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T U E SDAY, NOV E M BE R 23, 2 021
Haobsh begins testimony Accused man takes stand in Han family murder trial, controversial expert testifies
Thanksgiving travel expected to increase AAA predicts close to pre-pandemic levels; SB Airport expects busy week By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
Thanksgiving travel is expected to significantly increase this year in comparison to the last two years, as society moves closer to a post-pandemic world. As restrictions begin to lift, the world is beginning to find its way back to some kind of normalcy.
“This Thanksgiving’s travel is expected to be the second busiest Thanksgiving on record, almost reaching prepandemic levels,” Doug Shoupe of the American Automobile Association told the News-Press. The AAA spokesman said there is expected to be 4.4 million people travelling in Southern California this Please see TRAVEL on A4
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
Despite high gasoline prices, the American Automobile Association is predicting the second busiest Thanksgiving on record for travel.
ANNELISE HANSHAW / NEWS-PRESS
Pierre Haobsh, 31, of Oceanside is sworn in Monday afternoon in the Han family murder trial in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Pierre Haobsh, the Oceanside man on trial for the 2016 murders of Chinese herbalist Dr. Henry Han and his family, took the stand in a Santa Barbara County courtroom Monday. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s investigators say they caught Mr. Haobsh providing false statements in initial interviews days after the Han family’s murders. But an hour before court’s adjournment Monday, Mr. Haobsh swore in — vowing to tell the truth. His public defender Christine Voss began the direct examination with questions about his upbringing and education. She gives him an opportunity to confirm a perceived weakness of his case: dates. Mr. Haobsh says he was born in Plano, TX, but spent his adolescence between Georgia, Texas and Arizona. He didn’t move to California until he was 25, he said. “I’ve always had a thirst for learning and knowledge,” he said. “School was always really slow for me.” When his mom died from cancer when he was about 18 years old, he decided to pursue his interests, he said. He got his GED and did not attend college. He said he started delving into an energy technology business from the age of 16. He was enthralled in the static fields produced by permanent magnets, the pressure of the opposing forces. “It didn’t make sense to me that these magnets couldn’t be turned into some sort of energy source,”
Extension of mask mandate seen as likely By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
Prosecutor Hilary Dozer asks forensic scientist Dr. Brent Turvey about his firearm and toolmark examination experience.
he said. He claims he began researching quantum mechanics immediately. When he lived in Tempe, AZ, he purchased materials from the Arizona State University course catalogs and researched in the library. He worked at a company in San Jose doing computer-aided design and met Bill Michael. They went into business using Mr. Haobsh’s idea for energy technology with a team of partners and incorporated as R.E.M. Group LLC.
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Mr. Haobsh said he had a salary of $15,000 per month and a signing bonus of his choice of sports car. Two men from the investigation, Lawrence Tang and Kang Hsu, were part of the company. Mr. Tang was a partner and Mr. Hsu was assigned to help Mr. Haobsh. Mr. Haobsh made a living at the company through 2012 and part of 2013. He partnered with Mr. Tang beyond R.E.M., and teamed up with Mr. Hsu for a cannabinoid business in 2014. Mr. Haobsh said he met Dr. Han through Mr. Hsu. Dr. Han invested
in the cannabinoid business and became a partner in the business. Dr. Han allegedly placed Mr. Hsu and Mr. Haobsh on payroll but left out the fourth partner, Dr. Juliana Barba. Mr. Haobsh also said he thinks Dr. Han visited R.E.M. in Tempe. He will continue testimony today. Monday opened with the introduction of a controversial defense witness, forensic scientist Dr. Brent Turvey. Prosecutor Hilary Dozer questioned whether the defense’s Please see trial on a2
Dr. Henning Ansorg, the Santa Barbara County public health officer, is encouraging vaccinated adults to get their COVID-19 booster shots in anticipation of the holidays. And he told the News-Press Monday that he expects the county’s indoor mask mandate will likely have to be extended beyond its Dec. 5 expiration date. The mandate was previously extended when it expired in early November. “We’re hovering around 10 cases per 100,000,” Dr. Ansorg said. “Now is not the time to stop wearing masks indoors.” The county Public Health Department has said the indoor mask mandate can be lifted when the cases reach six cases per 100,000 and stay at that number for two weeks. Dr. Ansorg said that at this point, fighting COVID-19
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For Monday’s COVID-19 numbers, see page A2.
DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS
“We have to shoot for 95% to get over this COVID crisis,” Dr. Henning Ansorg, the Santa Barbara County public health officer, said about the vaccination rate.
requires vaccinations, the indoor mask mandate and maintaining six feet from others in indoor public settings. He stressed the importance of vaccinations and booster shots for those who got their Moderna and Pfizer vaccines at least six months ago or those who got the Please see BOOSTERS on A4
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Health officer encourages people to get booster shots
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