups and personalities will be extremely important today to maintaining a bridge between warring camps, Sagittarius. Keep things moving and try not to let the situation stagnate on any one issue. If the conversation turns to raging and ranting,

CAPRICORN — You might feel like you’re getting worked up from all angles today, Capricorn. Find comfort in knowing that things will definitely improve by tomorrow. You might get the feeling that somehow you’re all alone despite the circle of friends that surrounds and loves you. You may be called to action by a strong force.

AQUARIUS — Try to rise above the potential tension and rough spots of the day, Aquarius. Do yourself a favor and don’t feel like you have to stoop to another’s level. Take pride in your actions and do things with confidence. Work with the negativity. The worst thing to do would be to ignore it. Approach problems squarely as soon as they arise.

PISCES — You might want to escape the frenzy of the day by going shopping, Pisces. Align yourself with partners and allies who share your views. Try to keep the disagreements to a minimum. There is enough tension and war raging in the world around you today that you don’t need to add to the negative force by contributing disputes and ailments to the situation.

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

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

and a word in English in each of the

on the

and vertical

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD

“Where there is no vision, there is no hope.”

— George Washington Carver