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Chauvin found guilty
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W E DN E SDAY, A PR I L 21, 2 021
Former Minneapolis officer guilty on all counts in George Floyd’s death
Former Minneapolis Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts Tuesday afternoon for his involvement in the death of George Floyd in May 2020. This mural was painted on the side of EOS Lounge on the corner of Haley and Anacapa Streets shortly after the incident in Mr. Floyd’s honor.
By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts Tuesday afternoon for his involvement in the death of George Floyd in May 2020, almost a year after the incident. The former Minneapolis police officer could face prison for the rest of his life — up to 75 years in prison. He was convicted of unintentional second-degree murder,
third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. In Minnesota, second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 40 years, followed by third-degree murder with a maximum sentence of 25 years, followed by second-degree manslaughter, which is punishable by up to a decade. The suggested sentencing range for unintentional second-degree murder is the same as third-degree murder, but according to CBS News, someone
convicted of second-degree manslaughter with no criminal history would likely spend about four years in prison. The other three officers involved in the incident were charged with aiding and abetting and will likely be tried jointly in August. Mr. Chauvin will remain in custody until he returns for his sentencing in eight weeks. Please see CHAUVIN on A4
SB County moves Resident plans to sue county to orange tier Mike Bender intends to file lawsuit over 5G installment NEWS-PRESS EXCLUSIVE
By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
A Santa Barbara resident is intending to file a federal lawsuit against Santa Barbara County in an effort to urge officials to reconsider the placement of a 5G small cell wireless facility in his neighborhood. Mike Bender, who lives on Arroyo Road, is voicing opposition to the installation of a 5G wireless facility that would sit less than 45 feet from his home that he says will have harmful effects on his health. 5G, a new technology that is meant to provide higher data speeds and increased network capacity, has become a hot-button topic worldwide. Proponents of the advanced network say it has increased data capacity and higher internet speeds to benefit users, while opponents raise concerns about radiation outputs and the placement of 5G facilities in close proximity to neighborhoods and schools. Mr. Bender, who lives with Lyme disease and mast cell activation disorder, experiences extreme sensitivity to electromagnetic and radio frequencies, both of which radiate from 5G devices. To treat his conditions, Mr. Bender has eliminated the use of wireless devices, like cellphones and smart devices, to reduce the aggravation to his brain and nervous system. If a 5G system were to be installed close to his home, Mr. Bender told the News-Press that it would significantly impact his quality of life. “It’s personal for me because I removed all wireless from my house,” Mr. Bender said. “I did my part to make sure I could heal, and the part of healing is reducing all overstimulation for the nervous system. Having a steady cell tower signal 45 feet from the house would crush me. I wouldn’t sleep.” In a note that was sent to county officials and obtained by the News-Press, Mr. Bender’s doctor wrote, “For a patient like Mr. Bender, the proximity to a cell tower of any kind would be extremely detrimental to his health and recovery process and potentially make his current residence uninhabitable for him and would exacerbate his condition.” Before pursuing a lawsuit against the county, Mr. Bender and his attorney, Andrew Campanelli, sent a letter outlining Mr. Bender’s health concerns to officials at the end of March. The letter claimed that under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act Amendments, the county could demand “reasonable accommodations” for Mr. Bender based on his ADA-qualified disability and FHAAqualified handicap. Within the letter, Mr. Bender and his attorney requested that county officials consider whether Mr. Bender qualifies for reasonable accommodation and if he did, determine what reasonable accommodation would be. The letter concluded by asking officials to halt the construction of 5G wireless facilities on Mr. Bender’s road, which is being conducted by telecommunications group Crown Castle. Yet, when it comes to 5G installation, Santa Barbara County officials are in a tricky situation. Based on the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, Santa Barbara County does not have the authority to regulate wireless facilities based on RF emissions and does not maintain control of where certain facilities are placed, according to Lisa Plowman, the director of the county’s Planning and Development Department. “The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) sets the standard of the amount of radiofrequency radiation that is permitted by these facilities and provided that they meet this standard, the county doesn’t have a role in reviewing Please see LAWSUIT on A4
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RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
Restaurants across Santa Barbara can now operate at 50% capacity indoors after the county moved into the orange tier Tuesday.
Eased restrictions now in effect By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
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RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
Mike Bender, a Santa Barbara resident, is intending to sue Santa Barbara County over the installment of a 5G small cell wireless facility in close proximity to his house. Mr. Bender, who has Lyme disease and mast cell activation disorder, said the radio frequencies emitted by the 5G device will exacerbate his condition.
Santa Barbara County officially moved into the orange tier of COVID-19 restrictions Tuesday. The move paves the way for expanded capacity in restaurants and businesses and signaling a phased return for live events and amusement parks. Within the orange tier, restaurants, movie theaters, places of worship, museums, zoos and aquariums can open indoors at 50% capacity indoors. Gyms and wineries can open at 25% capacity indoors, and amusement parks are cleared to reopen at 25% max capacity. Gyms and hotels can also reopen their indoor pools under the new tier assignment. In addition, bars that do not serve food can reopen for the first time outdoors in the orange tier. Family fun centers can also offer bowling again in the new tier assignment. Live events can also make a comeback in the orange tier while following certain guidelines. Venues with a capacity of up to 1,500 can accommodate a maximum capacity of 15% or 200 people, wherever is fewer, and 35% of those guests must show a negative test result or proof of full vaccination. Venues with a capacity over
1,500 can operate at 10% capacity or 2,000 people, whichever is fewer. They will also follow the 35% guideline for negative test results or proof of vaccination. The county Public Health Department released new guidelines for business operations within the orange tier late Tuesday, which will officially go into effect at 8 a.m. today. Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, the county’s Public Health director, informed the Board of Supervisors about the move into the orange tier during a meeting Tuesday. In anticipation of the long-awaited move, board members wore orange ties and neck scarves during the meeting. As of Tuesday, the county’s case rate of 4.5 per 100,000 seats the region well within orange tier criteria, which requires a case rate between 2-5.9 per 100,000. To qualify for the orange tier, counties must also maintain an adjusted case rate of 2-4.9% testing positivity and a positivity rate of 5.3% in the health equity quartile, which is a state measure of the most at-risk communities. Officials began gearing up for a move into the orange tier since reaching the red tier March 16. Within the last four weeks, the county experienced a sustained plateau in case rates that initially Please see ORANGE on A2
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