Santa Barbara News-Press: March 29, 2023

Parental rights in Ballard

School board seeks vendor’s help with policy review after incident in fourth-grade classroom - A2

Birdwatcher and apparent forecaster

Joan Easton Lentz proves to be prophetic with her book, ‘Can Birds Weather the Storm?’ - B1

75¢

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2023

De la Guerra Plaza’s future

Project planner responds to criticism of revitalization details

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

When Brad Hess met with the Historic Landmarks Commission earlier this month to give an update on the proposed De la Guerra Revitalization project, the last thing he expected was to be met with criticism about features that had already been approved.

He was just there to talk about two items that hadn’t yet been reviewed: a planned pavilion to be built between the Santa Barbara City Hall and the News-Press building and landscaping at the entrance to City Hall.

Of course, there’s no way he could have predicted what speakers would say during the public comment period. He just never expected some HLC members to join in that criticism.

Now, in an exclusive interview with the News-Press, Mr. Hess, the project’s principal planner, is responding for the first time to that criticism, which included harsh comments about one of the project’s proposed features: a bubbler fountain.

“The bubbler — please spare me,” Rosanne Crawford said during the public comment period at the HLC meeting. “This is not a modern building. This is not a park. This is De la Guerra Plaza.

“The bubbler is absolutely atrocious. It’s hideous.”

Some HLC members agreed.

“The water feature, I cannot support it,” Commissioner Ed Lenvik said. “It does not belong here. It does not fit the historic

Defendant in threats case pleads not guilty

Albert Varelas, 34, is accused of making threats against Santa Maria police and their families

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A Santa Maria man pleaded not guilty Tuesday for the second time to felony charges that he made criminal threats against the lives of Santa Maria police officers and their families and stalked them.

Albert Varelas, 34, already pleaded not guilty after his initial arraignment following his arrest on Feb. 18. Since then, a preliminary hearing judge found that prosecutors presented enough evidence against him that the case should proceed to trial.

Defendants are given a second chance to enter a plea after their preliminary hearing.

“Mr. Varelas was arraigned on the Information (called a complaint before a preliminary hearing) … and in California, a defendant has a right to a trial within 60 days of the arraignment on an Information unless the defendant waives time,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Scott E. Donahue said.

“Mr. Varelas did not waive time, and consequently a trial will need to commence no longer than 60 days from today, and the judge wants to ensure we have enough time to set a trial date if needed.”

Mr. Varelas is due back in court on April 6 to set a trial date. That might not be necessary — at least not yet — because

the defendant is challenging the preliminary hearing judge’s ruling that he should stand trial. He filed a motion for a different judge than the one who presided at his preliminary hearing to review the hearing transcripts “and make a determination whether there was sufficient evidence presented …” Prosecutor Donahue said. A hearing on that motion was set for April 19.

“Once the judge hears that motion and if that judge also feels enough evidence (was) presented at the preliminary examination, then the case would proceed to trial if the parties do not reach an agreement,” the prosecutor said. On the other hand, the reviewing judge could grant the defense motion as to some or all of the charges.

“We would then proceed with prosecution on the remaining charges, if any, or we could dismiss the entire case and refile it,” according to Supervising Deputy District Attorney Lara Clinton.

“Either side could request the Court of Appeal review the decision on the … motion by filing a writ of mandate,” she said.

The complaint filed against Mr. Varelas alleges that between Jan. 24 and Feb. 17, he threatened to commit a crime against police officers “which would result in

Juvenile suspect appears in court for Stearns Wharf murder case

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

of Santa Barbara’s plan. The

COURTESY IMAGES

Planner goes over details of a changed De la Guerra Plaza

By NEIL HARTSTEIN

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The proposed revitalization of downtown’s De la Guerra Plaza involves several changes and additions, some of which have proven controversial, including the proposed bubbler fountain and the hard surface materials that will replace the existing grass.

In an interview with the NewsPress, Principal Project Manager Brad Hess shared more about some of the project’s features.

• The bubbler fountain:

“This was previously supported by HLC and the Advisory Committee, and contrary to what we heard at the most recent meeting, we think this is a great idea for the plaza,” he said.

He admitted there have been

concerns voiced in the past over the appropriateness of having a fountain because of the water shortage.

“While that may not be a problem now with the storms this year, we live in a place where it will be a problem again. The fountain uses recirculated water that runs through a filter system and storage tank such that the water loss is only due to evaporation. It’s not much. This system also meets the Department of Health requirements for safety.

“When it’s off, it will be challenging to see that there is a fountain present, and the space will just be a beautiful part of the plaza. The Chumash mosaic will be in that space as well, possibly a part of the bubbler fountain, but the space will be beautiful when

the water is on or off.

“Lastly, traditional above-ground fountains with pools of water are not supported by the city council, and they made it very clear they would not approve an exception for an above-ground fountain for the plaza.”

• The surface materials:

“The materials proposed were supported by HLC, and we are confident that they are in keeping with the historic feel of the plaza,” he said.

There are four types of materials proposed.

The “Street of Spain” that comes from El Paseo adjacent to Casa de la Guerra is grouted sandstone.

“We are proposing to extend this very historic material and look all the way around the outside of the plaza toward the News-Press

building and then down Storke Placita to State Street. It will be stunning. If you go look at it, it appears to be random in the way it’s installed, but there’s actually an old pattern that is used. We intend to use the model as the template for the installation.”

Inside the grouted sandstone is a brick band that mimics the road. It will not be the red brick of State Street, but “Pueblo Flash,” which is more brown and neutral.

“The reason for the brick is that this is where the utilities are located underground,” Mr. Hess said. “The reason the plaza looks like it does is that over the years repairs have been made and then patched with concrete, asphalt or a combination and it looks terrible.

Please see PLANNER on A4

One of the Ventura County 15-year-olds charged with murder in the Dec. 9 fatal shooting death of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf appeared in court Tuesday for further proceedings in his case, prosecutors said.

“One juvenile murder defendant was in court today,”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McAllister confirmed.

“That case was continued to 4/20 for further proceedings.”

The other 15-year-old from Ventura County who is charged with murder in the death of Robert Dion Gutierrez, 52, of Camarillo, is due back in court on April 4, also for further proceedings, the prosecutor said.

“Further proceedings,”

Senior Deputy District Attorney McAllister said, “just means that the court and the parties will appear to address any issues that need to be addressed and check on the status of the case.”

The District Attorney’s Office has identified the teens as

Matthew Lopez and Adan de la Cruz.

The two minor defendants have alleged ties to Ventura County gangs. Both have denied the murder charges filed against them. Prosecutors will not seek to try them as adults in Superior Court, where their sentences would be a lot stiffer if they were convicted.

“The law was recently changed to prohibit the transfer of 14- and 15-year olds to adult court, so the juveniles must be tried as juveniles,” Prosecutor McAllister said.

Prosecutors allege the two teens engaged in a firefight with four young adults from Santa Barbara with alleged ties to a Santa Barbara gang, and that Mr. Gutierrez got trapped in between the two groups. Mr. Gutierrez was walking on the Santa Barbara wharf with his wife when the shooting erupted. According to police, he “was struck and killed by one of the rounds fired” during the altercation.

Please see MURDER on A2

At left, De la Guerra Plaza would get a new look, including a bubbler fountain, under the city

current lawn would be removed, and a hardscape with landscaping would be emphasized.

Ballard school board to get vendor’s help with parental rights policy

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Ballard School Board has decided to get some outside help with its parental rights policy in the aftermath of a recent controversy in the fourth-grade classroom.

The board voted unanimously during a special meeting March 22 to contract with Gamut, an outside vendor, to update school board policies as a whole. That includes but is not limited to the parental rights policy.

Pam Rennick, principal at Ballard Elementary School and the single-school district’s superintendent, said the nearby Solvang School District also recently contracted with Gamut to update its policies.

Board President Tracey Cassidy made a motion not to amend the current language of the parental rights policy until such time as the board can consult with Gamut, legal staff, teachers, and interested community members. The motion passed 2-1 with board member Art Kaslow voting in opposition.

Ms. Rennick discussed the current parental rights policy at the board meeting.

“Under the current policy, you have the right to come observe

in a classroom and inspect the curriculum,” she said. “You have the right to a parent conference. You have the right to talk to me. You have the right to a report card and a progress report. All of these rights are guaranteed by the state of California.

“You have the right to opt out of a few very specific things,” Ms.

USS Santa Barbara commissioning ceremony set for Saturday

PORT HUENEME — The USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), a Littoral Combat Ship, will be commissioned at 10 a.m. Saturday at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme.

Afterward, the ship will return to its home port in San Diego.

On Oct. 10, 2018, Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer announced the LCS 32 would be named Santa Barbara, and the keel was laid Oct. 28, 2020.

The USS Santa Barbara was christened and launched on Oct. 16, 2021, and delivered on July 21, 2022.

Rennick said. “There are just four of them: sex education, HIV prevention education, any survey asking about family life and state testing.”

The staff also read a statement on the issue.

Three letters were read in support of modifying the parental rights’ policy. The letters were read

on behalf of those who were unable to be in attendance. The first letter was from a Ballard family, and the second was from Rosanne Crawford who ran in the fall for the county board of education trustee area 1, but was defeated. The third letter was from Tyrone Smith.

“Compassion takes effort; it takes focus. It takes commitment…We must acknowledge the following, those adversely affected by this decision and the unintended consequences,” said Ms. Crawford in her letter. “The child themselves, openly known as their identity was not protected in the way it was handled in the class announcement or in the Board of Education meeting. The teacher who was not included in the decision, (who) in fact wanted to pause to evaluate a path of action. Her authority (was) usurped by the principal.

“The other students in the classroom were left in confusion due to a lack of preparation to process the situation,” Ms. Crawford said. “The parents of the children in the classroom, who were blindsighted, had to try to find out from their children what had transpired, resulting in questions they were not prepared to handle.”

The Navy said Littoral Combat Ships are fast, optimallymanned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. LCS integrate with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe, according to the Navy.

— Katherine Zehnder

TRAFFIC, CRIME & FIRE BLOTTER

Toyota Tacoma goes off highway into creek

GAVIOTA — A Toyota Tacoma went down approximately 70 feet Monday night into a creek off northbound Highway 101 and near the Gaviota Tunnel.

Santa Barbara County firefighters set up the rope systems to reach the vehicle. A 15-minute extrication was required.

The adult male driver was the solo occupant and had major injuries, said Capt. Scott Safechuck, County Fire’s public information officer.

The rope system was used to bring the patient up from the creek.

The patient was transported by air/Calstar to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

The highway was closed during the rescue and reopened afterward.

Mild rain predicted this time around

Today’s rain is predicted to be milder than this year’s previous storms.

Expect light to moderate rain through Thursday morning, the National Weather Service said.

The weather service said that after Tuesday night’s rain, there would be few hours of little to no rain “and likely even some sunshine (especially south of Point Conception) before the colder and more unstable part of the system arrives later” today, going into Thursday

morning.

The weather service said the chance of rain later on Thursday is 40% to 50% in Santa Barbara County.

The weather service said there’s no chance of rain on Friday, when the county will see partly cloudy skies.

Saturday will be sunny, according to the weather service. Keep your jacket handy. Temperatures this week are continuing to hover in the mid- to

upper 40s, 50s and low 60s.

“Large swell in the coastal waters may bring marginal high surf 8 to 12 feet on Central Coast beaches on (today) and Thursday and 4 to 7 feet on Ventura beaches on Thursday,” the weather service said. “This is a fairly low confidence forecast with only a 50% chance of reaching criteria. However, there will be a high risk of rip currents on many beaches (today) and Thursday.”

— Dave Mason

Goleta mayor to discuss State of the City

GOLETA — Mayor Paula

Perotte will deliver the sixth annual Goleta Community State of the City address April 10 at the Elks Lodge, 150 N. Kellogg Ave., Goleta.

Admission is free.

The city of Goleta said the event will cover the city’s recent accomplishments and its future. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation is available, and light refreshments will be provided.

A social hour will take place from 5 to 6 p.m., and residents can submit their questions for a Q&A session later in the evening.

The mayor’s talk will start at 6 p.m., followed by City Manager

CORRECTION

Robert Nisbet’s update on the city’s finances. The evening will end with the Q&A session with Mayor Perotte and department directors.

— Katherine Zehnder

A Fiesta celebration was held in person in 2021 and 2022 in Santa Barbara. A story in Tuesday’s News-Press erroneously said the 2023 Fiesta would be the first one since the start of the pandemic. The error was corrected Tuesday morning in the version of the story at newspress.com.

MURDER

Continued from Page A1

Mr. Gutierrez was treated at the scene for his gunshot wound and taken to the hospital, where he died on Dec. 20.

“One group involved in the altercation has been identified as

local Santa Barbara area residents with ties to a local Santa Barbara street gang,” police said. “The opposing group in the altercation has been identified as Ventura County residents with ties to Ventura County street gangs.” Prosecutors allege the adult defendants were driving on the wharf when they spotted the

Ventura County juveniles and confronted them, dispatching two of their group to attack them with a gun.

The four Santa Barbara defendants have pleaded not guilty. They are scheduled to return to court April 6 to set a date for a preliminary hearing.

The juveniles were arrested by

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Santa Barbara Police Department officers on Feb. 16. Their arrests were the result of an intense police investigation to identify and bring to justice additional suspects following the Jan. 19 arrest of the four adult defendants from Santa Barbara. email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

COURTESY U.S. NAVY

The USS Santa Barbara is a Littoral Combat Ship.

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS

An incident in a fourth-grade classroom at Ballard Elementary School has led to a school board decision to get a vendor’s help in reviewing its parental rights policy. Please see BALLARD on B4

— Katherine Zehnder

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT PHOTO Santa Barbara County firefighters rescue the driver of a Toyota Tacoma, which went down approximately 70 feet into a creek off Highway 101 near the Gaviota Tunnel.

VARELAS

First Citizens acquires Silicon Valley Bridge Bank

By VICTOR SKINNER THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — The purchase of assets and loans of the collapsed Silicon Valley Bridge Bank will nearly double the size of First Citizens Bank, a deal North Carolina officials said reflects well on that state.

Frank Holding, CEO of First Citizens, said the move will help the family-owned bank expand its western U.S. operations while providing new benefits to its existing customers.

“This transaction leverages our solid foundation to add significant scale, geographic diversity, compelling digital capabilities and most importantly, meaningful solutions for customers throughout their lifecycle,” Mr. Holding said. “Specifically, we are committed to building on and preserving the strong relationships that legacy SVB’s Global Fund Banking business has with private equity and venture capital firms.

“This transaction also will accelerate our expansion in California and introduce wealth capabilities in the Northeast. SVB’s Private Wealth business is a natural fit for our high-touch and sophisticated level of highnet-worth customer service and approach.”

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. created Silicon Valley Bridge Bank, National Association following the recent closure of Silicon Valley Bank by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. The move was intended to stabilize the bank and allow time to market the franchise after a run on Silicon Valley Bank forced the FDIC to take over the lender earlier this month.

The FDIC received 27 bids from 18 bidders for the bridge bank before settling on the deal announced Sunday with First Citizens, which involves the purchase of about $72 billion in assets at a discount of $16.5 billion. Another approximately $90 billion in securities and other assets will remain in receivership with the FDIC. The FDIC and First Citizens agreed to a loss-share transaction for SVB’s commercial loans.

North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell applauded the deal, which he said “is a positive reflection of the conservative regulatory environment that we have

established in North Carolina.”

“I believe this cements our place as the second-leading banking center in the United States behind New York,” Folwell said. “I am proud of North Carolina Commissioner of Banks Katherine Bosken and her staff for all of the efforts that they have put forth in analyzing this transaction and solidifying confidence in our North Carolina state-chartered banks.”

The estimated cost of Silicon Valley Bank’s failure for the

FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund, used to cover federally insured deposits, is expected to be about $20 billion, though a full total will not be available until the FDIC terminates its receivership.

First Citizens has purchased more than 20 collapsed banks since 2009. The SVB deal will nearly double its current estimated assets of $109 billion to $181 billion, making it one of top 25 banks in the country, according to Federal Reserve data.

Westmont tennis teams fall to Williams

By JACOB NORLING WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

The Westmont men’s and women’s tennis teams played host to the NCAA Div. III Williams Ephs on Monday in Montecito, with the Ephs getting the better of the Warriors in both matches.

For the Westmont men (69), Williams (7-2) took all three doubles matches, and surrendered only one point in singles to take the match by a score of 6-1. The lone Warrior to claim a match during singles was Ethan Ha, who defeated Shawn Beridia 0-6, 6-4, 6-1 on three.

“We had a couple tough matches last week that seemed to carry over into this morning,” said Westmont head coach Mark Basham. “The guys came out a little bit flat, and the fact is, we have to come out more aggressive in doubles.

“We have to attack when we’re serving, and do a better job of holding our serves, which is

something I know we can do. On the positive side of things, that was maybe my favorite match that Ethan Ha has played in his three years here at Westmont. He followed up that 0-6 first set and played more aggressively — and with more purpose. He’s really starting to shape into form.”

The Westmont women’s team (2-

12) suffered the same fate as the men, with Williams (4-4) sweeping the Warriors in doubles to set the tone for an eventual 6-1 victory. Westmont’s lone victory came on three, where Arden Samuels bested Thomann.

“We underperformed today,” acknowledged Westmont head coach Cade Pierson. “In doubles, we had a good first game on each court, and I had a feeling it could be a good match, but then we just fell flat. Williams was a good team, but they were a team we could have competed with better.

“We played some winnable matches, and most of them could

have been closer than they were.

I’m not sure why we fell flat, for some it may have been ego, for others nerves might have gotten in the way. It was just a day where we didn’t play well in doubles.

“We just had a slow time starting in singles, with a lot of our players taking about three games to adjust to their opponents. Eventually we adjusted, but even when we did, we didn’t keep the momentum. There were sparks of inspiration here and there, but we just couldn’t start a fire on any of the courts.

“I hope we can just forget this match, move past it, and get ready for Saturday.”

Both the men and the women return to GSAC play on Saturday in Fullerton, where they battle against rival Hope International at noon.

Jacob Norling is the sports information assistant at Westmont College.

email: sports@newspress.com

UCSB men’s basketball coach accepts contract extension

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

UCSB Director of Athletics

Kelly Barsky has announced that head men’s basketball coach Joe Pasternack accepted a fiveyear contract extension, effective immediately.

“Coach Pasternack’s relentless energy, commitment to student athletes as well as the Gaucho campus and community and pursuit of basketball excellence have propelled the program onto the national stage,” Barsky said.

“He has assembled an incredibly talented group of student athletes and staff while creating an energy in the Thunderdome that has ignited enthusiasm and shared Gaucho experiences. We value Joe’s contributions to our campus and

community, and are thrilled that he, his wife Lindsay and family will remain in Santa Barbara, and we will continue to build upon the momentum gained and shared vision of service and connection.”

“I am very excited to continue to build the UC Santa Barbara basketball program to compete for championships,” Coach Pasternack said. “My family and I love Santa Barbara, our players, and the amazing community. I am extremely grateful to Kelly Barsky and Chancellor Yang for believing in our program.”

Pasternack has had an impressive career since coming to UCSB. Over the last six seasons, he has accumulated a 132-53 record, which translates to a .714 winning percentage, the third-best in the state of California behind San Diego

death and great bodily injury,” and that the alleged crime was made “with the specific intent that the statement be taken as a threat.”

His alleged threat against the officers and their families “was so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate and specific as to convey to the victim a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of execution,” the complaint said.

“It is further alleged that the said victim was reasonably in sustained fear of his/her safety and the safety of his/ her immediate family,” the complaint said.

The complaint alleges that Mr. Varelas backed up his threats in that he “willfully, maliciously and repeatedly” followed and harassed Santa Maria police officers.

The complaint notes that Mr. Varelas already has a prior serious felony conviction on his record, considered his first strike under the three strikes law.

He was arrested on Feb. 18 after the alleged threat came to light the night before, when Santa Maria police received information regarding police officers and their families being threatened on social media posts, Sgt. Daniel Rios said in a police department news brief posted online.

Officers initiated an investigation, and Mr. Varelas was identified as a suspect, Sgt. Rios said. Mr. Varelas’ social media account was also located.

During the initial police investigation, several more social media posts allegedly were made by Mr. Varelas and observed by officers in real time involving further threats against Santa Maria police officers and family members, Sgt. Rios said.

Mr. Varelas’ alleged threats referenced previous police contact and current threats to “kill” officers and family members, Sgt. Rios said.

Further investigation confirmed that Mr. Varelas was allegedly targeting and stalking officers’ homes in the Santa Maria area, Sgt. Rios said.

Detectives tracked him down and arrested him without incident.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

State and Saint Mary’s. Along with that, Pasternack has led his team to two Big West Championships in three seasons, making two trips to March Madness in that time. This year he had his best season to date, breaking the record of the most wins in a season set in 1971 that he tied during his first season with the team.

The Gauchos finished the 2022-23 season with an overall 27-8 record, earning a share of The Big West Regular Season title while winning The Big West Championships and earning a bid to March Madness. Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB. email: sports@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTOS

Raleigh-based FIrst Citizens Bank has doubled its size after the acquisition of Santa Clara-based Silicon Valley Bridge Bank.

PLAZA

Continued from Page A1

complement of the plaza. It needs to go away.”

Mr. Hess, however, defended the bubbler’s inclusion in the project’s design.

“The bubbler fountain was generally supported by the commission last time we met with them, and this time it wasn’t as much,” he said. “This is a program feature that originated from the community outreach early in the process and was strongly supported by the Advisory Committee. And while some complaints talked about the historic nature of the plaza and this not fitting in, when it’s off, no one will know it’s there.

“But on warm to hot days, this will be a nice feature for the space as it will cool it down, allow people to appreciate the added ambiance, and will be a draw for families to this space. We are not proposing a splash pad for a park. We are proposing a subtle feature for a civic plaza that will only add to the space when desired. The vast majority of time, the fountain will be off.”

Commissioner Lenvik also questioned the wisdom of putting proposed restrooms in Storke Placita, the area that connects State Street to the plaza near the News-Press building.

“They would restrict physical access from the State Street Promenade to the plaza,” he said. “There’s got to be a better solution to that.”

Mr. Hess said the decision to locate them in Storke Placita was backed by the commission the last time they got together.

“While they brought this topic up again and asked us to look into putting them in the new pavilion building, the pavilion building will not be a better location than the proposed location for several reasons: proximity to State Street, slightly off the plaza so it’s not in the plaza, safety with better lighting, plumbing and sewer connections, etc.

“We looked at many locations over and over, and the proposed location in Storke Placita is the preferred location,” he said.

“Again, no controversy in our minds.”

Mr. Hess told the News-Press he was surprised to hear such HLC criticism over design elements like the bubbler and restrooms because they’d already been reviewed and supported by the board.

“Because we had received general consensus at the previous meeting from HLC on the restroom location, the surface materials, the bubbler fountain and the underground trash enclosures, and because we only have 15 minutes for our presentation, we focused on the two outstanding items that required attention: the pavilion building and the landscaping in front of City Hall,” he said.

“We didn’t have time to go over what was already agreed upon, and it is generally understood that the project is to move forward based

Continued from Page A1

“One motivation I had from the beginning is how to keep the integrity of the aesthetics for the life of the plaza. The brick allows the utilities to be repaired and then the bricks put back in place without negatively affecting the beauty because they will not be set in concrete like the stone.

“Inside of the brick, in the center area of the Plaza, we are proposing to use flagstone. There are many types of flagstone … and the Surface Materials Subcommittee felt that the Oklahoma flagstone was best. It is proposed to be 2.5-3-inch thick squares set at a 45-degree angle. Because we will be customizing the space, we have the ability to control the color

on what was previously discussed and agreed to. This is why the minutes from the previous meeting are read at the beginning so that everyone recalls what was agreed to. So yes, it was a bit frustrating to have many of these design elements brought back up and questioned in the context of HLC ‘comments,’ since we are not given the opportunity to respond to their comments, only their questions.”

Commissioner Lenvik, however, didn’t just confine his criticism to previously-discussed project elements. He also had negative things to say about the proposed pavilion building that Mr. Hess had just discussed.

The goal of erecting the building on the site, Mr. Hess said, is to create an edge to the plaza where landscaping now exists, hide the city hall parking lot, erect a building that provides a backdrop for a small permanent stage, and create another space for activity.

Commissioner Lenvik wasn’t impressed, especially with the idea of putting a stage in the plaza that would sit just a few feet off the ground.

In addition, he questioned how people with disabilities would be able to access the building without a wheelchair ramp being installed. He suggested the project’s architect come up with something else to solve the problem.

“You don’t put up a bad building,” he said. “That structure does not belong there.”

Mr. Hess, though, said creating an edge to the plaza “is consistent with virtually every plaza in the world — edged by buildings, usually civic in nature with commercial buildings and/or restaurants to activate the edges. The hole we have at that edge is currently landscaped, but it used to have buildings there, the Harmer adobe being one of them, and they were removed long ago. The desire is to have the edge return …”

As for access to the building for those with disabilities, “the statement from Commissioner Lenvik was that it was a requirement to have full accessibility at all entrances and asked us why we were ignoring this requirement,” Mr. Hess said. “The answer is, we are providing full accessibility to the building by providing the accessible entry to the building and an accessible path from the parking space. By doing so, we are fulfilling the accessibility requirement.

“An ADA ramp already exists on the plaza side of the building, so we will not be adding a ramp. Instead, we will modify the existing ramp on the plaza side to make it more compliant and take out the very slippery tile. It will be a nice improvement.”

In the end, the HLC voted 6-2 with one abstention to continue the project as it is currently designed.

Commissioners Lenvik and Cass Ensberg voted against it.

“I’m extremely disappointed,”

Commissioner Lenvik said.

“Extremely disappointed. Let’s come up with something appropriate to Santa Barbara. This is a very simple plaza. What we’ve

range of the flagstone through the stone contractor.”

Decomposed granite is proposed in front of Casa De La Guerra.

“In summary, all the materials proposed are complementary to each other, are of neutral earth tones, and will provide subtle differences in texture; because of the scale of the plaza, the pattern will not look ‘busy,’” Mr. Hess said.

• The pavilion building:

“The use will be practical, utilitarian and flexible as we don’t know the use of the plaza in 20–50 years, but would like this building to be able to accommodate the utility panels and controls, some storage for the plaza, and a flexible space that could be used by City Hall, events, etc.,” Mr. Hess said.

“Right now the building is approximately 16 feet by 84 feet,

come up with is way too busy. This thing is a zebra of multiple colors. It is not appropriate for Santa Barbara.”

Ms. Crawford agreed.

“This is a historic landmark,” she said during the public comment period. “This is Santa Barbara. There’s time to get it right. I think this has to go back to the drawing board.”

Other public speakers suggested the revitalization be postponed — or even scrapped.

“This is an awful plan. Period,” Rich Untermann said. “It is not historic. I don’t think we should try it right now when we don’t know what State Street is going to look like.

“People have tried to change it, but they haven’t. I agree. I don’t think we should. We should postpone it. It’s been there 100 years. We have plenty of time. What’s another five years?”

Paulina Conn said if the revitalization goes through as currently planned, “this whole plaza will be an eyesore within a year.

“The plaza we have now has lasted 100 years,” she said. “All it needs is repair and maintenance.”

Such criticism wasn’t confined to the HLC meeting.

“There are many in-theknow Santa Barbarans who are vehemently opposed to this nightmare,” Pam Boehr wrote in an email to the News-Press. “And so many are totally unaware of this mini-Disneyland proposal by our city council and mayor.

“Find out the numerous aspects: loss of parking (60 spaces), the fact that it is historic and shouldn’t be touched, hardscape rather than lawn, closing traffic from Anacapa to State Street, etc. The list goes on and on.”

In response, Mr. Hess insisted he and other project proponents “have been encouraged by the progress and the overall positive input we’ve received from the community, the city council recently (and in the past), and virtually everyone I speak with in general conversation.

“There are, however, a number of people who do not want anything done to this plaza, and they also happen to be the people who write in and show up.”

He declined to comment on Ms. Boehr’s opinions “other than to say that ‘nightmare’ and ‘miniDisneyland’ are very interesting descriptions. I obviously don’t agree with those assessments.”

He suggested people compare the existing condition of the plaza with what is being proposed.

Currently, the plaza sits empty, frequently only by the city’s homeless. On a recent outing to the plaza, a visitor saw a black suitcase, a black garbage bag filled with trash, two large empty plastic soda bottles and two empty pizza boxes.

To Mr. Hess, it’s almost ironic that critics complain the revitalization would somehow disrespect the plaza’s heritage, because, he said, if anything, the design pays homage to the city’s rich Chumash and Old Spanish roots. Further, he contends it

and the design is still in progress. The constructive comments we received from HLC will be taken into consideration.”

• Anacapa Street landscaping:

“The landscaping in front of City Hall wasn’t originally in the scope of work but was added later with the goal of reintroducing the front of City Hall to the community, making it beautiful with a model landscape for Santa Barbara, connecting it to the plaza through design, and creating a connection with both De la Guerra Street and Anacapa Street with a more civic announcement through design that this is City Hall. “We will relocate the flags from the plaza to this area and relocate the historic Washingtonian Palm Tree from the plaza to an area in which it will continue to thrive.”

would restore life to the 100-yearold plaza, the city’s first town square. “This space is historic in use, in its setting, and in its surroundings, but for the past couple/few decades, it’s become the back of house for businesses, a parking lane, a place for marches to begin or end, for Fiesta and other events, and a place for the unhoused,” he said.

“It has not been used by the locals in the way it was intended.”

To change this, the city embarked on an ambitious project to turn things around, forming an Advisory Committee in 2019 composed of two representatives of the Santa Barbara City Council, Planning Commission, Parking and Recreation Commission, Historic Landmarks Commission and the executive director for the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation.

“This city representation was important because it provided perspective from each of the commissions/council members and the Trust,” Mr. Hess said. Information from the wellattended public outreach meeting in March 2019 provided a baseline of information from the community from which the Advisory Committee and design team based the initial designs, he said.

“We also have architectural historians … as consultants to review ideas with and to make sure what is proposed is appropriate,” he said.

Since 2019, the Advisory Committee has met 14 times and held two joint meetings with HLC.

“The design went through many, many iterations because each small change in the design had a ripple effect and while the process was slow, it was very thorough,” Mr. Hess said. “The public was welcomed at each of those meetings, and we heard from many.

“I met with many groups over the years, and I’ve had countless discussions discussing the merits of the design and the thought behind each feature, all the while listening to concerns and ideas. The design is the result of hundreds of hours in discussions, meetings, hearings, arguments and community input.

“So it is with all of that perspective that the goal is to revitalize, not just repair,” he said.

“The Advisory Committee voted unanimously early on that this space should be pedestrian-only, should be activated at its edges with landscaping and seating, should have a building along the edge of the parking lot to enclose the plaza, and that the solid surface material from building to building should be natural, beautiful and should help highlight the historic setting while facilitating activity in the town square again.

“The Advisory Committee felt strongly that this space should be a civic plaza, not a park, and should emulate other historic plazas around the world while tying into, and being sensitive to, the incredible local history that this space represents.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail. com

Planners will be revising the pavilion design with the Ad Hoc Committee within the next month and refining the front landscape design pursuant to HLC’s preference, he said.

“Other items will be further refined as well as the design progresses,” he said. “We hope to be back in front of HLC in the 6-8 week range.”

• Compatibility with the Street Master Plan.

“I am in regular contact with Tess Harris, who is the planner for the State Street Master Plan,” Mr. Hess said. “We are confident that what we are proposing for the Plaza will complement what is done on State Street, and vice versa.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail. com

LONG, Elaine Gilbertson

12/16/1937 - 3/10/2023

Elaine Long passed away peacefully on March 10. One of two children, born Elaine Constance Gilbertson in Richland Center, Wisconsin to George and Harriet Gilbertson. Elaine attended high school in Madison, Wisconsin where was elected Homecoming Queen her Senior year. Later she attended University of Wisconsin, Madison where she met her future husband, James. Elaine graduated college and worked for the County of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She married James on April 23, 1960 and later had two boys, James Jr and John. In 1966 Elaine and her family moved to Santa Barbara, then a few years later to Galveston, Texas for a couple of years, then back to Racine, Wisconsin. In 1972 Elaine, James and her two boys came back to Santa Barbara, calling it home for the rest of her life. Elaine enjoyed the Santa Barbara weather and being able to play tennis year round. She was very active in the tennis community and served on the board of directors for the Santa Barbara Tennis Patrons.

Elaine was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, James. She is survived by her sister Edie, two sons, James Jr and John and 4 grandchildren, Stephen, Matthew, Emily and Christopher. The family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers, especially Aires for her loving attention, at the Casa Naomi where she spent the last three years of her life.

A private funeral service will be held on Wednesday, March 29, at 10am at the Santa Barbara Cemetery.

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

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COURTESY IMAGE

This shows how Storke Placita, the area that connects De la Guerra Plaza with State Street, would appear under the city’s plan.

Life theArts

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2023

‘Birding Against All Odds’ ‘Birding Against All Odds’

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. “Storytelling:

Native People Through the Lens of Edward S. Curtis” is on display through April 30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, visit sbnature.org.

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “SURREAL

WOMEN: Surrealist Art by American Women” is on display through April 24 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, www.sullivangoss.com.

By appointment on weekdays: “Holly Hungett: Natural Interpretations” is on view through May 20 at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara’s gallery, 229 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and weekdays by appointment. For more information, call the foundation at 805-965-6307 or go to www.afsb.org.

COURTESY PHOTO

Undaunted by health issues, Joan Easton Lentz writes another book

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Well known for her expertise as a birdwatcher, Joan Easton Lentz revealed another talent with the release of her latest book, “Birding Against All Odds” (Mission Creek Studios, $14.95) last October.

She is clairvoyant.

“Can Birds Weather the Storm?” is the title of the first chapter.

Little did she realize that several months later, a series of deluges that show no signs of stopping would begin.

“I wish I’d waited a month, and I’d have completely different weather to describe. Has the whole game plan changed now? Who knows?’’ Ms. Lentz told the News-Press.

“Indeed, nobody knows if this was just a fluke year or a real

change in our winter weather. Whichever it is, the birds will be adapting to it, going north if it’s warm and dry and staying south if it’s hot and sunny. I’m sure the ornithologists in our region of the West are holding their breath. I can’t wait to find out what the latest ideas are!”

Although the paperback book is only 104 pages long, it is packed with information including “Pandemic Birding, Santa Barbara and Beyond,” “Birding Then and Now,” “The COVID Journals,” “ Birding Cuyama” and “New Ideas About Spring Migration.”

It differs from “Story of a Santa Barbara Birder,” the memoir she wrote in 2020 in which she describes her life with birds, growing up in Santa Barbara and learning how to cope with the sudden diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease.

“I wrote this book because I wanted my audience and others

to know what it is like living with a life-threatening disease day-today,” said Ms. Lentz.

“I have written five books that are all pretty varied in content. However, the most recent book works well as an end piece to the book before it — ‘Story of a Santa Barbara Birder.’ ‘Birding Against All Odds’ explains how I got suddenly so sick and yet have been able to pick up my life and go on.

“The biggest challenge is always to make it sound easy, whatever it is, and to try to make the reader understand how getting out birding and watching nature can be such a cure,” said the author of “A Naturalist’s Guide to the Santa Barbara Region,” “Introduction to Birds of the Southern California Coast,” “Great Birding Trips of the West” and “Birdwatching: A Guide for Beginners.”

“This was one of the most challenging books I’ve ever

written, probably because it was so personal. People have to know about sickness and dying, and too often they hide away from it,” said Ms. Lentz.

Considering her health issues, she admitted that “it was difficult to give a fair description of a wonderful life with bird outings — both past and present — and yet to make the audience know there are tremendous amounts of energy and courage that go into each day.

“Getting out in nature lets me see it all, makes me feel very small and very wonderful in comparison,” said Joan Easton Lentz, author of “Birding Against All Odds.” FYI

“Medical procedures, pills, sideeffects — all are part of what I have to deal with. However, I do it because life can be incredibly good on those certain days — a friend comes over for lunch on the deck, I go birding and see a gorgeous bird that I never expected to find, etc.

“Getting out in nature lets me see it all, makes me feel very small and very wonderful in comparison.”

email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

“Birding Against All Odds” by Joan Easton Lentz is available at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza; Tecolote Bookshop, 1470 East Valley Road in Montecito and amazon. com. For more information, visit joaneastonlentz.com.

Finalists announced for Spirit of Fiesta, Junior Spirit

SANTA BARBARA — Old

Spanish Days leaders have announced the finalists for Spirit of Fiesta and Junior Spirit.

The Spirit finalists are Eve Flores, Faith Garcia, Tink Gerthoffer, Evelyn Gudino, Jack Harwood, Chloe Kossen, Ashlyn

McCollum, Sarah Naretto, Jenna Ramirez, Isabella Ricci, Jamie-Lynn Rodriguez and Mia Talaugon. The Junior Spirit finalists are Sophia Acosta, MaCayla Garcia, Sarah Garcia, Rebecca Guido, Valentina Guzman, Olivia

Nelson, Anaya Perez, Aubrey Romero, Aleenah Soriano and Pia Thomas. They will compete during the auditions before an audience at 2 p.m. April 15 at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. Tickets cost $15. To purchase, go

to lobero.org.

The dance auditions will livestream at www.sbfiesta.org.

The Spirit and Junior Spirit auditions will also be broadcast at 7 p.m. April 29 and 30 on KEYTTV’s Now Channel 13. And KEYT-TV will broadcast

La Fiesta Pequena, set for Aug. 2, and El Desfile Historico (Historical Parade), set for Aug. 5, live on KEYT-TV, Channel 3, and in Spanish on Telemundo Costa Central, Cox Cable Channel 15.

— Dave Mason

Noon to 5 p.m. “Clarence Mattei: Portrait of a Community” is on view now through May at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, which is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 136 E. De la Guerra St. Admission is free. Hours are currently from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and from noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, visit www.sbhistorical. org.

2 and 7 p.m.: Rubicon Theatre of Ventura will perform “Dark of the Moon: A New Musical” on Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the theater, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. Prices are $30 to $69.50 with special discounts for students, seniors, military and Equity members. Lower-priced preview performances are March 29-31. To purchase tickets, go to rubicontheatre.org.

MARCH 30

5:30 p.m. A lecture will be given about the sculptures of Ed and Nancy Kienholz at at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St.

The talk will be presented by James Glisson, the museum’s curator of Contemporary Art. This will be in conjunction with the exhibition scenes from “Marriage: Ed and Nancy Kienholz.” To purchase, visit tickets.sbma.net.

7 p.m.: Rubicon Theatre of Ventura will perform “Dark of the Moon: A New Musical” on Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the theater, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. Prices are $30 to $69.50 with special discounts for students, seniors, military and Equity members. Lower-priced preview performances are March 29-31. To purchase tickets, go to rubicontheatre.org.

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO

Ava Delane portrays Barbara Allen, and Jake David Smith plays John the Witch Boy in the world premiere of “Dark of the Moon: A New Musical.” The production will be performed today through April 16 at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura.

Sudden waterfall

‘John Wick’ sequel opens in No. 1 box office spot

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

“John Wick: Chapter 4” topped the box office during its first weekend.

The latest film in the action franchise starring Keanu Reeves grossed $73 million.

“Creed III,” the “Rocky” spinoff starring Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors, rose to second place from third with $10.4 million.

Lightning, meanwhile, didn’t strike twice in the same place for “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” which fell to the No. 3 slot after one weekend as the No. 1 film. The Warner Bros./DC Comics sequel grossed $9.3 million at the box office.

“Scream VI” dropped to fourth place from second with $8.33 million.

“65,” starring Adam Driver as an astronaut who survives a crash landing on a mysterious planet, fell to fifth place from fourth with $3.2 million.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” went to sixth place from fifth with $2.4 million.

“Cocaine Bear” dropped to seventh place from sixth with $2.06 million.

“Jesus Revolution” fell to eight place from seventh with $1.97 million.

“Champions,” starring Woody Harrelson as a minorleague basketball coach who

Kekona

is ordered by a court to lead a team of players with intellectual disabilities, dropped to ninth place from eighth with $1.5 million.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” rounds out the top 10 with $1.36 million email: dmason@newspress.com

PET of the WEEK

Kekona would love to be your friend

The sweet orange tabby, who has a lot of white in his fur, is awaiting adoption at the Volunteers for Inter-Valley Animals shelter in Lompoc. Kekona loves being loved. He rolls into your hand and purrs sweetly.

He would prefer a quiet home.

The previous owner of the cat, who’s 3 or 4 years old, said he has some mouth issues. VIVA took him to a veterinarian, and Kekona underwent an extraction of teeth that left only his canines. VIVA said this should resolve any mouth troubles.

Once his gums heal, he will be able to eat dry food again. For now, he’s doing fine with wet food. If you are interested in meeting Kekona or any of VIVA’s other cats, call VIVA at 805-735-6741. Or complete an adoption application at www.vivashelter.org.A coordinator will contact you with a private appointment to meet the cats.

— Dave Mason

Elementary school students to perform dance program

SANTA BARBARA — More than 100 students in grades 1-5 will perform a dance program during the AOK Performing Arts Showcase at 6 p.m. May 3 at La Cumbre Junior High School Theater, 2255 Modoc Road.

The show is the result of a partnership between the Santa Barbara Dance Institute and the Santa Barbara Unified School District’s Afterschool Opportunities for Kids program.

The 120 students are from Cleveland, Franklin, Adelante, Monroe, Adams, Harding and McKinley schools and the Santa Barbara Community Academy.

The program will feature “Music

That Moves Us!,” an original dance theater piece by SBDI, which celebrates iconic songs such as the “Macarena,” Zumba fitness songs and newer music from various time periods and cultures.

In addition to SBDI, Me Sabor,

a local dance studio, has worked with the AOK students and will present a piece for the showcase. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. For more information, contact Rosalina Macisco at rosalina@ sbdi.org or 805-245-0794 or Emmitt Jenkins at ejenkin@ sbunified.org. You can also visit sbdi.org.

— Dave Mason

Voctave to perform at Music Academy

MONTECITO — Voctave, an 11-member a cappella ensemble, will perform two concerts Friday at the Music Academy of the West’s Hahn Hall, 1070 Fairway Road. A family-friendly concert is set for 11 a.m. when youths 17 and younger are admitted free. The regular tickets for 18 and older is $10.

An evening concert will take

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1

MARCH 31 7 p.m.:

place at 6:30 p.m.Tickets for the concert is $75.

A gala fundraiser will start at 8 p.m. Friday at Lehmann Hall. Tickets for the concert and fundraiser cost $150.

To purchase, go to musicacademy.org.

Voctave is from central Florida.

The group was formed in 2015 by producer and arranger Jamey

Rubicon Theatre of Ventura will perform “Dark of the Moon: A New Musical” on Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the theater, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. Prices are $30 to $69.50 with special discounts for students, seniors, military and Equity members. To purchase tickets, go to rubicontheatre.org.

Ray. Voctave members have roots in musical theater, contemporary Christian music, barbershop, pop and choral music. They have performed around the world and can be heard on many recordings. The ensemble has been ranked in the top 25 on the Billboard charts.

— Dave Mason

APRIL 2 2 p.m.: Rubicon Theatre of Ventura will perform “Dark of the Moon: A New Musical” on Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the theater, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. Prices are $30 to $69.50 with special discounts for students, seniors, military and Equity members. To purchase tickets, go to rubicontheatre.org.

— Dave Mason

MURRAY CLOSE/LIONSGATE

Keanu Reeves is back as John Wick in “John Wick: Chapter 4.”

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Recent storms result in a new waterfall on the side of Santa Ynez Mountains, as seen last week from Glen Annie Road in Goleta. The other photo shows a small propeller-driven airplane flying past the new waterfall.

SUDOKU

Thought for Today

“Of all possessions a friend is the most precious.”

— Herodotus

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

ARIES — Don’t let the positive energy of the day pass you by, Aries. You’re able to grab hold and make greater use of it than most, so don’t hesitate to get going early and keep on going until late. Stop contemplating the issues and take action. Take the best aspects of each side of the issue instead of feeling like you’re restricted to one side or the other.

TAURUS — You may be tempted to make up your own rules, Taurus, because you really aren’t happy with the ones before you. Be careful of doing so without first understanding the full implications for you and the people around you. By all means, if you feel like certain things just aren’t right, take steps to change them.

GEMINI — Your actions may be erratic and spontaneous today, Gemini, but they will also most certainly be powerful. You may be driven by a sharp intellectual mind. Perhaps there’s someone near you who has great cunning. You may be feeling brainier than usual. Genius ideas are apt to surround you and your actions as long as you keep an open mind about how and when they manifest.

CANCER — Take some time to break out of your normal routine and see what’s going on in the world around you, Cancer. You could be so focused and so driven toward a specific goal that you fail to take into account the rest of the world. You may not even be aware that these outside energies have a huge effect on what you’re doing in your own little compartment.

LEO — Don’t feel like you’re obligated to jump through other people’s hoops, Leo. Just because someone wants you to do something doesn’t mean you have to oblige. Bend over backward for yourself and not for the entertainment of others. Freedom is an operative word for you, so make sure you exercise this right in every aspect of your life. No one else is going to do it for you.

VIRGO — You may be acting unconsciously, Virgo. Suddenly you’re halfway through a task and wondering what you really hoped to accomplish by starting it in the first place. Be more conscious of your energy and how you use it. Make sure you

CODEWORD PUZZLE

don’t shoot yourself in the foot by wasting your precious resources on things that don’t really matter in the long run.

LIBRA — You can rely on your good luck to pull you out of difficult situations today, Libra. This is one day when you can launch yourself headfirst without worrying too much about the outcome. There’s a great deal of positive energy on your side that you may not even be able to see right now. Trust that whatever you undertake will work out fortuitously for you in the long run.

SCORPIO — You may have your guard up as you fend off people and situations that have caught you unprepared, Scorpio. Be careful about putting up such big walls that you can’t see over them. The danger of building a fortress that doesn’t allow others to come in is that it makes it more difficult for you to look out.

SAGITTARIUS — An element of the mystical and fanciful will play a significant part in your world today, Sagittarius. This energy is likely to come to you unexpectedly, and your first reaction might be to shy away from it. Believe in the power of thought and intention. Pursue whatever you wish to achieve in your world.

CAPRICORN — You may sense that the actions around you are fueled by selfish motives. You may be the only one who really sees what’s going on, Capricorn. You feel like an observer on a mountain looking down with disdain on the people below. You understand the politics of the situation, yet from your high vista you feel powerless to implement effective change.

AQUARIUS — Take action that will help you find greater freedom in your life, Aquarius. In an attempt to please the people around you, you may be giving up too much of yourself. Before you know it, you may be in shackles connected to people, situations, and commitments that you can’t seem to extricate yourself from. Use today to free yourself from these chains.

PISCES — You may have to consciously let go of some of your plans, Pisces, and simply leave things up to chance. The element of the unexpected can help you out quite a bit, so work with it instead of trying to keep it at bay. The natural flow of events should lead you toward a place of greater freedom.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

The Soloway Knockout Teams, the Fall NABC’s major event, saw a stirring victory for a four-handed non-sponsored team. Simon Cope, Ishmael Delmonte, Finn Kolesnik and Kevin Rosenberg (the latter two players barely out of the junior ranks) beat Paul STREET in the final.

COPE had trailed by 46 IMPs in their semifinal against Marty FLEISHER but cut the margin to 13 with three deals left. Then in today’s deal, North-South for FLEISHER played at 3NT, plus 460.

QUESTIONABLE

With Delmonte-Kolesnik NorthSouth for COPE, North’s bid of two hearts showed either hearts or a strong balanced hand. When South’s two spades asked North to clarify, West inserted a questionable lead-directing double. North passed, implying balanced pattern, and South suggested playing at two spades redoubled!

West could have held South to one overtrick, but after he led the ace and a low trump, Kolesnik took 10 tricks for the rare score of plus 1040, slicing the COPE deficit to 2 IMPs.

Tomorrow: the next board.

Your partner opens one club, you respond one spade and

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

he bids two hearts. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has “reversed” and shows a strong hand — for some pairs, enough strength to commit to game. He promises longer clubs than hearts. Bid three clubs and await his next bid. In some styles, you would be obliged to rebid two spades to show your five-card suit.

South dealer

E-W vulnerable NORTH