Santa Barbara News-Press: January 04, 2023

First babies born in

Whitney Houston’s career and life

New district attorney is sworn in

Heavy rain expected tonight

National Weather Service predicts large amounts of rainfall, gusty winds

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard has a clear warning for Santa Barbara city and county residents.

It’s time to batten down the hatches.

The weather service is forecasting copious amounts of rainfall and gusty winds for Santa Barbara County today and Thursday, with 2 to 6 inches expected across the coast and valleys and 4 to 8 inches possible in the foothills and mountains.

The expected amount of rainfall and the potential for flooding and debris flow in

recent burn areas is a concern, the NWS said.

Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible throughout Santa Barbara County from late afternoon today through Thursday morning, so a flood watch is in effect.

“Excessive runoff may result in flooding of creeks, streams, and urban areas,” the weather service said. “While the risk of main stem river flooding is low, water flowing through normally dry rivers may be a threat to some homeless communities.

“Along with the rain, this system will bring strong southerly winds, with wind gusts in excess of 60 mph

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

John Savrnoch, the new Santa Barbara County district attorney, promised to advocate for safe neighborhoods during his remarks after being sworn-in Tuesday morning.

Mr. Savrnoch, who was the former deputy district attorney, was sworn-in by his former boss, retiring District Attorney Joyce Dudley, before a large audience of staff, officials and media in the conference room at the District Attorney’s headquarters on Santa Barbara Street. Staff elsewhere watched via videoconferencing.

“You’re going to be an outstanding district attorney,” Ms. Dudley told Mr. Savrnoch.

“It is my highest honor to swear you in,” she said.

During the ceremony, Mr. Savrnoch pledged to support and defend the constitutions of the U.S. and California.

Afterward, there was extensive applause for Mr. Savrnoch, who then addressed the audience.

“At this moment, I want to take the opportunity to say to the people of Santa Barbara County, ‘I am here to help,’ ” Mr. Savrnoch said. “I am here to be an advocate for safe neighborhoods and safe people and an honest, transparent government

Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse, right, stands as he joins the applause for District Attorney John Savrnoch.

(The Center Square) — Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy failed Tuesday to get enough support in the first three votes as his bid for speaker of the House struggles to cross the finish line.

The U.S. House adjourned with no debate after the third vote and is scheduled to reconvene at noon today. Until a new speaker is elected, the House cannot conduct other business.

Rep. McCarthy — or whoever wins the speakership — needs 218 votes to secure a majority. The California Republican received 203 votes twice, then 202 in the final round of voting Tuesday.

After November’s elections, Republicans hold 222 in the House.

The failed vote leaves the race for speaker up for grabs.

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is the main Republican opponent to Rep. McCarthy, who was the House minority leader before this term.

Between the second and this votes, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., flipped his support from

COURTESY PHOTO

Rep. McCarthy, saying he didn’t have the support needed to become speaker.

“The reality is Rep. Kevin McCarthy doesn’t have the votes,” Rep. Donalds tweeted. “I committed my support to him publicly and for two votes on the House Floor. 218 is the number, and currently, no one is there. Our conference needs to recess and huddle and find someone or work out the next steps.”

Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 2-5-3-9

Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 2-12-14-17-38

Monday’s POWERBALL: 7-9-12-31-62 Meganumber: 22

Biopic

DAVE MASON/ NEWS-PRESS

A partially blue sky was seen around noon Tuesday in Santa Barbara above the clouds, but a few hours later, there was total overcast. Rain is expected today and Thursday throughout Santa Barbara County.

DAVE MASON /NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Please

see WEATHER

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE SENIOR REPORTER

see MCCARTHY on A4

Please

Driver suffers injury after colliding with tree

LOS ALAMOS – A major injury traffic crash occurred Tuesday morning on northbound Highway 101, north of State Route 154, in an unincorporated area of Santa Barbara County.

The crash happened south of Los Alamos, according to Capt. Scott Safechuck, the public information officer of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The driver, Aubriana Aguirre, 27, of San Luis Obispo, was driving a 2013 Honda Civic at an undetermined speed when the accident occurred at 7:12 a.m., according to the California

TRAFFIC, CRIME & FIRE BLOTTER

Highway Patrol. While driving north, she allowed her car to veer to the right and leave the roadway. As a result, the front of her car collided with an oak tree, the CHP said. She was taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for major injuries sustained as a result of the crash. Drugs or alcohol are not suspected as a contributing factor to the accident.

— Neil Hartstein Unified Command

manages Toro Incident

CARPINTERIA – Unified Command (Santa Barbara County,

Santa Barbara County Fire Department, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response) continue to manage the Toro Incident.

Approximately 50 to 60 personnel — including Unified Command — have been assigned to the incident. Response activities include surveying the area for oil and impacted wildlife, clean up operations and preparing for upcoming rain.

No oil from the Toro Incident has been observed in the creek south of State Route 192 at Toro Canyon Road, including the beach and ocean. Pacific Petroleum California continues to clean up and reduce the impacts of the spill to the community, environment and wildlife.

California Fish and Wildlife’s spill prevention and response

has activated the Oiled Wildlife Care Network to address potential impacts to wildlife.

As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, there are no reports of oiled wildlife.

Anyone observing oiled wildlife should not attempt to capture it. Instead, people are asked to report observations of oiled wildlife to a hotline at 1-877-UCDOWCN (1-877-823-6926).

Volunteers are not requested at this time. If volunteers are needed in the future, information will be available at calspillwatch.wildlife. ca.gov.

The amount of oil discharged, impacts and cause of Sunday’s oil spill are under investigation.

— Neil Hartstein

Nearly 314,000 apprehensions, gotaways at southern border

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — December was another record month for Border Patrol agents tasked with apprehending foreign nationals illegally entering the U.S. through the southwest border.

Agents apprehended at least 226,050 people and reported at least 87,631 who evaded capture by law enforcement last month. Combined, they total at least 313,681 — an increase from November’s record breaking number of 306,069.

This is after a record number of apprehensions and gotaways were recorded in fiscal 2022 of more than 3.3 million.

The preliminary U.S. Customs and Border Protection data was obtained by The Center Square from a Border Patrol agent and only includes Border Patrol data, not Office of Field Operations data. The official numbers, which include OFO data, will be higher, although CBP doesn’t release the gotaway data publicly.

“Gotaways” is the official term used by CBP to describe foreign nationals who enter the U.S.

illegally and don’t surrender at ports of entry but intentionally seek to evade capture from law enforcement. Unlawful border crossers directly observed making an unlawful entry, who aren’t apprehended and don’t turn back to Mexico, are defined as gotaways, according to 6 USC 223 code, which agents use to categorize unlawful entrants.

In most months, the Del Rio and Rio Grande Valley sectors in Texas experience the most traffic along the southern border. However, over the last several months, anticipating the

end of Title 42, larger groups began entering through the El Paso Sector. This includes the entire state of New Mexico and two counties in far west Texas covering 264 miles of international boundary. December was another record month for this sector.

Title 42 is a Trump-era health enforcement policy that allowed border agents to more quickly expel illegal crossers for fear of spreading COVID-19. The Biden administration planned to end Title 42 enforcement in December but was blocked by the courts

City gets $7.5 million in sales tax money

SANTA BARBARA — The city of Santa Barbara received $7.5 million in sales tax revenue during the quarter ending Sept. 30, which is 3.9% above the same quarter last year and 8.4% above budget.

This result reflects the effects of solid post-pandemic economic activity and higher inflation,

according to the city. The September quarter is the first quarter of the city’s fiscal year. For fiscal year 2023, the city’s sales tax revenue budget is $26.6 million.

The city collected $2.2 million in transient occupancy taxes for November. TOT revenues that month were about 12.1% above

the monthly budget, mainly due to higher average daily rates and strong seasonal demand for rooms.

The city has collected $15.8 million through November, the fifth month in the city’s fiscal year.

The city’s adopted TOT budget for all funds is $28.3 million, of which

$23.6 million is budgeted in the General Fund.

The city’s TOT tax rate is 12%, of which 10% goes to the city’s General Fund and the remaining 2% goes to the Creeks/Clean Water Fund.

— Neil Hartstein

Prisons across California to close or shrink

By SETH SANDRONSKY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — Under a 2022-23 budget, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is launching a process to close prisons and deactivate facilities within others.

One on the chopping block is Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe , a city of 18,000, in eastern Riverside County, that is closing in March 2025.

“CDCR and the (Gov. Newsom) administration are working to minimize impact to staff and the communities,” according to a Dec. 6 release from the prison agency. “This will include options to transfer both within and outside of impacted counties, and identification of employees for redirection to neighboring prisons where there are existing identified vacancies. Incarcerated people at these locations will be rehoused into appropriate level

prisons.”

Blythe City Councilman Johnny Rodriguez is skeptical over how closing the male-only prison there can proceed without major impacts to the rural community. He points to how the closure process began. “There was no community outreach before CDCR’s prison closing announcement on Dec. 6,” he said.

“It was a total surprise.”

Kati Cusick, a small business coowner who also helms the Blythe Area Chamber of Commerce, confirms his sentiment about the impact of closing Chuckawalla Valley State Prison on 1,000 people who work there and the city. “Some people think that this is going to kill our town,” she said.

Dr. George Thomas is a retired educator and chair of the city’s advisory committee. “You would think that Blythe and the state of California would work as a team to find a solution,” he said. “The community is in kind of an uproar

over the prison closing.”

According to Councilman Rodriguez, there are efforts under way from city officials to form an action plan in response to the prison closure news for other stakeholders. One is the Blythe business community.

In addition to the closure of Chuckawalla Valley State Prison, a Kern County prison run by CoreCivic, previously the Corrections Corporation of America, will close in 2024, according to the CDCR. The private company has a $32 million annual contract to operate the Kern County prison.

California’s 2022-23 budget also calls for the deactivation of facilities inside six other state prisons. They are Folsom Women’s Facility; Facility C in Pelican Bay State Prison; West Facility in California Men’s Colony; Facility A in California Rehabilitation Center; Facility D in California Institution for

Men; and Facility D in California Correctional Institution. Staffing these facilities are members of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association. Politically influential at the state Capitol, the CCPOA, with 31,000 members, declined a request for comment.

Amber-Rose Howard helms Californians United for a Responsible Budget, a blackled statewide coalition of more than 80 grassroots organizations. CURB seeks alternatives to the state prison system.

“It’s important that California continue this progress in reversing the state’s terrible history of prison expansion,” she said. “Now is the time to adopt a well-considered roadmap for future prison closures, one that centers community investment and is informed by the experiences of people most harmed by incarceration.”

possible across the mountains as well as the central coast,” the National Weather Service said. “Therefore, a High Wind Watch is also in effect.”

A high surf warning has been issued as well.

A weather service rain timing and intensity chart shows moderate rain falling in Santa

Barbara from noon to 6 p.m. today. From 6 p.m. to midnight, however, it will be heavy. And from midnight through 6 a.m. Thursday, rainfall is predicted to be very heavy.

From 6 a.m. to noon Thursday, rainfall will be heavy. Then from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday, the rainfall will be moderate. From 6 p.m. Thursday to midnight, there will be light rain, and from midnight to 6 a.m. Friday, light rain will continue.

The upcoming WednesdayThursday storm is projected to bring 2-6 inches of rain along the coast and valleys, and higher amounts in the Santa Ynez mountains.

According to the University of California Cooperative ExtensionSanta Barbara, Santa Barbara has received 5.05 inches of rain since September 2022. The breakdown is as follows: September-0.53 inches; October-.34 inches; November, 1.34 inches; and

December, 2.84 inches. The average amount of precipitation for the year in Santa Barbara is 16,3 inches. Typically the most precipitation occurs between January and March.

The water level at Lake Cachuma is 693 feet as of Dec. 30, according to LakesOnline.com. The water level is 60 feet below a full pool of 753 feet.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail. com

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team

COURTESY PHOTO

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department responds Tuesday morning to the scene of a major injury traffic crash. The driver of the car collided with an oak tree off Highway 101 south of Los Alamos.

Meet the first babies born this year in Santa Barbara County

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Rose, Romeo and Natalia live in different cities, but they have something in common: a milestone.

They’re the first babies born in 2023 in Santa Barbara County.

This year’s very first baby was Romeo Jay Lizama, who was born at 12:20 a.m. Sunday at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria. He’s the son of mother Yomira Morales and father Angel Lizama.

Romeo weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 20 inches long.

He’s the first child of the Lompoc couple, who received a gift basket filled with goodies and essentials from the Santa Maria hospital’s Family Birthing Center.

“We are excited and blessed to start the New Year with the newest member of our family,” Yomira said.

A couple hours after Romeo was born, Por Soua and Grayson Peters of Goleta welcomed their first child, a daughter named Rose, into the world at 3:33 a.m. Sunday at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Rose weighed 6 pounds and was 18.75 inches long.

“This is a wonderful start to the new year,” Grayson Peters, the father, told the News-Press.

“We are so happy,” said Por Soua Peters, the mother.

On Sunday afternoon at Lompoc Valley Medical Center, Lompoc’s first baby of 2023 was born: Natalia Munoz. She’s the daughter of Nissy Limon.

Natalia was born at 2:36 p.m. and weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 20 3/4 inches long.

Ms. Limon said her delivery was “super quick” and described the Lompoc hospital’s delivery staff as “really nice.” She was presented with a basket of baby items from the hospital staff.

“I didn’t think I’d have a New Year’s baby,” the Santa Maria resident said. “I had contractions in December, and the (Santa Maria) hospital sent me home.”

The baby had been due on Dec. 29.

Natalia joins three brothers — ages 5, 3 and 2.

“They’re excited,” Nissy said of her sons. “They think they’re going to have someone else to wrestle with.”

email: dmason@newspress.com

Kelly Barsky named UCSB director of athletics

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

UCSB Chancellor Henry Yang announced Tuesday that Kelly Barsky will be the next director of athletics after serving in the role on an interim basis. Barsky brings with her a wealth of experience and will be the first woman in UCSB Athletics history to be named to this role.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Kelly Barsky as our next director of intercollegiate athletics,” Chancellor Yang said. “Kelly brings a wealth of experience as a coach, academic adviser and athletics administrator, and I am confident that she will continue to be an exceptional leader for our campus and our athletics program. Since she assumed the interim role, our athletics programs have continued to thrive, our student-athletes are excelling in the classroom and in their respective sports, and our campus and community are energized about our future.

“We have all been impressed by her knowledge, her energy and enthusiasm, and her deep

commitment to supporting our coaches and student-athletes in reaching their academic and athletics goals. Kelly is a trusted and proven leader for UC Santa Barbara, and I look forward to working with her as our next director of athletics.”

“I am honored and excited to serve as the next director of athletics at UC Santa Barbara,” Barsky said. “I would like to extend a very special thank you to Chancellor Yang and our campus leadership for this opportunity and to the incredible coaches, staff, student-athletes and community for their support. Aligned with our campus mission, I look forward to working collaboratively to provide exceptional experiences for student-athletes and our Gaucho community.”

Before becoming the interim director of athletics in January 2022, Barsky served as the deputy athletic director and senior woman administrator for the Gauchos. She provided strategic leadership to the department and oversaw all internal operations while building strong campus and community collaborations

to support student-athlete experience and well-being. She has also made her impact on the national stage as Barsky is The Big West’s liaison for the NCAA Division I Council and is a member of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee.

Having spent over a decade at UCSB, Barsky held other positions on campus before making her way to the director of athletics chair. She originally joined the Gauchos as a women’s basketball coach before transitioning to an academic adviser role in the College of Letters and Science, Division of Undergraduate Education.

She began her work in college athletics as a graduate assistant with the University of New Hampshire’s men’s and women’s basketball programs. An educator at heart, this role helped her discover a passion for serving and supporting student-athletes through their collegiate journey.

She previously spent several years as an elementary school teacher. Once her graduate studies ended, she was hired on and coached for two additional seasons at the

University of New Hampshire before making the move to St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York, where she spent four seasons before arriving in Santa Barbara.

The Alton, New Hampshire native and Hall of Famer at CoeBrown Northwood Academy was a collegiate student athlete at Keene State College, ranking second all-time in assists. She is a service-oriented person, and it shows through being an avid member of many committees throughout her career not only for the NCAA, but in her community. As mentioned above, she serves as The Big West’s liaison for the NCAA Division I Council and the NCAA Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee. Prior to that, she was the NCAA Women’s Water Polo Committee Chair and served as a commissioner and chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee for the city of Goleta. Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB. sports@newspress.com

UCSB beats UC San Diego in men’s basketball

By GISELLE LEWIS UCSB SPORTS

Welcomed by the home crowd of the Santa Barbara faithful, the UCSB men’s basketball team (112, 2-0 Big West) lit off fireworks during this New Year’s Eve game as the Gauchos took down the UC San Diego Tritons in The Thunderdome.

An early lead for the Gauchos turned into a battle for supremacy against the Tritons. But the second half of the game saw UCSB solidify its ranking as the No. 1 team in The Big West, with the scoreboard reading 83-61 in favor of the home team.

The Gauchos won the tipoff and garnered early momentum.

Racking up an early lead, it seemed like the Gauchos had their wish. But the UC San Diego men weren’t going down without a fight. Despite the absence of their star player Bryce Pope, the Tritons presented a strong front.

The Tritons caught a lead on the Gauchos with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. But the Gauchos didn’t let them run with it, holding the game within a six-point differential for the remainder of the period. The sound of the buzzer left the score at 43-40 in favor of San Diego.

After regrouping at halftime, both teams locked in, eager to prove their dominance. The competition was tight — no team could generate a lead greater

than six points for the first 10 minutes of the second half until the Gauchos shifted into high gear. They increased their lead to a 21-point advantage over the Tritons with Ajay Mitchell at the helm.

The Gauchos’ efforts in the second half delivered a crowdrousing victory in the home stands and a final score of 8361 reinforced UCSBs status as a formidable Big West opponent heading into 2023.

Mitchell had another amazing night for the Gauchos, registering his fourth straight 20-plus point performance as he notched 23 points. He also managed a team-high six assists while also securing three steals.

Andre Kelly and Calvin Wishert both came up big for the Gauchos, each earning 11 points in this victory. Kelly was able to lead the team in rebounds with seven while Wishart helped distribute the ball, recording four assists.

Miles Norris also asserted his role on the court, ending the game with 13 points and six assists.

Later this week, the Gauchos will hit the road and head North for the Blue-Green Rivalry, taking on Cal Poly for their third game of Big West. This Saturday afternoon game will begin at 1 p.m. in San Luis Obispo with a live stream available through ESPN+.

Giselle Lewis is the head writing intern working for UCSB Athletic Communications.

Big West picks UCSB guard for Player of the Week

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

The Big West announced the recipients of this week’s Player of the Week award, given to the best athletic performance of the week.

UCSB’s Ajay Mitchell was the recipient of this week’s award.

The sophomore guard on the men’s basketball team is having

some of the best performances of his career. The Ans, Liege, Belgium native registered over 20 points in his last four games, including this past week’s Big West games against Cal State Fullerton and UC San Diego.

Over the two games, he averaged 23.5 points per game while notching 4.5 assists per game. Not only that, but he shot at an

impressive 59.3 percent clip while shooting 100 percent from the charity stripe.

Mitchell’s performance led the Gauchos to their seventh-straight win while going 2-0 to begin Big West play. UCSB’s 11-2 record and their undefeated start to conference play currently puts them at the top of the conference above Hawai’i and UC Riverside.

The Gauchos will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 7, as they travel North to take on the Mustangs of Cal Poly for the BlueGreen Rivalry.

Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB. sports@newspress.com

Nissy Limon received gifts from the delivery staff at Lompoc Valley Medical Center after her daughter Natalia was born Sunday.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Por Soua and Grayson Peters of Goleta had a New Year’s Day baby — a daughter, Rose, who was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

Mother Yomira Morales and father Angel Lizama of Lompoc received a gift basket from Marian Regional Medical Center’s Birthing Center after their son. Romeo Jay Lizama, above, was born Sunday at the Santa Maria hospital.

Poll: Americans pessimistic about the economy in 2023

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE SENIOR REPORTER

(The Center Square) — Americans are not optimistic about the economy this year.

A new poll from Gallup found that about 80% of those surveyed expect higher taxes, a higher deficit and a worse economy in 2023.

“More than six in 10 think prices will rise at a high rate and the stock market will fall in the year ahead, both of which happened in 2022,” Gallup reports. “In addition, just over half of Americans predict that unemployment will increase in 2023, an economic problem the U.S. was spared in 2022.”

Americans have good reason for their economic pessimism.

Inflation has soared in the past two years, and wages have failed to

keep up with the higher prices.

Grocery prices have risen even higher than the overall inflation rate, and they show little sign of returning to their previous levels this year.

As The Center Square previously reported, an analysis from GasBuddy predicts that gas prices will rise again this year, peaking at over $4 per gallon nationally this summer.

In Santa Barbara County on Tuesday, the average price was $4.53 a gallon, according to the American Automobile Association. That’s up slightly from $4.49 a gallon a week ago.

“The government, the economy and inflation dominated as the most important problems facing the U.S. in 2022, and confidence in the economy remains among the worst readings measured since the

Great Recession,” Gallup reports. “This decreased confidence is largely due to the highest inflation in the U.S. in more than 40 years, which a majority of Americans say is causing financial hardship in their household.”

Setting aside economic concerns, Americans expect more partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., and continued conflict internationally. When asked if they expected if there would be “a peaceful year, more or less free of international disputes,” the vast majority answered in the negative.

This pessimism could weaken President Joe Biden’s legislative efforts over the next two years. With a divided Congress, a prolonged conflict in Ukraine, and ongoing economic struggles, he may have little political clout to bring about any significant

that looks at the people first.

“I am aware I am a servant of the people,” he said. “I will keep that in mind for every decision that I make and in everything that this office does.

“I want to say to the people in the office: What Joyce has given me is the most incredible group of people, people who work every day to benefit the public,” Mr. Savrnoch said.

He praised the entire staff, from the attorneys to the support staff and the Bureau of Investigations. He promised to make certain they have the resources to do their job.

“To everybody who’s here today, I can’t thank you enough,” Mr. Savrnoch said. “I really look forward to working together to make Santa Barbara the greatest place it can possibly be.”

And he repeated his commitment to making all neighborhoods safe.

email: dmason@newspress.com

Born 12/20/1935 - Died 11/7/2022

Bette

Bette

year of their

the grandchildren in Austin and Seattle as well as spending lots of family time at the beach and on ski and RV trips.

Bette Anne’s gifts shone in the areas of study, service, and hospitality. She always made time to study the Bible in small groups, leading the groups at times. She was a poised and polished speaker. She led children’s groups and volunteered at the school as well as substitute taught whenever needed. Both her children and their friends considered Bette Anne a mother who was warm and welcoming to all and was an excellent cook who generously shared her home and food. It was never too much work for her to host family, friends, missionaries, or large work and church parties.

traveling extensively in the US and abroad.

Bette Anne was a loving and encouraging wife to Stan. She was a great supporter of serving in various Christian ministries, including the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, where Stan served as a board member for 28 years.

In 2010, Bette Anne and Stan moved to Samarkand Covenant Living community,

legislative wins before 2024, when all attention will turn to the presidential race.

“Americans are greeting 2023 with great skepticism and little expectation that the economic struggles that closed out 2022 will abate,” Gallup reports. “Few U.S. adults also predict the partisan politics that plague the nation will improve, not an unreasonable expectation given that there will be divided government in 2023 after Republicans won control of the U.S. House of Representatives. The public’s predictions for international affairs are similarly pessimistic. However, with their party controlling the White House, Democrats are more hopeful about the year ahead.”

Casey Harper works at The Center Square’s Washington, D.C., bureau.

MCCARTHY

from Page A1

Failure in this bid is not new to Rep. McCarthy, who withdrew his 2015 bid for the leadership position, which eventually went to Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

Rep. McCarthy reportedly was aggressively lobbying his Republican colleagues leading up to the vote and appealed to them in a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning that grew heated.

Conservative Republicans hesitated to throw their support behind the Bakersfield Republican, who many saw as too liberal, but no challenger arose with enough clout to get enough votes.

Rep. McCarthy had reportedly already moved into the office of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, ahead of the votes.

“In his 14 years in Republican leadership, Rep. McCarthy has repeatedly failed to demonstrate any desire to meaningfully change the status quo in Washington,” U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Penn., said. “Despite our deep reservations, we have continued to work in earnest to find a path forward with McCarthy, knowing that this crucial moment would come.”

Rep. Perry said he and other conservative members in the House laid out conditions for Rep. McCarthy but that he “balked” when faced with them. Those conditions included a

promise to vote on a balanced budget, the “Texas Border Plan,” term limits for members of Congress and the Fair Tax Act, which would create a national sales tax on certain services and property to replace the current income tax, payroll taxes and estate and gift taxes.

“We requested transparent, accountable votes on individual earmarks that would require two-thirds support to pass, and to ensure that all amendments to cut spending would be allowed floor consideration,” Rep. Perry said. “He dismissed it.”

The public questioning of Rep. McCarthy undermined his effort and showed lawmakers were not afraid to voice their opposition.

Some did throw their hat in the ring. The biggest Republican challenger in the first vote was Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who got a handful of votes in the first round but none in the second.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the successor of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., received the Democratic vote but not enough votes to win the speaker’s spot.

“Even after the McCarthy Machine’s attempts to whip votes and smear my name for several weeks, McCarthy is still well short of the 218 threshold,” Rep. Biggs said late Monday. “Our party still requires new leadership and I will continue to oppose McCarthy for House Speaker.”

Casey Harper works at The Center Square’s Washington, D.C., bureau.

She

Nancy graduated from Cathedral High in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Nancy met Norman Kovanda in June 1950 at a teenage dance at the Summer Pavilion in Lincoln. They were both 17 years old. They dated for four years until Norman graduated in 1954 from the University of Nebraska. They were married on February 12, 1955 and started a marriage that lasted until now, 67 years later.

They had four children, Deborah, Sandra, Jeannie, and Stephen Kovanda, in Denver.

They moved to Santa Barbara in 1962.

Norman and Nancy started a tax and investment business in 1964, heading it until their retirement in 2019, 55 years later.

Nancy was a fond fan of Nebraska Cornhusker football. GO Big Red!

Nancy is survived by her husband, Norman, daughter, Sandra Kovanda, grandson, Dean Kovanda, daughter, Jeannie (Rob) Graham, grandson, Steven (Kathleen) Symer, great-grandsons, Nathan and Jack Symer, granddaughter Kristin (Geoff) Payton, greatgrandkids, George and Eleanor Payton, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Nancy will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She was a wonderful woman.

Nancy’s memorial will be held at burial site at the Santa Barbara Cemetery, Friday January 6th, at 1:15PM, located at 901 Channel Dr., Montecito, CA.

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Free Death Notices must be directly emailed by the mortuary to our newsroom at news@newspress.com. The News-Press cannot accept Death Notices from individuals.

Today

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W

Cuyama 58/46/r 54/37/r

Goleta 61/52/r 61/43/r

Lompoc 63/52/r 58/43/r

Pismo Beach 63/53/r 60/44/r

Santa Maria 62/51/r 56/42/r

Santa Ynez 62/50/r 58/38/r

Vandenberg 63/55/r 59/45/r

p.m.

a.m.

3:29 p.m. -0.8’ Jan. 6 8:28 a.m. 5.9’ 2:10 a.m. 2.6’ 10:46 p.m. 3.5’ 4:01 p.m. -0.8’

58/42/r

Escondido 65/52/c 60/45/r

Eureka 56/52/r 56/49/r

Fresno 58/50/r 56/43/r

Los Angeles 61/54/r 61/48/r

Mammoth Lakes 35/26/sn 31/17/sn

Modesto 55/49/r 55/43/r

Monterey 64/52/r 60/46/r

Napa 58/51/r 57/47/r

Oakland 60/52/r 57/45/r

Ojai 57/51/r 57/39/r

Oxnard 60/53/r 61/47/r

Palm Springs 63/51/c 62/46/r

Pasadena 60/53/r 59/45/r

Paso Robles 59/53/r 57/42/r

Sacramento 58/51/r 54/44/r

San Diego 66/57/c 61/50/r

San Francisco 59/53/r 55/47/r

San Jose 60/52/r 58/43/r

San Luis Obispo 62/52/r 58/44/r

Santa Monica 60/57/r 59/51/r

Tahoe Valley 39/31/sn 37/25/r

Atlanta 71/46/r 61/37/s

Boston 48/41/c 43/35/r

Chicago 39/30/c 34/30/sf

Dallas 62/38/s 65/47/s

Denver 38/19/s 39/23/pc

Houston 72/45/pc 72/51/s

Miami 84/71/pc 82/64/pc

Minneapolis 34/27/sn 31/11/pc

New York City 64/52/sh 54/42/c

Philadelphia 66/52/sh 60/44/c

Phoenix 65/47/pc 68/49/pc

Portland, Ore. 44/41/sh 47/45/sh

St. Louis 44/32/pc 38/28/pc

Salt Lake City 37/31/c 44/33/sn Seattle 47/43/c 53/44/sh

Washington, D.C. 68/51/sh 62/42/c

Beijing 41/16/pc 42/18/s Berlin 51/47/r 50/37/sh Cairo 67/52/pc 67/55/s

Cancun 84/72/pc 84/71/t

London 57/47/c 56/44/c

Mexico City 73/52/s 71/50/pc

Montreal 36/23/sn 26/26/sn

New Delhi 63/43/pc 66/41/pc

Paris 56/53/r 57/49/sh

Rio de Janeiro 86/72/t 76/71/r

Rome 62/43/pc 59/48/pc

Sydney 78/63/r 69/61/c

Tokyo 50/37/pc 49/37/pc

KOVANDA, Nancy Pauline

Nancy Pauline Kovanda, the daughter of Maurice and Pauline Costello, was born on January 15, 1933. She passed away peacefully at age 89 on December 23, 2022.

was predeceased by her sister, Jeanne Spale, and her two brothers, Maurice Costello Jr. and Robert Costello, her daughter, Deborah Kovanda, and son, Stephen Kovanda.

RATZLAFF, Bette Anne

Bette Anne Ratzlaff passed away on Monday, November 7 in Santa Barbara at the age of 86. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and dear friend. She passed away after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. A Celebration of Bette Anne’s life will take place on Saturday, January 14, at 11:00 A.M., at Santa Barbara Community Church.

Anne was born in Peoria, Illinois to Pat and Lucille Riley. Seeking a warmer climate for Lucille’s health. They

Anne developed a steady commitment to following Jesus Christ and was active in her church and related ministries. Bette Anne and Stan met during their senior year in high school. They began dating after graduation and continued dating throughout Jose State University. They married in July 1957 in the Mennonite Brethren Church of

marriage. Stan and Bette Anne relocated to Los Angeles where Bette Anne gave birth to their daughter Deborah in September 1958. Eventually, she and Stan were

Angeles, Parkinson’s Research Foundation, or Samarkand Benevolent Fund.

At left, Joyce Dudley and John Savrnoch hug after the swearing-in ceremony. At right, a cake was prepared in Mr. Savrnoch’s honor.

DAVE MASON /NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

As staff from elsewhere watch via videoconferencing, Joyce Dudley swears in John Savrnoch as the new Santa Barbara County district attorney.

Life theArts

REVIEW

Whitney Houston’s life and music

New biopic tells about the ups and downs for the popular singer

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” excels in showing the singer’s talent, determination, and struggles with relationships and drugs.

Naomi Ackie does a great job playing Whitney in a straightforward narrative.

Likewise, Stanley Tucci adds the right amount of flair and restraint in his portrayal of Arista Records President Clive Davis, who discovered Ms. Houston and brought her into the spotlight.

Director Kasi Lemmons and writer Anthony McCarten tell an

honest story that shows Whitney Houston’s brilliance and the influence of her mother, Cissy Houston (played effectively by Tamara Tunie), in shaping Whitney’s destiny. Clarke Peters plays John Houston, Whitney’s father and business manager.

Ms. Ackie has a natural chemistry with her other actors in this TriStar Pictures film, and it’s great seeing her in scenes with Mr. Tucci, Ms. Tunie, Mr. Peters and Nafessa Williams, who played Whitney’s girlfriend Robyn Crawford.

Ashton Sanders plays singer Bobby Brown, who married Whitney and was accused of physically abusing her.

Whitney Houston dealt with a lot, and despite efforts to help her,

CALENDAR

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

‘Babylon” could have been a good movie, maybe even a great one.

After all, it had talented stars such as Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie and a compelling story about Hollywood’s transition from silent movies to the “talkies.”

Unfortunately, the film is ruined by vulgar party scenes involving nudity and urination, extraneous plots and weird, abstract elements in three hours that feel like three days.

“Babylon” tries to make itself dramatic by being shocking and instead ends up being vulgar to the point of being unwatchable.

The film did become better during scenes that showed how silent movies were made and the challenges when sound was added. Those parts of “Babylon” are actually good, and Mr. Pitt, Ms. Robbie and other actors do a great job in the scenes without any vulgarity.

But just when the movie is moving along nicely and you’re

enjoying the story, another grotesque party/fight club scene is thrown in, and you have to suffer through that before the story picks up again. Or, right when the story is compelling, the characters start puking, and you’re wondering, “Why, why, why?”

Speaking of that, it’s a mystery why the Hollywood Foreign Press Association decided to nominate “Babylon” for best picture for the Golden Globes.

Damien Chazelle (“L.A. L.A. Land”) directed and wrote the film, which is about the rise and fall of various individuals in early, decadent Hollywood.

Mr. Pitt stars as movie star Jack Conrad, who has the looks and voice to survive the transition from silent films to “talkies,” but the question is how long can success last. That question, in fact, is explored by journalist Elinor St. John, played perfectly by the always talented Jean Smart.

Ms. Robbie plays Nellie LaRoy, a young woman who finds stardom in the silent movies, but she faces the same question as Jack. How well can she succeed in the era of sound pictures? And to what point does she have to pretend to

be something she isn’t, in order to win the favor of high society and Hollywood?

Some of the best scenes with Ms. Robbie are early in the film, in which you see a director and Nellie working together to make a silent movie scene shine.

Diego Calva stands out among the cast for his portrayal of Manny Torres, who starts out in the bottom of the Hollywood ranks and climbs the ladder at a studio to become an executive.

Jovan Adepo does a good job of playing Sidney Palmer, a black jazz trumpeter who continues to face bigotry after he becomes successful in the movies.

So yes, “Babylon” has a great cast and moments of great storytelling that shows the problems of early Hollywood.

And Mr. Chazelle does a good job of directing the scenes that show character development.

Sadly, all of that is undone by grotesque and vulgar scenes that were totally unnecessary to the plot.

Hollywood, please: Forget the vulgarity. Just tell a good story.

email: dmason@newspress.com

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 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.

10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at the Marian Regional Medical Center, 1400 E. Church St., Santa Maria. For more information, go to vitalant.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 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, go to www.sbnature.org.

7:30 p.m. The American Theatre Guild will present the North American tour of “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.,” a theatrical concert celebrating the music of Aretha Franklin, at The Granada, 1214 State St. Tickets cost $59 to $114. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JAN. 5 1 to 5 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at the Lompoc Police Department, 107 Civic Center Plaza, Lompoc. For more information, go to vitalant. org.

JAN. 13

7 p.m. Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar will perform a free concert at Isla Vista Elementary School, 6875 El Colegio Road, Isla Vista, as Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara resumes its programming.

7 p.m. The Los Angeles Reed Quintet will perform during the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, 2901 Nojoqui Ave., Los Olivos. The program will include music by Mendelssohn, Mahler, Ligeti, Nina Shekhar, Yanjun Hua, Corelli, Fred Coots, and Sam Lewis

JAN. 14

7 p.m. Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuélla will perform a free concert at Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe. The concert is presented by Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara .

JAN. 15

7 p.m. Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuélla will perform a free concert at The Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High School, 721 E. Cota St., Santa Barbara. The concert is presented by Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara.

JAN. 17

1:30 to 6:30 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, 4436 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. For more information, go to vitalant.org.

COURTESY PHOTO

The American Theatre Guild will present the North American tour of “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.,” a theatrical concert celebrating the music of Aretha Franklin, at 7:30 tonight at The Granada, 1214 State St.

PARAMOUNT

“Babylon” stars Brad Pitt as movie actor Jack Conrad.

PHOTOS BY EMILY ARAGONES/CTMG INC.

Naomi Ackie stars in the title role of “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

Arista Records President Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci) and Whitney Houston (Naomi Ackie) get along well in “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

2OTH CENTURY STUDIOS

“Avatar: The Way of Water” grossed $66.8 million last weekend.

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ still No. 1 at the box office

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

“Avatar: The Way of Water” continues its wave of success with another weekend as the highestgrossing film at the box office. This time, the sequel grossed $66.8 million.

Opening in second place was another sequel, this one an animated film starring the voice of Antonio Banderas in the title role: “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” The film grossed $16.8 million.

Jumping to third place from sixth was “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The Marvel Studios sequel grossed $4.83 million.

“Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” dropped from third place to fourth with $4 million.

“Babylon,” a look at old Hollywood, slipped from fourth place to fifth with $2.6 million.

“Violent Night” dropped from fifth place to sixth with $2.1 million.

“The Whale,” starring Brendan

Fraser as a reclusive English teacher trying to reconnect with his teenage daughter, remained in seventh place with $1.37 million.

“The Menu,” a horror thriller, rose from ninth place to eighth. It grossed $1.11 million.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, “The Fabelmans” dropped from eighth place to ninth with $1.03 million.

The animated “Strange World” remained in 10th place with a gross of $513,000.

email: dmason@newspress.com

Chaucer’s Books to host author of ‘Picture in The Sand’

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Edgar Award-winning author Peter Blauner will discuss his new book “Picture In The Sand” at 6 p.m. Jan. 11 at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St., Santa Barbara.

Mr. Blauner’s epic is an intergenerational saga told through a grandfather’s passionate letters to his grandson, passing on the story of his political rebellion in 1950s Egypt in order to save his grandson’s life in a post-9/11 world.

When Alex Hassan gets accepted to an Ivy League university, his middle-class Egyptian-American family is filled with pride and excitement. But that joy turns to shock when they discover that he’s run off to the Middle East to join a holy war instead.

When he refuses to communicate with everyone else, his loving grandfather Ali emails him one last plea. If Alex will stay in touch, his grandfather will share with Alex — and only Alex — a

manuscript containing the secret story of his own life that he’s kept hidden from his family, until now.

It’s the tale of his romantic and heartbreaking past rooted in Hollywood and the postrevolutionary Egypt of the 1950s, when young Ali was a movie fanatic who attained a dream job working for the legendary director Cecil B. DeMille on the set of his epic film, “The Ten Commandments.” But Ali’s vision of a golden future as an American movie mogul gets upended when he is unwittingly caught up in a web of politics, espionage and real-life events that change the course of history.

“Picture in the Sand” is the culmination of two decades of writing and research that took Mr. Blauner from Brooklyn to Cairo a half-dozen times. His other novels have included “Slow Motion Riot,” “The Intruder” and “Sunrise Highway.”

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Author to talk about ‘Magic of Medicine?’

OJAI — Cynthia Louise Grier is coming to the Ojai Library to discuss “Magic or Medicine? Grimoires and Healing Amulets in ‘’The Muse of Freedom: a Cevenoles Sagas Novel.”

Ms. Grier, an Ojai author who writes under the nom de plume

Jules Larimore, will discuss her book at 1 p.m. Jan. 28 at the library, 111 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai. Set in late Renaissance France, 1695-97, “The Muse of Freedom: a Cevenoles Sagas Novel” is about a young nobleman training as an apothecary as he investigates

his Huguenot family’s legacy of secrets and searches for his spiritual identity and the meaning of love. In the Gorges du Tarn, he meets a mystic holy woman who reveals ancient healing mysteries and inspires his quest for freedom.

The story is inspired by the true story of Jean Pierre Bondurant dit Cougoussac.

For more information, contact Ron Solórzano, regional librarian, at 805-218-9146 or ron.solorzano@ ventura.org.

— Dave Mason

Poppies to offer workshops

OJAI — Poppies Art and Gifts will offer workshops in the coming months, including a mosaic class prepared by Melissa Welch. Dates and details will be announced soon.

HOUSTON

she died in 2012 from an accidental drowning that authorities said was related to drugs. But “I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ shows many of Whitney’s better moments, including her acclaimed 1991 performance of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, her stellar concerts and her uncanny ability to choose the right songs. And for the most part, when you see Ms. Ackie as Whitney Houston singing in this film, it is, in fact, Ms. Houston’s vocal tracks.

The movie traces Whitney’s movie career, including her acting in “The Bodyguard” with Carpinteria star Kevin Costner. “The Bodyguard” soundtrack featured Ms. Houston singing Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” which proved to be a hit for Ms. Houston. She had the great ability to take any song and make it her own, as “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” demonstrates.

The new biopic shows Whitney Houston’s talent in singing songs such as “Greatest Love of All,” “I’m Every Woman,” “How Will I Know?” and, of course, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

And the film shows Ms. Houston’s determination to be herself in the face of the media trying to define herself or limit her. But the film also deals honestly with the compromises she felt she had to make.

email: dmason@newspress.com

CALENDAR

JAN. 19

2 to 5:30 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara, 524 Chapala St., Santa Barbara. For more information, go to vitalant.org.

JAN. 21

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform its “Plains, Trains & Violins” concert at The Granada, 1214 State St. The concert includes Miguel del Aguila’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, “The Journey

of a Lifetime” (El viaje de una vida) with violin soloist Guillermo Figueroa and the concert world premiere of Elmer Bernstein’s “Toccata for Toy Trains.” The orchestra will also perform Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”). Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JAN. 22

3 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform its “Plains, Trains & Violins” concert at The Granada, 1214 State St. The concert includes Miguel del Aguila’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, “The Journey of a Lifetime (El viaje de una vida)” with violin soloist Guillermo Figueroa

Poppies is open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 323 E. Matilija St., Ojai. You can shop online at poppiesartandgifts.indiemade.com.

FYI

and the concert world premiere of Elmer Bernstein’s “Toccata for Toy Trains.” The orchestra will also perform Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”). Tickets cost $35 to $175. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

4 to 5 p.m. “Roy Dunn: Capturing Imagery of Our Wild Neighbors” will take place at the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, 1511-B Mission Drive, Solvang.

JAN. 24 2 to 6 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at Camino Real Marketplace, 7046 Marketplace Drive, Goleta. For more information, go to vitalant.org.

7 p.m. UCSB Arts & Lectures

presents mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and a music ensemble in “Eden” at The Granada, 1214 State St. “Eden” explores the individual human connection with nature and features music from four centuries. Tickets cost $46 to $131 for general admission and $20 for UCSB students with ID, one hour before the performance, and youths 18 and younger. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JAN. 25 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vitalant blood drive at Allan Hancock College, 800 S. College, Santa Maria. For more information, go to vitalant.org.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Peter Blauner’s research for his book, “Picture in the Sand,” took him from Brooklyn to Cairo a half-dozen times.

— Dave Mason

PHOTOS BY EMILY ARAGONES/CTMG INC.

Whitney Houston (Naomi Ackie) sings the National Anthem at the Super Bowl.

Thought for Today

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com Wednesday, January 4, 2023

ARIES — There’s a sober feeling to the day that may leave you feeling a bit down, Aries. There may not be any specific instance or situation that causes you to feel this way, so don’t sweat it. Focus on getting your projects done. This isn’t the best day to look for sympathy from others.

TAURUS — People may be extra stubborn today, so try to avoid any confrontations that could lead to full-scale war. Your emotions may feel restricted and restrained, Taurus. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Realize that you’re going through a trying period right now and that you need all the sanity you can muster.

GEMINI — Your freedomloving nature may seem a bit dampened today, Gemini, but don’t let it get you down. Things might not be lining up perfectly, but that’s no reason to get frustrated. Perhaps the situation was just not meant to be. Look for a higher, more practical solution. You have all the information you need to make an intelligent decision.

CANCER — Today is a great day to get rid of the stuff that’s cluttering up your life, Cancer. Get to the heart of the issue and stop beating around the bush. Your emotions may feel a bit more negative than usual, but realize that you can use this to your advantage. Your sober attitude can aid in making extremely practical, well-grounded decisions.

LEO — Don’t sweat the small stuff, Leo. You may feel like something is restricting your otherwise light, witty nature, but don’t worry about it. Things probably seem worse than they really are. Trust in yourself. Relations with others may not be at their best, and it may seem like your feelings are being squeezed through the ringer.

VIRGO — There are opportunities open to you now whether you realize it or not. It may be hard to be aware of them today, given the astrological weather. Your emotions may feel restricted and weighed down, like something is trying to tie you down. Realize that this is just a message from the Universe reminding you that having at least one foot on the ground is key to manifesting your dreams.

LIBRA — Your emotions may feel restricted today, Libra. You may feel bad about something you did in the past. Somehow your heart isn’t able to let it go. Work to overcome this by realizing that this is only a briefly passing trend and that you probably are feeling much worse about the situation than necessary. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

SCORPIO — You’re going through a period of major evaluation and assessment of certain life projects. Today’s energies bring much of that tension into focus, Scorpio, and put it right in the place where it affects you most - your heart. You may feel the clock ticking more loudly and have a sense that something holds you back.

SAGITTARIUS — Try to stay disciplined and focused today, Sagittarius. This may be easier said than done, but it’s crucial for preserving your sanity. There’s a restrictive, weighty air to the day that may put a damper on your jovial nature. Instead of getting down on yourself, use this energy to your advantage and make order out of the chaos in your life.

CAPRICORN — You’re going through a time in which you have the opportunity to make tremendous advances, Capricorn. These rewards won’t come without hard work and discipline, however, and this seems to be a focus of the day. Get your emotions in line and make the best of what seems to be a pretty dreary situation. A fantastic opportunity is at hand.

AQUARIUS — Don’t mess with superiors or people in authority today, Aquarius, or you might end up in some serious hot water. Take it easy and try not get bogged down by negative emotions. Things may not be as sunny as usual, but that doesn’t mean the day will be terrible.

Complete projects and stay focused on things that require a great deal of discipline on your part.

PISCES — You’re going through a time of great preparation right now, Pisces, You’re building the foundation for a major life project. This period isn’t to be taken lightly. The day’s energy brings this importance into focus. Make sure you’re building with bricks and not straw, and that the mortar you use is strong.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

“You and I know that nobody is perfect,” a club player said to me. “Men make mistakes. But men who play bridge with their wives hear about them sooner.”

He had been East in today’s deal, defending against 3NT.

“My wife was West and led a low heart,” he told me. “Declarer took my ten with the king and led the queen of spades, and I routinely played low. Declarer then switched gears and let the ten of clubs ride. I took the king and returned a heart, but declarer had two hearts, four clubs, two diamonds and a spade.”

MISTAKE

“My wife didn’t waste any time: She got on my case even before declarer cashed his ninth trick. She said for me to duck the first spade was a mistake.”

When your partner leads a long suit against notrump, it’s a principle of defense that you should strive to win a trick and return the lead, setting up partner’s suit while he retains an entry (or you have an additional entry). If East correctly grabs his ace of spades to return a heart, South fails.

K J 10 5 8 7 3 7 4 3 A J 3. The dealer, at your

left, opens two hearts (weak). Your partner doubles, and the next player bids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner’s double might have obliged you to bid at the three level, hence his hand is worth 16 points or more. He will usually have support for all the unbid suits. Bid four spades. You would bid three spades to compete if your ace of clubs were the queen.

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.

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.”

— Hal Borland

The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara Announces

WAITLISTS FOR ALL HOUSING AUTHORITY PROGRAMS WILL BE CLOSED MARCH 1, 2023 THROUGH APRIL 30, 2023

Applications will be available online at www. hacsb.org beginning May 1, 2023.

If you require a reasonable accommodation and/ or paper application, please contact our office at the number below.

La Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de Santa Bárbara anuncia

EL 1 DE MARZO DE 2023 HASTA EL 30 DE ABRIL DE 2023 SOLICITUDES PARA TODOS LOS PROGRAMAS DE VIVIENDA SERÁN INDISPONIBLES

Las solicitudes serán aceptadas por la página de web www.hacsb.org hasta el 1de mayo de 2023.

Si usted o algún miembro de su familia es una persona con discapacidad y necesita un alojamiento específico y/o una aplicación de papel, por favor póngase en contacto con nuestra oficina.

The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara 808 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 www.hacsb.org ( 805) 965-1071 TTY (EN)(800) 735-2929 (SP) (800) 855-3000

Plaintiff attorneys: Lawsuits against DOD to continue despite recision of vaccine mandate

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Sixteen months after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a directive requiring all military members to get the COVID-19 vaccine or face disciplinary action or be forced out of the military, he was forced to rescind it by Congress.

Despite the rescission, lawsuits over the mandate will continue this month on behalf of service members who sued in multiple states. Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue the rescission isn’t enough to ensure protections for service members against DOD policies and future mandates.

President Joe Biden – who opposed repealing the DOD mandate – signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 23, which requires the DOD mandate to be rescinded. On the same day, Mr. Austin announced the DOD “will rescind the mandate and is currently in the process of developing further guidance. During this process, we are pausing all actions related to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.”

He also said he “stands by his decision to mandate COVID-19 vaccination in August 2021” and “continues to encourage all of our Service members, civilian employees, and contractor personnel to get vaccinated and boosted to ensure the readiness of our Total Force.”

Congress passed the NDAA after multiple courts ruled the DOD and military branches violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) by denying service members’ religious accommodation requests (RARs) to be exempt from the mandate.

NOTICES

County Clerk 12/28/22, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/23 CNS-3655331# SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS DEC 28 2022; JAN 4, 11, 18 / 2023 -- 58977

The Petition for Probate requests that STEPHEN C. WILLEY be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The Petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 02/09/2023 at Time: 9:00 AM, in Dept.: 5, located at SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; PO Box 21107, Santa Barbara, CA 93121-1107 Anacapa Division.

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed

or both, of:

JACQUELYN JO RAFTERY IMRICH; JACQUELYN RAFTERY IMRICH; JACQUELYN J. IMRICH A Petition for Probate has been filed by DOROTHY I. MULLIN in the SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA.

The Petition for Probate requests that DOROTHY I. MULLIN be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The Petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 02/09/2023 at Time: 9:00 AM, in Dept.: 5, located at SUPERIOR COURTOF CALIFORNIA, COUNTYOF SANTA BARBARA, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; PO Box 21107, Santa Barbara, CA 93121-1107, Anacapa Division.

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the

A2202016. Where and when will this Public Forum be

greatest access, this

will be held remotely. The Public Forum can be viewed on the internet, or listened to over phone, with the information below. Your participation by providing your thoughts on SCE and SDGE’s request can help the CPUC make an informed decision.

If you wish to make a public comment, please participate by phone using the phone number below. After calling in and entering the passcode below, press *1, unmute your phone and record your name when prompted. You will be put into a queue in the order you dialed in.

DATE & TIME DETAILS January 10, 2023 5:00 p.m. Webcast: www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc Phone number: 800-857-1917 Passcode: 1767567#

According to Austin’s latest announcement, as of Dec. 1, 2022, approximately 13,000 active-duty members’ and 6,000 reservists’ RARs had been adjudicated.

Among them, the Army approved 6.04%; the Navy approved 1.02%; the Air Force and Space Force approved 2.31%; the Marine Corps approved 0.52%, the DOD states. Approximately 5,000 active-duty members’ and 12,500 reservists’ RARs are still pending adjudication across all military branches, it says.

is false, Liberty Counsel, the Orlando-based religious freedom organization defending service members who sued over the mandate, argues.

“Every option used aborted fetal cells in their testing and/or development (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax),” Liberty Counsel said. “In addition to aborted fetal cells, many religious requesters objected to the experimental mRNA shots of Pfizer and Moderna. The DOD continues to misrepresent the facts and has continually violated the law.”

The DOD memo also includes other “misrepresentations,” including the 0.5% to 6% ranges of approved RARs by military branch, which were really zero, Liberty Counsel argues. “No military member who intends to remain in the service has received a religious accommodation,” it states, which is why lawsuits are continuing.

The RAR data submitted by military branches to the courts in their respective lawsuits contradicts the data reported in the Dec. 23 DOD announcement, Liberty Counsel says. While different branches approved medical exemptions, “no religious exemptions have been granted,” except for a small number for people who were already leaving the service, court documents have shown.

Liberty Counsel also raised concerns about DOD policies stated in a FAQ section of the announcement that imply COVID-19 vaccination requirements could be reinstated. Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “While we are pleased that Joe Biden’s unlawful and abusive COVID shot mandate will be rescinded, this begrudging reversal under pressure by Congress is not enough. The FAQs in the memo reveal that the service members who applied for religious accommodation requests will continue to have adverse actions in their personnel files.

Please note:

Why am I receiving this notice?

Public Forum.

Triennial Proceeding (A.22-02-016) with the CPUC. In the joint application, applicants seek approvals related to the costs of decommissioning the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) and the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS). SCE individually asks the CPUC to approve decommissioning cost estimates of $226 million for SONGS Unit 1; $4.712 billion for SONGS Units 2 and 3; and $594 million for PVNGS Units 1, 2 and 3. Based on these decommissioning cost estimates and the balances in SCE’s nuclear decommissioning trusts, SCE is not requesting a rate increase in this application.

SCE also asks the CPUC to approve as reasonable $3 million in recorded costs for decommissioning projects at SONGS Unit 1 completed between 2018 and 2020 and $607 million in recorded costs for decommissioning projects at SONGS Units 2 and 3 completed between 2018 and 2020. SCE also asks the CPUC to approve depositing proceeds from litigation with the U.S. Department of Energy into the nuclear decommissioning trusts.

SDG&E individually asks the CPUC to approve decommissioning cos estimates of $45 million for SONGS Unit 1, $942 million for SONGS Units 2 and 3 and $19 million for SDG&E-only costs. Based on these decommissioning cost estimates and the balances in SDG&E’s nuclear decommissioning trusts, SDG&E is not requesting a rate increase in this application.

SDG&E also asks the CPUC to approve as reasonable $1 million in recorded costs for decommissioning projects at SONGS Unit 1 completed between 2018 and 2020, $118 million in recorded costs for decommissioning projects SONGS Units 2 and 3 completed between 2018 and 2020 and $5 million in SDG&E-only costs incurred between 2018 and 2020. SDG&E also asks the CPUC to approve depositing proceeds from litigation with the U.S. Department of Energy into the nuclear decommissioning trusts. proceeding applications every three years. SCE and SDG&E’s

However, “with the rescission of the mandate, there is no current requirement to adjudicate requests for religious accommodation from that mandate,” the announcement states. It also notes that adverse actions placed in the military personnel records of those who refused to be vaccinated will remain in their official military personnel file.

As of Dec. 1, 98% of all activeduty service members and 96% of the total military force are fully vaccinated, the DOD says. As of Nov. 30, 8,123 service members had been discharged for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and none received an “other than honorable” discharge solely for refusing to take it.

The DOD announcement also states that the “COVID-19 vaccines were developed using a range of methods, and are now widely available to Service members to provide options for individuals with medical or religious concerns.” This claim

“The Department of Defense and the military branches have taken the position that any service member who requested a religious accommodation request was disrupting good order and discipline. Astoundingly, those who defend the Constitution and the laws of the land are considered insubordinate when they request that the laws for which they pledge their lives be upheld.

Mr. Staver said the legal cases “will continue because without the injunctions, service members will continue to face retaliation for requesting a religious accommodation. Service members who have been loyal to the country and faithful to their religious convictions have suffered greatly under this mandate, and we will continue to seek justice for them.”

On Dec. 14, Liberty Counsel presented oral arguments before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a U.S. Marine lieutenant colonel and Navy commander of a warship. In January 2023, it’s returning to court seeking to convert a classwide preliminary injunction to a permanent injunction for the U.S. Marines.

Amtrak has big increase in ridership

By TOM GANTERT THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) — Amtrak saw a big increase in ridership in fiscal year 2022 but is still at 72% of its peak pre-pandemic levels, according to data the transit company released.

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation – Amtrak’s official name – is still not close to full recovery in ticket sales and food and beverage revenue.

Amtrak released fiscal year 2022 data that shows it is slowly recovering from the pandemic that severely impacted all forms of transit in the U.S.

Ridership reached 32.5 million people in fiscal year 2019. Once the pandemic hit in 2020, ridership dropped to 16.8 million and then dropped again in 2021 to 12.2 million. In 2022, Amtrak saw its ridership jump to 22.9 million, an 88% increase.

Amtrak saw big increases in ticket and food and beverage revenue in 2022 as compared to

2021. But it still isn’t close to prepandemic levels.

In 2019 before the pandemic, Amtrak collected $2.3 billion in ticket revenue and another $143.9 million in food and beverage money. Ticket revenue dropped to $872.7 million in 2021 and grew to $1.8 billion in 2022. Food and beverage revenue also grew to 44 million, far more than the $23 million collected in 2021.

Taxpayers across the country subsidize Amtrak as ticket and food revenue don’t cover its overall operating costs, even before the pandemic.

Amtrak’s total revenues were $2.99 billion in 2022, which is less than the $3.5 billion in total revenue in 2019 before the pandemic.

Amtrak received a combined $3.7 billion in federal COVID relief money in 2020 and 2021. Amtrak states that it has a history of operating losses and “is dependent upon substantial Federal Government subsidies to sustain its operations ...”

RANDY