Santa Barbara News-Press: June 14, 2023

Gas prices down — for now

AAA says they could rise again, but not up to 2022’s record-breaking levels - A2

The truth about ‘True Lies’

Review: Series is better than the movie - B1

Donald Trump pleads not guilty

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER

(The Center Square) — Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 37 counts that allege he kept sensitive military documents, shared them with people who didn’t have security clearance and tried to get around the government’s efforts to get them back.

Mr. Trump’s arraignment at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Courthouse was largely procedural except for heightened

Former president says classified documents were ‘planted’

security, lots of media coverage and hundreds of supporters outside the federal courthouse in Miami.

The 49-page indictment laid out the charges against Mr. Trump and his valet and alleged co-conspirator, Walt Nauta. Mr. Trump was charged with keeping classified documents after leaving office and later obstructing the government’s efforts to retrieve them.

Mr. Nauta did not enter a plea on Tuesday. His arraignment was delayed for two weeks, according to media reports.

About 40 reporters and 10 members of the public watched the proceedings in the courtroom. No cameras or electronic devices were allowed in the courtroom.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman ordered Mr. Trump not to speak to Mr. Nauta or other witnesses about the facts of the case. Mr. Trump and Mr. Nauta were released without travel restrictions. They did not have to surrender their passports. In a post on his social media platform, Mr. Trump referred to Jack Smith, the special counsel

FIESTA RANCHERA

Event to take place Thursday at Rancho La Patera

with the U.S. Department of Justice appointed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, as a “thug” who planted documents in the boxes. Mr. Trump did not provide evidence to support his claim.

“This is the Thug, over turned consistently and unanimously in big cases, that Biden and his CORRUPT Injustice Department stuck on me. He’s a Radical Right Lunatic and Trump Hater, as are all his friends and family, who probably ‘planted’ information in the ‘boxes’ given to them. They taint everything that they touch,

including our Country, which is rapidly going to HELL!,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. The indictment contains specific dates and times with tothe-minute details of where the documents were stored, where they were moved, and who was involved.

Among the records were 197 that contained classified markings, including 98 marked “secret” and 30 marked “top secret.” The “top secret” designation means

Please see TRUMP on A4

SB City Council OKs $667 million budget

Councilmembers work with department heads on 2% cuts

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

With little fanfare, just one public speaker and minimal Santa Barbara City Council discussion, the $667 million Fiscal Year 2024 budget is now a reality.

The council voted Tuesday to approve financial plans for fiscal years ’24 and ’25, and the operations and capital budget for Fiscal Year ’24.

“This was a long, particularly contentious and tough budget process,” Mayor Randy Rowse said when opening the item for discussion.

He thanked staff “for all their hard work,” his colleagues for “working together to get where we are,” and Finance Director Keith DeMartini “for bringing this hardfought budget to the forefront in such a clear and patient way.”

The council spent all of May meeting with department heads forced to deal with 2% budget cuts to help cut a projected $3.8 million structural deficit in the $222 General Fund.

During 3 1/2 hours of budget deliberations last week, the council approved increasing council allowances; restoring a planning technician and increasing permit revenue; restoring a Fire Department inspector position, educational supplies and training; restoring library hours; increasing the transient occupancy tax; restoring Parks and Recreation’s youth service and afterschool programs; increasing the police department’s parking enforcement; and raising downtown parking revenue, Mr. DeMartini reviewed for the council Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the council actually approved a series of resolutions in order to approve the overall FY ’24 budget. Mayor Rowse and Councilmembers Eric Friedman and Oscar Gutierrez, citing conflicts of interest, each abstained from voting on a particular resolution. Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon voted no on another.

During their discussion, Councilmember Friedman thanked staff and Mr. DeMartini for making the “tough choices” before bringing the budget to the council.

“We landed in a tough place,” he said, yet the council nevertheless “found a way to support some of the issues the community advocated for.”

Tara Mata, the 2022 Spirit of Fiesta, dances at last year’s Fiesta Ranchera in Goleta. This year’s Fiesta Ranchera will take place Thursday.

By LIAM HIBBERT

NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Old Spanish Days is coming up this August, and in anticipation, the Santa Barbara area is celebrating with preFiesta events.

This Thursday, Goleta’s Fiesta Ranchera will take place to

honor the history of the Fiesta and the people who have made it possible. Guests are invited to join for food and dancing at Rancho La Patera gardens, 304 N. Los Carneros Road, from 5-10 p.m.

“There’s always great entertainment, great food,” El Presidente David Bolton

told the News-Press Tuesday. “Just that moment where everybody can join with family and friends, talk, have fun and dance.”

This year celebrates 15 years of Fiesta Ranchera and 99 years of the larger Fiesta.

“It’s really grown into a popular event,” Mr.

Bolton said about Fiesta Ranchera. “There’s food vendors, beverages and lively entertainment.”

This year there will be 25 different food and drink vendors, as well as live music by Flamenco guitarist Tony Ybarra.

The remaining budget reductions totaled approximately $2 million across most other General Fund departments, including police, fire, library, human resources, finance and city attorney.

The council authorized using $690,000 in General Fund reserves — later adjusted to $651,000 — to close the deficit gap and balance the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

Councilmember Mike Jordan also thanked staff for their hard work, but reminded his colleagues that they need to find a way to establish a better reserve policy “and plan to replenish the reserves.”

The only threat to the actual budget structure, he said, is the timing between collective bargaining agreements being negotiated and the council tackling the budget, citing a “lack of alignment.”

DAVE MASON /NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

Councilmember Eric Friedman thanked staff and Finance Director Keith DeMartini for making the “tough choices” before bringing the budget to the Santa Barbara City Council.

PHOTOS BY FRITZ OLENBERGER/COURTESY OLD SPANISH DAYS

WHITE HOUSE PHOTO

Donald Trump

AAA: Gas prices remain down from last year, could rise a bit

By LIAM HIBBERT NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

This time last year the United States and California both hit alltime highs for gas prices.

In the months since, prices have steadily decreased, but the question remains what customers can expect as they fill up in the future.

Inflation, among other factors, has caused prices in many industries to rise across the country since the pandemic. As motorists know, that has included gas prices.

In June 2022, the country had its highest ever gas prices, averaging $5.02 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas on June 14. In California, that number soared to $6.44 on June 14, 2022, according to the American Automobile Association.

On Tuesday of this week, those prices have fallen to $3.59 a gallon for the national average and $4.89 in California.

In Santa Barbara County, prices fell from a high of $6.38 a gallon in October down to $4.95 Tuesday. That’s a long drop, but one that may completely not stay for the coming months.

“As we enter the busy summer driving season, typically the demand for fuel increases, and that puts upward pressure on pump prices,” said Doug Shupe, corporate communications manager for AAA.

Mr. Shupe does, however, believe that prices are unlikely to rise to record-breaking levels again.

“Right now we don’t see any factors that would lead to similar high gas prices like what we saw

Man arrested on suspicion of narcotics possession

ISLA VISTA – Patrol deputies from the Isla Vista Foot Patrol have arrested an Isla Vista man on suspicion of possession of psilocybin mushrooms, fraudulent Xanax and MDMA (Ecstasy) for sales, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said.

On June 6, deputies received an

last year,” Mr. Shupe told the News-Press. He largely attributed increases last year to supply issues caused by refinery maintenance.

Mr. Shupe also discussed the impact of electric vehicles.

“Last year revealed that onequarter of Americans say they

would be likely to buy an electric vehicle,” said Mr. Shupe, citing an AAA consumer survey. A large part of the demand for electric vehicles is the worry around fuel prices. “The common factor is a strong desire to save on fuel costs, with 77% citing this as a top reason for interest,” said Mr.

TRAFFIC, CRIME & FIRE BLOTTER

a controlled substance (felony), possession of narcotics for sales (felony), possession of a controlled substance for sales (felony) and cultivation of psilocybin mushrooms (felony). He is being held on $30,000 bail.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the anonymous reporting party who came forward with their community concerns. This helpful information together with a thorough investigation by deputies has taken serious drugs off the streets of Isla Vista, the Sheriff’s Office noted.

— Neil Hartstein

Shupe. Most importantly, it looks like for the immediate future prices are likely to rise a bit for the summer months, but nothing like what was experienced in 2022, Mr. Shupe said. email: lhibbert@newspress.com

anonymous tip regarding illegal narcotics being sold in Isla Vista. In the days that followed, deputies followed up on this tip, resulting in a warrant being issued for 21-yearold Thomas Hung.

On Monday, deputies served the warrant in the 6600 block of Abrego Road, where they recovered more than 175 counterfeit Xanax along with MDMA and psilocybin mushrooms.

Mr. Hung was booked at the Main Jail in Santa Barbara on suspicion of transportation of

Man booked on suspicion of attempted murder

SANTA MARIA — After a series of news developments, a man has been booked in the Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder.

On April 17 at about 10 a.m., Santa Maria officers were sent to the area of McClelland and Mill Street regarding a possible shooting that had just occurred. The Communications Center received calls from residents reporting gunshots heard in the area.

Officers responded to the area, and after the initial investigation verified a shooting had occurred. The investigation revealed a confrontation had occurred between two adults followed by an adult male suspect firing multiple gunshots at another subject. Property damage was sustained, but no one was injured.

The suspect in the case was subsequently identified as 39-year-old Santa Maria resident, Omar Guadalupe Torres. The Detective Bureau took over the investigation and immediately

Please see BLOTTER on A4

County develops balanced budget with no cuts in services

By LIAM HIBBERT NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will start a budget hearing at 9 a.m. Friday in the County Administration Building, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara.

The county said in a news release that it has balanced its budget with no cuts in services.

The recommended operating budget is an increase of $89 million to a total of $1.48 billion.

The increase in money will largely come from property taxes, state revenue and an increase in charge of services.

The recommended budget also includes an increased workforce of 170 new full-time equivalent positions. The majority of these positions would be in social services, fire and behavioral wellness departments. The funds would largely come from the state.

“This board’s prudent financial planning and largely status quo budgets the last several years have allowed us to not only prevent any service level reductions but also expand on the board’s priorities in the coming year,” said County

Executive Officer Mona Miyasato.

“I am thankful that we are in a position where instead of making cuts, we can focus on delivering exceptional services so all in Santa Barbara County can enjoy a safe, healthy and prosperous life.”

The budget also sets aside $44 million for its “rainy day” fund, or General Strategic Reserve.

“The fiscal outlook for the county remains stable, but it is a time to buckle up and be vigilant as the trajectory of the economy remains uncertain,” said Mrs. Miyasato.

The theme for the Fiscal Year

(FY) 2023-24 budget is “Ready for Today, Preparing for Tomorrow.”

The budget hearing takes place in the County Administration Building, Fourth Floor Hearing Room. If needed, the hearing will resume there on June 20.

The public is encouraged to follow the proceedings at countyofsb.org or www.youtube. com/@CSBTV20/streams. The stream will also be available on cable TV channel 20. For more information, visit countyofsb.org.

email: lhibbert@newspress.com

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KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will review the county’s budget Friday at the County Administration Building in Santa Barbara.

DAVE MASON /NEWS-PRESS

Gas prices start at $4.49 a gallon Tuesday at the 76 station on Hollister Avenue in Goleta. The average for Santa Barbara County was $4.95 Tuesday, down from $6.38 a gallon in October.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE PHOTO

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office reported retrieving these narcotics in the case of a man arrested in Isla Vista on suspicion of possession.

SANTA MARIA POLICE PHOTO Omar Guadalupe Torres

Oversight lawmakers question CDC on handling of pandemic

By J.J. BRANNOCK THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF REPORTER

(The Center Square) — Members of Congress on Tuesday grilled the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, whether the agency colluded with social media companies to suppress speech and a host of other topics.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, who is stepping down from the agency at the end of the month, testified before the House Select Subcommittee on Oversight about her agency’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio., chairman of the subcommittee, questioned whether the science backed up what the federal government claimed about the vaccine, specifically citing President Joe Biden’s statement, “If you’re vaccinated, you’re not going to be hospitalized, you’re not going to be in the intensive care unit, and you are not going to die.”

Dr. Walensky responded by saying that at the time of President Biden’s speech the vaccine was 96% effective at preventing COVID-19 symptoms, but that “in medicine, we never say never.”

Rep. Wenstrup agreed but said that President Biden’s statement was so definitive that it qualified as misinformation.

Rep. Wenstrup told Dr.

Walensky and the CDC that statements like that from such high-ranking officials were impermissible, suggesting that the individuals speaking to the pandemic should have been doctors in the field rather than politicians or “someone in a lab.”

When pressed further, Dr. Walensky said that the CDC at the time did not, and “still, to this day, do not have data on people who were coming into the hospitals who were vaccinated.” Rep. Wenstrup told her that the data surrounding it needed to be collected and closely examined.

U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., said the primary point of the hearing was to increase preparedness for future pandemics “so that we can more rapidly respond in a future public health crisis.”

Dr. Walensky told the subcommittee that when she started at the CDC, fax machines made up the primary mechanism to share data with and from the agency, preventing government and public health leaders from quick access to crucial information.

U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., who chairs the Oversight Committee, said the CDC flagged social media posts that they deemed to be misinformation, and asked, “Did the CDC work with private companies to influence

a censorship of dissent about vaccines?”

Dr. Walensky refused to answer, saying the topic is under court litigation.

Dr. Walensky also avoided answering if the CDC had worked with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to censor posts. Her only comment was that the vaccine was the most important thing for getting the U.S. out of the pandemic and that “it was really important that the American people understood how well they work and how safe they are.”

U.S. Rep. Mariannette MillerMeeks, R-Iowa, questioned if the rate of transmission in schools was low enough to not require school closures. Dr. Walensky responded by saying that after collecting data from schools in other countries that remained open and the local transmission rates in schools, they encouraged schools to reopen on a case-by-case basis.

Dr. Walensky said that one of the most important things of note from the pandemic was the fact that there was and still is no active infrastructure to get vaccines out in emergency situations.

Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., commented on the CDC website’s lack of updates, focusing on the fact that the CDC still strongly recommends the wearing of masks without a contextual update on the page that the public sees.

Watchdog: Feds wasted

$683 million per day in improper payments in 2022

By CASEY HARPER

REPORTER

(The Center Square) — The federal government wasted over a half a trillion dollars in improper payments during the first two years of the Biden administration, a new analysis from a spending watchdog group found. The analysis comes from Open The Books, which reports that 82 programs across 17 agencies made improper payments in fiscal year 2022 alone, averaging $20.5 billion per month, or $683 million per day.

“In total, federal agencies made an estimated $247 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2022, which is less than the all-time high of $281 billion in FY 2021 but still more than every other previous year, even when adjusting for inflation,” the report said.

The group said the apparent decrease from 2021 to 2022 is only because the reporting and eligibility requirements for these payments were changed due to COVID-19, not because of a substantive decrease.

“In 2022, the incorrect

payments totaled $1,673 for every individual tax return filed that year. (167,915,264, according to the IRS),” said Adam Andrzejewski, CEO of Open the Books. “They amounted to $846 for every man, woman and child in the country. So the government wasted $3,384 for every family of four – an amount equal to two average mortgage payments. (331,893,745, U.S. pop in 2021, from U.S. Census Bureau website).”

Feds were able to secure an “actual recovery rate” of 9% of the improperly paid funds. Improper payments can occur because of deceptive fraudsters or from agency errors, such as the $532.5 million that went to dead people in 2022. Dead people received $441.7 million in 2021 in mistaken payments.

“Federal retirement services (pensions), old-age, survivors, and disability insurance, and social security were sent to dead recipients,” the group said.

In particular, the spike in COVID-era programs and payments led to a rise in waste, fraud and abuse. The more time passes, the less likely

the Feds are to recover those funds.

“In 2021, the Small Business Administration overpaid $671 million in improper payments,” the report said. “That number ballooned to $37.3 billion in 2022, due mostly to the Paycheck Protection Loan Program and COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan program – $35.9 billion combined.” Open The Books found that the worst offending agencies in 2022 were the “Department of Health and Human Services’ Medicaid ($81 billion); HHS’s Medicare – consisting of several parts – ($47 billion); and Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program ($29 billion).”

Improper payments have been an ongoing problem, with agencies reporting nearly $3 trillion in improper payments since 2004.

“While lawmakers fight over how many trillions to spend per year, every dollar blown hurts the taxpayers and fails a critical mission,” Mr. Andrzejewski said.

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

Inflation rises slightly in May

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE SENIOR REPORTER

(The Center Square) — The latest federal data released Tuesday showed that inflation rose slightly last month.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Consumer Price Index for May, a federal marker of inflation that rose 0.1% last month, part of a 4% increase in the previous 12 months. Most economists say 2% to 3% inflation is healthy for the economy.

“The index for shelter was the largest contributor to the monthly all items increase, followed by an increase in the index for used cars and trucks,” BLS said.

Food prices, which had remained level in recent months, ticked back up

in May. During the Biden administration, food prices have risen significantly faster than overall inflation.

“The food index increased 0.2 percent in May after being unchanged in the previous 2 months,” BLS said. “The index for food at home rose 0.1% over the month while the index for food away from home rose 0.5%.”

An increase in other goods and services in May was offset by a decline in energy costs. Despite this increase, energy costs increases have been a key source of higher inflation in recent years.

“The energy index, in contrast, declined 3.6% in May as the major energy component indexes fell,” BLS said. The energy cost decline is a welcome sight for Americans

who experienced record high gas prices last summer. However, many other items are becoming more expensive, meaning that if energy costs rise again that Americans could quickly be back in the middle of serious cost-of-living increases.

“The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.4% in May, as it did in April and March. Indexes which increased in May include shelter, used cars and trucks, motor vehicle insurance, apparel and personal care,” BLS said. “The index for household furnishings and operations and the index for airline fares were among those that decreased over the month.”

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

a-Lago hosted 150 social events — such as weddings, fundraisers and movie premieres for tens of thousands of guests from January 2021, when Mr. Trump left office, through the FBI raid on Aug. 8, 2022. Mar-a-Lago had about 150 employees during that time, prosecutors said in the indictment.

Mr. Trump stored the boxes in several locations at Mar-aLago, his social club with 25 guest rooms in Palm Beach. The boxes that contained classified documents were stored in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom and a storage room, prosecutors alleged in the indictment.

prosecutors allege Mr. Trump showed a representative of his political action committee a classified map of a country.

BLOTTER

Mr. Trump is the first president to face felony federal criminal charges.

As a candidate for president in 2016, Mr. Trump repeatedly spoke about the handling of classified documents.

Continued from Page A2 that unauthorized disclosure “reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage” to national security,” according to the indictment. Mr. Trump turned those records over to the National Archives and Records Administration on Jan. 17, 2022, in response to demands from that federal agency.

On June 3, 2022, an attorney for Mr. Trump provided the FBI with 38 additional documents with classified markings. And during a raid of Mar-a-Lago on Aug. 8, 2022, the FBI recovered 102 additional documents with classified markings.

While the U.S. Secret Service provided security to Mr. Trump while he was at his Palm Beach property, Mr. Trump never told the agency that classified documents were stored there, according to the indictment. Mar-

BUDGET

Continued from Page A1

The agreements, he said, come in mid-budget cycle and “trash the budget we adopted.” He said collective bargaining agreements should be completed prior to the budget being adopted or be included as part of budget considerations.

The most impassioned comments came from Mayor Pro Tem Alejandra Gutierrez, who pleaded for more funding for the police department to restore vacant officer positions to reduce response time to accidents and emergencies.

Like her colleagues, she thanked staff and fellow council members for their hard work, and welcomed

Prosecutors allege the documents belong to some of the nation’s most secret agencies, including the CIA, the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, the Department of Energy and the State Department.

The documents contained information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of the United States and other allied nations, U.S. nuclear programs, plans for possible retaliation in case of an attack and potential U.S. vulnerabilities, according to the indictment.

additional financial support for the library and Community Development, but she stressed there has to be balance in weighing where the city’s money is spent.

“The budget we’re approving today really reflects our failure” in addressing issues facing the entire city, including the lack of housing and the city’s slow, burdensome permit process, she said.

“We really have to think about the consequences that actually help the community.”

Focusing on the police department, she said it’s vital to have law enforcement and a police presence to prevent problems, and for example, keep children safe “so they don’t grow up and become victims.

“Somebody in law enforcement

The club was not authorized to store classified documents. Prosecutors further alleged that Mr. Trump showed classified documents to people not authorized to see such records.

In one case on July 21, 2021, at the Bedminster Club in New Jersey, Mr. Trump allegedly showed a writer, a publisher and two staff members classified documents. During the recorded interview, Trump said that the documents were “highly classified” and that could have declassified them while president, but could no longer do so after leaving office, according to the indictment. In August or September 2021,

has the power to affect change,” she said, even when the justice system in the country “isn’t quite just.”

She noted that “every second counts” after an accident, and it’s not good when a lack of staffing means officers can’t react quickly enough. Council members, she said, “are not the ones who are going to be there.”

.“It’s easy to put a vote to things that are popular,” she said. “It’s really hard to achieve balance and provide justice, especially in the world we live in.

“When we approve the budget, we are telling the community what our values are. We can’t just pretend things aren’t going on.”

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

“In my administration, I’m going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information,” he said on Aug. 18, 2016, according to the indictment. “No one will be above the law.”

In April, Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts in New York related to charges he paid hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels through a lawyer before the 2016 presidential election and covered it up as a legal expense before being elected president.

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

Inflation Reduction Act funds $161 million in landscape restoration

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — The Bureau of Land Management, which manages over 245 million acres of public land located largely in 12 western states, announced that it will spend $161 million for ecosystem restoration.

The bureau has already leveraged $40 million in funding it received from the Inflation Reduction Act, for restoration activities.

“The BLM has received $161 million under this law for ecosystem restoration and resilience on public lands in 11 western states. This funding will be directed to projects in 21 Restoration Landscapes, with the aim of passing these lands on to the future in better condition than we find them today,” the bureau said.

In a news release by the

FIESTA

Continued from Page A1

One of the Fiesta’s main attractions is its Spirits

— described as goodwill ambassadors to the local communities. The Spirit and Junior Spirit are local kids who perform dances for the Fiesta.

Both will be in attendance at the Fiesta Ranchera to perform their dances, including the festival’s first male Spirit, Jack Harwood, and Junior Spirit Olivia Nelson.

“Fiesta is definitely here. It’s that time of year when we all look forward to the fog pulling away and the sun coming in,” said Mr. Bolton. “It’s time for dance, it’s time for music. It’s time to raise a drink with friends and family.”

No tickets will be available Thursday at the door, but you can purchase tickets in advance for $85, all-inclusive, at www. sbfiesta.org.

email: lhibbert@newspress.com

bureau, it was mentioned that as part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the funding came through the Inflation Reduction Act. Based on ecological need and importance to the community, BLM has selected 21 landscapes for restoration. Among them is the Concumnes Watershed in Northern California.

“With today’s investment, we will be able to pass these lands to future generations in better shape than we find them today,” said Bureau Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “We’re thrilled to be able to put people to work to benefit wildlife habitat, clean water, and the overall health and productivity of our public lands.”

The Cosumnes Watershed is an area in California’s Central Valley where the Cosumnes River meets the 95-mile long Mokelumne River in a co-dependant ecology of wetlands, riparian forest and natural floodplains. Having

never been dammed, it is the only unregulated river of the Sierra Nevada’s western slopes, allowing the Cosumnes River to breach its banks seasonally in natural support of habitat for various species of egrets and herons, sandhill cranes, stilts and avocets, phoebes and flycatchers, and yellow and Wilson’s warblers included among the more than 250 species of birds found there.

The river supports waterways for 40 fish species, the ecology of the largest remaining oak forests, savannas and approximately 230 plant species, along with pools that emerge in spring.

The bureau, along with 11 other organizations, partners to manage the approximately 4,700 acre Cosumnes River Preserve.

With funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Consumnes Watershed restoration hopes to protect native plants and remove invasive species, create climate

resilience, restore wetlands, conduct prescribed burns and restore streams.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle out – by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, investing in nature-based solutions, and driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating good paying jobs and building a clean energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient,” a release from the bureau stated.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said, “Through the president’s Investing in America agenda, we will increase the ability of public lands to provide clean water, habitat for fish and wildlife, opportunities for recreation, and other important benefits.”

began to search for Mr. Torres. He could not be located and was believed to have fled the Santa Maria area.

Detectives ultimately obtained an arrest warrant for Mr. Torres that was uploaded into local, state and national law enforcement databases.

On June 5, Mr. Torres was contacted by members of the Calexico Police Department. He was arrested on the warrant following a check of the California and National Law Enforcement databases.

On June 9, he was transferred to the custody of the Santa Barbara County Jail where he was booked on his pre-complaint arrest warrant. Mr. Torres was booked on suspicion of attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is being held on $2 million bail.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Detective Silver at 805-928-3781, ext. 1346, or the SMPD Communications Center at 805-928-3781, ext. 2277.

— Neil Hartstein

Vehicle rollover results in injuries

CUYAMA VALLEY — A vehicle rollover on State Route 166 in Cuyama Valley, about 30 miles west of New Cuyama, left two people injured, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The Monday morning accident resulted in one man with major injuries, who was transported by helicopter to the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital emergency room. A woman with minor injuries was transported by ambulance

Bridge demolition expected today

LOS OLIVOS — A project to replace the Alamo Pintado Creek Pedestrian Bridge adjacent to State Route 154 near Los Olivos is expected to begin demolition work today and continue through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Residents and businesses in the area may hear loud construction noise during this work.

This project will also remove a retaining wall next to the bridge and install planted rock slope protection in the creek.

The bridge remains closed to all pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians during construction. Bicyclists will need to use State Route 154 or a local street to cross the creek, according to Caltrans.

This bridge was constructed in 1912.

In 1971, a new bridge structure, Alamo Pintado Creek Bridge, was built on a new alignment 40 feet upstream from the original structure. At that time, local citizens contacted the state to preserve the 1912 structure so it could be used as a pedestrian/equestrian trail bridge.

The new bridge will meet current seismic safety codes.

The existing bridge structure is 92 feet long by 28 feet wide while the new bridge will be 115 feet long by 16 feet wide, Caltrans said.

The contractor for this $3.9 million project is M.C.M. Construction Inc. of North Highlands. It is scheduled to be completed by summer 2025.

— Neil Hartstein

FRITZ OLENBERGER/COURTESY OLD SPANISH DAYS Layla Gocong, the 2022 Junior of Spirit, performs at last year’s Fiesta Ranchera.

to Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria.

— Neil Hartstein

COURTESY PHOTO Finance Director Keith DeMartini reviewed the developments in the budget process at Tuesday’s Santa Barbara City Council meeting.

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Today is one of the best eras for spy shows on TV. And the truth is, the best of those shows includes “True Lies.”

The CBS series is inspired by director James Cameron’s 1994 film of the same name.

Life theArts

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2023

inSpiesthe family inSpiesthe family

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 5 p.m. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Road, has reopened its permanent mineral exhibit of rocks and crystals that is on view in the small hall off the museum’s central courtyard. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. The exhibit, which opened April 22, is included in museum admission. Members are always admitted free. For others, prices vary from $14 to $19. For more information, visit sbnature. org/minerals.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The James Castle exhibit is on display at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Admission is free from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. For more information, see sbma.net.

7 p.m. Circus Vargas will present its shows through June 19 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $19 to $49 for general admission and $49 to $75 for special seating. To purchase, go to circusvargas.com.

7:30 p.m. Ensemble Theatre Company is performing “Seared,” a comedy/drama about a restaurant, through June 25 at The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Ticket prices range from $40 to $84. To purchase, call the ETC box office at 805-965-5400 or visit etcsb.org. Prices are subject to change.

JUNE 15

7 p.m. Circus Vargas will present its shows through June 19 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $19 to $49 for general admission and $49 to $75 for special seating. To purchase, go to circusvargas.com.

While that film, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as spy Harry Tasker and Jamie Lee Curtis as his wife/new spy Helen Tasker, was a good movie, the series is even better.

That’s because of the clever writing, the emphasis on an ensemble cast and the spontaneity among the actors.

“True Lies” recently concluded its first season on CBS, but you’ll find all the episodes streaming on Paramount+. If you start watching, make sure you’re on a comfortable

sofa or chair, because the show is binge-worthy.

Steve Howey stars as Harry Tasker, who works for the U.S. spy agency called the Omega Sector.

His wife Helen (Ginger Gonzaga) is a linguistics professor who’s bored with their lives. Well, she suddenly finds herself in an exciting life when she learns on a trip to Paris that Harry isn’t a dull computer salesman, after all, but actually a spy.

Helen joins the team as a spy, and the fun of the show is watching

Harry and Helen balance their lives as spies with being parents of teenagers, who have no idea what Mom and Dad are really doing.

The writers have wisely taken an ensemble approach with this show, and the series has good storylines involving Gib (Omar Miller), the team’s leader and computer genius; and fellow spies Luther Mike O’Gorman) and Maria (Erica Hernandez).

“True Lies” succeeds as a clever mix of drama, comedy, action and character development. The series

aw

TOM GRISCOM/CBS

has great plot twists involving its villains, and there’s some good use of science in defeating the bad guys.

There’s another show on Netflix that seems similar to “True Lies,” no doubt because it stars Mr. Schwarzenegger as Luke, a CIA spy who discovers his daughter Emma (Monica Barbaro) is also a CIA spy. “FUBAR” has a bit more comedy than “True Lies,” but offers some exciting action series and some strong character development.

Please see SPIES on B2

REVIEW

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Series based on movies have become a big trend on streaming services and TV networks. Often, that works well.

But not always.

“Fatal Attraction” is one story that was compelling on the big screen. As a series on the smaller screen, it’s less dramatic.

In episodic form, the pacing has to be slowed down, and the writers have tried to compensate for that for “Fatal Attraction,” the new series streaming on Paramount+, with the addition of a murder mystery in a storyline taking place in the present.

Another storyline, taking place in the past, shows prosecuting attorney Dan Gallagher (Joshua Jackson) pursuing an extramarital affair with victim’s advocate Alex Forrest (Liz Caplan), who begins to demand more from Dan than one-night stands. The question, of course, is whether and when Beth Gallagher, Dan’s wife (played by Amanda Peet) will find out about them, and whether Alex will let Dan out of the relationship. That’s similar to what happened in the 1987 movie “Fatal Attraction” starring Michael Douglas as lawyer Dan Gallagher and Glenn Close as Alex, who in the movie version was a book editor who refused to let Dan end their affair.

The 1987 film had a lot going for it, from the cinematography to the music, the suspenseful story and the outstanding acting

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony and vocalist Tony DeSare will perform Frank Sinatra’s hits at The Granada, 1214 State St. Tickets for “An Evening with Sinatra” can be purchased at granadasb.org.

7:30 p.m. Ensemble Theatre Company is performing “Seared,” a comedy/drama about a restaurant, through June 25 at The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Ticket prices range from $40 to $84. To purchase, call the ETC box office at 805-965-5400 or visit etcsb.org. Prices are subject to change.

JUNE 16 4 and 7:30 p.m. Circus Vargas will present its shows through June 19 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $19 to $49 for general admission and $49 to $75 for special seating. To purchase, go to circusvargas.com.

8 p.m. Ensemble Theatre Company is performing “Seared,” a comedy/drama about a restaurant, through June 25 at The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Ticket prices range from $40 to $84. To purchase, call the ETC box office at 805-965-5400 or visit etcsb.org. Prices are subject to change.

JUNE 17 1, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Circus Vargas will present its shows through June 19 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $19 to $49 for general admission and $49 to $75 for special seating. To purchase, go to circusvargas.com.

6 p.m. Momentum Dance Company will perform “The Glow Gala” at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara. The two-hour show will feature tap, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary dance and acrobatics with a total of 44 numbers. Dancers range in age from 3 to 18. Tickets cost $50. To purchase, go to lobero.org.

8 p.m. Ensemble Theatre Company is performing “Seared,” a comedy/drama about a restaurant, through June 25 at The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Ticket prices range from $40 to $84. To purchase, call the ETC box office at 805-965-5400 or visit etcsb.org.

Prices are subject to change.

JUNE 18

12:30, 3:30 and 7 p.m. Circus Vargas will present its shows through June 19 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $19 to $49 for general admission and $49 to $75 for special seating. To purchase, go to circusvargas.com.

JUNE 19

6:30 p.m. Circus Vargas will present its final show June 19 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $19 to $49 for general admission and $49 to $75 for special seating. To purchase, go to circusvargas.com.

JUNE 22

7:30 p.m. The Takács Quartet will perform at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara. The Music Academy of the West’s fellows will join the quartet and acclaimed soprano Ana Maria Martinez in a concert featuring works from Tchaikovsky to Brahms to Héctor Campos Parsi and Federico Moreno Torroba. Tickets cost $55 and $60. To purchase, go to lobero.org.

— Dave Mason

CBS series ‘True Lies,’ about husband-and-wife spies, is better than the movie; Netflix’s ‘FUBAR’ shows father and daughter working together in the CIA

Harry Tasker (Steve Howry) and Helen Tasker (Ginger Gonzaga) are husband and wife who work as spies for the Omega Sector, a U.S. intelligence agency, in “True Lies.”

‘Fatal Attraction,’ the series, su ers from fatal

MONTY BRINTON/PARAMOUNT+

Alex Forest (Liz Caplan) has an affair with prosecuting attorney Dan Gallagher (Joshua Jackson) in “Fatal Attraction,” the Paramount+ series

MONTHS Call

COURTESY CIRCUS VARGAS

Intricate juggling is part of Circus Vargas, which continues its shows through June 19 at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Tonight’s show is at 7 p.m. Other shows are set for 7 p.m. Thursday; 4 and 7:30 p.m. Friday; 1, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 12:30, 3:30 and 7 p.m. June 18; and 6:30 p.m. June 19. TIckets cost $19 to $49 for general admission and $49 to $75 for special seating. To purchase, go to circusvargas.com.

Summer Safety and Fun Event to take place for families

SANTA BARBARA — The Summer Safety and Fun Event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 1 at Ortega Park and Pool, 604 E. Ortega St. This free event is open to children and families of all ages and will feature low-cost helmets, resources on car seat harnessing and California car seat laws, supervised swimming, a bike safety obstacle course, and other fun and engaging

activities.

The event involves the Santa Barbara County Emergency Medical Services Agency, Cottage Health, the Santa Barbara City Fire Department, the Santa Barbara Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, American Medical Response, SafeKids’ Santa Barbara County Chapter, and Santa Barbara County MOVE. According to Safe Kids, there

are over 240,000 emergency room visits for children and teens 19 years of age and under due to bicycle-related injuries annually, with 11% of those resulting in traumatic brain injuries. Additionally, the CDC estimates that 59% of children are in improperly fitted or installed car seats.

In light of these statistics, the Santa Barbara County EMS Agency is committed to

supporting injury prevention and ensuring the community has access to life-saving skills and equipment. This event will help equip families with the proper resources they need to ensure they have a fun and safe summer. For more information, visit www.countyofsb.org/phd/ems/ safeandactive.sbc.

The Doublewide Kings to perform at Stearns Wharf

pier from 6 to 8 p.m.

SANTA BARBARA —

Wharf Wednesday on July 5 will feature live music by the Doublewide Kings at Stearns Wharf. The free concert will rock the

The Santa Barbara band plays a blend of original music and cover tunes that brings new passion to rock’n’roll. Free concerts take place

on the first Wednesday every month through October at Stearns Wharf. Future bands are Tequila Mocking Bird, 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 2; The Academy, 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 6; and Down

— Annika Bahnsen

Mountain Lights, 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 4.

For more information, visit stearnswharf.org/events.

— Liam Hibbert

Two local students make Dean’s honor list

The following students have made the Dean’s Honor List for the Spring 2023 semester at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.:

• Samir Beall of Santa Barbara is studying computer science.

• Jillian Lin of Goleta is studying

FATAL

Continued from Page B1

by Ms. Close and Mr. Douglas, whose late parents, cinematic legend Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne, had a home in Montecito. (The film has some downfalls, including its failure to fully explore Alex’s character and the horrible, unnecessary murder of

Architecture. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Dean’s Honor List is compiled at the end of each semester to recognize undergraduate students who have completed 12 or more credit hours

with a 3.5 grade point average or better.

The Troy, New York university offers degrees from five schools: engineering; science; architecture; humanities, arts, and social sciences; and the Lally School

of Management; as well as an interdisciplinary degree in information technology and web science.

To learn more visit www.rpi.edu.

— Liam Hibbert

SPIES

Continued from Page B1

And the former California governor is in the perfect series for him: an action show with comedy. Likewise, Ms. Barbaro is great in the scenes with Mr. Schwarzenegger as their characters resolve relationship issues during their daily job of saving the world.

One of the best characters is Roo (Fortune Felmster), a spy who says what she thinks, acts tough but shows her vulnerability. She gets many of the show’s best lines. Netflix has a good variety of spy shows. “Night Agent” is among the best of them. “The Recruit” is a good show that gets better with the later episodes.

email: dmason@newspress.com

TUNE IN

a pet rabbit.)

As a story that happens over several episodes, “Fatal Attraction” is much less compelling than the 1987 film, and the slower pace doesn’t allow Mr. Jackson, whose best work includes the sci-fi series “Fringe,” and Ms. Caplan to have their best acting

JACE DOWNS/CBS

moments. They must stretch out their crescendos, and that’s the fatal flaw in “Fatal Attractions.”

The series tries to stir things up a bit with a present-day storyline showing Dan, who was convicted of killing Alex, being released on parole. He’s trying to reconnect

All episodes of the first season of “True Lies” streams on Paramount+. All episodes of the first seasons of “FUBAR,”“Night Agent” and “The Recruit” stream on Netflix.

with his and Beth’s daughter and is determined to prove he’s innocent of killing Alex. That storyline is intriguing, but is interrupted by the affair in the past. “Fatal Attraction” the series could work better if it focused on a single storyline: past, present or future, without flashbacks. email: dmason@newspress.com

From left, the Omega Sector spies include Harry Tasker (Steve Howry), Helen Tasker (Ginger Gonzaga), Harry Tasker (Steve Howey), Luther (Mike O’Gorman) and Maria (Erica Hernandez).

Diversions

Thought for Today

“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” —

Satchel Paige

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

ARIES — Emotionally, you should feel good today, Aries, so don’t let this confidence go to waste. Do things with your sweetheart and turn the dial up on romance. Your inner light is shining brightly, so know that you can use this to illuminate the path for others. Offer a sympathetic ear and comforting shoulder for someone to cry on tonight.

TAURUS — As much as you try to explain things, Taurus, others simply aren’t going to see them with your same intensity and door-die urgency. Be careful that you don’t contrive a series of farout stories that only partially reflect the truth. Make sure the picture you paint is accurate or else others may lose faith in your judgment.

GEMINI — Feel free to ignite your passion with the help of the people around you, Gemini. Join with those who share similar dreams and make a plan for accomplishing whatever you choose. The more creative you can be with your planning, data collecting, and execution, the better off you will be.

CANCER — You may get caught up in gossip if you aren’t careful, Cancer, and people may find this offputting. The maturity level of the conversation is apt to drop significantly if you insist on talking about others like they’re soap opera characters. Build your self-confidence so you’re comfortable and you don’t need to use other people’s lives as topics of discussion.

LEO — Your enthusiasm is contagious, Leo, and you should do what you can to share this feeling with others. In matters of the heart, have confidence that you know exactly where you stand. You also have the map of the surrounding area and beyond. You have the ability to get to any place you want to go.

VIRGO — You may be at a high point right now and feeling very excited about things to come, Virgo. You probably anticipate but have only a vague notion of what’s just over the horizon. You may have a strong desire to rise high so you can see farther. In fact, you probably

think that any place is better than your current spot.

LIBRA — Let your heart be the reassuring force in your life today if difficult emotional issues come to the surface, Libra. Your feelings are apt to be at a climactic point in your month. Your general sensitivity toward the world is heightened. Try not to get too weighed down by these inner stirrings.

SCORPIO — Be open and communicative about your feelings today, Scorpio. Most people find it easy to share facts or concrete information. The challenge is to share something from your heart. Don’t think that feelings always need to be kept secret. Just the opposite is true. Make sure you leave the channels open for emotional expression.

SAGITTARIUS — When you enter a room, Sagittarius, the dynamic suddenly changes. Your presence has a powerful impact on other people. Don’t take it lightly. People may hang on your words like they’re listening to the queen address to her kingdom. Make sure the content of your speech reflects the gravity of the situation.

CAPRICORN — When it comes to issues of love and romance, you’re likely to be in a tough situation, Capricorn. The problem is that it may seem like there’s an element of detachment developing. Your partner may be moving away from you instead of toward you. Either that, or you feel that he or she simply isn’t relating to you as intimately as you’d like.

AQUARIUS — Your selfconfidence will get you out of any sort of pickle you might be in today, Aquarius. Try not to get too emotional about any issue. Make sure that you keep things light and energetic. If you seem to be stuck in the mud, don’t just sit there calling for help. Take the initiative to dig yourself out and move to higher ground.

PISCES — Try not to get too worked up over other people’s actions that don’t concern you, Pisces. Recent events may have triggered responses from others that now have a serious effect on you. Take some time to really think about what part you wish to play in this drama. Is it in your best interests to get involved?

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

The loser-on-loser play may be declarer’s most valuable tool, useful in many situations: in establishing a suit, preparing an end play or executing an “avoidance” play.

In today’s deal, North’s bid of 2NT would have been an artificial forcing spade raise were he not a passed hand; as it was, his bid was natural and invitational, showing a balanced 11 or 12 points.

Against four spades, West leads the jack of hearts: queen, king, three. South wins the heart return with dummy’s ace and counts nine winners: six trumps and three side aces. Where can he get a 10th trick?

THIRD TRICK

South should lead a diamond to his ace at the third trick, lead a trump to dummy’s nine and return the queen of diamonds. When East follows low, South discards his last heart — a loser on a loser. West takes the king, and leads a third heart. South ruffs and reaches dummy with the king of trumps to discard a club on the jack of diamonds. He loses one club at the end but makes his game. DAILY QUESTION

The dealer, at your right, passes. North in today’s deal passed with this hand in second

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

seat. Do you agree or would you have opened the bidding?

ANSWER: I sympathize with North’s pass. North had minimum high-card values with only one ace and one king. His long suit was a ragged minor. He did have two “Quick Tricks.” The modern expert tendency is to open anything that remotely resembles an opening bid. West dealer

no evidence

Department of Justice grants paid for cash bond

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER

(The Center Square) — A report from a Congressional watchdog found no evidence that the U.S. Department of Justice grants were used to pay cash bond for bail although grant money did go to organizations that back programs that help people get out of jail before trial.

Congress asked the Government Accountability Office to determine if nonprofits had used federal grant funds to pay for bail on behalf of individuals. The report examined grant and spending data from fiscal years 2017 through June 2022.

In U.S. courts, judges generally decide if those facing criminal charges should be jailed or released. Bail is the process of release that requires a contract between a defendant and the court, known as a bond. Bonds can be financial, such as a cash bond. Other bonds don’t involve money, but rather the promise to appear in court. The Department of Justice gives federal money to state and local governments, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, tribal governments and educational institutions through various

grant programs. “Based on our review of available data and interviews with DOJ officials, we found no information to indicate DOJ awarded grants to nonprofits to pay cash bond for bail or that nonprofit recipients used DOJ grant funds for this purpose,” according to the Government Accountability Office report.

The report found that federal money went to nonprofits that support such projects.

Department of Justice grant money did go to some nonprofits that have or support projects that pay cash bond, but officials from all three told Government Accountability Office officials that they did not use Department of Justice funds to pay cash bond.

The nonprofit officials said they separate grant and program funds from funds used to pay cash bond, according to the report.

The Government Accountability Office report did not find any federal prohibitions that would prevent Department of Justice grants from being used to pay cash bond.

“We did not identify any express prohibitions in federal statutes or regulations on the use of DOJ grants to pay cash bond for bail on behalf of an individual. DOJ officials also

Measure on Pritzker’s desk increases statute of limitation to go after COVID fraud

confirmed that they are not aware of any such restrictions,” according to the report. “While there may be no express prohibitions in federal statutes or regulations on using DOJ grant funds for this purpose, recipients of DOJ grants must use grant funds for the purposes for which DOJ awarded the grant.”

However, the Government Accountability Office report found one program where paying for cash bond may be an allowable use of grant funds, but program officials “told us that they would have to evaluate any proposal to use (Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program) funds to pay cash bond for bail against applicable federal requirements.”

The Department of Justice’s fiscal year 2023 Discretionary Budget request totaled $37.7 billion, including $32.7 billion for federal programs and $4.9 billion for state, local and tribal assistance programs, according to the agency’s budget. The Department of Justice got $69.79 Billion in total budgetary resources, about 0.6% of the fiscal year 2023 U.S. federal budget, according to USAspending.gov.

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

Assistance to small farms pitched by Democratic representatives in U.S. House

By ALAN WOOTEN THE CENTER SQUARE MANAGING EDITOR

(The Center Square) —

Serving small farmers with grants and technical assistance with the creation of the Office of Small Farms at the USDA is in a bill introduced in the U.S. House. Small farms have barriers at the USDA, said U.S. Reps. Alma Adams, D-N.C.; Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Marilyn Strickland, D-Wash., and Jim McGovern, D-Mass. A release says the office “would directly serve small farmers with grants and technical assistance and ensure that all USDA programs are designed to meet the needs of

small farmers.”

The bill sponsors say small acreage farms, defined as fewer than 180 acres, are 70% of all farms in the United States. Dozens of agriculture entities support the measure.

The release says, “Despite their substantial contributions to the U.S. economy, they only receive 12% of federal payments to farms. USDA programs should serve all farmers equally, but they often favor large-scale operations. This can be traced to staff shortages, program design, and resource gaps that disadvantage small farms.”

Rep. Adams, a senior member of the Agriculture Committee, said in the release, “Almost 2

million farms and ranches in the United States are operated by small family farmers. Small family farms often lack the resources to apply for the very programs that could help them the most, and historically underserved farmers are more likely to operate their farms at a smaller scale.”

She said she hopes the measure, if it becomes a law, will help “preserve our shrinking family farmland, and preserve our sources of food, nourishment, and agriculture far into the future. All North Carolina farmers – rural and urban; small, medium, and large – deserve better than a one-sizefits-all approach.”

By GREG BISHOP THE CENTER SQUARE ASSOCIATE EDITOR

(The Center Square) — A measure now on Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk aims to go after fraud from during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Congress approved more than $4.5 trillion of taxpayer funding to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest tally from USASpending.gov shows Illinois’ public and private sectors were given more than $107 billion.

The Peter G. Peterson Foundation shows Illinois bringing in nearly $162 billion. That equals around $12,783 per capita.

One of the major areas of known fraud was in the unemployment system. Illinois lost nearly $2 billion in funds due to fraudulent unemployment claims. However, still unknown is the entire scope of all the fraud.

State Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, said the issue is a real breach of taxpayer trust.

“It was extremely problematic and we still to this day don’t know how badly Illinois got ripped off

in our unemployment fraud,” Rep. Caulkins told The Center Square.

“We also had the (Paycheck Protection Program) fraud people were claiming.”

Of all unemployment programs, the total taxpayer cost for Illinois was $25.9 billion, according to The Peter G. Peterson Foundation. The Paycheck Protection Program for Illinois cost taxpayers $38.1 billion. Among other COVID-19 spending, the state and local recovery funds totaled $14 billion.

House Bill 3304 extends the statute of limitations for the prosecution of any fraudulent activity connected to COVID-19related programs, “to include the Paycheck Protection Program, COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, and the Unemployment Benefit Programs.”

The measure passed unanimously out of both chambers. It was sent to Gov. Pritzker Friday. He has until Aug. 8 to act on the bill, or it automatically becomes law.

“I think finally everyone in the General Assembly has had enough, and we want to get to the bottom of it,” Rep. Caulkins said.

The tools are only useful if they’re used, Rep. Caulkins said, and officials need to prosecute and claw back the fraudulently released tax dollars.

“The unemployment fund is paid for by an employer, and so we have a deficit in our fund that raises the insurance premiums on our employees,” Rep. Caulkins said. “This isn’t right.”

He said this is just one part of reflecting on the problems from the pandemic.

“What really happened and why were we unprepared, why did we have to go hire an outside firm and how much did we really pay them?” Rep. Caulkins asked. When Gov. Pritzker issued stay-at-home orders in the spring of 2020, the problems with the Illinois Department of Employment Security arose. In April that year, the state contracted with Deloitte Consulting to set up a new system for gig workers and similar unemployment claims for a total of $12.6 million. The Illinois Comptroller’s website shows since then, the total taxpayer cost for all IDES contracts with Deloitte is $134.3 million.

Border officers seize $2.7 million worth of endangered fish

By LAUREN SCOTT THE CENTER SQUARE INTERN REPORTER

(The Center Square) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized 242 pounds of Totoaba swim bladders with an estimated value of $2.7 million in Arizona.

The Totoaba fish is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Endangered Species Act. They were seized at the Area Port of Nogales.

“This seizure is thought to be the second largest seizure of its kind in the U.S. and the largest Totoaba seizure in Arizona, to

date,” according to a June 12 news release.

On April 13, CBP officers working at the Mariposa trade facility discovered 270 swim bladders of Totoaba fish concealed within a commercial shipment of frozen fish filets.

CBP officers contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take possession of the bladders. DNA testing indicates these bladders are the endangered species Totoaba macdonaldi native to the Gulf of California in Mexico.

“Totoaba is so profitable that it is known as the ‘cocaine of the sea,’” according to the Smithsonian Institute. “Their swim bladders are sold on the Chinese black market for traditional medicine and

cosmetics.”

Totoaba fish have been listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act since 1979.

“The swim bladders of this species and other similar species worldwide are prized in Traditional Chinese Medicine and as an Asian cultural delicacy,” according to the news release. “Because the species is federally protected, in both the U.S. and Mexico, it is illegal to take, possess, transport or sell Totoaba.”

Homeland Security Investigations, along with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is investigating the smuggling attempt.