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W E DN E S DAY, AUGU S T 11, 2 0 21
Fighting Dixie Fire Local firefighters return home after two weeks battling Northern California blazes
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS
The Santa Barbara Public Works Department proposed three options to retain the Mission Canyon Bridge’s sandstone facade.
City Council rejects Mission Canyon Bridge rehab options By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Santa Barbara City Council rejected the Public Works Department’s proposed Mission Canyon Bridge rehabilitation plan and requested the department return with pedestrian path options in the fall. The council voted 4-2 on the agenda item during its meeting Tuesday, with council members Kristen Sneddon and Alejandra Gutierrez dissenting in favor of a modest bridge upgrade. Rejecting the proposed options forfeits grant funding Public Works had secured during the project’s inception. New grant cycles in the Highway Bridge Program require cities to match funding at nearly double the rate previously. The city is not currently aware of outside funding to improve pedestrian access in Mission COURTESY PHOTOS
A strike team of 22 local firefighters returned home Tuesday after being assigned to the Dixie Fire in Northern California. The fire burned more than 487,000 acres as of Tuesday, making it the second largest fire in state history.
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Please see FIRE on A4
Engines from Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Barbara City, Carpinteria and Montecito fire departments responded to both the Dixie Fire and Beckworth Complex Fire over the last two weeks. Above, an engine from the Montecito Fire Department is parked near the site of the Dixie Fire.
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After weeks of deliberations, the Senate on Tuesday approved a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that aims to modernize the nation’s roadways, bridges, broadband and fund new climate initiatives. The bill, which is the nation’s largest investment in infrastructure ever, passed with bipartisan support in a 69-30 vote. The bill will now head to the House for approval before making its way to the president’s desk. The bill proposes $550 in new spending be allocated over the next five years to rebuild roads and bridges, shore up coastlines and modernize the electric grid. It also includes funds to improve public transport and modernize the nation’s airports. President Joe Biden praised the Senate’s approval during a press conference Tuesday at the White House. The bill is the first of two infrastructure measures the president is aiming to pass during his term, the second of which is a proposed $3.5 trillion
plan to invest in child care, elder care and other programs that he has dubbed “human infrastructure.” “Today, we proved that democracy can still work,” President Biden said at the White House Tuesday after the vote. “We can still come together to do big things, important things for the American people.” The measure received praise from the California Construction and Industrial Materials Association on Tuesday, and officials noted that the bill would provide $30 billion in additional funding for dedicated transportation programming. “This bill is critical to helping our economy crawl out of the COVID realities that have decimated so much of our economy,” CalCIMA said in a statement. “We applaud their leadership and encourage the House to move forward and pass this infrastructure package as soon as possible so we can stimulate the economy and get more of our skilled workforce back to work.” email: mhirneisen@newspress. com
L O T T E RY RESULTS
INSIDE Classified.............. B4 Life..................... B1-2 Obituaries............. A4
Please see BRIDGE on B4
Infrastructure bill passes in Senate
By MADISON HIRNEISEN A strike team of 22 local firefighters returned home Tuesday after spending the last two weeks fighting both the Beckwourth Complex and Dixie fires in Northern California. The team, which was composed of engine companies from Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Barbara City, Carpinteria and Montecito fire departments, was originally assigned to the Beckworth Complex Fire in midJuly before being reassigned to the Dixie Fire. They replaced an original team of firefighters that was fighting the Beckworth Complex Fire earlier in July. Another strike team will replace the crew who returned home Tuesday, beginning the third cycle of local firefighters sent to offer aid up north. As of Tuesday, the Dixie Fire had scorched more than 487,000 acres of land, making it the second largest fire in state history. The fire destroyed an estimated 900 structures as of Tuesday and threatened another 16,000, according to national reports. Jim McCoy, the strike team leader from Santa Barbara
Canyon. City Administrator Paul Casey cautioned council members against declining the options and federal funds. “Pedestrian options are not easy. You’ve seen all the complicated issues, and to fit in pedestrian options is going to touch on a lot of the same issues,” he said. “This area is just really hard to find consensus on. It’s a tough, land-constrained, historic, rich area.” Initially, the council voted on a motion made by Councilmember Mike Jordan to pursue a renovation at an estimated cost of $5.5 million to the city. Mayor Cathy Murillo seconded the motion, and councilmember Oscar Gutierrez was also in favor. A unifying factor among those who would like to keep the bridge as-is and those who prefer to rebuild the structure is the need
Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 2-9-12-20-39 Meganumber: 5
Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 4-1-1-7
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 29-45-50-59-62 Meganumber: 12
Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 25-33-36-37-38
Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 01-02-08 Time: 1:41.18
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 7-24-36-54-60 Meganumber: 23
Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 9-9-8 / Tuesday’s Midday 9-0-7