Hanging Tough
A helpful rhythm
Eddie Tuduri uses music to help developmentally disabled people - A3
Our 165th Year
Gauchos get the better of a physical LMU team at the Thunderdome - A7
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T U E S DAY, DE C E M BE R 8 , 2 0 2 0
County seeks change in governor’s order Board of Supervisors to request state to separate SB County from Southern California Region By JOSH GREGA NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Santa Barbara County is working to get the state to separate this area from Los Angeles County, where COVID-19 cases have surged. Today the county Board of Supervisors will discuss drafting a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom to amend the regional stay-at-home order to separate Santa Barbara,
INSIDE Latest SB County COVID-19 numbers. A2
Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties from the Southern California Region. The county Public Health Department plans to make the same request. If granted, the requests would create a new Central Coast Region. The Southern California Region includes Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, Mono, Inyo, and Imperial counties. As part of Southern California, Santa Barbara County has entered a three-week stay-athome order that the state requires of California regions where ICU’s available capacity reaches below
State Street becomes empty after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order ended outdoor dining.
15%. According to Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg, the county’s available ICU capacity as of Sunday was 38%. However, the region’s ICU capacity is brought down by larger and more populous counties such as Los Angeles County, which has experienced a massive surge in COVID-19 cases. According to a news release from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the Southern California Region’s ICU capacity was 10.3% as of Sunday. Gregg Hart, the 2nd District supervisor and Board of Supervisors chair in Santa Please see COVID on A2
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
Deck the halls
Mission Canyon settlement reached SoCal Edison to pay $3.5 million
Funk Zone gallery features fine art suitable for Christmas gifts
By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Artist Ruth Ellen Hoag stands in front of her work in her studio at GraySpace, 219 Gray Ave., in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone.
By ANNELISE HANSHAW
Charlene Broudy’s “Picasso” tapestry is the largest piece in the show. Pottery pieces by Christopher Rupp, starting at $40, have been popular gifts.
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Ruth Ellen Hoag Fine Art at GraySpace, a studio for Ms. Hoag and a gallery for local artists, launched a special show after Thanksgiving: “Magic of the Holidays.” It features a variety of pieces suitable as gifts at the studio/gallery at 219 Gray Ave. in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. Anthony Askew, Charlene Broudy, Joan RosenbergDent, Pamela Enticknap, Rod Lathim, Christopher Rupp and Ms. Hoag herself are featured in the exhibit. She curated many smaller format pieces, including lots of pottery, so customers can do their holiday shopping in the gallery. “It’s still fun art, it’s giftable. And the three dimensional aspect of it makes it more implied,” she said. Pieces start at $40 for a mug or small dish made by Christopher Rupp, who is also a Westmont College Please see art on A8
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District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced a settlement Monday between Santa Barbara County and Southern California Edison over civil and criminal complaints stemming from a 2019 grading project in Mission Canyon.
Mission Creek and its tributaries. In total, the company discharged approximately 965,113 gallons of sidecast over the edge of Spyglass Ridge Road into Mission Canyon, according to the county. Of that, approximately 74,044 gallons were discharged into the waters of the U.S. and approximately 521,756 gallons were discharged into California’s waters, the county said. The county said the work resulted in alterations in Mission Creek’s streambed and obstructions in the water flows, as well as permanent changes to the natural environment by carving rock and vegetation from the mountainside. The county said Southern California Edison also caused the permanent loss of some native trees and vegetation, and degraded the habitat for some fish, wildlife and rare plant communities. And the county contended the company’s actions led to multiple closures of one of the county’s most popular recreation areas. Since the incident, Southern California Edison has cooperated with regulators, the county said. At the direction of the Santa Please see EDISON on A8
LOTTERY
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Southern California Edison has agreed to pay a $3.5 million civil penalty and plead guilty to a misdemeanor as part of a settlement with Santa Barbara County over Mission Canyon. The company and the county District Attorney’s Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit reached a global settlement to resolve civil and criminal actions stemming from a December 2019 grading project. The county said the project caused significant environmental harm to Mission Canyon. District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced the settlement Monday. The case is People vs. Southern California Edison Co. The pact addresses criminal and civil complaints against Southern California Edison, which the county said obstructed water flow, caused the loss of vegetation and trees, and degraded the Santa Barbara site as a natural habitat. “The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting violations of California’s environmental laws,” Ms. Dudley said in a statement. “While the decision to charge a corporation criminally is not one that prosecutors take lightly, our office will do so when the underlying conduct warrants such action. “We believe the resolution in this case reflects the seriousness of SCE’s impact on our environment,” Ms. Dudley said. “We commend the company for accepting responsibility and committing to remediate the damage it caused and appreciate the company’s cooperation throughout the investigation.” Santa Barbara County alleged that between Dec. 4 and Dec. 16, 2019, Southern California Edison engaged in an unpermitted road maintenance and widening project along 1.6 miles of Spyglass Ridge Road, starting at the base of the Inspiration Point trailhead. The county said Southern California Edison’s work discharged a substantial amount of rock, sediment and debris (“sidecast”) down the slopes into
Obituaries............. A8 Sudoku................. A5 Weather................ A8
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 1-13-30-35-40 Meganumber: 2
Monday’s DAILY 4: 0-6-3-3
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 3-19-24-44-50 Meganumber: 8
Monday’s FANTASY 5: 2-6-19-22-24
Monday’s DAILY DERBY: 03-02-05 Time: 1:41.40
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 3-4-6-48-53 Meganumber: 10
Monday’s DAILY 3: 3-2-9 / Sunday’s Midday 7-6-9