Santa Barbara News-Press: December 13, 2022

NEWs-PRE ss EXCLU siVE

A drive into the future

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Fans of Peter Rawlinson — the renowned Welsh automotive engineer who worked on the Tesla Model S — got a chance to testdrive his futuristic, Lucid Air luxury electric cars Sunday at a Hope Ranch residence.

The large crowd also got to rub elbows with Mr. Rawlinson, who lives in California, and chat with him about his achievements with electric cars.

Mr. Rawlinson, the CEO and chief technology officer of Lucid Motors, told the News-Press the Lucid Air model is an important step in making electric vehicles affordable and achieving progress against the perils of climate change. He said he and his company strived to “reach for the stars in what is possible.”

“It’s important to understand the rationale behind Lucid,” Mr. Rawlinson said, answering the News-Press’ questions by email. “It’s not simply to create electric cars. That in itself is far from enough. Lucid exists to push the limit of what is possible with EV technology and take it to the next level.

“This is important, not from hubris, but because the world needs sustainable mobility urgently, and higher technology will both catalyze rapid adoption today and pave the way for cost reductions to make electric cars affordable to a far wider audience in the near future,” Mr. Rawlinson said. “It’s that wider uptake that’s important if we are to make a dent in global emissions and global warming,” said Mr. Rawlinson, who told the News-Press he would love to start a dealership in a city he loves: Santa Barbara.

Mr. Rawlinson’s cars, in fact, proved to be a hit in Santa Barbara with the large number

of people who visited the Hope Ranch home. People came in their Teslas and Rivian trucks from as far as Atascadero to try out the Lucid cars.

And they were thrilled with their test drives.

“Even though you feel like you are flying in the Air, you never feel like you are going to slip or slide off the turns. It is FUN to drive,” said one person who test-drove

the Lucid Air.

Geri and Jerry Bidwell, Santa Barbara residents who got their Lucid Air eight months ago, told the News-Press they’ve had no problems with the car.

“It’s clear to me that Rawlinson has worked very hard on this car,” Geri Bidwell told the NewsPress. “He treats everyone with positivity and respect. His Lucid car is an emblem of that.”

Mr.

“To

Carbajal, others visit Ukraine

Delegation

By JARED DANIELS NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal joined four colleagues from the House Armed Services Committee over the weekend on a bipartisan visit to Ukraine to reaffirm the U.S. support for the country in its fight to expel the Russian invaders.

During a Monday press conference recapping the visit, Rep. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, and the other delegates praised the resolve of the Ukrainian people. They also discussed the positive impact American and allied support is having in helping Ukraine maintain

forward momentum, and they discussed their thoughts on the future of American support for the country.

“We saw firsthand the human cost of Putin’s unprovoked war, but we also saw the incredible resolve from the Ukrainians to defeat their invaders,” Rep. Carbajal said during the virtual conference. “Assistance that Congress has approved that we voted for is clearly making the difference and keeping the momentum with Ukraine.”

He also applauded the Ukrainian government for its commitment to transparency in its handling of American

Drier week follows weekend of rain

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

If you didn’t see it, you no doubt heard it: the pound, pound, pound of rain. Sometimes during the day, sometimes during the night, rain fell with a fury this weekend, providing much-needed water in Santa Barbara County and the rest of California.

Down it came, but not for too long.

In the 24-hour period ending

at 4 p.m. Monday, 0.34 inch of rain fell in Goleta, 0.36 inch of rain in Santa Maria and 0.19 inch in Lompoc. But this is the land of microclimates, and Santa Barbara saw just 0.04 inch of rain during the same period, according to the National Weather Service.

Elsewhere, Santa Ynez experienced 0.04 inch of rain; New Cuyama, 0.07 inch.

Along with the rain came the cold. Highs on Monday were the

Jerry Bidwell said the Lucid Air has been a great car.

Rawlinson told the NewsPress that he and his company wanted to “push the envelope in every sense and advance the technology.

that aim, we needed to attract and hire the best engineers and scientists in the world. That was challenging given we were

Large crowd visits Hope Ranch home to meet engineer Peter Rawlinson and test-drive his state-of-the-art Lucid Air electric cars

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Visitors to a Hope Ranch home test-drive Lucid Air luxury electric cars Sunday.

Peter Rawlinson, a Welsh engineer and CEO and CTO of Lucid Motors, chats with people during a testdrive event and social gathering at a Hope Ranch residence in Santa Barbara. “I realized that an electric car could be so much more,” Mr. Rawlinson told the News-Press.

COURTESY PHOTO

U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, visits Kyiv, Ukraine.

expresses bipartisan support for nation during Russian invasion and afterward

STEVE TONNESEN / NEWS-PRESS

Snow caps the mountains behind Carpinteria.

Mayor Rowse calls Flightline settlement ‘a business decision’

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara City Council’s vote to pay $225,000 to Flightline Restaurant to settle a lawsuit over a disputed lease assignment was strictly a “business decision,” Mayor Randy Rowse said Monday.

“Council made a business decision,” he told the News-Press. “The city would have spent that money simply preparing for the case, regardless of the outcome. The situation is unfortunate, but it was the best decision to make financially.”

Mayor Rowse declined to address specific allegations made by Flightline owner and restaurateur Warren Butler that the city, acting in bad faith, caused the restaurant to fail by refusing to assign it the lease previously awarded to High Sierra Grill, its predecessor at 512 Norman Firestone Road, the former site of the Elephant Bar restaurant, at the Santa Barbara Airport.

“They started the process and kept holding things up and delaying it by not assigning it” to Flightline, instead of acting in a ”quick, reasonable and timely manner and not trying to change the lease,” Mr. Butler told the News-Press.

He said city officials at the time wanted instead to develop the side of the airport where the

Thief steals from Santa Claus

SOLVANG — Someone played Grinch on Saturday in Solvang, stealing two speakers and a generator from the bed of a pickup used to pull a trailer carrying Santa’s sleigh and reindeer throughout the Santa Ynez Valley.

Doug Riedy, aka Santa, said someone climbed a fence at Nielsen’s Lumber Yard in Solvang on Saturday night and broke into a shed housing the pickup and trailer. In addition to the speakers (used for Christmas music during Santa’s ride) and generator, they tore the wrapping off of some wrapped Christmas games that were sitting underneath Santa’s

restaurant stood as part of the airport Master Plan.

“In the end, they wanted to get out of it,” he said. “They tried every trick in the book. They delayed it for years and threw one curve after another.”

The city, Mr. Butler charged, did not act in good faith, the basis of the lawsuit filed by Flightline against the city.

A Nov. 15 settlement between the parties negated the need for a jury trial.

The city agreed to settle after Superior Court Judge Donna Geck rejected the city’s request for a summary judgment against Flightline and instead said the case could go to trial.

“The city decided they wanted to settle and not go forward,” Mr. Butler said. “The bottom line is the judge ruled in our favor and said these guys have a legitimate case against the city and what they’ve done.

“They had to settle because they knew what had been done was not legal and they were going to lose,” Mr. Butler said.

Mayor Rowse declined to address Mr. Butler’s claims.

“There are a lot of assertions in there which don’t really rise to the level of a response, so I won’t,” he said.

According to Mr. Butler, city taxpayers lost more than the $225,000 settlement agreement because the city had to hire an

outside attorney to represent it ($250,000) and lost tax revenue it could have reaped ($250,000plus) had the lease been assigned to Flightline, which would have allowed it to operate and earn money over the past three years, instead of being forced to close against its wishes.

Instead, he said, the city let the restaurant languish in an increasingly dilapidated

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

sleigh but ended up leaving them behind, Mr. Riedy told the NewsPress Monday.

Kenny Anderson at Nielsen’s Lumber Yard and his sister spent thousands of dollars on gifts for children in Buellton, Solvang, Los Olivos, Ballard and Santa Ynez, Mr. Riedy said. Those gifts were not touched.

Mr. Riedy said Mr. Anderson had two other speakers and another generator untouched by the thieves that were used to continue playing Christmas music while Santa made his rounds of the different communities and handed out presents — including Beanie Babies, stuffed animals, footballs and soccer balls.

Mr. Anderson, however, was not so fortunate.

Brian Fallon to head Lompoc Fire Department

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Brian Fallon is coming aboard early next month as the new chief of the Lompoc Fire Department.

Mr. Fallon previously served as fire chief for the city of Victorville, and he brings more than 20 years of firefighting and emergency response experience.

Before joining the Victorville Fire Department in September 2021, he served 16 years with the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Department, where he progressed through the ranks.

Mr. Fallon, set to officially start

Film festival honors

Michelle Yeoh

GOLETA — Movie star

Michelle Yeoh accepted the 15th annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film Friday night from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Ms. Yeoh received the award at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Goleta in front of an audience that included around 30 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Movie industry observers have speculated that Ms. Yeoh could be up for an Oscar nomination for her starring role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a new spin on the concept of parallel universes.

Ms. Yeoh’s long list of credits include her roles in the 1997 James Bond movie “Tomorrow Never Dies” and the 2000 martial arts film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Her latest parts have varied from Philippa Georgiou on “Star Trek: Discovery” to Ying Nan in Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021).

Friday’s ceremony was the first

Kirk Douglas Award ceremony in three years because of the COVID19 pandemic. Past recipients have varied from Kirk Douglas (19162020), who lived with his family in Montecito, to his son MIchael Douglas, Quentin Tarantino, Harrison Ford and Martin Scorsese.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place Feb. 8-18. For more information, see sbiff.org.

“Kenny lost $3,000 in equipment,” Mr. Riedy said. “We do a good thing for the community, and somebody wanted to disrupt this. He’s devastated.”

—- Neil Hartstein

Buses collide, no injuries reported

SANTA MARIA – A school bus and a city of Santa Maria bus were involved in a very minor

condition.

He said he had changed the restaurant’s concept to one that celebrated the city’s aviation history and that the city’s decision not to assign Flightline a lease “took away something special from the community. We were going to be a gem.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

collision in front of Pioneer Valley High School shortly after 2 p.m. Monday, officials said.

No injuries were reported in the accident, said Kenny Klein, public information officer for the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District. Each bus ended up with a few minor scrapes.

The SMJUHSD bus at the time was transporting about 50 students to the west side of Santa Maria.

— Neil Hartstein

NAOMI LIPOWSKI / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Michelle Yeoh

DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS

Mayor Randy Rowse

COURTESY PHOTO

Brian Fallon, who will become the Lompoc fire chief in January, brings more than 20 years of firefighting and emergency response experience. Please see CHIEF on A3

The view from the Pacific

Great Kitchens Don’t Just Happen... They Happen by Design.

Knecht to be named city of Santa Barbara’s attorney

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara City Council today is scheduled to name Assistant City Attorney Sarah Knecht as the new city attorney. Staff is recommending the council authorize Mayor Randy Rowse to execute an employment agreement with Ms. Knecht to serve as the permanent city attorney effective Dec. 17. Ms. Knecht would be appointed at a starting salary of $281,736 per year plus benefits.

Ms. Knecht has been serving as acting city attorney since July 25 when former City Attorney Ariel Calonne was placed on paid administrative leave, reportedly the result of a heated argument he had with someone in his office that was overheard by others and reported to Human Resources. The council is scheduled to meet in chambers at City Hall, 735 Anacapa St., starting at 2 p.m. In other business, the council is expected to appoint five new members to the Fire and Police Commission, with two members

serving until Dec. 31, 2024 and three others serving until Dec. 31, 2026.

Before this happens, the council is scheduled to end the terms of service for current commission members.

The council approved an ordinance on Oct. 18 that assigned additional civilian police oversight duties to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, and authorized the City Clerk’s Office to facilitate a special recruitment of members to the Fire and Police Commission. As a result, there

are five vacancies on the Fire and Police Commission. The council interviewed applicants for these vacancies at its meeting last week.

New members’ appointments will be effective on Jan. 1.

Twenty-four Santa Barbara residents applied for a seat on the commission, but not everyone appeared last week for an interview and they were eliminated from consideration. email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Orion returns from the moon

the moon’s orbit and back in 2024.

excited to see what the future holds for our fire department’

CHIEF Continued from Page A2

with the city of Lompoc on Jan. 9, takes the reins from Interim Lompoc Fire Chief Scott Nunez. Mr. Nunez served as chief since July, following the retirement of Chief Alicia Welch.

Lompoc City Manager Dean Albro said he is excited to announce Mr. Fallon as the city’s new fire chief.

“After reviewing numerous candidates and

having several panel reviews, Brian Fallon really stood out. He brings a tremendous level of professional experience and has the leadership qualities that we were hoping to find.” Mr. Albro said in a statement. “We are looking forward to working with him and feel he is the right person for the chief position.”

Mr. Fallon has training and skills in emergency management, interoperability, project management, hazmat, and tactical response. In addition, he holds numerous certifications including Chief Officer

Certification from the California State Fire Marshal, Extended Attack Incident Commander and Strike Team/Task Force Leader.

Mr. Fallon said he is looking forward to joining the Lompoc Fire Department.

“I am extremely honored and humbled to lead an amazing group of men and women with the Lompoc Fire Department,” he said. “I am excited to see what the future holds for our fire department and the city of Lompoc.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

Downtown Santa Barbara is seen Sunday from Stearns Wharf.

‘I am

JAMES M. BLAIR / NASA

NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis 1 mission splashes down Sunday in the Pacific Ocean off Baja California after a 25.5 day mission to the moon. Orion was recovered by NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense partners aboard the USS Portland, which took the capsule to the port of San Diego. The uncrewed mission sets the stage for a program that is slated, during this decade, to bring astronauts back to the moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. NASA’s goal is to put the first first female astronaut and the first astronaut of color on the moon during the Artemis 3 mission, which is scheduled for 2025. Before that, Artemis 2 will take a crewed spacecraft to

‘I simply wanted to explore the art of the possible’

engineer of the popular Model S, a groundbreaking electric car, in 2010.

a very small, virtually unknown company. However, great people are drawn by big ideas coupled with serious intent.

“So we were able to attract the talent and empower them by equipping them with supercomputers and simulation software,” Mr. Rawlinson said. “We took everything back to laws of physics levels and simulated things like the magnetic flux deep inside the motors at an atomic level.

“Although we reached for the stars in what was possible, it was vital that we remained pragmatic and created something that was able to be put into mass production, because otherwise no one could benefit,” Mr. Rawlinson said.

The Welsh native’s love for technology goes back to Imperial College London, where he graduated in mechanical engineering, then got a job with Jaguar. Eventually he became Jaguar’s chief engineer.

He later moved from Jaguar to Lotus, where, again, he became the chief engineer. From there, he went to a smaller car manufacturer, Corus Automotive, and that’s where he was working when he got a call from Elon Musk.

That brought Mr. Rawlinson from Europe to California, where he joined Mr. Musk at Tesla as the company’s vice president of vehicle engineering and the chief

“I personally recruited and led the very best engineers and in so doing provided an overarching vision for the product and a relentless search for excellence,” Mr. Rawlinson told the NewsPress about the Model S. “I didn’t set targets against other cars, which would be the normal thing to do, I simply wanted to explore the art of the possible, to push things to the limit of science and physics.

“I wanted to show what could be done and what I could do in leading a great team,” he said. “I was almost paranoid that someone else would create a better electric car, and paradoxically that paranoia ensured that no one did — at least until the Lucid Air came along.”

And that set the stage for Mr. Rawlinson’s next challenge. In 2012, Mr. Rawlinson took a break from Tesla to help his mother in England. But instead of returning to Tesla, he became Lucid Motors’ chief technology officer in 2013, then its CEO as well in 2019.

His goal?

Make the world’s best electric car.

“Model S had been styled before I arrived at Tesla, and the normal way a car tends to be created is that the external styling is created first and the engineering is done after the fact,” he said. “In that way, the Model S was undertaken

in a very traditional manner, which was, of course, out of my control.

“However, I realized that an electric car could be so much more and saw potential for miniaturizing the electric drivetrain in a way to make a car smaller on the outside and larger on the inside,” Mr. Rawlinson said.

“So with Lucid Air, we designed the car from the inside out which remarkably, although it sounds an obvious thing to do, is actually quite a revolutionary approach.

“The result is a car smaller than a Model S on the outside, but far more comfortable and spacious on the inside in a way nobody else has achieved,” he said.

Not surprisingly, one of the great joys in Mr. Rawlinson’s life is

driving.

“This never gets old, and this goes way back to owning my Lotus Elan when I was just 21 years old,” he said. “Later I was to become chief engineer of advanced engineering at Lotus.”

He said he frequently drives his Lucid Air from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles and can do so without stopping to charge because the car has an electric range that exceeds 500 miles.

“Lucid Air is possibly the greatest driver’s car I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “Seriously! The car displays such engaging driver dynamics it’s untrue, and yet it’s also capable of swift, relaxed and effortless mile-eating range.” email: dmason@newspress.com

Carbajal urges passage of omnibus budget deal

military equipment — a factor that was at the forefront of lawmakers’ minds when beginning to craft legislation for providing such aid after widespread criticism over the lack of such mechanisms in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February.

Rep. Sara Jacobs, DCalif., dedicated much of her remarks during Monday’s press conference to the post-war future of Ukraine, declaring that American aid “can’t stop when the fighting stops.”

“I was glad to hear how much our team in embassy in Kyiv is focused on not only winning the war on the battlefield, but also on how we win for the future of Ukraine,” she said.

“We met with anti-corruption civil society leaders who spoke about the importance of good governance in Ukraine’s next chapter … and we also talked with interlocutors about how the United States can better assist Ukraine in war crimes investigations and ensure perpetrators are held accountable.”

Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, the only Republican in the delegation that also included Reps. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., used much of his remarks to warn against what he views as a slippery slope that would ensue around the globe should the U.S. and its allies falter in their support of Ukraine.

“We must be successful in

assisting the people of Ukraine for victory or we will see (further invasions) in Moldova, in Georgia,” he cautioned. “We’ll see the Chinese Communist Party in Taiwan, (and) we’ll see the axis of evil continue with Tehran seeking to vaporize the people of Israel.”

Near the end of the press conference, Rep. Carbajal urged Congress to pass an omnibus budget deal rather than a continuing resolution to ensure not only continued support for Ukraine, but also to support the whole of America’s national defense apparatus.

“The Department of Defense has said that they will run out of money by spring for Ukraine,” he said. “So it’s imperative that we are able to move without delay, and a delay would be disastrous to continue the momentum in supporting Ukraine and their resolve. So I think it’s imperative that we really understand the implications of a (continuing resolution) not only for our supportive Ukraine, but for the department itself.”

Rep. Wilson said he’s confident there’s bipartisan support for an omnibus spending package to ensure continued support for Ukraine.

“The vast majority of the Republican conference support the people of Ukraine,” the Republican congressman said.

“We will have the accountability (from Ukraine), which is necessary to assure the taxpayers of America that their tax money is being well used to, from my perspective, ultimately defend the people of the United States.”

email: jdaniels@newspress.com

Forecast predicts sunshine today and Wednesday in SB County

the continental U.S. are experiencing rain or snow or both.

In fact, snow was visible in the mountains behind Carpinteria.

mid- to upper 50s throughout Santa Barbara County. The lows? They were in the low 40s, except for New Cuyama, which dealt with a low of 36. Brrr!

The rain fell at a time when all 48 states in

But if you think there’s been enough rain, fear not. The National Weather Service said that’s it for now.

The forecast for today and Wednesday calls for nothing but sunshine everywhere in

Santa Barbara County, but keep your coats handy. Highs will still be in the mid- to upper 50s.

According to the National Weather Service, clouds will return on Thursday, but the weather service doesn’t think rain is likely next weekend.

email: dmason@newspress.com

Today Wed.

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W Cuyama 51/26/s 53/30/pc Goleta 58/35/s 60/38/pc Lompoc 59/35/s 61/37/pc Pismo Beach 58/34/s 58/36/pc

Santa Maria 58/34/s 59/35/pc

Santa Ynez 59/32/s 62/36/pc

Vandenberg 58/37/s 60/37/pc Ventura 57/39/s 59/43/pc

Pasadena 58/38/s 61/43/pc

Paso Robles 53/29/s 55/28/pc

Sacramento 51/31/s 49/31/pc

San Diego 59/41/pc 61/44/pc

San Francisco 55/41/s 53/41/pc

San Jose 55/34/s 55/36/pc

San Luis Obispo 59/36/s 62/34/pc

Santa Monica 58/39/s 60/41/pc

Tahoe Valley 34/12/pc 41/18/pc

Houston 80/59/t 66/44/pc Miami 81/69/pc 81/72/s Minneapolis 36/33/i 38/31/c

New York City 42/29/s 40/32/s

Philadelphia 44/27/s 43/30/pc

Phoenix 56/36/pc 55/39/c

Portland, Ore. 43/34/pc 43/29/pc

St. Louis 53/50/r 58/33/pc

Salt Lake City 32/25/sf 32/20/sn Seattle 42/36/pc 42/30/pc

Washington, D.C. 46/28/s 44/35/pc

Beijing 27/12/s 31/16/s Berlin 29/20/s 29/18/s Cairo 73/60/s 75/60/s

Cancun 83/75/c 84/76/pc London 37/28/c 35/25/s

Mexico City 75/50/pc 76/55/s Montreal 30/22/s 34/28/s

New Delhi 77/51/pc 74/47/pc Paris 34/28/c 33/29/sn

Rio de Janeiro 80/72/t 80/69/s

Rome 57/45/r 58/49/r

Sydney 77/59/s 75/55/sh Tokyo 56/47/sh 57/39/pc

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Lucid Air luxury electric vehicles in varying colors and trims are displayed during a test-drive event at a Hope Ranch home.

This is the interior of the Lucid Air.

Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson chats with a fan at the Hope Ranch home. He told the News-Press he would love to start a dealership in Santa Barbara.

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

Life theArts

CALENDAR

State Street Ballet to perform timeless ballet at

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Whether Emma Matthews is dancing in “The Nutcracker” in Santa Barbara or on the road, one thing’s for sure. She loves playing Clara.

“It makes me feel like a kid again,” the 26-year-old professional State Street Ballet dancer told the News-Press. “When we go on tour, all the little girls are really excited to see me and talk to me and say ‘I really want to do that!’ I feel really honored to be a role model for that.”

Miss Matthews and the State Street Ballet have been performing “The Nutcracker” throughout the West, but now they’re back home for this weekend’s performances with the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra at The Granada.

The performers include State Street Ballet’s professional dancers, trainees from the company’s Professional Track program and students at the State Street Ballet Academy.

Principal dancers include Nerea Barrondo, Deise Mendonca, and Marika Kobayashi as the Sugar Plum Fairy, with Cavaliers Harold Mendez, Hernan Montenegro, and Kaito Yamamoto. Sergei Domrachev is featured as Herr Drosselmeyer, and Saori Yamashita and Elizaveta Domracheva play the Snow Queen.

Santa Barbara High School senior Olivia Pires will play Clara during the 2 p.m. Saturday show.

Dos Pueblos student Sophia Kanard will be in that role during the 2 p.m. Sunday performance.

And Miss Matthews will act and dance as Clara during the 7 p.m. Saturday presentation of the emotional and kinetic ballet, inspired by Tchaikovsky’s timeless score.

“I have a niece who’s 4 years old. Whenever I’m playing that character (Clara), I think of her, of what she would do. She has inspired me a lot,” Miss Matthews told the News-Press last week by phone from Durango, Colo., one of State Street Ballet’s stops on a tour that has included cities such as Fresno and Spokane, Wash.

“I really love going on tour,” Miss Matthews said. “We get to see so many different cities, with different orchestras. It’s interesting to dance with different children in each place. They bring something new to the table.

“You have to be on your toes!” the dancer said.

“I feel as the tour goes on, I feel more and more comfortable and stronger,” Miss Matthews said.

“By the time we’re back in Santa Barbara, I’m at my peak.

“I really love the Santa Barbara audiences because they’re very appreciative of the arts,” the Vernon, N.J., native said. “Santa Barbara is my favorite place to perform, and The Granada is so beautiful.”

Megan Phillip, one of the three rehearsal directors for the State Street Ballet production, choreographed the snow scene in “The Nutcracker.”

“We get 16 dancers on stage at one time in sparkling white tutus,” Mrs. Phillip told the News-Press. “It’s the very end of the first act, and it closes with snow coming down.”

“The Nutcracker.”

“Number one, you have Tchaikvosky’s iconic score,” she said. “Turn on any Christmas station, and they’re playing ‘The Nutcracker.’ I don’t think there’s any person who doesn’t recognize a piece of ‘The Nutcracker’ music.

“It’s a timeless tale about the magic of childhood, a kid’s imagination and dreams so real that they become real. It’s good vs. evil. And it’s all wrapped up in a Christmas bow.”

The ballet is known for appealing to everyone, with everything from romantic scenes

to a battle.

“It’s an epic production that has something for everyone,” Mrs. Phillip said.

She talked about the dancers playing Clara.

“Olivia Pires is a vibrant young lady with the most beautiful smile,” Mrs. Phillip said about the Santa Barbara High School senior playing Clara during the 2 p.m. Saturday matinee.

As mentioned previously, Dos Pueblos student Sophia Kanard will portray Clara at the 2 p.m. Sunday show.

“Sophia is wonderful,” Ms. Phillip said. “Sophia’s Clara is a little bit softer, a little bit more reserved, but special in her own

“Interlopings: Colors in the Warp and Weft of Ecological Entanglements,”

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Please email them a full week before the event to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@newspress.com.

TODAY AND BEYOND 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Interlopings: Colors in the Warp and Weft of Ecological Entanglements” is an exhibit that runs through March 12 at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The exhibit features weavings dyed with pigments from non-native plants on Santa Cruz Island. The weavings were created by artists Helen Svensson and Lisa Jevbratt. For more information, see sbbotanicgarden.org. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit “Parliament of Owls” runs through Feb. 5 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, see sbma.net.

DEC. 14

5 to 7 p.m.: A free candlelight concert series takes place on the steps of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara. 7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-9655400.

DEC. 15

7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-9655400.

DEC. 16

8 p.m. Johnny Mathis will perform at the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom, 3400 State Route 246, Santa Ynez. Tickets for the Santa Ynez concert are $69 to $109. To purchase, go to www.chumashcasino.com. The Chumash Casino Resort is a 21-and-older venue. 8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-9655400.

DEC. 17 Noon to 3 p.m. The free Big Brass Tuba Christmas Concert will take place in Storke Placita, which is between 722 and 724 State St. and is adjacent to De la Guerra Plaza in Santa Barbara. The Youth Makers Market will be in the same block.

2 and 7 p.m. State Street Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara High School student Olivia Pires will play Clara at the 2 p.m. matinee. Professional State Street Ballet dancer Emma Matthews will portray Clara at the 7 p.m. show. Tickets vary from $38 to $121, with a discounted price of $26 for children 12 and younger in select price zones. To purchase, go to granadasb.org. A student discount is also available for purchase in person at The

COURTESY PHOTO

an exhibit of weavings dyed with pigments from non-native plants on Santa Cruz Island, is now on display at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara.

Mrs. Phillip, who’s also State Street Ballet’s director of its professional track program, discussed the longtime popularity of

A battle scene is part of the epic action in “The Nutcracker.”

COURTESY PHOTOS

State Street Ballet dancer Emma Matthews, 26, said she thinks of her 4-year-old niece as she plays Clara, the young girl in “The Nutcracker.”

The Granada

“The Nutcracker” features colorful scenery and memorable characters in a timeless story.

Unity Shoppe telethon

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ still tops weekend’s box office

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” has held on tight to its throne at the box office.

The Marvel Studios sequel was No. 1 for the seventh weekend in a row, this time picking up $11.1 million.

“Violent Night,” an R-rated film about Santa Claus (David Harbour) defending a wealthy family against mercenaries, remained in second place last weekend with $8.7 million.

The animated “Strange

CALENDAR

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Granada’s

World” stayed in third place in its third weekend. It grossed $3.6 million.

“The Menu,” a horror thriller, placed fourth with $2.7 million.

“Devotion,” based on the true story about Ensign Jesse Brown and Lt. Tom Hudner during the Korean War, was in fifth place with $1.99 million.

“Black Adam,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the anti-hero, placed sixth with $1.34million.

“The Fabelmans,” the Steven Spielberg-directed film about an adolescent filmmaker in post-

DEC. 18 9 a.m. to noon: Mitzvah Day features community projects at Congregation B’nai B’rith, 1000 San Antonio Creek Road, Santa Barbara.

Ten goodwill projects will take place at the congregation and throughout the community. The program begins at 9 a.m. with breakfast, followed by a welcoming address at 9:30. For more information, visit cbbsb.org/mitzvah.

World War II Arizona, placed seventh with $1.18 million.

“Met Opera: The Hours” placed eighth with $791,374.

“I Heard the Bells,” the story behind the Christmas carol and writer Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, placed ninth with $750,713.

“Spoiler Alert,” the story of a Michael Ausiello and Kit Cowan’s relationship taking a tragic turn when Kit is diagnosed with terminal cancer, jumped to 10th place from 21st with $700,407.

email: dmason@newspress.com

purchase in person at The Granada’s box office.

2 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-965-5400.

NUTCRACKER

Continued from Page B1

way.

“It’s fun having three different people working in this role,” Ms. Phillip said.

“Emma has her own sweet, special take on the character,” Ms. Phillip said. “She’s in her mid-20s now, and it’s interesting to see how a grown woman changes herself into being a little girl. Emma is a really beautiful dancer, and she’s expressive.”

Miss Matthews started her dance lessons at age 4. During high school, she received a scholarship to attend a special high school

2 p.m. State Street Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Dos Pueblos High School student Sophia Kanard will play Clara.

Tickets vary from $38 to $121, with a discounted price of $26 for children 12 and younger in select price zones.

To purchase, go to granadasb.org. A student discount is also available for

established for dance students: the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia, where she received academic instruction for a couple hours a day and danced the rest of the day. “You’d train almost like an Olympian,” she recalled.

“Because I was there all day, every day, it made me realize I wanted to pursue dancing (as a career),” Miss Matthews said.

In 2018, Miss Matthews joined State Street Ballet, where she performed in productions such as “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella” and “Carmen Burana.”

“When you go on stage, it feels like you’re the only person in the world, in a way,” Miss Matthews said. “It’s very quiet, and you can

3 p.m. The Quire of Voyces, an a cappella choir based at Santa Barbara City College, will perform its “Mysteries of Christmas” concert at St. Anthony’s Chapel at the Garden Street Academy, 2300 Garden St., Santa Barbara. Tickets are sold weekdays at the Garvin Theatre box office at the SBCC campus or at the door 30 before the concert.

feel the air is very still.” Then comes the adrenaline rush of dancing, and Miss Matthews can’t get enough of it. “I really, really love performing.”

email: dmason@newspress.com

FYI

State Street Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara.

Tickets vary from $38 to $121, with a discounted price of $26 for children 12 and younger in select prize zones. To purchase, go to granadasb.org. A student discount is also available for purchase at The Granada’s box office.

box office.

p.m. The Quire of Voyces, an a cappella choir based at Santa Barbara City College, will perform its “Mysteries of Christmas” concert at St. Anthony’s Chapel at the Garden Street Academy, 2300 Garden St., Santa Barbara. Tickets are sold weekdays at the Garvin Theatre box office at the SBCC campus or at the door 30 before the concert.

— Dave Mason

At left, Dana Newquist, one of the many volunteers at Unity Shoppe, drives his 1937 fire truck with other volunteers. At right, volunteers answer the phones during the telethon.

JAY FARBMAN PHOTOS

Kenny Loggins and friends sing “Christmas Once Again In Santa Barbara,” by Barry DeVorzon, during the 36th annual Unity Shoppe Telethon Friday night. The telethon raised about $400,000 for the nonprofit.

Thought for Today

“Order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject. “— Thomas Mann

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

ARIES — You should enjoy a good mood today, Aries, and you will find that things will go well for you in general. Perhaps the only sticky situation that could arise is one that stems from an aggressive approach in the department of love and romance. This impatient urge or petty argument by one or both parties may result in an all-out war.

TAURUS — Circumstances of the day may result in some tricky situations for you, Taurus. You could be caught between a rock and a hard place. The instinct to make war or peace with any given issue is making you restless. On the one hand, you may want to smooth things out in a reasonable manner.

GEMINI — Things should go well for you today, Gemini. Your romantic nature is piqued. You will find that an aggressive approach toward your loved one is just what’s needed to jumpstart the relationship. If you’re single and looking for love, this is a good day to make first contact with a crush. Neaten up your appearance and wear a snazzy outfit, regardless of the situation.

CANCER — Stand up and take action, Cancer. Forces may be pulling on you from all angles, and your challenge will be to maintain a healthy balance among all of them. You have a chance to accomplish a great deal by directing your energies outward instead of inward. Other people may be punchy.

LEO — You will find that you relate very well to others today, Leo, and your communication will prove to be quite valuable. You may find yourself in the position of arbiter simply because you have the detached mind that people need to resolve disputes. Take an active role in the lives of those around you and see how your own life benefits from the generosity of your actions.

VIRGO — You may be tempted to shift into high gear today, Virgo, but you’re likely to be unsure where to focus your energy. You may be revved up and anxious to get moving but feel lazy and unmotivated to do anything but sit back and wait for the excitement to come

to you. Whatever you do, don’t retreat into a hole.

LIBRA — There’s apt to be tension between your heart and your general mood, Libra. Your romantic nature will incline you to adopt a selfish, impatient attitude, while the prevailing tone of the day calls for peace and balance. Try to maintain an equal amount of give and take. There’s enough love to go around.

SCORPIO — Adjustments may be in order for you to flow easily with the energy of the day, Scorpio. The prevailing tone calls for a more outwardly directed solution to all situations. You will discover that it’s easy to start up new projects today, especially those involving creative or romantic elements. The tricky part will be follow-through.

SAGITTARIUS — The prevailing tone today is a mix of conflicting energies that might put some stress on your heart. It’s nothing you can’t handle, Sagittarius. In fact, if anyone can make the most out of today, you can. Tap into your aggressiveness and act boldly toward the object of your desire.

CAPRICORN — The key today is action, Capricorn. There’s a great deal of force pressuring you to get the ball rolling. One of these forces may come from a romantic interest waiting for you to make the next move. You may have many projects on the table and be unsure where to focus your energy. Don’t feel like you need to concentrate on any one thing.

AQUARIUS — Ignite the fire in your heart, Aquarius, and make it burn more brightly than before. Keep in mind that you may need to make compromises in order to be on the same page with your lover in the way you relate emotionally. Make sure everyone gets a chance to be on center stage. Don’t hog the podium.

PISCES — There are a couple important issues that you may need to resolve, Pisces. Take an active role in the department of love and romance. Feel free to be aggressive about having your needs met. Make sure you’re comfortable with the situation or else stand up and change it. For you, the day is all about taking action.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

“Your honor,” the district attorney stated, “we will prove that South committed a felony. He lost a cold game.”

“Proceed,” the judge instructed, and the court heard evidence.

“South played at four spades,” the DA began, “and West led the queen of hearts. East took the ace and led the king of diamonds. South ducked, won the next diamond and ruffed his last diamond in dummy. He next let the queen of trumps ride.

“West took the king and returned a trump. South then led the queen of clubs, but when West declined to cover, South lost a club. Down one.”

UNLUCKY

“My client was unlucky,” South’s counsel argued.

Would you convict South?

After South wins the second diamond, he should cash his king of hearts and lead the queen of clubs. If West plays low, South ruffs his last diamond in dummy and leads a trump ... to his ace. He exits with a trump, and West must lead a club from his king or concede a ruff-sluff. This line of play gives South the best chance to succeed.

one heart, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your best contract is unclear. Partner’s hand is not well defined: He could have a shapely hand; he could have 12 high-card points or 18. To bid 3NT would be presumptive. Bid two diamonds, a “fourth-suit” call, to let him continue describing his hand. If you belong at 3NT, he should probably be declarer. South dealer N-S vulnerable

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 1- 26, and a word in English in each of the horizontal and vertical runs on the codeword grid.