Santa Barbara News-Press: January 25, 2023

Seven people die in another mass shooting

Oscar nominees include box office hits

Unsafe on State Street

Residents

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara City Council Tuesday got an update on the State Street Master Plan and its focus on turning lower State Street into a future haven for pedestrians to shop and dine — by keeping the downtown portion of the city’s main artery closed to traffic.

But council members first had to deal with the reality of today’s State Street.

Several public speakers talked about problems they and the city face right now in the form of aggressive homeless people who are violent, threaten, vandalize, panhandle and generally make residents feel unsafe.

Judy Frank from East Beach said she and a companion recently took a stroll up State Street and felt increasingly uncomfortable and vulnerable as they left the downtown area and the security that light from the restaurants and bars there provided.

Along the way, she said they saw more and more homeless people lying or sitting in store doorways and the area became more and more dark, vacant and run down.

“I never want to take this walk again,” she said. Maybe if council members took the same walk they did, she said, they might take more steps to protect the city and its residents.

Jonathan Pu’u, owner of Pu’u Muay Thai Santa Barbara, a martial arts studio on State Street, told how he’s been personally threatened no less than five times, once by a man wielding a hatchet. He talked about how a transient set their Dumpster on fire, how he had to clean up human fecal matter, how another transient exposed himself to staff and then urinated in front of his business, how some homeless people are openly dealing drugs on State Street, and how they’ve had to deal with handful of drug overdoses.

And Rebecca Brand spoke about how she heard a rock hit the front window of Rudy’s restaurant as she walked by on Christmas Eve and watched it shatter right in front

of her. She also told about how a homeless woman who was there attacked her, grabbed her phone and hurt her in the process.

She said she posted what happened on her local social media site, and to date it has received 1,139 comments.

“I am a victim,” Ms. Brand said. “This has to stop. They have to be held accountable. It is your duty to keep people safe.”

After the public comments,

council members moved through their agenda to get to the main event: the progress report on the State Street Master Plan. Along the way, they approved a new mayor pro tempore: Alejandra Gutierrez, named three council members to the Ordinance Committee: Oscar Gutierrez (new chair), Kristen Sneddon and Mike Jordan, and selected three council members to the Finance Committee: Eric Friedman (chair,

State Street businessman describes being threatened

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Jonathan Pu’u knows firsthand about crime on State Street.

He’s experienced it. A lot of it.

continuing in his role), Meagan Harmon and Alejandra Gutierrez. Then the floor was opened for Tess Harbor, the city’s State Street master planner, to update the council on the progress made so far, and much of it focused on how hard she and others have worked to reach out to all segments of the community and get their comments about how they see the future of

As in being besieged by some violent transients he describes as being high on crack cocaine. And one of them was wielding a hatchet.

In a social media post earlier this month, Mr. Pu’u describes a series of encounters he had with aggressive homeless men both inside and outside his business at 1107 State St.

“I was threatened with a hatchet in our business by a crackhead on State Street,” he said. “Police didn’t come right away until I got him to leave, and he went to neighboring businesses threatening them. They then showed up. Not sure if he got charged or not.

“I had another crackhead come in and threaten/stalk me on State Street in our business and get in my face and refuse to leave. Took two hours for police to come. The guy is still doing this. Saw him yesterday again, too.

“Had another crackhead who exposed himself and urinated in front of our business door during operating hours with people inside, exposing himself to people and children. The cops wouldn’t arrest him and he proceeded to sleep in front of our shop for a week on the sidewalk.

“Had a guy threatening to throw a brick through my car window behind our business and the police no-showed.

“Also a garbage fire in the dumpster behind our business at 3 a.m. Cops and FD came. Don’t know if arrest was made.”

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade, in partnership with Direct Relief and the Santa Barbara Foundation, will deploy volunteers and heavy equipment to North County this Saturday to help homeowners recover from the recent flooding.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., volunteers will gather in the 1100 block of Parkland Drive in Orcutt to remove debris, replace damaged drywall and insulation, dig out silt from homes, and help restore yards damaged by flooding.

“This Saturday is the fifth

Tuesday’s

Tuesday’s

anniversary of the Bucket Brigade. What better way to celebrate the spirit of community than to reach out and help our neighbors after the recent flooding?” said Abe Powell, co-founder and CEO of Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade. Activities include digging, sorting trash, moving dirt and garden materials, removing and installing drywall, getting dirty, having fun, making new friends, and being a hero to someone in need.

Lunch for volunteers will be provided by the Bucket Brigade with support from Goleta-based

Monday’s POWERBALL: 12-31-47-58-60 Meganumber: 23

Jonathan Pu’u talks about being besieged by transients

address Santa Barbara City Council about aggressive homeless people

DAVE MASON /NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

From left, Rebecca Brand, Judy Frank, Tracey Singh and Jonathan Pu’u attend the Santa Barbara City Council meeting. All four addressed the council about public safety issues related to homeless individuals.

At left, the State Street Master Plan does not cover bicyclists, such as this one who is riding past a sign saying only pedestrians are allowed in this lower State Street block on the afternoon of the Santa Barbara Farmers Market. Bicyclists are reportedly covered under interim plans for State Street. At right, Mayor Randy Rowse listens to the public comments about the homeless situation.

DAVE MASON /NEWS-PRESS

Jonathan Pu’u talks to the Santa Barbara City Council about the public safety problems posed by homeless individuals on State Street.

Jose Chang starts work as Santa Barbara County agriculture commissioner

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Jose Chang this week is beginning his position as agriculture commissioner/director of weights and measures for Santa Barbara County.

Mr. Chang was approved by the Board of Supervisors for the position on Dec. 13, succeeding Cathy Fisher, who retired after 12 years as commissioner.

Mr. Chang’s first day on the job was Monday.

“I feel it is an honor to have been appointed to this position, and I’m excited for the opportunity to serve Santa Barbara County,” he told the News-Press. “My career has prepared me for this position by learning over the years about the many responsibilities of the agricultural commissioner system such as interpreting laws, regulations and policies and protecting the agricultural industry from injurious pests/ disease as well as consumer protection in the marketplace.

“It has also prepared me to work with other government entities, agricultural industry groups as well as community-based organizations,” Mr. Chang said.

“I’ve been studying agriculture since high school, really all my life,” he noted. “I graduated

from UC Davis, where I studied agriculture, and over my career in the ag commissioner system, I have attended leadership/management classes.”

Mr. Chang described his duties as agricultural commissioner.

“I wear different hats under this position. First and foremost, I protect and promote Santa Barbara agriculture,” he explained.

“I protect consumers from unfair business practices in the marketplace through our weights and measures program,” Mr. Chang said. “I inform our elected officials/county administrators on issues affecting agriculture/ weights and measures. I protect our communities, agricultural workforce and environment from unsafe pesticide applications, among other responsibilities.”

“My goals are to continue to support a thriving, healthy and sustainable agricultural industry in Santa Barbara County,” Mr. Chang continued. “I believe in this noble cause as the recent

pandemic taught us all of how valuable and essential agriculture and the ag workforce are for our communities/society.”

Mr. Chang spoke of how he plans to honor the legacy of his predecessor, Ms. Fisher.

“Yes, Cathy left some big shoes to fill, and I think the continuity of her work is one way in which I plan to honor her many years of service to Santa Barbara County as well as California agriculture. Her collaborative/communicator approach as well as continuing to develop and mentor our staff.”

“I have loved and appreciated agriculture since I was a kid,” Mr. Chang said. “Whenever I have the opportunity, I like to share that with younger generations with the hope that someone will see the value in a career in agriculture, as in agriculture you can be a researcher, a mechanic or even someone working with unmanned vehicles/drones among other careers.”

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

$10 million to help monarch butterflies

By KATHERIN ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

This week U.S. Reps. Salud Carbajal and Rep. Jimmy Panetta highlighted the $10 million investment in monarch butterfly and pollinator conservation they secured in the federal funding package passed at the end of 2022.

The $10 million in federal funds — a $6 million increase over what was approved for the prior fiscal year — includes $3 million made available through the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Program, which was created as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021 with the support of Reps. Panetta and Carbajal.

“I proudly represent two major monarch groves on the Central Coast of California: Pismo Beach and Goleta — both of which have been devastated by the dramatic drop off of monarch populations that we have seen over the past two decades. This decline has been a wake-up call for scientists, conservationists, and lovers of the monarch who come from far and wide to see their splendor each year,” said Rep. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, in a news release.

The grove in Goleta is the Ellwood Main Monarch Butterfly Grove at Ellwood Mesa.

Rep. Carbajal said he is pleased with the increase in federal resources and plans to continue to work with Rep. Panetta, a Democrat whose Central Coast district includes San Luis Obispo County, to see resources

implemented to help the region. The Monarch and Pollinator Highway Program promotes pollinator-friendly practices on roadsides and highway rightsof-way, including the planting and seeding of native, locally

TRAFFIC, CRIME & FIRE BLOTTER

Closures scheduled for Seacliff ramps, lane

VENTURA — Caltrans plans nightly closures today through Sunday of southbound Seacliff ramps and the right southbound lane on Highway 101 from Mussel Shoals to Faria Beach in Ventura.

Signs will be posted. Motorists can expect delays.

Seacliff’s off and on-ramps on the southbound 101 will be closed from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. tonight and Thursday. The off-ramp only will be closed from 7 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday. The on-ramp only will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 11 a.m.. Sunday.

Ramps will reopen each morning — except for the on-ramp on Saturday

The coastal side lane of the southbound 101 will be closed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. today and Thursday, 10 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, 9 p.m. Saturday to 9 a.m. Sunday. The lane will reopen each morning.

One southbound lane and two northbound

lanes will remain open overnight from Mussel Shoals to Faria Beach.

Motorists traveling south can reach state beaches on Pacific Coast Highway/State Route 1 by taking Highway 101’s Main Street off-ramp in Ventura, doing a U-turn to northbound Highway 101 and exiting at the State Beaches off-ramp.

La Conchita residents traveling south can use the same route by continuing further north on Highway 101.

— Katherine Zehnder

Rock scaling to result in detour

LOMPOC — A rock scaling operation on State Route 1 near Lompoc will result in a detour for travelers on Thursday.

There will be a hard closure of southbound State 1/North 12th Street at the junction of State Route 246 and State Route 1 in Lompoc

appropriate grasses, wildflowers and milkweed. Funding is available for state departments of transportation and Native American tribes to better conserve pollinator habitats and populations.

Additional funds signed by President Joe Biden for Fiscal Year 2023 are provided to the Department of the Interior to support western monarchs and other pollinators through the National Wildlife Refuge System, as well as $3 million to support scientific research.

During the last Congress, Rep. Panetta, alongside U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat (MONARCH) Act as well as the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act. Rep. Carbajal was a co-lead for both efforts. The leaders plan to reintroduce the MONARCH Act in the 118th Congress.

It is estimated that monarch butterfly populations have decreased by 95% since the 1980s. After nearing historic lows, western monarch populations rebounded from 2,000 butterflies in 2020 to more than 247,000 in 2021.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Travelers will not be able to go south on State Route 1, but can continue east on State Route 246 to reach southbound Highway 101 in Buellton.

Caltrans crews will rappel down the hillside above the roadway to dislodge debris and rock. Clean up will follow before reopening the roadway to travel.

Rock scaling is performed as a preventative maintenance measure to help ensure the safety of all travelers.

Message and directional signs will be in place to alert travelers in the area. Caltrans advises motorists to allow extra time during their commute.

Road information can be found on Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

“Our crews deserve to get home safely too,” Caltrans said in a news release. “Drive slowly and carefully in work zones.”

— Katherine Zehnder

Santa Barbara collects $1.7 million

SANTA BARBARA — The city of Santa Barbara collected $1.7 million in transient occupancy taxes for December.

TOT revenues for that month were about 2.9% above the monthly budget, showing sustained growth, although at a slower pace than the previous five months.

The city has collected $17.6 million through December, the sixth 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.

The remaining 2% goes to the Creeks/Clean Water Fund.

— Neil Hartstein

SBCC hires men’s tennis coach

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

Santa Barbara City College has hired Danny Echt as its new head men’s tennis coach.

As a teaching professional and an accomplished coach with over twenty years of coaching experience, Coach Echt has expertise in helping competitive junior and adult players advance to the next level. He joins the Vaqueros

School

while serving as a head tennis coach at Santa Barbara High School since 2017.

For more than two decades, Coach Echt has taught privately at Knowlwood Tennis Club.

Additionally he is involved in running tournaments for adults and juniors in conjunction with the Tennis Patrons of Santa Barbara.

Echt, who graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 1990, is eager to help build the SBCC program

and plans to bring a dynamic leadership style, tactical insight, and positivity to SBCC.

The Vaqueros’ season is set to begin next month with a Feb. 7 exhibition against Westmont and Feb. 9 season-opener at Ventura.

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

email: sports@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO

Jose Chang

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS

A cluster of Monarch butterflies tuck in for the evening at the Ellwood Main Monarch Butterfly Grove at Ellwood Mesa in Goleta.

COURTESY PHOTO

Coach Danny Echt

Danny Echt also serves as a head tennis coach at Santa Barbara High

Seven killed in San Mateo County shootings

Homicides happen just days after Monterey Park shootings; Santa Barbara police chief issues statement

By CALEB BEEGHLY NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Eight people were shot, and seven of the eight were killed on Monday in shootings in Half Moon Bay.

The San Mateo County shootings took place at two different mushroom farms Mountain Mushroom Farms and Concord Farms).

The victims, five men and two women, were all employees of the farms, and all of the victims were of Asian or Hispanic descent, some being a part of the local migrant community.

Police have a suspect in custody, a 66-year-old man named Chunli Zhao. Mr. Zhao worked at one of the mushroom farms and has a history of workplace violence – he was previously accused of attempting to suffocate his co-worker who he was living with – leading the police to consider this as an incident of workplace violence.

The shootings were carried out with a legally purchased semi-automatic handgun, and Mr. Zhao had no prior criminal record in San Mateo County. He

was booked into the San Mateo County Maguire Correctional Facility on seven counts of firstdegree murder and one count of attempted murder. He is set to be officially charged at an arraignment today.

The surviving male victim was transported to Stanford Medical Center, where his life-threatening injuries were treated. He is reported to be in stable condition.

This comes just days after the Monterey Park shooting that left 11 people dead. The victims have now been identified as Xiujuan Yu, 57; Hong Jian, 62; Lilian Li, 63; My Nhan, 65; Muoi Ung, 67; and Diana Tom, 70. The male victims were identified as Wen Yu, 64; Valentino Alvero, 68; Ming Ma, 72; Yu Kao, 72; and Chia Yau, 76. Vice President Kamala Harris is set to travel to Monterey Park to mourn the victims.

In response to these shootings, Santa Barbara Police Chief Kelly Gordon stated, “We are saddened by the devastating incident that occurred in the City of Monterey Park and City of Half Moon Bay. Our hearts go out to all who have been impacted, and those who have lost their lives in this

senseless act of violence. The actions of the responding officers, deputies, and emergency medical personnel were heroic.

“The Santa Barbara Police Department’s policies and practices are focused on reducing the number of victims when an active shooter incident happens,” Chief Gordon said. “We emphasize on engaging the shooter as quickly as possible to stop the threat. In addition, we conduct joint training with the Santa Barbara (City) Fire Department designed to get medical assistance to gunshot victims as quickly as possible.

Officers are also trained to give life-saving medical care.

“We continue to work with other government agencies and private organizations to prevent active shooter incidents in our community, by identifying persons who may pose a threat and helping them to get treatment for mental illness or other needs as part of our co-response model of teaming a mental health crisis worker and officer together,” Chief Gordon said. “The key in most cases is information sharing. If people are concerned

about a student, co-worker, neighbor, or family member, they need to reach out for assistance to ensure the proper resources and treatment are provided before they reach the point of violence.

“The Santa Barbara Police Department remains vigilant and officers are here to ensure the safety of all who live in and visit our community,” Chief Gordon said.

With two mass shootings in less than a week, gun control has risen to the forefront of the Californian political conversation.

Democrats are calling for stricter gun laws, and Republicans disagree with that course of action. For instance, on Twitter, Gov. Gavin Newsom correlates California’s 37% lower death rate to the stricter gun laws, and calls for other states to follow suit, calling the relaxed gun laws a “suicide pact.”

However, Republicans are quick to point out that the gun was legally purchased in California, despite the strict gun laws.

email: cbeeghly@newspress.com

California reports 19% increase in sale of zero emissions vehicles; rebates underfunded

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — At the heart of California’s push toward green energy is the promotion of affordable and efficient electric vehicles.

Gov. Gavin Newsom set a goal to eliminate the sales of new gaspowered vehicles in the state by 2035. To this end, he has signed legislation to fund a number of climate-action initiatives.

The affordability of electric vehicles, which on the lower end of the scale cost around $26,000 for a Chevrolet Bolt to a high end price for the Porsche Taycan at $191,000, is all part of the equation in achieving this zero-emissions goal.

The state supports three programs that assist in transitioning to or owning a zero emissions vehicle. This class of vehicle includes fuel cell electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles and plug–in hybrid electric vehicles. Each program has parameters for eligibility.

The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, the largest of the three, Clean Vehicle Assistance Program and Clean Cars 4 All, administer rebates for low-income households.

Rebates from these programs range from $7,000 up to $9,500 for the purchase of a Zero Emissions Vehicle. Californians with household incomes less than or equal to 400% of the federal poverty level or $54,360 annually, are eligible for an increased rebate amount. Individuals making below $135,000 can qualify for a rebate, but at a reduced amount.

To date, more than 30,000 low-income residents have been successful in accessing the CVRP rebates. The state will now only apply rebates to the most affordable ZEVs in its list of approved vehicles. The vehicles must be new and purchased in the state of California.

In 2022, almost 19% of all new cars sold in California were ZEVs, a 38% increase from the previous year.

“California continues to lead the zero-emission vehicle revolution

with groundbreaking policies and investments that drive innovation, create good jobs and expand ZEV access and affordability across the state,” Gov. Newsom announced in a statement released by his office on Jan. 20.

The California Air Resources Board reported in 2021 that 65% of all California Electric Vehicle owners had accessed the rebates, and $1.84 billion had been spent on the rebate programs since 2010.

However, the rebate process

has become lengthy. Funding for some of the 2022 programs ran out in April and saw a waitlist as long as four months. The backlog was so great that the lists were suspended. Additionally, the price of electric vehicles have been on the rise, keeping it out of reach for some consumers even with the rebate in place.

Last November, the California Air Resources Board approved $2.6 billion to support Zero Emission Vehicles and the infrastructure to sustain their

use in California. Seventy percent of that funding was allocated to low-income neighborhoods and disadvantaged communities.

The California Legislative Analyst’s Office shows that of the $6.1 billion proposed in the 2022-2023 budget for ZEV related activities, $925 million was earmarked for the rebate program for all 5 years, averaging around $185 million per year until 2026.

Last year, 345,818 ZEVs were sold in California.

Business survey shows recession risks elevated

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER

(The Center Square) — The latest survey from the National Association for Business Economics found that more than half of respondents put the possibility of a recession over the next year at 50% or higher.

“The results ... indicate widespread concern about entering a recession this year,” said NABE President Julia Coronado, founder and president of MacroPolicy Perspectives LLC.

“For the first time since 2020, more respondents expect falling rather than increased employment at their firms in the next three months.”

The association’s Business Conditions Survey looks at the responses of 60 members from Jan. 4-11 on business conditions. It comes amid a wave of mass layoffs in the technology sector and

despite continued optimism from the White House.

Respondents reported higher interest rates and costs as the biggest downside risks to their outlooks. Sixty-three percent of respondents reported rising wages over the past three months. That was unchanged from the October 2022 survey. They further reported that sales growth in the fourth quarter of 2022 was relatively unchanged from the previous quarter.

The Net Rising Index for sales — the percentage association panelists reporting rising sales minus the percentage reporting falling sales — in the fourth quarter of 2022 was 8, unchanged from the October 2022 survey. It is the lowest NRI for sales growth since the negative reading during the pandemic in the first half of 2020. The forward-looking NRI fell to 5 from 20 in the October survey, indicating weaker expectations for sales over the next quarter,

according to the association.

“The survey results reveal an unevenness across indicators,” said NABE Business Conditions Survey Chair Carlos Herrera, chief economist for Coca-Cola North America. “Wages rose at a majority of respondents’ firms in the last three months of 2022 and more firms added workers than reduced headcounts. But far more firms than in the past three years reported falling profit margins.

“The panel suggests that inflation may be easing with the outlook for prices charged at its lowest reading since the October 2020 survey, overall,” Mr. Herrera said. “Materials costs have drifted down significantly since last July, and more respondents expect falling costs in the next three months.”

The survey comes on the heels of mass layoffs in several big-name tech businesses. Last week, Google’s parent company Alphabet laid off 12,000 employees.

Microsoft laid off 10,000 employees. On Monday, streaming platform Spotify announced it was laying off 6% of its workforce. That’s about 600 employees.

President Joe Biden’s Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that she wouldn’t speculate on why companies were laying off employees.

“Our economy is continuing to grow in a steady and stable manner as we have said,” she said during a news brief at the White House. “You just have to look at the economic data.”

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers declined 0.1% in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.1% in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported earlier this month. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 6.5% before seasonal adjustment.

“Layoffs remain near record lows according to job opening data,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said.

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS

This electric car charging station stands at 6100 Hollister Ave. in Goleta. California has seen an increase in the sales of zero-emission vehicles, but there’s a backlog on the issuing of rebates.

Classified documents found in Mike Pence’s residence

By TOM GANTERT THE CENTER SQUARE MANAGING EDITOR

(The Center Square) —

Classified documents were discovered at the Carmel, Ind., home of former Vice President Mike Pence last week, according to CNN.

Mr. Pence’s lawyer found about 12 classified documents last week and turned the records over to the FBI, anonymous sources told CNN.

The FBI and Justice Department’s National Security Division are looking into the documents and how they ended up at Mr. Pence’s residence.

CNN reported that Mr. Pence has said many times that he didn’t have any classified documents in his possession. It wasn’t clear what the contents of the documents were or how sensitive the information was, according to CNN.

One of Mr. Pence’s lawyers told CNN that the FBI asked to retrieve the classified documents

that evening and Mr. Pence agreed.

A Pence representative told CNN a small number of documents were inadvertently put in boxes and transported to Mr. Pence’s home.

Former President Donald Trump had more than 300 classified documents at his Mar-aLago home when it was raided by the FBI last August, according to the New York Times.

The FBI has also found classified documents in the Wilmington, Del., home of President Joe Biden. Some classified documents were found in Mr. Biden’s private office, and more documents were found in his garage, according to CNN. The FBI found more classified documents in a 13-hour search of President Biden’s home on Friday.

Press Secretary Karine JeanPierre declined to comment on reports about classified documents found at Mr. Pence’s home during a news briefing Tuesday afternoon.

Abbott: Biden hasn’t responded to Texas’ border requests

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — President Joe Biden hasn’t responded to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s numerous requests for help at the southern border, the Republican governor says.

During President Biden’s first visit to the border in El Paso earlier this month, Gov. Abbott provided the president a list of five solutions he says will help secure the border.

Gov. Abbott said he hasn’t received a response to what he considers a solvable problem that entails enforcing existing laws established by Congress.

In response to Biden administration policies instructing Border Patrol agents to release illegal foreign nationals into the U.S., the majority of whom are being released in Texas, Gov. Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021. Since then, law enforcement officers have apprehended more than 343,000 people from more than 150 countries and made more than 23,000 criminal arrests with over 21,000 felony charges reported, as of Jan. 20, 2023, the governor’s office reported.

“Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration’s refusal

to secure the border,” Gov. Abbott said. “Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to President Biden’s open border policies.”

Apprehending human smugglers is a daily occurrence as sheriffs and Department of Public Safety troopers identify foreign nationals and U.S. citizens responding to lucrative ads on social media offering to pay them to pick up people at drop off points along major highways and back roads in rural Texas, law enforcement officers told The Center Square.

His business is not the only one to feel the effects of recent criminal activity on State Street. Earlier this month, someone smashed the front window of Paradise On State Street and stole guitars and other merchandise from the music and vinyl records store. Police did not arrest anyone at that time.

A week before that, it was Tillys’ turn. Someone broke the front window at the clothing store at 917 State St. A burglary occurred, but Santa Barbara police caught the suspect.

And before that, on Christmas Eve, someone threw a rock that shattered the front window of Rudy’s restaurant at 3613 1/2 State St. A transient was arrested afterward but only for attacking a witness to the window being broken and stealing her phone. She’s facing criminal charges of robbery and theft.

But the situation faced by Mr. Pu’u goes way beyond simple vandalism and theft to straight out threats, intimidation and violence.

And, he says, it’s not just his business that was targeted.

“Had another man walking past our business and throwing glass at our windows after stealing from CVS. Cops no show.

“Had another crackhead smash tourists wine glasses off their table at the restaurant next door and proceed to violate a person in a wheelchair and run him around on State Street against his will. Cops came but the guy was on State street the next day.”

It’s not like Mr. Pu’u hasn’t tried to help people hooked on hard drugs, he said, noting, “We’ve saved two fentanyl overdoses on our business back steps.”

He said he’s counting on police to clean up the situation, but doesn’t hold out much hope given that, according to him, they’ve shown up hours after various

incidents or not at all. He said police keep telling him not to take action to defend himself or protect his business but that he doesn’t know how long he can keep it up.

“I’ve been told not to defend myself by SBPD, but at this point, that’s an unreasonable request,” he said.

He made the same point in a second social media posting.

“Most recent event was yesterday and today,” he said. “Another crackhead came in yelling and harassing inside our business. He left and that was last night. He came in again this morning, and SBPD said to ‘not defend yourself’ as I could ‘get in trouble.’ At what point is this no longer OK?”

Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, the SBPD public information officer, told the News-Press on Tuesday that he spoke to Mr. Pu’u directly over the phone.

“Mr. Puu mentioned that some of the posts he made date back to 2021, with his most recent being three weeks ago,” Sgt. Ragsdale said. “Mr. Puu and I had a very productive, positive conversation. I was able to offer him suggestions on how the Santa Barbara Police Department can assist him and provided my direct contact information. He was very thankful for the information and my personal phone call.”

Nevertheless, Mr. Pu’u is more than capable of defending himself and his business if it comes down to it.

He doesn’t serve food. Nor does he sell guitars or clothing. Mr. Pu’u owns a martial arts studio, Pu’u Muay Thai Santa Barbara, which teaches Jiu Jitsu, kickboxing and Muay Thai, a martial art that was developed on the battlefields of Thailand during a time of warfare in Southeast Asia and is practiced now for fitness, self-defense and combat sports.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

State Street.

In addition to design workshops and community forums, a survey was conducted in which more than 6,000 people participated, she said.

Nearly 90%, she said, cited eating and drinking as the main reason why they visit downtown, in addition to the opportunity to see and mingle with other people. And 79% said they wanted to see lower State Street continue to be closed to traffic.

BRIGADE

Volunteers 14 and older are welcome.

“We are especially reaching out to the youth of Orcutt and Santa

“They’re thrilled just to be in this space,” she said, adding that people want to live, work and play in the heart of downtown.

“The community cares about what we do,” she said. “They already feel the excitement, and this can continue to be enhanced.”

Ms. Harris said the design of the Master Plan should be completed by the end of the year or in early 2024, which then would be followed through implementation of the plan in phases.

She said she would return to the council in April for an update on the initial design plans.

Maria,” said Mr. Powell. “This is a chance to step up and help your community in a time of need.

Young, service-minded individuals are encouraged to come out and learn about leadership and community resilience in the face of ongoing climate-related disasters.”

The Bucket Brigade was formed in 2018 in the aftermath of the

Dave Davis, chair of the State Street Advisory Committee that is guiding the Master Plan process, said the plan needs to focus on “flat (no curbs), flexibility and fun.”

He especially was pleased with the level of community engagement achieved thus far, saying it falls within the top 1% of all projects he’s been involved with in 45 years.

Several council members praised the efforts made to date.

“This is not just informational,” Councilmember Mike Jordan said.

“It is truly more of a transformational validation.”

Councilmember Sneddon called

debris flows in Montecito to help neighbors in a time of need.

Volunteers may register by visiting www.sbbucketbrigade.org and clicking on the button “I Want To Help.”

Registration is encouraged but not required for Saturday’s event.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

the presentation “very impressive.” “Just keep it up and way to go,” she said.

She asked about how best to deal with the increasing numbers of bicyclists speeding down State Street and endangering pedestrians. She was told this is an issue to be dealt with now as part of the interim plans for State Street and not covered by the State Street Master Plan.

She withdrew her question, but vowed it would be dealt with at a later date.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail. com

FYI

If you or someone you know needs help clearing their property of mud or debris as a result of the January storms, visit www.sbbucketbrigade. org and click on the button “I Need Help.”

City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W

Cuyama 61/34/s 59/31/s

Goleta 65/39/s 63/38/s

Lompoc 65/38/s 65/35/s

Pismo Beach 66/39/s 67/41/s

Santa Maria 65/36/s 65/36/s

Santa Ynez 65/34/s 66/34/s

Vandenberg 61/43/s 63/41/s

Ventura 67/49/s 64/42/s

Pasadena 67/45/s 68/45/s

Paso Robles 62/30/s 64/29/s

Sacramento 62/37/s 63/35/s

San Diego 66/47/s 68/43/s

San Francisco 64/48/s 65/44/s

San Jose 64/40/s 64/41/s

San Luis Obispo 69/37/s 72/40/s

Santa Monica 68/51/s 67/44/s

Tahoe Valley 40/16/s 41/20/s

33/22/c

55/36/pc 56/36/s Miami 84/71/pc 80/60/sh Minneapolis 29/10/sf 17/11/c

New York City 42/41/sn 45/31/c Philadelphia 44/43/r 47/32/c Phoenix 61/40/s 62/37/s Portland, Ore. 52/37/c 47/41/pc St. Louis 38/25/sn 32/22/c

Salt Lake City 35/24/c 35/24/c Seattle 49/37/c 47/40/pc Washington, D.C. 48/41/r 48/33/pc

Beijing 26/9/pc 33/13/pc Berlin 36/31/c 35/33/c Cairo 71/52/pc 75/58/s Cancun 84/70/sh 78/72/sh London 44/35/r 46/36/pc Mexico City 78/42/s 75/44/s Montreal 18/16/sn 25/9/sn

New Delhi 69/54/t 70/47/pc Paris 38/31/c 41/36/sn Rio de Janeiro 84/75/pc 84/76/pc

Rome 55/38/c 54/36/c

Sydney 82/73/pc 88/71/t Tokyo 40/30/pc 46/37/s

Direct Relief and The Santa Barbara Foundation.

COURTESY PHOTO

Mike Pence

COURTESY PHOTO

Gov. Greg Abbott

DAVE MASON /NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

At left, Rebecca Brand tells the city council that a transient woman hit her. At right, Tracey Singh talks to the Santa Barbara City Council about the public safety issues posed by homeless individuals.

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

Life theArts

Oscar nominees announced

Box office hits are among 10 best picture nominees

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Two major box office hits — “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of the Water” — are among the 10 best picture nominees for this year’s Oscars.

The nominees were announced Tuesday morning by “M3GAN” star Allison Williams and Oscar winner Riz Ahmed.

The 95th Oscars will be broadcast live March 12 on ABC (KEYT, Channel 3). As usual, they will take place at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

In addition to “Top Gun” and “Avatar,” this year’s best picture nominees are the biopic “Elvis,” the sci-fi mystery “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” the Steven Spielberg-directed “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Triangle of Sadness” and “Women Talking.”

Those films picked up additional nominations in areas such as directing and acting.

The nominees for best director are Martin McDonagh for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Steven Spielberg for “The Fabelmans,” Todd Field for ““Tár,” and Ruben Ostlund for “Triangle of Sadness.”

The nominees for best actor are: Austin Butler in “Elvis,” Colin Farrell in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brendan Fraser in “The Whale,” Paul Mescal in “Aftersun” and Bill Nighy in “Living.” Mr. Butler, Mr. Farrell and Mr. Fraser are scheduled to appear at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, set for Feb. 8-18.

The nominees for best actress are Cate Blanchett in ““Tár,” Ana de Armas in “Blonde,” Andrea Riseborough in “To Leslie,” Michelle Williams in “The Fabelmans” and Michelle Yeoh in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

Ms. Blanchett will appear at the Santa Barbara International Festival. In December, Ms. Yeoh

won the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence from the same festival.

The nominees for best supporting actor are Brendan Gleeson in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brian Tyree Henry in “Causeway,” Judd Hirsch in “The Fabelmans,” Barry Keoghan in “The Banshees of Inisherin” and Ke Huy Quan in

“Everything Everywhere All At Once.” Mr. Gleeson and Mr. Quan will be at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

The nominees for best supporting actress are Angela Bassett in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Hong Chau in “The Whale,” Kerry Condon in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Jamie Lee Curtis in “Everything

Everywhere All at Once” and Stephanie Hsu in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Ms. Bassett and Ms. Curtis will be at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

The nominees for original screenplay consist of Martin McDonagh for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for

CALENDAR

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner for “The Fabelmans,” Todd Field for “Tár” and Ruben Ostlund for “Triangle of Sadness.”

The nominees for an adapted screenplay are Edward Berger, Lesley Peterson and Ian Stokell for “All Quiet on the Western Front,” Rian Johnson for “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” Kazuo Ishiguro for “Living” and Sarah Polley for “Women Talking.” Nominees also include the writing team for “Top Gun: Maverick,” which consists of screenplay writers Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie and story writers Peter Craig and Justin Marks.

The nominees for cinematography are James Friend for “All Quiet on the Western Front,” Darius Khondji for “Bardo, False Chronicle of A Handful of Truths,” Mandy Walker for “Elvis,” Roger Deakins for “Empire of LIght” and Florian Hoffmeister for “Tár.”

The nominees for visual effects are the teams who worked on “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Batman,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”

The nominees for sound are the teams who worked on “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Batman,” “Elvis” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”

The nominees for production design are “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Babylon,’ “Elvis” and “The Fabelmen.”

The nominees for costume design are Mary Zophres for “Babylon,” Ruth Carter for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Catherine Martin for “Elvis,” Shirley Kurata for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and Jenny Beavan for “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris.”

The nominees for makeup and hairstyling are Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerova for

Santa Barbara County Courthouse

‘Most Beautiful Building in State’

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara County Courthouse is the most beautiful building in California, according to a TripAdvisor survey of locals and tourists sponsored by Angi, which provides vetted professionals for home projects.

Many people use the sight of a beautiful building as inspiration for how to remodel their own home, which is why Angi, formerly Angie’s List, researched TripAdvisor reviews from 132 countries and every U.S. state for mentions of the word “beautiful.” Then it identified the buildings with the most mentions to be the most beautiful in their respective regions.

Categories included Most Beautiful Building in Every Country, Top 20 Most Beautiful Buildings in the World, Most Beautiful Building in Every U.S. State and Most Beautiful Buildings in the U.S.

The study revealed that the Santa Barbara County Courthouse takes the top spot as the Most Beautiful in Every U.S. State. The courthouse had a total of 1,301 reviews mentioning the architectural beauty of the building, making it the favorite design in California and one of the most beautiful buildings in the country.

“America’s capitol buildings rival places of worship for the honor of the most beautiful building in each state. Nine of the 50 states have a top structure categorized as a government building. However, nearly half the buildings on the map are religious sites or places of worship,” according to the Angi website.

Other buildings in the category include the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, Grand Central Terminal in New York, the

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 4 p.m. “Entangled: Responding to Environmental Crisis,” runs through March 25 at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. The museum is open from 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It’s closed on Sundays and college holidays. For more information, call 805-565-6162 or visit westmont.edu/museum. 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 5:30 p.m. “The Search for the Modern West,” an exhibit, continues through Feb. 20 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, see sullivangoss.com or call the gallery at 805-730-1460.

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.

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 Chicago Symphony Orchestra will perform at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. The ensemble will perform Beethoven’s “Coriolan” Overture and Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Opus 93; Anatoly Lyadov’s “The Enchanted Lake”; and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” The concert is being presented by the Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara. TIckets cost $36 to $156. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

JAN. 26

‘beautiful views’ as opposed to the building itself. We collected world data between December 2021 and January 2022 and U.S. state data in August 2022,” the website revealed.

Among the key findings: — Barcelona’s Basilica de la Sagrada Familia is the world’s most beautiful building, with 16,104 mentions of the word “beautiful” in TripAdvisor reviews. It is among 14 places of worship in the top 20 buildings. Cathedrale — Notre-Dame de Paris in France is the second most beautiful building in the world, with 12,931 mentions on TripAdvisor. Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C., is the most beautiful building in the U.S. and the third most beautiful in the world, with 9,609 mentions.

— Most Beautiful Building in Every Country: The TripAdvisor-ing public has a distinct preference for religious and gothic-tinged structures, such as Saint Mary’s Basilica in Kraków, Poland, which has plenty of both while remaining unique. Parliaments, rail stations and castles also make a good show, but the list has only one post office — the Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, which is said to be even more beautiful inside than out.

3:30 p.m. The next session of “Adulting 101: Life Skills for the 21st Century” will take place at the Santa Maria Public Library’s Shepard Hall, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. Story, B2.

JAN. 28

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Chamber Players orchestra will perform at at the First United Methodist Church of Santa Barbara, 305 E. Anapamu St. Tickets cost $16. To purchase, go to sbchamberplayers.org.

JAN. 31

6 p.m. Nick Hornby will discuss his book, “Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius,” with fellow writer Jessica Anya Blau at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza, Santa Barbara.

Mr. Hornby will also sign copies of his book. For more information, call Chaucer’s at 805-682-6787 or go to www.chaucersbooks.com.

FEB. 1

Wisconsin

the Grand Opera House in Delaware and George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Virginia.

“We began our analysis by searching for the word ‘beautiful’ on TripAdvisor in 132 countries and each U.S. state, collecting a list of buildings with the word ‘beautiful’ mentioned in user-submitted reviews. We narrowed our analysis to buildings in the following categories: architectural buildings, churches and cathedrals, government buildings, religious sites, historic sites and

points of interest,” according to www.angi. com.

The most beautiful building in each country and U.S. state is the building with the most mentions of the word “beautiful” in respective reviews. The top 20 global and U.S. lists are ranked by the number of mentions of the word “beautiful.”

“Our world analysis excluded buildings with fewer than 25 reviews. We also excluded attractions that serve as lookout points where most reviews referenced the

— Most Beautiful Buildings in the U.S.: The most beautiful building in the U.S. is Biltmore House in Asheville, N. C., according to the findings. America’s largest privately owned home is set against the Blue Ridge Mountains but cuts a European dash with its French Renaissance chateau styling by architect Richard Morris Hunt. Along with Grand Central Terminal, reviews of Biltmore have substantially more mentions of its beauty than other top buildings.

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Coast artist and London native Annie Hoffman’s exhibit “Seeing Ourselves in Colour” will be displayed through Feb. 28 at Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. For more information, visit anniehoffmann.com.

FEB. 5 Free admission will be available on this day at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Ventura County, the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum and the Santa Paula Museum. For more information, visit socalmuseums.org.

COURTESY IMAGE Riccardo Muti will conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra tonight at The Granada.

State Capitol in Madison,

KENNETH SONG/ NEWS-PRESS

The Santa Barbara County Courthouse has been declared the most beautiful building in California, according to a TripAdvisor survey.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

“Top Gun: Maverick,” which was a longtime hit at the box office in 2022, is among the best picture nominees for this year’s Oscars. The nominees were announced Tuesday morning.

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

“Elvis” picked up a best picture nomination and a best actor nomination for Austin Butler, who starred in the title role. Mr. Butler will appear at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Please see OSCARS on B2

‘Fun in the Sun’ Walk & Roll set for March 25

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Momentum WORK Inc. will host its “Fun in the Sun” Walk & Roll for Inclusion Awareness Event on March 25 at Chase Palm Park Great Meadows in Santa Barbara.

The fundraiser is set for 9:30 a.m. to noon

The walk-and-roll route will include an accessible 1.5-mile loop along Santa Barbara’s waterfront area on East Cabrillo Boulevard with food and other resource booths set up at the park. Music will be provided by Chris Benedict, DJ of Ability.

Participants can register now and save $10 off event-

day registration fees. Early registrants will receive one Walk & Roll T-shirt and goody bag at time of check in. To register, go to momentum-work-inc-fun-in-thesun.square.site.

“Our goal is to help individuals live the lives they want,” said Judy Linares, executive director of Momentum WORK Inc. “The walk and roll event will be a great time for community connection, to reflect on the rights of all individuals, and promote why diversity and inclusion matter.”

Proceeds will help Momentum WORK Inc.’s effort to provide people with disabilities inclusive opportunities throughout Santa Barbara County, such as health and wellness activities, accessible

Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s ‘Parallel Stories’ to discuss couples

SANTA

The

The

Ed & Nancy Kienholz.” “Parallel Stories” examines what happens in fiction and life when artist couples work together.

A critically acclaimed author and recent winner of the Femina Prize for a foreign novel, Ms. Cusk returns to read from her Mann Booker Prize-nominated novel, “Second Place.” The author explores the complicated geometry of relationships — freedom and gender, art and suffering, ego and self-sacrifice, illusion and will.

transportation, and employment.

“Fun in the Sun” Walk & Roll for Inclusion Awareness Event sponsors include the NewsPress, Farmer John California Kindness Project, Elks Lodge of Santa Barbara, Hinricher & Cousino, LLP., CenCal Health, Montecito Bank & Trust, Container Technology, Inc., Momentum Refresh, David C. Fainer Attorney at Law, Eternal Water, Smart & Final Charitable Foundation and Ghitterman Ghitterman & Feld.

For vendor, food-truck or sponsor inquiries, contact rvanseenus@momentum4work. org.

email: dmason@newspress.com

Her husband and fellow artist, Mr. Scamell-Katz, joins her on the stage along with their longtime friend award-winning author Mr. Winer, whose novel, “The Marriage Artist,” has been described as a provocative snapshot of contemporary marriage.

Tickets for the “Parallel Stories” program cost $5 for museum and members and $10 for nonmembers. To purchase, go to tickets.sbma.net.

— Dave Mason

Kitchen pails to be distributed

SANTA MARIA — The Santa Maria Utilities Department is offering indoor residential kitchen pails for Santa Maria customers at a distribution event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Rotary Centennial Park, 2625 S. College Drive, in Santa Maria.

The kitchen pail is a convenient way to collect food waste before depositing contents in the

outdoor organics container.

This event is being held for the city’s solid waste customers who may be unable to visit the department at 2065 E. Main St. during regular business hours (weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to collect their complimentary kitchen pail.

Limit is one per household, while supplies last. Customers

are required to bring their city utility bill and an ID card as proof of eligibility to receive the free pail.

For more information, visit www.cityofsantamaria.org/ residentialorganicsrecycling or call the Utilities Department at 805-925-0951.

— Katherine Zehnder

Adulting 101 to meet at Santa Maria Library

SANTA MARIA — The Santa Maria Public Library will offer the next session of “Adulting 101: Life Skills for the 21st Century” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Library’s Shepard Hall, 421 S. McClelland St.

The session “Healthy Living and Safety” will feature Ron Lovell from Allan Hancock College’s Culinary Arts Program. He will share tips and tricks for grocery shopping, digital couponing, menu planning, budgeting and meal

prep.

Scott Hunter from Safety Consulting Services, will demonstrate basic first aid skills.

He is a retired firefighter and EMT. Library staff will also present information on mental health resources and personal care. Refreshments will be served.

“Adulting 101: Life Skills for the 21st Century” is a series of fun and informative workshops designed

for emerging adults, ages 16 to 21. Participants will learn valuable skills in support of their journey to adulthood and workforce preparedness through a set of five sessions.

To attend the free workshop, register by visiting the library’s online events calendar at www. cityofsantamaria.org/library or by call 805-925-0994, ext. 8562.

— Marilyn McMahon

OSCARS

Continued from Page B1

“All Quiet on the Western Front”; Naomi Donne, Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine for “The Batman”; Camille Friend and Joel Harlow for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”; Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti for “Elvis,” and Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anna Marie Bradley for “The Whale.”

The nominees for original song are “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman” (music and lyrics by Diane Warren), “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick” (music and lyrics by Lady Gaga and BloodPop), “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther:

FYI

A good number of the Oscar nominees will appear at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. See sbiff.org.

Wakanda Forever” (music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; lyrics by Tems and Ryan Coogler); Naatu Naatu from “RRR” (music by M.M. Keeravani and lyrics by Chandrabose) and “This Is A Life” from “Everything Everywhere All At Once” (music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; lyrics by Ryan Lott and David Byrne).

The nominees for original score are “All Quiet on the

Western Front” (composer Volker Bertelmann), “Babylon” (Justin Hurwitz), “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Carter Burnwell), “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (Son Lux) and “The Fabelmans” (John Williams).

The nominees for animated feature film are “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” “The Sea Beast” and “Turning Red.”

Mr. del Toro will teach a class as part of the programming for youths at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

For nominees in other categories, see abc.com/shows/ oscars.

email: dmason@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO

The Fun in the Sun” Walk & Roll for Inclusion Awareness Event raises funds for Momentum WORK Inc.’s efforts to help people with disabilities in Santa Barbara County. Above is last year’s walk and roll event on State Street.

BARBARA — “Parallel Stories” will present Rachel Cusk, Siemon Scamell-Katz and Andrew Winer in a talk about couples at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

program will take place in the museum’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St.

talk is inspired by the artistic collaboration of Ed Kienholz and Nancy Reddin Kienholz and the museum’s exhibit, “Scenes from a Marriage:

COURTESY PHOTO

From left, Rachel Cusk, her husband Siemon Scamell-Katz and Andrew Winer will discuss couples during a “Parallel Stories” talk at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

20TH CENTURY STUDIOS

“Avatar: Way of the Water,” which has topped the box office since its release, is among the best picture nominees.

Thought for Today

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

ARIES — Some disturbing news could come today, Aries. This isn’t likely to concern you directly. It’s apt to be something about the world situation that might eventually reflect indirectly on you. It could be gossip about someone you know. Whatever it is, check it out before accepting it as fact.

TAURUS — A rise in your income could lead to a transformation in your values, Taurus, particularly where business is concerned. You could be opening up to the vast potential for prosperity that exists now. This is definitely something you should explore. Take care that you don’t lose sight of what really matters.

GEMINI — Stress, strain, and a little conflict within a business, romantic, or creative partnership could have you toying with the idea of ending it, Gemini. Don’t do anything rash right now. Wait a day or so and then think about it. This is likely to be a temporary situation. If you break it off now you will probably regret it tomorrow.

CANCER — Today, Cancer, you might feel a little insecure about your state of physical fitness. You could decide to make up for any lack of exercise over the past few weeks. This is fine, but take it slowly. This isn’t the day to push yourself. Strained muscles and exhaustion could result, and that won’t do you any good.

LEO — A friend may be going through some pretty big changes, Leo, and come to you for a sympathetic ear. The problem is that you might be a little stressed yourself and not feel much like hearing about someone else’s troubles. Show some compassion. Try to listen for a little while. You might need a shoulder to cry on at some time in the future.

VIRGO — Too many demands placed on you by others could have you feeling used, abused, and stressed, Virgo. You might come close to losing your temper. That isn’t necessary. All you have to do is learn to say no. It might not be easy, since you tend to want to please everyone, but you have to look out for yourself.

LIBRA — Today you might have thoughts of expanding your horizons, perhaps on a monumental level, Libra. You might consider traveling or even moving to a distant place. Returning to school for an advanced degree could also be a possibility. Your mind could be on expansion less for financial gain than for personal growth.

SCORPIO — Today you may receive some information about how to increase your income in a short period of time, Scorpio. This information may or may not be valid. Be cautious. Check out the facts before committing, wait a few days, and then check them again. Great opportunities abound and should be explored, but what you hear about today might not be one of them.

SAGITTARIUS — Relations with partners of all kindsbusiness, romantic, creative - might be somewhat strained today, Sagittarius. You and the other parties involved may have been under a lot of stress, and you could be snapping at each other. It might be a good idea to keep contact between you to a minimum.

CAPRICORN — Stress due to overwork might be causing your energy to flag somewhat today, Capricorn. You might even feel a little under the weather. This is a great day to stay home and recover. Stay out of stressful situations and do things on your own, preferably routine tasks that you can do without thinking. In the evening, order a pizza and watch TV.

AQUARIUS — Today you could feel a rush of sensual passion and desire, Aquarius. You may want to get together with a love partner in the evening, but not be able to do it right now. Other responsibilities could get in the way of what you want to do. Perhaps it’s best to schedule a meeting of some kind, even if it’s very late in the evening.

PISCES — Some problems might arise with equipment that you use at home or with the structure of the house, Pisces. Appliances might go on the blink or the plumbing or electricity could require repairs. This could be a drag. It might involve staying home to wait for help. Still it must be done. Find a good book and settle onto the couch.

SUDOKU

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

My friend known to all as Second Hand Rose played at the club today. When the lesson about “second hand low” was taught, Rose was out on a date with Jiggs the plumber.

In a team match, both Souths played at four hearts. North’s jump to three hearts invited game. West led the king of clubs, and both declarers took dummy’s ace and casually led a diamond.

At one table, East played the nine. South took his ace, drew trumps, ruffed dummy’s last club and exited with a diamond. When East won, he had to lead a club, conceding a ruffsluff, or a spade from his jack. South had only two more losers, making four.

REPLAY

Rose was East in the replay. When dummy led a diamond at Trick Two, Second Hand Rose ... with the king(!), a play that could hardly cost.

Play continued as at the first table, but when South exited with a diamond at the sixth trick, West took the ten and jack and led the queen, forcing dummy. South had to break the spades, and he lost two tricks there for down one.

one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids two clubs. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your hand is slightly too weak for a forward-going second bid of 2NT, and a rebid of two hearts would suggest weakness but a longer or at least a much more robust suit. Bid two diamonds. Maybe partner will bid again, but the contract will be playable if he must pass.

South dealer

sides vulnerable

“History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul.” — John Dalberg-Acton