Santa Barbara News-Press: February 01, 2023

Voters to review fast-food law

Referendum to decide fate of California’s AB 257 - A3

A labor of love

Finch & Fork’s new chef plans special Valentine’s Day menu - B1

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2023

Man pleads not guilty to attempted murder

Mitchell Grant Grote, 27, appears in court

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A man accused of stabbing a possibly homeless man in the neck on Sunday pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony charges of attempted murder and assault with personal use of a deadly weapon.

The defendant, Mitchell Grant Grote, 27, appeared in Superior Court Tuesday for his arraignment. The case was continued until Feb. 7 to set a date for his preliminary hearing.

Prosecutors charged in their complaint that Mr. Grote “did unlawfully and with malice aforethought attempt to murder a human being.” They identified the injured man only as W. Vankoppen.

They charged the defendant’s alleged offenses were serious and violent felonies, and that his actions were “willful, deliberate and premeditated.”

The charges carry with them special allegations of use of a deadly weapon, a knife, and causing great bodily injury.

Prosecutors also listed aggravating factors, including that Mr. Grote’s alleged actions disclosed a “high degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness.”

Santa Barbara police arrested

Dark streets of Goleta

Streets in Old Town lack lighting; councilman says residents have requested more street lights

Mr. Grote Sunday on suspicion of attempted homicide after responding earlier in the day to calls reporting an injured and bleeding man near Anacapa and De La Guerra streets. They located the victim, W. Vankoppen, who they described as a middle-aged man believed to be homeless. The victim was suffering from a stab wound to the neck and was quickly transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital by medics. Patrol officers began their investigation, and detectives were called in to assist. Officers from the Community Action Team were able to assist and advance the investigation rapidly due to their relationships with people in the Santa Barbara community who are suffering from homelessness. With information provided by community members, C.A.T Officers identified Mr. Grote as a suspect, and probable cause was developed to make an arrest, police said. He was found later on Milpas Street and arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide. He was booked at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail in Santa Barbara with a bail of $1 million. email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail. com

Falcon 9 takes off from Vandenberg

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 soared under a blue sky Tuesday morning from Vandenberg Space Base and into low Earth orbit.

The rocket carried 49 Starlink satellites, which SpaceX deployed almost 90 minutes after the launch. Designed by SpaceX, the satellites are providing internet access to remote and rural areas in 46 countries, including SpaceX’s latest customers: Peru and Nigeria.

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The streets of Old Town Goleta lack sufficient lighting — particularly Alondra, Nectarine, Mallard, Mandarin and Gato.

Pedestrians walk down those streets at night with little light, and carrying a flashlight (or using your cell phone’s flashlight) seems to be a necessity. The News-Press confirmed that by walking down all of those streets during recent months.

If not for Christmas light decorations around one resident’s tree, Alondra Drive would be mostly in the dark. The streetlights there offer little light, as shown by the News-Press photo running with this story.

City officials and members of the Goleta City Council spoke about what the city plans to do to increase lighting.

“I will work with staff and the community to build on the investment of over 1,400 new LED streetlights that have been added across Goleta in the past few

years, to ensure they are located more equitably and in a manner that increases safety,” Councilman James Kyriaco, whose district includes Old Town Goleta, told the News-Press. “I have heard from neighbors in Old Town that they would like additional street lights added, particularly on the north side of Hollister, and I will work with staff to prioritize this going forward, in a way that is consistent with neighborhood input as well as available resources.”

Currently the city does not have a current capital project in the works to add more lighting for Old Town streets, the News-Press learned.

But Goleta Public Works Director Charlie Ebeling told the News-Press, “The city of Goleta is interested in improving the safety of all its facilities, including roadways.

“While cities and counties are not obligated to provide street lighting, streetlights can improve safety,” he said.“Typically, streetlights are provided in suburban residential areas

and in some commercial areas. Streetlights are also often provided at intersections, pedestrian crossings and in some cases, bike paths.

“The installation of streetlights is guided by the city’s adopted standards and by engineering judgment of licensed civil engineering and traffic engineering professionals,” Mr. Ebeling said. “When installing new or additional street lights in an existing neighborhood, the Department of Public Works works closely with the residents of the neighborhood through community meetings and workshops.“Community concerns often range from desiring street lights for pedestrian safety to concern regarding light pollution and meeting ‘Dark Sky’s’ standards,” the public works director said. “Dark Sky standards include only installing lights where needed, not casting light onto neighboring properties and not casting light up into the sky. Additional concerns with street lighting are loss of parking

in cases where a streetlight does not fit behind a sidewalk or in a parkway strip.”

“In general, street lights located on wooden power poles are owned by Southern California Edison, and standalone streetlights are owned by the city,” he said. “The city-owned street lights have been converted to LED.”

Mr. Ebeling said the public works staff has reviewed the streetlights in the neighborhood on the northside of Hollister Avenue in Old Town Goleta.

“Almost all the streetlights are located at intersections,” he said. “Many of the roadway segments between intersections are lighted by outdoor lights on private property.

“The city does not currently have a Capital Improvement Project that includes adding street lighting to the Old Town Goleta residential neighborhood,” Mr. Ebeling said. “However, public works staff do look for opportunities with all projects

The Falcon 9 also carried Italian company D-Orbit’s spacetug, which had its own payloads — from Munich-based HPS, U.S. company EBAD, the Swiss institute EPFL and the New Zealand company StardustMe, according to Kate Tice, SpaceX quality system engineering manager. Ms. Tice listed the companies as she narrated the webcast of the launch at SpaceX.com.

D-Orbit’s payload included tech demo experiments and cremated human remains for customers in the U.S., Germany, New Zealand and Switzerland.

Tuesday’s mission was SpaceX’s seventh for this year and the second one in 2023 from Vandenberg.

The flight was originally scheduled for Sunday, then postponed to Monday, then finally rescheduled for Tuesday.

The rocket took off without any problems at 8:15 a.m. Shortly before the launch, Ms. Tice said, “Teams are tracking no issues with the vehicle.”

After the classic countdown of 10, 9, 8, etc., Falcon 9 took off.

“Go, Falcon. Go, Starlink,” a SpaceX announcer said calmly.

Thirty seconds in the launch, Falcon 9 was up to 477 kilometers per hour. Then at almost a minute in launch, SpaceX announced the Falcon 9 had become supersonic.

The webcast showed the speed at 1,144 kph.

“Falcon 9 is now traveling faster than the speed of sound,” Ms. Tice said. (The speed of sound is 1,234.8 kph.)

About 15 seconds later, Ms. Tice added, “We heard the call for maximum dynamic pressure, the largest amount of stress exerted on the vehicle.” That’s known as “max-q.”

Soon three events, one after another, set the stage for separation of the second stage, which was confirmed by SpaceX at 2 minutes, 37 seconds.

The webcast split into two views, with the first stage on its own and continuing to climb in altitude on the left, and the second stage on the right.

“On the left-hand side, you can see the fins, which will help to steer the vehicle back down for a precise landing” on SpaceX’s drone ship in the Pacific Ocean, Ms. Tice said.

The ship is called Of Course I Still Love You.

At nearly six minutes, the first stage started to make its descent back to Earth.

“There’s a stunning view there of the globe in the background,” Ms. Tice noted.

Around 6 minutes, 30 seconds, three engines were ignited on the first stage to help slow it down during its re-entry into the atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the second stage continued its ascent and orbit. Seven minutes into the flight, Ms. Tice reported, “Things are looking good for both the first and second stages.”

At around 8 minutes, 30 seconds, the first stage landed on the drone ship.

That marked the seventh landing of this Falcon 9 first-stage booster. email: dmason@newspress.com

stretch of Gato Avenue in a residential neighborhood in Old Town Goleta.

City of Santa Barbara ends state of emergency

It’s official.

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved ending the state of local emergency declared Jan. 9 by City Administrator Rebecca Bjork when the city was in the midst of being pelted by 5 inches of rain over two days.

The huge winter storm on Jan. 9 and 10 flooded city streets and left motorists trapped in their cars, clogged roads with debris and challenged the city’s infrastructure. Police and firefighters responded to hundreds of calls of stormrelated calls.

City Administrator Bjork’s call for a state of emergency was endorsed by the council on Jan. 12, but she reported to the council that the conditions of extreme peril necessitating the declaration of local emergency no longer exist and that the declaration of local emergency may be terminated.

The city, however, will continue to seek to recover costs and may continue to exercise authority under any federal, state or county emergency or disaster declaration arising from

or related to the storms and floods that gave rise to the city’s declaration of local emergency.

In a related item, Zabrina Tipton from the Small Business Administration told council members that homeowners and renters can join small businesses in applying for recovery assistance and obtain lowinterest loans.

The deadline for applying for help for physical damages is March 16, and the deadline for economic assistance is Oct. 16, she said.

She encouraged people who need assistance to visit onestop disaster recovery centers set up at Santa Barbara Airport and Alan Hancock College in Santa Maria, where they can get information from the city, county and FEMA.

Then it was on to the main item on the council’s agenda: approving Municipal Code amendments regarding zoning regulations for accessory dwelling units to comply with new state requirements and to update local standards.

New state legislation intended to increase production of Accessory Dwelling Units necessitates updating the city’s zoning regulations, staff said.

The changes by the state include an increase in the maximum building height limit and a number of technical changes intended to make ADUs easier to build.

Assistant Planner Jillian Ferguson told the council that standard ADUs that are detached from a primary residence can run between 850 and 1,200 square feet and be 25 feet in height. A standard ADU that is attached to a primary home can be half its size and be 17 to 18 feet tall.

The council unanimously approved the amendments, but added one change that would limit the height of ADUs built near main transit centers or in high fire hazard areas to 16 feet, with another 2 feet allowed to add on a roof.

Staff noted that a growing number of property owners have expressed interest in increasing the allowed number of ADUs.

Ms. Ferguson said the city received 200 applications just last year, that 83% of applications are reviewed within 30 days, and 96% meet the state’s 60-day deadline.

Councilmember Eric Friedman pushed hard to add on another change that would allow twobedroom ADUs to be 1000 square feet. He and other council

members noted that the city currently has a shortage of twobedroom rentals. After much discussion and going back and forth, he agreed that the council should consider the item at its upcoming retreat with the idea of sending it to the Planning Commission for consideration. Council members also will talk then about holding a future workshop to address other issues related to ADUs.

Councilmember Mike Jordan at first said any such workshop should deal with housing policy as a whole but agreed to limit the conversation to ADUs because that was the item on the agenda being discussed Tuesday.

Ms. Ferguson also noted that Santa Barbara is close to being the top city in the state in the actual production of ADUs.

“We’re doing a fantastic job producing ADUs within the city,” she said. “My understanding is that we’re near the top.”

Councilmember Kristen Sneddon said she heard the city was No. 1.

“I would say we’re close to No. 1,” Principal Planner Daniel Gullet said. email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

Westmont athlete named Basketball Player of the Week

By RON SMITH WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

For the second time this season, Westmont College athlete Stefanie Berberabe has been named the Golden State Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week.

The fifth-year senior led the Warriors to a 63-54 win over The Master’s on Saturday night with an all-around game in which she scored 17 points, pulled down six rebounds, gathered in five steals and dished off four assists.

Berberabe is the GSAC’s leader in steals (3.4 per game) and in assiststo-turnover ratio (4.7). She ranks second in the GSAC in assists at 5.7 per game.

In the Warrior record books, Berberabe is the program’s leading career scorer with 1,572 Points. In Saturday’s game, she became the career leader in field goals made at 619, surpassing Aysia Shellmire who had a career total of 613.

Berberabe was also named the GSAC Player of the Week on Dec. 19 after posting the third doubledouble of her career, and the second of the season, in a game

against Westcliff. She tallied 10 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals.

Westmont, ranked fifth in the NAIA, has a record of 18-1 on the season and 11-1 in GSAC play. The Warriors currently enjoy a one

Central Library temporarily closed

SANTA BARBARA — The Central Library will remain closed the rest of this week due to unanticipated construction impacts.

But the library, located at 40 E. Anapamu St. in Santa Barbara, is expected to reopen next Tuesday.

The Santa Barbara Public Library will continue with modified operations.

There was a critical failure of the dust mitigation for the elevator work Jan. 25 in the center of Central Library. In a cautious response, the library modified operations to protect the health and safety of the staff and patrons.

Central Library will remain closed while the air quality and construction plans are assessed and monitored.

Shooting victim taken to hospital

SANTA BARBARA — A man with a gunshot wound was transported Monday night to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

At 7:32 p.m. Monday, the Combined Communications Center received a report of a man who was bleeding in the 1200 block of San Pascual Street. It was later determined the victim had suffered a gunshot wound. Based on the preliminary investigation, this shooting appears to be an isolated incident, according to Sgt. Ethan Ragsalde, the Santa Barbara Police Department’s public information officer.

Sgt. Ragsdale said the victim suffered a single gunshot wound

Staff are unavailable to answer the Library’s main phone line, but patrons can contact library staff using the library’s chat during regular hours on the website (library.santabarbaraca.gov), texting 805- 273-8916, or calling the Eastside Library at 805-9633727 or the Montecito Library at 805-969-5063.

Patrons with holds ready for pickup at Central Library will be extended through the closure.

Central Library’s Faulkner Gallery is on a separate HVAC system, and room rental events scheduled are not impacted by the closure. But the galleries will be closed for art viewing outside of reserved times.

— Caleb Beeghly

and one-half game lead over Hope International (17-5, 10-3), whom they will play at 2 p.m. Saturday. Before the Royals come to town, however, Westmont will welcome San Diego Christian (616, 2-11) to Murchison Gymnasium

on Thursday evening. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Ron Smith is the sports information director at Westmont College. email: sports@newspress.com

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to his lower extremity and is currently in critical condition. This is an active investigation. Sgt. Ragsdale said further information will be released as it becomes available.

— Katherine Zehnder

Closures announced for Highway 101’s lanes, ramps

VENTURA — Caltrans has announced daytime and overnight closures of Seacliff’s off- and onramps and southbound lanes of Highway 101 near Ventura today through Monday for pavement rehabilitation. Signs will be posted. Caltrans

said motorists can expect delays. Daytime closures today through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily: Seacliff off- and on-ramps.

Nightly closures today through Friday 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.: Seacliff off- and on-ramps.

9 p.m. to 6 a.m.: Southbound Bypass Lane from Mussel Shoals to Faria Beach.

Weekend closures

7 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m.

Monday: Seacliff off- and onramps.

10 p.m. Friday to 9 a.m.

Saturday: Southbound bypass lane from Mussel Shoals to Faria Beach.

9 p.m. Saturday through 9 a.m.

Sunday: Southbound bypass

lane from Mussel Shoals to Faria Beach.

10 p.m. Sunday through 6 a.m. Monday: Southbound bypass lane from Mussel Shoals to Faria Beach.

One southbound bypass lane and two northbound lanes will remain open overnight. Two lanes in both directions will be open during the day.

Motorists traveling south can reach state beaches on Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1) by continuing to the Main Street off-ramp in Ventura, making 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 farther north on Highway 101.

— Katherine Zehnder

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COURTESY PHOTOS

Westmont College basketball player Stefanie Berberabe has been named Player of the Week twice this season by the Golden State Athletic Conference.

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS

The Central Library in Santa Barbara remains closed because of air quality concerns related to construction.

California voters will decide on a referendum to repeal a law governing fast-food working conditions in 2024

Editor’s note: This story has additional details on a news item that developed last week.

By VICTORIA ANTRAM BALLOTPEDIA VIA THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) — The California secretary of state last week announced that a veto referendum filed to repeal Assembly Bill 257 had qualified for the November 2024 ballot.

AB 257 would enact the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (FAST Recovery Act), which was passed along party lines and signed into law on Sept. 5. The act would authorize the creation of the fast-food council, within the Department of Industrial Relations, composed of 10 members including fastfood restaurant franchisors, franchisees, employees, advocates for employees, and a representative from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

AB 257 would also authorize the council to adopt a minimum wage for fast-food restaurant employees not to exceed $22 per hour in 2023 with adjustments annually.

The fast-food council would not be allowed to promulgate rules or standards concerning working conditions until the director of industrial relations received a petition approving the creation of the council signed by at least 10,000 California fastfood restaurant employees. The law would authorize the labor commissioner and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to enforce the regulations adopted by the state council. The labor commissioner would be required to investigate alleged violations and order appropriate remediation.

In California, the number of signatures required for a veto referendum is equal to 623,212 (5% of the votes cast in the preceding gubernatorial election). Save Local Restaurants, the campaign behind the repeal of the law, filed more than 1 million signatures on Dec. 5.

On Dec. 29, Save Local Restaurants filed a lawsuit against the director of the California Department of Industrial

Relations Katie Hagen, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber (a Democrat), and California Attorney General Rob Bonta (also a Democrat) asking the court to stop the state from enforcing the law, set to take effect Jan. 1, until the signature verification process was complete for the petition. On Jan. 13, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Shelleyanne W.L. Chang granted a preliminary injunction keeping the bill from taking effect until the petition is verified by the state.

On Jan. 24, the secretary of state reported that the final random sample count contained at least 712,568 valid signatures.

Save Local Restaurants said in a statement, “During the highest inflation in more than four decades, consumers want to know that the restaurant meals they need in their busy lives will continue to be affordable, and that the jobs their communities rely on will still be there. Before they lose the brands that they love, voters will get the chance to have their

say.”

The campaign has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Restaurant Association PAC, and International Franchise Association Franchising PAC.

The top donors to the committee funding the campaign include Chipotle Mexican Grill, In-N-Out Burgers, Starbucks, Yum! Brands, and Wing Stop.

Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, the author of AB 257 and a former fast-food franchisee, said, “AB 257 creates minimum standards for wages and work conditions, protects workers from being fired for organizing and establishes sectoral organizing with a fast food worker council.

I’m proud to have ushered an inclusive approach to the industry by giving employees the chance to be included in a process that has always impacted them.”

SEIU California State Council, California Employment Lawyers Association, California Labor Federation, and Gig Workers

Rising support upholding AB 257. Four other ballot measures have qualified for the ballot in 2024 in California. In March, voters will decide on a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to repeal a constitutional requirement that voters approve publicly-funded housing projects classified as low rent.

Three other citizen initiatives will be on the ballot in November:

• A combined statute and a constitutional amendment to create a state Pandemic Early Detection and Prevention Institute.

• A statute to increase the state minimum wage to $18 by 2026.

• A statute to repeal the Private Attorneys General Act and replaces it with a new process for remedying labor violations.

In California, a total of 402 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2022. Two hundred thirty-one ballot measures were approved, and 171 ballot measures were defeated.

California state senator proposes to restore media access to prisons, jails

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — California state Sen. Nancy Skinner introduced on Monday, Senate Bill 254, which proposes greater access to city and county jails and state prisons.

The proposed legislation gives the media, members of the legislature, judges, the governor and cabinet members, and members of the Committee on the Revision of the Penal Code, access to incarceration facilities in the state, upon request.

“The news media plays a vital role in providing information to the public and policymakers about how our government operates,” Sen. Skinner said.

“California used to allow the news media much greater access to state prisons, enabling us to learn more about prison conditions. But for the past three decades, California prisons have been among the least transparent in the nation.”

Prior to 1994, a wide range of prison issues including

disciplinary and corrective measures, health care and mental care, rehabilitative programs and conditions inside prisons were covered by the news media, but the California Legislature and the governor empowered the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to curtail media access during the “tough on crime” era, which peaked in the 1990s.

“SB 254 will reopen access so we can collect more — and better— information about how one of our largest state programs functions,” said Sena. Skinner.

The bill’s sponsors, including the California News Publishers Association and the California Broadcasters Association, hope it will bring transparency and provide important information to policymakers.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation will receive an operational budget of $14 billion for 2023. Greater access can ensure a measure of accountability on the use of taxpayers dollars in the prison system, if the bill is

enacted.

“This bill will allow local radio and television stations to keep their communities informed on how their tax dollars are being spent,” said Joe Berry, president and CEO of CBA.

Nine earlier attempts by the Legislature to roll back CDCR’s 1996 regulations and restore media access to prisons were passed by the Legislature, but each time they were vetoed by sitting governors: Pete Wilson, Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown.

This 10th attempt, modeled after a similar Florida law on prison access, would grant “prisons and jail interviews with incarcerated people during tours or in pre-arranged interviews — as long as the incarcerated person consents to being interviewed and the tour or interview does not pose an immediate and direct threat to the security of the institution. Representatives of the news media can use video cameras and other recording devices.”

If passed, the law would “prohibit prison and jail officials from monitoring news media interviews or recording them. Protect incarcerated individuals from being punished for participating in a news media interview and direct prison and jail officials to inform the incarcerated person’s attorney of record before a prearranged interview.”

Brittney Barsotti, general counsel of CNPA, stated, “Increasing media access to jails and prisons is critical for transparency. Current regulations are so onerous that there is no meaningful access. This bill will ensure access that is necessary to shine a light on what occurs inside our jails and prisons,”

Sen. Nancy Skinner, who represents the 9th Senate District and is chair of the Senate Budget Committee and the California Legislative Women’s Caucus said, “California prides itself on operating a transparent and open government. SB 254 will allow us to live up to that ideal when it comes to our prisons and jails.”

California attorney general joins 16-state coalition supporting New York gun restrictions

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta, joined 15 other states on Tuesday, in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in support of overturning the district court’s ruling that the New York’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act’s private-property provision “affirmatively exercises the right to exclude concealed carriers on behalf of all private property owners.” The appeal deals with that provision

default rule that firearms are not allowed on private property open to the public without express permission. The law criminalizes possession of a weapon on another person’s private property when the person carrying the firearm “knows or reasonably should know that the owner or lessee of such property” has not “given express consent” to carry firearms on the premises. The provision applies to a variety of locations: offices, stores, malls, parking lots, hotels, business conference centers and much more, making it an offense to carry a weapon into these areas without prior approval by the property owners.

The coalition of the District of Columbia and states — including Illinois, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington — argue that this does not infringe on the Second Amendment rights of gun owners but rather protects residents from the harmful effects of gun violence and promotes the safe and responsible use of firearms.

“In no way does the Second Amendment create a free-forall rule that guns will be allowed

The In-N-Out location at 4865 Calle Real in Goleta stays busy on a regular basis. A referendum to overturn the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act will be on the November ballot.

25 GOP governors ask Biden administration to hit pause on broader clean water rule

By DEREK DRAPLIN THE CENTER SQUARE REGIONAL EDITOR

(The Center Square) — Twentyfive Republican governors oppose a revised federal rule regulating U.S. waterways, citing uncertainty from an undecided U.S. Supreme Court case related to the rule.

The governors sent a letter to the Biden administration on Monday asking it to delay the implementation of the revised Waters of the United States rule since the U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering Sackett v. EPA. The revised WOTUS rule, released on Dec. 30, reinstates pre2015 water protections under the federal Clean Water Act. The rule was scaled back under the Trump administration, which triggered lawsuits from environmental groups.

“The substance of the rule hinders state governments as we seek to give clarity and consistency to businesses, farms and individuals regarding the regulatory framework for water,” the 25 GOP governors wrote. “The broad definitions used in the 514page document only add to the confusing and complicated history of WOTUS. In fact, it appears that the EPA is seeking to regulate private ponds, ditches and other small water features.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in December the revised rule applies to “traditional navigable waters, the territorial seas, interstate waters, as well as upstream water resources that significantly affect those waters.”

“When Congress passed the Clean Water Act 50 years ago,

it recognized that protecting our waters is essential to ensuring healthy communities and a thriving economy,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. “Following extensive stakeholder engagement, and building on what we’ve learned from previous rules, EPA is working to deliver a durable definition of WOTUS that safeguards our nation’s waters, strengthens economic opportunity, and protects people’s health while providing greater certainty for farmers, ranchers, and landowners.”

The governors also questioned the timing of the new rule, given ongoing inflation.

“Another burdensome and overbroad regulation from the federal government could not come at a worse time for America,”

GUNS

they wrote. “Having already squandered much of America’s energy independence, you should not increase costs for consumers by tying up energy production with even more red tape.”

Environmental groups praised the Biden administration’s revised WOTUS rule.

“This comes at a time when we’re seeing unprecedented attacks on federal clean water protections by polluters and their allies,” Jon Devine, director of federal water policy for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement last month. “While the nation still has significant work to do to fully protect important waters, it’s encouraging to see the country taking a step in the right direction to protect the waters we need for everyone’s health and the environment.”

Overregulation can limit reach, effectiveness of U.S. charities

By BRETT ROWLAND

SQUARE STAFF REPORTER

(The Center Square) — Overregulation of charitable organizations can make it more difficult to get care to residents where they need it most, according to a new study from Philanthropy Roundtable, a Washington D.C.based organization dedicated to protecting philanthropic freedom.

The group’s analysis classified state regulations of charities into five categories: start-up regulations, annual reporting requirements, rules for paid solicitors, audit mandates and oversight regulations. Pacific Research Institute economist Wayne Winegarden wrote the report, The 50 State Index

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to add items such as street lights when possible. Working with the residents in this area would be critical for any project because of the potential for loss of parking and to determine if light cast on adjacent properties even with Dark Sky standards would be a problem.

“Many residential buildings in Old Town are very close to the roadway and would, therefore, be very close to a new streetlight,” Mr. Ebeling said.

Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards told the News-Press, “I am very open to hearing residents’ concerns about the safety of our community, but I have not heard many — if any -— complaints about poor lighting on these streets in Old Town. I take the safety of our neighborhoods very seriously, and the city wants to do what we can to make sure our streets are safe for everyone…”

Mayor Pro Tempore Richards noted the city has made safety improvements in Old Town Goleta, including the 2020 completion of a project that added sidewalks and drainage improvements. Mr. Richards said the work ensured an accessible sidewalk on at least one side of the street.

“Without sidewalks, it was not uncommon to see parents pushing

of Charity Regulations, for Philanthropy Roundtable.

According to the report, five states with the friendliest regulatory environment toward charitable organizations were Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Delaware and Idaho.

The report said the five states with the most burdensome regulatory environment toward charitable organizations were Connecticut, Mississippi, New Jersey, Florida and Pennsylvania.

“While some regulations are needed to foster accountability, what this new research shows is that too much regulation inhibits Americans’ ability to effectively support causes they care about as donations are swallowed up by regulatory burdens,” said Elizabeth McGuigan, the senior director of

babies in strollers in the middle of the street. Now that every block has an accessible sidewalk, pedestrians have a safe place to traverse the neighborhood,” said Mayor Pro Tempore Richards.

“The city has already approved a project that will re-stripe a half-mile stretch of Hollister Avenue to add a designated Class II bike lane, which will significantly improve the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages,” Mr. Richards said. “This project is expected to be in construction by this summer and completed by fall. And finally, in terms of protecting the safety of persons and property, the city’s upcoming EkwillHollister Avenue. This project will include the replacement of the San Jose Creek Bridge, thereby reducing potential flood hazards for a significant portion of Old Town.”

Policy and Government Affairs for Philanthropy Roundtable.

“This paper advances our understanding of the impact of regulations on the charitable sector and can inform states looking to improve their regulatory environment to better support people in need.”

Obstacles can run the gamut.

“This study found a strong correlation between heavier regulatory burdens and a lower number of charities in a state. Unfortunately, the most vulnerable in these states may find less support in a more limited charitable landscape,” Ms. McGuigan said. “Those interested in starting a charity may run into insurmountable regulatory obstacles or smaller existing charities may be forced to cut back on meeting their mission in order

FYI

To request the installation of additional street light poles in Goleta, submit your request to Michael Winnewisser, assistant engineer, at mwinnewisser@cityofgoleta.org. New light pole requests are confirmed through a local lighting analysis. If the analysis determines that a new pole is necessary to improve any lighting issues in the area, a new pole will be installed, according to the city of Goleta.

awareness that drivers have relative to pedestrians and bicyclists,” Mr. Ebeling said. “The city of Goleta acquired over 1,400 streetlights throughout the city from SCE. These 1,400 street lights have been retrofitted with LED fixtures, which provide better lighting in a more energyefficient way.”

Director Ebeling addressed concerns about Alondra, Nectarine, Mallard and Mandarin.

“The city only acquired a portion of the streetlights in Goleta. Old Town in particular has a large proportion of lights currently owned and maintained by SCE,” he said.

On Alondra, the city owns three of the five light poles — replaced with LEDs by the city of Goleta, Mr. Ebeling said.

to comply with unnecessary red tape.”

Dr. Winegarden said more burdensome regulations require charities to spend more time, money and other resources complying with state mandates rather than fulfilling their missions.

“States with excessive regulations undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of the charitable sector,” Dr. Winegarden said. “States interested in making sure that charitable resources are available for those in need should streamline state regulations and eliminate the ones that are unnecessary or overly burdensome.”

State regulations can vary significantly, but the environment is different for charities than for businesses.

owned by SCE, according to Director Ebeling.

Former Goleta City Councilman Roger Aceves talked about the lack of lighting.

“When I was on the Goleta City Council, I also served on Southern California Edison’s Government Advisory Panel representing our area,” he told the NewsPress. “While on the panel I was successful in providing leadership in the acquisition of many light poles. Once purchased, we began retrofitting with LED lighting. It was during this process that studies were conducted based on coverage and color.

“What was not looked at was the additional coverage in Old Town. The city needs to spend time and money to ensure that we have adequate lighting for public safety. This should be a priority,” Mr. Aceves told the News-Press.

Mr. Aceves served on the city council for 16 years before he was unseated in the November 2022 election by Luz-Reyes Martin.

The News-Press asked Director Ebeling what the timeline is for these improvements.

The News-Press asked Director Ebeling what the city plans to do concerning the lack of lighting.

“Street lighting improves pedestrian and bicyclist visibility and can increase the vision and

GARCIA CORONEL, Ubaldo

Ubaldo resided in Santa Barbara from 1960, until moving to Texas in 2022, due to illness to be closer to family. He was known for his love of hunting, going to the Santa Barbara swap meets, cooking at family barbecues, and Saturday breakfast with his friends at Litos. Even though he was born in Mexico, he considered Santa Barbara his home town. He will be fondly remembered and missed by all that knew him.

Obituary notices are published daily in the Santa Barbara News-Press and also appear on our website www.newspress.com

To place an obituary, please email the text and photo(s) to obits@newspress.com or fax text only (no photos) to (805) 966-1421. Please include your name, address, contact phone number and the date(s) you would like the obituary to be published. Photos should be in jpeg format with at least 200 dpi. If a digital photo is not available, a picture may be brought into our office for scanning. We will lay out the obituary using our standard format. A formatted proof of the obituary and the cost will be emailed back for review and approval. The minimum obituary cost to print one time is $150.00 for up to 1.5” in length -- includes 1 photo and up to 12 lines of text, approximately 630 characters; up to approximately 930 characters without a photo. Add $60.00 for each additional inch or partial inch after the first 1.5”; up to approximately 700 characters per additional inch.

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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.

On Nectarine, all three streetlights on this street are owned by SCE.

On Mallard, the city owns two of four light poles, replaced with LEDs by the city of Goleta.

On Mandarin Drive, all four streetlights on this street are

anywhere, at any time, and for any purpose,” Attorney General Bonta said in a released statement. “The coalition of 16 attorneys general argue in the brief that New York’s restriction is one in a long line of government regulations designed to make gun possession and use safer for the public, and is a lawful exercise of states’ regulatory and police powers to enact such a law.”

California has some of the toughest gun laws but has already seen 30 fatalities and several serious injuries in six gun-related incidents since the start of the year. The nation as a whole, has had 43 mass shootings so far in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The appeal said that the default rule is in line with the preference of most New Yorkers and falls well within the rights of the state legislature to craft laws to protect public safety and property owners.

Opponents of the default rule see it as an infringement of Second Amendment rights. Gun related incidents have been quantified to cost the U.S $557 billion annually in an average of over 120 deaths per day. A report by the Center for Disease Control found that “Defensive use of guns by crime victims is a common occurrence, although the exact number remains disputed. Almost all national survey estimates indicate that defensive gun

uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals, with estimates of annual uses ranging from about 500,000 to more than 3 million, in the context of about 300,000 violent crimes involving firearms in 2008.”

The controversial rule should be upheld, the coalition argues, because it:

• Does not interfere with the exercise of Second Amendment rights. According to the coalition, the Second Amendment does not include the right to carry firearms on another person’s private property without their consent.

• Sets a default rule that protects public safety and at the same time preserves the rights of both property owners and gun owners.

• Helps the public identify those privately-owned businesses that permit the carrying of firearms on the premises.

• Is consistent with default rules that currently exist in other states.

“New York’s law empowers property owners to determine whether and under what conditions others can bring guns onto their property and ensures that gun owners abide by the wishes of property owners,” Attorney General Bonta said. “It does not interfere with the exercise of Second Amendment rights. We urge the court to overturn this decision. At a time when more Americans are dying from gun violence than ever before, states must be permitted to take commonsense actions to protect the public.”

“The remaining streetlights are still owned and maintained by SCE. Currently, SCE is undergoing its own LED conversion process, which would improve brightness to the existing light fixtures. No new poles are anticipated to be installed.”

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

BOTTIANI, Nancy Ann (Atkins)

Nancy Ann Bottiani passed away on January 16, 2023, at the age of 96. Nancy was born to Eric and Laura Atkins on May 2, 1926. She was raised in Wisconsin and moved to Santa Barbara in her mid 20s where she met and married Carlo Bottiani. Nancy and Carlo enjoyed traveling, horseback riding and living on the family ranch; they were married for 54 years. Nancy loved to stay active and enjoyed China painting and any craft allowing her to use her artistic talents. She was preceded in death by husband, Carlo, daughter, Ann Marie Mizes, and brother, Tommy Atkins. She is survived by son, Charles Bottiani, daughter, Jean (David) Thompson, and grandchildren, Angelia Bottiani, Emily Bottiani, and Trey Thompson. She remained independent through the end of her life, and if asked, she would tell you her secret was walking, a little wine and chocolate!

Nancy was a proud and faithful member of St Raphael’s parish. A Rosary service will be held at St Raphael’s Catholic Church on Thursday, February 9th, at 7:00 p.m. A graveside service will be held at Calvary Cemetery on Friday, February 10th, at 11:00 a.m. All are welcome!

IN MEMORY

LISA KIMBRELL STATHOPOULOS

February 11, 1964 - February 1, 2013

“Grief never ends . . . but it changes. is a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor Lack of faith. It is the price of love.”

Loving you always, Mom, Dad, Nick (Caitlin), and Baby Ellie

New chef at Finch & Fork plans unique Valentine menu

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Featuring local wildforaged ingredients from the land and sea of the Central Coast, a four-course “Wild About You — A Valentine’s Day Dinner” will be offered from 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Finch & Fork restaurant in the Kimpton Canary Hotel, 31 W. Carrillo St. in downtown Santa Barbara.

Planning the menu is the new executive chef Nathan Lingle, a Maine native who grew up living an organic “farm-to-table” life, where his family gardened, farmed, fished and foraged for their daily meals, utilizing and sourcing from neighbors and local craftspeople.

He brings with him nearly two decades of culinary experience in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the world such as the Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, where he partnered with celebrated French chef Eric Ripert on the concept for 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge; Ritz-Carlton, Naples; Sagamore Resort and Spa; Cliffhouse Maine; L’Auberge, Del Mar; Costa and Café Lido at Mar Monte Hotel in Santa Barbara; and the Michelin Starrated Manresa in Los Gatos.

Chef Lingle comes to Finch & Fork most recently from FRINJ Coffee in Goleta, a sustainable agricultural model that pioneers California-grown coffee.

Among items on the “Wild About You” menu are Kabocha Squash Tortellini, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Purple Sage Bush; Goleta Chantarelle Mushroom Tart, Sheep’s Milk Ricotta; Bay Laurel Smoked

Kiri Squash, Green Olive Salsa Verde, Wild Mustard Greens; Ridgeback Shrimp, Roan Mills Porridge, Texture of Fennel, Pressed Pepper; Roasted Rabbit, Winter Carrot, Parsnip, Nettle Chimichurri, Wild Rice Granola; Pine Nut Tart, Thyme Carmel, Spruce Chantilly; and San Martin Chocolate, Carob, Torta, Strawberry, White Sage.

Complementing Chef Lingle’s menu is a world-class wine program showcasing the best of the Central Coast with a selection of more than 100 wines and local beer, along with a thoughtfully curated cocktail menu featuring the classics along with signature libations such as a Maple Old Fashioned, an infusion of maple syrup, Suntory Toki Whiskey and black lemon bitters; the Rosefinch, Malfy Gin Rosa, Compari, Grapefruit and monk fruit; and a Cabrillo Boulevardier, featuring Monkey Shoulder scotch, Campari, Carpano Antica vermouth and orange peel. The cost for the dinner is $110,

Life theArts

‘Wild About You’

CALENDAR

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 805565-6162 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.

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 p.m. Steve Penniman, vice president of the Santa Barbara Model A Club, will be the speaker at the club’s business meeting at Southcoast Church, 5814 Cathedral Oaks Road, Goleta. The meeting is open to the public. Mr. Penniman will discuss NASA’s OSIRIS-REx and the space agency’s trip to the asteroid Benue to bring back samples.

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. 2

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic will provide free dental care for local children during its third annual Give Kids A Smile event on Feb. 2. The free day of exams, cleanings and more will take place at the clinic, located on the Chumash Reservation at 90 Via Juana Lane,l Santa Ynez.

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.

FEB. 8

8 p.m. Transform Through Arts will present 10 dance companies in “Colors of Love” at the Center Stage Theater, upstairs at Paseo Nuevo in Santa Barbara. General admission costs $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Tickets are $25 for students. To purchase, go to www. centerstagetheater.org.

FEB. 12 Noon. Participants in Ted Nash’s workshop will go on stage at the Mary Craig Auditorium, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2023

COURTESY PHOTO

The Nicole Lvoff Jazz Trio, starring Ms. Lvoff, above, will perform Feb. 18 at Crush Bar & Tap in Santa Barbara.

PHOTOS COURTESY FINCH & FORK RESTAURANT

Nathan Lingle, the new executive chef at Finch & Fork in Santa Barbara, is a Maine native who grew up living an organic “farm-to-table” life.

Please see FINCH & FORK on B2

At left, old Fashioned cocktails are part of the experience at Finch & Fork. At right, Blue Wave is among the restaurant’s creative cocktails.

Girl Scout cookies to be sold at Maritime Museum

SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way, will be partnering with the Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast again as local Girl Scouts will be on the museum’s patio to display and sell Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties and Shortbread (Trefoils), as well as some newer flavors.

Included are vegan and vegetarian options.

This year, cookie sales will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on selected weekends from Feb. 12 and March 12 with updates posted on SBMM’s social media-www.facebook. com/sbmaritimemuseum and on Facebook at #sbmaritimemuseum.

Cookie sales, which began in 1917, are one of Girl Scouting’s oldest and most iconic traditions since its founding by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912. “The Girl Scout Cookie program fuels local Girl Scouts’ adventures throughout the year — exploring what interests

PCPA to present

‘The River Bride’ in Santa Maria

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

“The River Bride,” the story of folklore, love, regret and two sisters who struggle to be true to each other and their hearts will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) from Feb. 16 through March 5 in Santa Maria.

The play will be performed at the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College.

Inspired by the Brothers Grimm and Brazilian folklore, “The River Bride” takes the audience to a lyrical “once upon a time” along the Amazon River.

COURTESY PHOTO

Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast will sell cookies at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

them, discovering their passions and taking action on issues they care about,” said Tammie Helmuth, CEO of Girls Scouts of California’s Central Coast. “Plus, all proceeds from sales

at SBMM will stay local to help fund life-changing, girl-led programs, experiences and learning.”

— Marilyn McMahon

Shelters seek homes for pets

Local animal shelters and their nonprofit partners are looking for homes for pets.

For more information, go to these websites:

• Animal Services-Lompoc, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc.

• Animal Shelter Assistance Program in Goleta, asapcats.org.

ASAP is kitty corner to Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter in Goleta, bunssb.org. BUNS is based at Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Companion Animal Placement

Assistance, lompoccapa.org and facebook.com/capaoflompoc.

CAPA works regularly with Animal Services-Lompoc.

• K-9 Placement & Assistance League, k-9pals.org. K-9 PALS works regularly with Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation, sbcanimalcare. org. (The foundation works regularly with the Santa Maria Animal Center.)

• Santa Barbara County Animal Services in Goleta: countyofsb.org/ phd/animal/home.sbc.

• Santa Barbara Humane (with

campuses in Goleta and Santa Maria), sbhumane.org.

• Santa Maria Animal Center, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc. The center is part of Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society/DAWG in Buellton, syvhumane.org.

• Shadow’s Fund (a pet sanctuary in Lompoc), shadowsfund.org.

• Volunteers for Inter-Valley Animals in Lompoc: vivashelter. org.

— Dave Mason

Public Announcements from Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens Area Agency on Aging

Public Comments Sought to Create Senior Friendly Communities

Come, share your insights to help ensure that limited federal monies are meeting the priorities of senior citizens and family caregivers through the work of the Area Agency on Aging. All interested persons are welcome to attend and participate. Persons needing accommodation must contact the Area Agency on Aging three days prior to the Listening Session.

Join us in the Listening Session via Zoom or telephone conference March 2, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

Zoom ID: 849 4023 5458

Passcode: 734083

Access the meeting by toll-free telephone: dial 1-833-548-0276

For additional information, contact the Area Agency on Aging at 805-925-9554

Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens Area Agency on Aging announces the release of Request For Proposals for services authorized by the Older Americans Act. The services to be funded are:

Title IIIC: Congregate Nutrition

$687,775 for the provision of a minimum 91,703 meals to a minimum 350 senior citizens at the congregate nutrition sites in Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria. The service provider must provide nutrition education.

$1,504 for the provision of 56 sessions of nutrition education presentations (provided quarterly) to 600 senior citizens at the congregate nutrition sites in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County.

Title IIIC: Home Delivered Nutrition

$615,309 for the provision of a minimum 82,041 meals to a minimum 316 senior citizens in Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara/ Goleta and Carpinteria. The service provider must provide nutrition education.

Family Caregiver Support Program — Respite Care services

$145,565 is available for the provision of care receiver services by an appropriately skilled provider or volunteer in order to prevent wandering and health or safety incidents in the instance when an eligible caregiver is not present.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (Title IIID)

$41,330 is available for the provision of an evidence-based health promotion program, including programs related to the prevention and mitigation of the effects of chronic disease (including, but not limited to, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease), alcohol and substance abuse reduction, smoking cessation, weight loss and control, stress management, falls prevention, physical activity, and improved nutrition. For a list of ACL approved Evidence-Based programs, please visit the National Council on Aging website at https://www.ncoa.org/resources/ebpchart.

Unit of service: One (1) contact.

Applications for these services will be available at an Applicants Conference, Thursday, February 10, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. via ZOOM. To secure the link, contact the Area Agency on Aging.

Applications are due March 16, 2023 at 5PM PDT.

For additional information, contact the Area Agency on Aging at 805-925-9554 (option 6) or aaron.pankratz@centralcoastseniors.org

It is part of a three-play cycle termed “Grim Latino Fairytales” by Marisela Treviño Orta, a thirdgeneration Mexican-American poet/playwright.

After the play’s development in residency with Alter Theater Ensemble in San Rafael, “The River Bride” premiered in 2016 at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and has graced stages across the country and Britain ever since. It was awarded the National Latino Playwriting Award.

“The River Bride” is inspired by traditional Amazon River folklore about the river dolphin or Boto Encanto, which frequently appear in South American mythology. In some myths, Botos (or Encante) are magical beings that are playful, clever and responsible for mysterious occurrences. In other tales, the Boto becomes a symbol of elegance, empathy and fluid sensuality. Still others tell tales of Botos taking human form and appearing during the night along the Amazon River as handsome young men.

It is said that beneath the murky river waters, Botos come from a beautiful world of wealth, without pain or fear of death, but their longing to experience the pleasure and pain of human existence draws them to shore.

Botos were believed to possess exquisite musical ability, charm, sensuality, were drawn to parties and were often said to seduce young women. In the morning, the Botos returned to the river never

to be seen again.

“In many ways, ‘The River Bride’ is a story about stories. This unapologetically poetic play asks us to question the stories we are told as well as the stories we tell about ourselves and others,” said Marilet Martinez, director.

Bride” from Feb. 16 through March 5.

journey.”

The cast features Christen Celaya as Helena, Rosie Quintana as Belmira, Johnny Valerio as Moises, Oscar Emmanuel Fabela as Duarte, Hugo Carbajal as Sr. Costa and Dena Martinez as Sra. Costa.

“The characters and words were so visceral, so familiar in their dreams and fallibility, so filled with magic that I have been under their spell since.

“This story invites us to joyfully step into the vulnerability of love, to act on the intuitive knowing of our hearts without self-inflicted complication. It dares us to trust our gut with unwavering conviction. I offer this physicalized poem to the most hopeful parts in each of us. May we love bravely and risk fully. Thank you for joining us on this

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com.

FYI

“The River Bride,” the story of folklore, love, regret and two sisters who struggle to be true to each other and their hearts will be presented by PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) from Feb. 16 through March 5 in Santa Maria. To purchase show tickets, which are $49, visit www.pcpa.org or call the box office at 805-922-8313.

FINCH & FORK

Continued from Page B1

and reservations are strongly suggested.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Chef Lingle to the team,” said Richard Cox, Kimpton Canary general manager. “He brings a wonderful

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1

State St. The free program is called “Transformation: Personal Stories of Change, Acceptance and Evolution” and will feature student composers, performers and writers from Mr. Nash’s workshop.

FEB. 14 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nicole Lvoff and Joe Woodard will perform on Valentine’s Day at the Crush Bar & Tap, 1129 A State St., Santa Barbara. Their music varies from Beatles songs to jazz standards. For more information, go to crushbarsb.com.

FEB. 18

wealth of culinary talent to our team, and we look forward to sharing the incredible menus he is crafting with our treasured guests.”

“I am excited to be partnering with local farmers, artisans and fisher people in developing new menu items at Finch & Fork,” said Chef Lingle, “and am looking forward to showcasing the skills

7 to 9 p.m. The Nicole Lvoff Jazz Trio will perform at Crush Bar & Tap, 1129 A State St., Santa Barbara. There’s no cover. For more information, go to crushbarsb.com.

Feb. 19

4 p.m. The Takács Quartet will perform an all-Beethoven concert at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episocpal Church, 2901 Nojoqui Ave., Los Olivos.

Tickets cost $20 for general admission.

To purchase, go to smitv.org/syvconcert-series. Tickets for students are free. For more information, contact Linda Burrows at 805-705-0938 or syvconcerts@smitv.org.

7 p.m. Singers Ken Stacy and Claire Khodara will perform at SOhO Restaurant and Music Club, 1221 State St., Suite 205, Santa Barbara. General

of this incredible culinary team.” email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

FYI

For more information about the Finch & Fork restaurant and to make reservations, visit www. finchandforkrestaurant.com.

admission costs $25 in advance and $30 cash on the day of the show. To purchase or get a dinner reservation, go to www.sohosb.com.

March 9 7 p.m. Pianist Jerome Lowenthal, who served as a Music Academy of the West teaching artist for half a century, will perform a concert, “Lowenthal’s Legend,” at the academy’s Hahn Hall, 1070 Fairway Road, Montecito. Tickets are $55 for general admission and free for ages 7-17. To purchase, go to musicacademy.org to call the academy’s box office at 805-969-8787.

— Dave Mason

COURTESY PHOTO

PCPA is performing “The River

PHOTOS COURTESY FINCH & FORK RESTAURANT Executive Chef Nathan Lingle’s special dishes grace the menu at Finch & Fork.

Diversions

Thought for Today

“There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

ARIES — Your dreams might be especially intense now, and some could even be prophetic. You may have recently dreamed of an old friend you haven’t seen for a while. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly hear from this person, Aries. You might also come up with some previously unknown ideas for advancing yourself professionally.

TAURUS — Social events involving both old and new friends could prove especially satisfying at this time, Taurus. You will be able to catch up with those you haven’t seen for a while. You might also be introduced to new people who prove valuable business contacts in the future.

GEMINI — Today you might decide to get some annoying but necessary chores done, Gemini. You have the energy and stamina to finish them and probably will, although you may go crazy from boredom in the meantime. Your mind should be especially active, so don’t be surprised if during the course of doing your chores you find the answers to questions you’ve been asking yourself for a long time.

CANCER — Some information that you’ve been seeking for a long time might finally be unEarthed today through your diligent efforts, Cancer. This is going to increase your ability to take on whatever challenges you’re planning to address. Your already sharp business acumen is likely to be enhanced by whatever you discover.

LEO — Leo, some volatile emotional matters that may have reared their heads over the past few days could finally be settled to the satisfaction of all involved. The subject of money may come up. Happiness reigns in the home, as all the members of your household are basically pleased with the way their lives are going.

VIRGO — Some solid, honest communication between you and those you love is likely to clear up some confusion. Roles are more clearly defined, emotional problems clarified, and chores are more fairly allotted. This is going to make a big difference in your daily life. The removal of relationship issues will guarantee that the atmosphere is more harmonious from now on.

LIBRA — Today you might

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

It’s said that adversity introduces a man to himself. If you’re declarer at four spades and seem to have three trumps and a heart to lose, how do you react?

Today’s auction looks odd, but some players believe in bidding when it’s their turn. I might have opened as South had the long suit been a major. North had 12 good points and was unwilling to stop below game, though he might have seen South’s “opening bids” before.

FUTILE

West led a heart, and South’s situation looked grim. He took the ace and knew that leading a trump was futile. So South cashed the Q-K of clubs and next led the ace. West ruffed with his low trump; if he ruffed with the ace, dummy would pitch the heart loser.

Declarer overruffed in dummy, ruffed a diamond and led another club. West had to discard again, declarer threw dummy’s last heart and East ruffed.

South ruffed the heart return in dummy, threw his last heart on the ace of diamonds and led a trump: queen, nine, ace. He lost one more trump to the king, making four. What’s the problem?

You hold:

feel the need to get as much done as possible. You’re especially energetic, Libra, and you have stamina and focus, and so you should be able to accomplish whatever you want. Tasks and chores you may have put off finally get done today. Don’t work too hard, however. You will want to save some energy for tomorrow.

SCORPIO — You might need to do some of the less exciting chores involved with creative or artistic projects today, Scorpio. You’re in the right frame of mind to get them done. Your efficiency is at a peak. A practical, nononsense manner marks all your interactions. By day’s end you should feel more than satisfied with what you’ve done.

SAGITTARIUS — You may have let household tasks and chores go for a few days, Sagittarius, so today you might decide to get them all done at once. You have the energy and the stamina to do it. However, take care not to get too caught up in little details that only you tend to notice. This can keep you from getting the most important chores done.

CAPRICORN — Some letters and calls that you may have agreed to do for a group you’re affiliated with might have to be taken care of today, Capricorn. Don’t be surprised if you spend a lot of your time on the phone. It might take a little persistence, as some of the people you need to reach may not be in. But you’re likely to get everything done.

AQUARIUS — You may need to take care of paperwork related to financial matters today, Aquarius. You will pay bills, make deposits, or balance checkbooks. Whatever you need to handle, you will get it done, and done well. You might even find that you’re better off financially than you thought you were. In the evening, go to a movie and forget about money for a while.

PISCES — You should be especially efficient in whatever work you need to get done today, Pisces. Your natural eye for detail is especially sharp. You’re also feeling industrious, energetic, and efficient, so don’t be surprised if others give you some admiring compliments. When the work is all done, you might reward yourself by making some definite plans for a vacation you’ve been dreaming about for a while.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3-by-3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9. that means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box. Sudoku puzzles appear on the Diversions page Monday through Saturday.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers to previous CODEWORD

How to play Codeword

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.

PUZZLE

your right, opens one club. After two passes, your partner bids one heart. The opening bidder passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner may have “balanced” with a light hand.

Actions in the “passout” seat may be shaded, to prevent the opponents from buying the contract cheaply. If partner had an opening bid or more, he might have started with a double. Settle for a raise to two hearts. South dealer

King Classic Sudoku

Wyoming bill would allocate resources to fund border wall

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — Republican lawmakers in Wyoming are advancing legislation that would appropriate more than $5 million toward border security efforts in Texas, Arizona and Florida.

SF0166, “Border wall and sanctuary city transport,” was filed by Republican state Sen. Larry Hicks, with Sens. Dave Kinskey, John Kolb and Cheri Steinmetz cosponsoring. Republican state Reps. John Bear, Donald Burkhart, Mark Jennings and Ember Oakley filed the House companion bill.

The bill would appropriate funds to construct “a border wall along the southwest land border as specified; … to aid other states in transporting non-citizens of the United States to sanctuary

cities located in other states; and providing for an effective date.”

It would allocate $3 million to the office of the governor, allowing the governor to enter into a contract with the state of Texas to help fund construction of the border wall and transport non-citizens released by the Biden administration into the U.S. to so-called sanctuary cities in other states. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, the first governor to build a border wall on state land and the first to transport foreign nationals in the U.S. illegally to sanctuary cities, announced Monday that Texas was moving forward with border wall construction after the first phase was completed last year and the second phase began in December. The Wyoming bill would allocate the money to fund “partial construction of a permanent border wall along the southwest

land border between Texas and Mexico and for the transportation of non-citizens of the United States from Texas to sanctuary cities in other states.”

Of the $3 million, only $250,000 can be used “to transport noncitizens of the United States from Texas to sanctuary cities in other states.” The bill would require in the contract between the two states that Texas “submit an accounting outlining legitimate and reasonable expenditures made for the construction of the permanent border wall along the southwest land border and the expenditures for transporting non-citizens of the United States from Texas to sanctuary cities in other states.”

The bill also would appropriate $2 million for the governor to enter into a similar contract with the state of Arizona to also contribute to Arizona’s “partial construction

of a permanent border wall along the southwest land border between Arizona and Mexico and for the transportation of non-citizens of the United States from Arizona to sanctuary cities in other states.” It also stipulates that Arizona could not use more than $250,000 to transport foreign nationals in the country illegally to sanctuary cities and requires Arizona to submit accounting information.

The bill also would appropriate $250,000 for the governor to enter into a contract with the state of Florida to assist it with transporting non-citizens from Florida to sanctuary cities in other states, and require Florida to submit accounting documentation. If passed and signed into law, the legislation would become effective July 1, 2023. If the funds allocated for these states aren’t spent or obligated by July 1, 2024,

the governor may expend them according to the bill language.

The bills state that the record apprehensions of illegal foreign nationals, including those on the terrorist watch list and with criminal convictions, and unprecedented amounts of drugs seized in fiscal 2022 are negatively impacting Wyoming’s residents.

It cites more than 2.3 million encounters of foreign nationals apprehended at the southern border in fiscal 2022, nearly five times the population of Wyoming.

It excludes the over 630,000 gotaways — those who entered illegally and evaded capture by law enforcement. That’s also greater than the population of Wyoming.

In addition to the nearly 15,000 pounds of fentanyl seized by Border Patrol agents in fiscal 2022, the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation reported

that law enforcement officers seized more than 17,000 grams of fentanyl in 2021. It excludes the amount of fentanyl Texas law enforcement has seized in the last nearly two years alone, which is enough to kill everyone in the U.S.

“The illegal immigration of noncitizens of the United States at the southwest land border negatively impacts the state of Wyoming’s economy and places a burden on Wyoming law enforcement agencies,” the bill states. “Construction of a permanent border along the southwest land border between the United States and Mexico constitutes a public purpose and provides substantial benefits to the health and welfare of citizens of the state of Wyoming.”

The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced the bill on Thursday by a vote of 3-2.

Survey: Two-thirds of Americans fear inflation will worsen

By GLENN MINNIS THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — Two of every three Americans fear inflation will be worse in 2023 than it was last year, prompting nearly 90% of respondents overall in a new WalletHub survey to admit they are now concerned about the issue.

The Fed Rate Hike Survey

was conducted online over a five-day period beginning Jan. 9. Researchers found that 70% of Americans now fear a recession is inevitable with 45% admitting they are not financially prepared for such a downturn.

“People are still seeing high prices for everything and are still getting high utility bills,” WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez told The Center Square. “This

is what makes the pessimism regarding inflation persist.

Plus, as long as the war in Ukraine continues and if the job market starts showing signs of deceleration, people will still have economy-related anxiety.”

With the Federal Reserve widely expected to continue raising its target rate by 25 basis points today, Ms. Gonzalez said the federal government is doing what

some would expect to slow rising prices.

“There are only a few ways to keep inflation under control,” she added. “The most used and popular method — due to its effectiveness — is reducing the money supply by increasing interest rates. This is what the Fed is currently doing as it makes credit more expensive and reduces both consumer and

business spending.”

With the projected impact stemming from the latest rate increase expected to cause credit card, mortgage and car loan rates to all further rise, nearly nine in 10 people now say that inflation will impact their spending in 2023.

To date, 70% of respondents list groceries as the monthly expense most impacted by the climate.

Ms. Gonzalez said no one can be

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.

sure about when relief might be coming.

“That is very difficult to predict at this point,” she said. “It’s still early in the year, and we have yet to see how the economy responds to the Fed’s recent rate hikes. However, we do expect that toward the end of the year the situation will begin to improve, and we’ll even see a couple of rate cuts from the Fed.”