Santa Barbara News-Press: September 28, 2022

Department of Education sued over loan cancellation plan

Casa de la Guerra in all its glory

Architectural treasures in Santa Barbara, Montecito

California to require salary ranges to be included in job postings

By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF REPORTER

(The Center Square) — Many California employers will soon be required to include salary ranges on job postings under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday.

The new law, Senate Bill 1162, will require employers with 15 or more workers to provide employees with pay scales for their jobs starting Jan. 1, 2023. It also requires employers to maintain records of the job titles and wages of each employee. The data would be open to inspection by the state’s labor commissioner, who could

fine violators up to $10,000.

“California has once again shown its dedication to creating a more equitable economy for all,” the bill’s author, Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, tweeted Tuesday. “Disclosing salary ranges have been proven to narrow the wage gap.”

Police oversight ordinance sent to Santa Barbara City Council

Committee votes 2-1 to send ordinance to full council

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara City Council Ordinance Committee got a first official peek Tuesday at a draft ordinance to assign additional civilian police oversight duties to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.

The duties include the ability to review both internal and external complaints about police conduct.

After 1½ hours of discussion, the committee amended the proposed oversight ordinance to include “red-line” changes suggested by a member of the Community Formation Commision. Committee members voted 2-1 to send the proposed ordinance to the full council for deliberation.

Councilmembers Kristen Sneddon and Oscar Gutierrez voted yes and Councilmember Mike Jordan voted no, partly because of concerns he had about limits for applicants with a law enforcement background.

Before the vote, new Police Chief Kelly Gordon and Barbara Andersen,

senior assistant to the city administrator, talked about the benefits of the proposed police oversight ordinance.

“This is in fact historic,” Chief Gordon said. “We believe in the strength of community oversight. We’re committed to transparency.”

On June 6, the council directed staff to incorporate additional police oversight duties and authorities to the Fire and Police Commission. The proposed draft ordinance follows that direction. In addition to making policy and budget recommendations regarding the police and fire departments, the ordinance now specifies the type and frequency of reporting to the commission.

“This includes reports detailing the total number and type of internal and external complaints received and subsequent action taken, as well as the number of officers disciplined and the level of discipline imposed,” staff said in its report.

The commission will also

Investigators say more than 70% of cannabis growers use illegal water

Study examines Santa Ynez Valley

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

An investigation by Lynker Technologies LLC and the Law Office of Marc Chytilo has alleged that more than 70% of all cannabis operations in the Santa Ynez River Valley bottom illegally use surface water during California’s worst drought.

According to the investigation, more than 500 acre-feet of water per year are being diverted from the Santa Ynez River Alluvial Basin to cannabis grows.

The investigation by Lynker and the law office says this usage violates California law, which prohibits use of surface water for cannabis cultivation between March 31 and Nov. 1.

Of the 31 cannabis cultivation operations along the Santa Ynez River between Lake Cachuma and Lompoc, 22 appear to pump and irrigate illegally using water that is protected under California law, according to the investigation.

“All we’ve heard for two years

is: ‘You need concrete evidence.’ So we went out and got some,” Blair Pence, president of the Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis, told the News-Press Tuesday. “Honestly, the scope of these results came as a surprise to me. I can’t believe this has gone on in our valley, and I am hopeful that the authorities will put a stop to it immediately.

“The water that was taken belongs to everyone who uses Cachuma Lake, which affects all of us,” Mr. Pence said. “Our study is just the first step, and we will be exploring any necessary steps to ensure the sustainability of our community’s water resources.”

Right now, Lake Cachuma is at 35.5% capacity, and scientists estimate that it would take years of normal rainfall to fully fill the reservoir, which supplies water to Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria.

“As a farmer, I am incredibly disappointed that we aren’t all playing by the rules,” Mr. Pence

Wednesday’s

Wednesday’s

Monday’s

1:40.97

01-07-09

12-13-18-22-23

The Golden State is not the first in the nation to move forward with this requirement. Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act took effect on Jan. 1, 2021, requiring employers to disclose a salary range on job postings.

DAVE MASON/ NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Santa Barbara artist Manny Lopez paints Casa de la Guerra, which is behind him, bottom right. Mr. Lopez, who continued to work on his painting after the News-Press photos were taken, was among several artists who were painting Tuesday morning in De la Guerra Plaza. The subject of Mr. Lopez’s painting, Casa de la Guerra, served as the residence from 1818 to 1828 for José de la Guerra, the fifth commandant of the Presidio de Santa Barbara. Today the site is open for visitors, and guided tours can be arranged. The site is also used for events. In the 1990s, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation restored Casa de la Guerra to its appearance between 1828 and 1858. For more information, see sbthp.org.

Federal court declares California ban on private prisons unconstitutional

By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF REPORTER

(The Center Square) — State officials are weighing options after the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed California’s ban on private, for-profit prisons and immigration detention facilities is unconstitutional, finding that the law would “override the federal government’s decision” to utilize private contractors to run immigration detention facilities.

The en banc court declared that Assembly Bill 32 violated the supremacy clause, which “prohibits states from interfering with or controlling the operations of the federal government.” The 2019 law barred the state from entering or renewing a contract with a private prison company

after Jan. 1, 2020. It will also prevent inmates from being held in for-profit prisons by 2028.

“California cannot exert this level of control over the federal government’s detention operations,” Judge Jacqueline Nguyen wrote Monday.

According to the court’s opinion, Immigration and Customs Enforcement relies “almost exclusively” on privately-operated detention facilities in California to “maintain flexibility” as the state faces “significant fluctuations in the population of noncitizens who are detained.” The court found that AB 32 would prevent ICE’s contractors from running these facilities, “requiring ICE to entirely transform its approach to detention in the state or else abandon its California facilities.”

Three of the 11 judges

dissented, writing the ban “does not directly regulate the federal government.”

AB 32 was authored by current Attorney General Rob Bonta when he was a lawmaker in 2019. The attorney general’s office told The Center Square that it is “disappointed” with the court’s ruling and is reviewing the decision.

“Assembly Bill 32 was enacted to protect the health and welfare of Californians and recognized the federal government’s own documented concerns with for-profit, private prisons and detention facilities,” the office said in a statement. “At the California Department of Justice, we’ll continue to do our part to stand up for the dignities and rights of everyone in our state.”

Attorney General Bonta’s

office did not say whether it would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

The federal government and the GEO Group, a Florida-based company that operates private prisons, sued to block the law in December 2019. A federal judge upheld the private prison ban, but a three-judge Ninth Circuit panel overruled that decision and blocked the law, as reported by Courthouse News. The state then requested a rehearing before all 11 judges on the Ninth Circuit Court.

A handful of other states have moved forward with legislation to ban private prisons and immigration detention centers. Illinois, Nevada, New York and Iowa have enacted bans on private prisons, according to Crosscut.

Madison Hirneisen covers California for The Center Square.

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoes full-day kindergarten option, citing cost concerns

By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF REPORTER

(The Center Square) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill to eventually require public and charter schools to offer a full-day kindergarten class, raising concerns about the expense as state revenues come in lower than expected.

The governor vetoed Assembly Bill 1973 on Sunday, a measure requiring elementary schools to offer at least one full-day kindergarten class starting in the 2030-2031 school year, with a phased implementation beginning in 2027.

In a veto message, Gov. Newsom wrote that the proposed law would “create ongoing and one-time costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars to support school facilities and operational costs.” A fiscal analysis of the bill estimated the Proposition 98 General Fund costs are unknown “but likely to be significant, potentially in the low hundreds of millions of dollars just for one-time facilities related costs.”

“With our state facing lowerthan-expected revenues over the first few months of this fiscal year, it is important to remain

COURTESY PHOTO Gov. Gavin Newsom

disciplined when it comes to spending, particularly spending that is ongoing,” Gov. Newsom wrote, adding that the state needs to prioritize existing obligations that include education, public safety and “safety net” programs.

The governor added that a bill like this with “significant fiscal impact” should be considered in the annual budget process.

Gov. Newsom’s message represents a familiar pattern in his recent vetoes. Several recent veto messages contain a similar refrain that raises concerns about the state’s revenues and the cost of certain bills.

California enacted a $307.9 billion budget at the end of June, which included a $97 billion surplus. The budget included total funding of $128.6 billion for K-12 education.

The 2022 Budget Act included $4 billion ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund for the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, funding Gov. Newsom called a “historic investment in critical support for our kids.”

Shortly after the budget was enacted, the Department of Finance released a July report showing California’s tax revenues fell short of expectations in June. Cash receipts were roughly $2.4 billion under the forecasted $32.3 billion.

Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, the author of AB 1973, told The Center Square in a statement that he was “disappointed” by the governor’s veto.

“Although the governor cited funding for the reason he vetoed

the bill, I have confidence schools can use previous funding to help provide full-day kindergarten to their students. In the last five years, we have spent $1.24 billion for transitional kindergarten (TK) and kindergarten facilities, and $800 million for PreK and K planning,” Assemblymember McCarty said. “Plus, this year’s budget is providing schools with an unprecedented 16 percent increase in funding — $128.6 billion. It’s important we help set California children up to succeed in life, and this bill was a way we could have done that.”

Gov. Newsom also vetoed another measure on Sunday, Senate Bill 70, which would have made kindergarten mandatory for students to attend first grade starting in the 2024-2025 school year.

The governor’s veto message contained similar phrasing as his message for AB 1973, raising concerns about the state’s revenues coming in “lower-thanexpected” in the first few months of the fiscal year. SB 70 was estimated to have $268 million in ongoing Prop 98 General Fund spending.

Madison Hirneisen covers California for The Center Square.

Nevada joins Washington, Oregon in ArrayRx discount prescription drug card program

By KATELYNN RICHARDSON THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — Nevadans will now have access to a digital discount card for prescription drugs, Gov. Steve Sisolak has announced.

The ArrayRx card is free to all Nevadans, both insured and uninsured. According to the governor’s office, it could reduce medication prices by up to 20%

on brand name drugs and 80% for generic brands.

All U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved prescriptions are eligible for discounts, and most pharmacies accept the card.

“Prescription drugs can get too expensive – and this program will keep more money in Nevadans’ pockets,” Gov. Sisolak wrote on Twitter.

“Taking care of yourself

Formation Commission, which first proposed the creation of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.

and prioritizing your health shouldn’t leave you bankrupt – and I will never stop in my mission to bring more affordable health care solutions to Nevadans.”

A recent survey found 65% of Nevadans worry about affording health care costs. One in three “experienced hardships” like not being able to fill a prescription.

Gov. Sisolak announced Nevada would join ArrayRx

would be excluded would be law enforcement officers with sustained findings of serious misconduct.

review and discuss individual investigations in open session with the police chief, once investigations are disclosable under the California Public Records Act. Moreover, the police chief will make presentations to the commission regarding any officer-involved shootings. Those presentations will occur once the agency conducting such an investigation makes its determinations of findings.

The proposed ordinance also prioritizes community participation and engagement as a key component of strengthening understanding of the police and fire departments. Staff said it is critical to understanding the work that the departments do every day to ensure residents’ and visitors’ safety.

The ordinance includes rigorous training for commissioners as well as providing more opportunities for community input and education on departmental policies, procedures and practices.

Ms. Andersen told committee members that the ordinance is the result of 13 months of deliberation by council and staff, in consultation with various community stakeholders, the police department and members of the Community

“We worked almost two months on the draft,” Ms. Andersen said, followed by a 30-day public comment period during which staff received 54 comments.

“This does not include people I talk to in my day-to-day work, which gave me a more authentic sense of how the criminal justice system operates.

“We are moving forward swiftly because we do not want to lose momentum,” she said.

As proposed, the newly constituted commission would consist of five members.

The city will recruit all new commissioners this fall.

Former law enforcement officers would be allowed to sit on the commission, providing they did not serve in Santa Barbara County. Those with law enforcement careers who worked somewhere else could apply, as long as they have been off the job for seven years.

The ordinance also requires those who apply to have gone on ride-alongs with police officers, “the best way to understand” what they go through day to day, Ms. Andersen said.

Councilmember Jordan said he went on a ride-along on New Year’s Eve. “It is eye opening to see what law enforcement goes through.”

The only applicants that

All of the commission’s meetings would be held in council chambers and televised, and items would be discussed in open session.

Speakers on Tuesday, including retired Santa Barbara Interim Police Chief Bernard “Barney” Melekian, voiced support for the draft ordinance.

Councilman Jordan, however, said he was uncomfortable with what constituted “sustained findings of serious misconduct” despite attempts by Chief Gordon to define it precisely.

Councilman Jordan explained he had concerns about how background checks of applicants would be conducted.

He also wanted to know how police would address misconduct by officers who participate in a law enforcement gang, even if it’s with members of another police department.

Chief Gordon said the department would use an outside investigator to handle those allegations.

Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez, who also went on a ride-along with police and extolled the value of such a learning experience, nevertheless objected that it be made a requirement. He said instead it should be encouraged.

Councilmember Sneddon

with Oregon and Washington in February as part of a broader effort to reduce medication costs and promote transparency.

The program was launched in 2006 as the Northwest Prescription Drug Consortium to “allow state agencies, local governments, businesses, labor organizations, and uninsured individuals to pool their purchasing power to get bigger discounts on prescription drugs.”

questioned why applicants with law enforcement background in Santa Barbara County should be prevented from applying to sit on the board.

She also questioned the wisdom of limiting the board to just five members, noting any one of them could be a swing vote, and that if he or she happened to have a law enforcement background, even if it’s from out of the county, he or she still could be influenced by a linked police mentality.

“The perspective of a former law enforcement officer could be beneficial or detrimental,” Councilmember Sneddon said. “I don’t want to leave room for any type of bias that a decision is made one way or another. I don’t want it undermined by a public perception that anyone on there is skewing it in one direction or another.”

“It doesn’t protect the integrity of the process,” she said. “It’s very important to me to support true independence of this body.”

She also questioned the idea of police monitoring responsibilities being assigned to the City Administrator’s Office, as opposed to using an independent monitor.

The 2-1 vote ensures the full council will get a chance to weigh in on the draft ordinance and make changes.

email: nhartstein@newspress.com

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Group sues U.S. Department of Education over Biden’s student loan cancellation plan

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF REPORTER

(The Center Square) — A nonprofit legal group filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S. Department of Education to block its move to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt for some borrowers.

“Congress did not authorize the executive branch to unilaterally cancel student debt,” Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Caleb Kruckenberg said. “It’s flagrantly illegal for the executive branch to create a $500 billion program by press release, and without statutory authority or even the basic notice and comment procedure for new regulations.”

The lawsuit, the first of what is expected to be many, comes a day after the nonpartisan

Congressional Budget Office released an official cost estimate for President Joe Biden’s student loan cancellation plan, putting the cost at more than $400 billion.

In August, President Biden announced the Department of Education would provide up to $20,000 in debt cancellation to Pell Grant recipients with loans held by the Department of Education and up to $10,000 in debt cancellation to nonPell Grant recipients. Eligible borrowers must have individual income of less than $125,000 or $250,000 for married couples.

Further, President Biden said the pause on federal student loan repayment will be extended one final time through Dec. 31, 2022. The White House said borrowers should expect to resume payment in January

2023. That extended pause would cost taxpayers about $20 billion, according to the CBO.

“Canceling student debt is unjust to those who have paid their loans or never took any. It will only lead to more calls for government intervention in education at taxpayers’ expense,” said Steve Simpson, senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation. “Loan cancellation will make Americans more divided, as those who paid their loans – or never went to college – will have good reason to think that we no longer have a government of, by and for the people.”

The Pacific Legal Foundation has filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the loan cancellation from going into effect.

Border agents in Texas confiscate hundreds of pounds of deadly narcotics in past week

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents continue to seize deadly narcotics at the Texas-Mexico border.

In four traffic stops in three days, agents confiscated more than $12 million worth of illegal drugs.

Since President Joe Biden took office, federal agents have confiscated enough fentanyl smuggled through the southern border to kill roughly 5 billion people. Since last March, Texas Department of Public Safety officers have confiscated enough fentanyl to kill everyone in the United States.

In the past week, agents at three ports of entry in Texas — Eagle Pass, Brownsville and Laredo — confiscated large amounts of illicit drugs and narcotics, a miniscule fraction of what is coming through.

On Sept. 24, CBP agents at the Eagle Pass International Bridge intercepted $578,456 worth of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine in one stop.

The bridge sees an average of 7,418 non-commercial vehicles, and 17,958 commercial vehicles come across every day from Piedras Negras, Mexico.

In one stop, a 22-year-old man driving a black Chevrolet Aveo attempted to bring in 17 packages hidden inside his vehicle. CBP agents confiscated 7 pounds (3.2kg) of fentanyl, 20.9 pounds (9.5kg) of cocaine and 14.9 pounds (6.8kg) of methamphetamine.

At the Gateway International Bridge at the Brownsville Port of Entry, agents intercepted narcotics with a combined estimated street value of $306,427.

On Sept. 21, a 25-year-old Mexican citizen and resident of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, driving a 2014 Ford, was stopped.

Upon inspection of his vehicle by a canine unit, CBP officers discovered a package of 2.31 pounds of cocaine worth nearly $31,000 in street value.

On Sept. 24, a 40-year-old U.S. citizen and resident of Brownsville, driving a 2009 Chevrolet, was stopped. Upon inspection of her vehicle using

a canine unit, agents found nine packages containing 20.63 pounds of cocaine worth roughly $275,520.

“Every drug seizure big or small helps keep our borders secure and is one less load that reaches our streets,” Brownsville Port of Entry Director Tater Ortiz said.

At the Laredo Port of Entry at the World Trade International Bridge, CBP agents seized nearly $11.5 million worth of hard narcotics in one day in two noncommercial traffic stops, including 1,047 pounds of methamphetamine and 31 pounds of heroin.

The World Trade International Bridge is one of four international bridges connecting Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. In August, the bridge saw 629,073 vehicles cross, of which 246,019 were commercial.

On Sept. 20, agents inspected a 2007 Wabash National trailer carrying a shipment of brooms. A canine unit helped uncover 32 packages of 80.73 pounds of cocaine hidden inside with

an estimated street value of $1,077,946.

Later that night, agents inspected a 2004 Transcraft trailer carrying a shipment of sheetrock. A canine unit helped find 71 packages of 31.39 pounds of heroin and 2,551 packages of 1,047.19 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside with an estimated street value of $10,412,400.

“CBP continues to work with our law enforcement partners to foil illicit transnational criminal organization attempts to smuggle their product through our cargo facilities,” Laredo Port of Entry Director Alberto Flores said. “These significant seizures are prime examples of how CBP’s border security management aids in the prevention of prohibited contraband from crossing the border.”

CBP officials seized the narcotics and vehicles in these instances and U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementHomeland Security Investigations initiated criminal investigations into the drivers.

Big West honors UCSB women’s volleyball players

By DANIEL MOEBUS-BOWLES UCSB SPORTS WRITER

The Big West announced its weekly awards, choosing Tallulah Froley and Macall Peed of the UCSB women’s volleyball team the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week.

The honors on Monday come after a 2-0 start for the Gauchos where Froley and Peed led the team to two five-set wins on the road over UC San Diego and UC

Irvine.

Froley was incredible from the right side as she tied her careerhigh twice with 18 kills in back-toback matches for a k/s average of .360 on a .360 hitting percentage.

On Friday, she led all players with her 18 kills vs. UCSD and did so on an efficient .455 clip (18-333), while adding three blocks and a dig.

On Saturday, she led the Gauchos to a reverse sweep over UC Irvine and handed the

Anteaters their first home loss of the season with 18 more on a .286 clip (18-6-42) to go with three digs and two blocks.

Peed was dynamic defensively as she averaged 4.90 digs per set on the weekend and was perfect as a passer posting a 1.000 serve reception percentage on 47 attempts. In Friday’s conference opener, Peed posted a career-high 30 digs and added an ace and five assists as well against the Tritons. The next night she scooped

19 more digs to neutralize the conference’s hitting percentage and kills per set leader, UC Irvine.

The Anteaters were held to nearly .100 less than their season average.

This is Froley’s second time winning the award and first since 2019. It is also Peed’s second honor with her first coming last season.

Daniel Moebus-Bowles writes about sports for UCSB.

email: sports@newspress.com

SBCC places third in women’s golf

By MICHAEL JORGENSON SBCC SPORTS WRITER

THOUSAND OAKS – The SBCC women’s golf team placed third at the Moorpark-hosted WSC #3 Monday at Los Robles Golf Course.

The Vaqueros earned their third straight finish in the top 3 to begin the year. Out of 35 golfers, all five Vaqueros in action finished in the top 19.

Ginger Libby claimed SBCC’s top score of 83, taking fifth overall. It was the second time this

year that Libby has placed first on the team. Fellow sophomore Carlee Steven finished just one stroke behind her with an 84, tying for sixth.

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School graduate Emily Ruiz had a standout performance for the Vaqueros, highlighted by a birdie on the 18th hole. The freshman tied for 12th overall shooting a 95, earning both her highest individual finish and her best score yet.

Joey Fletcher (97) and Megan

Duncan (98) rounded out the Vaquero lineup ending the day one shot apart, finishing 18th and 19th, respectively.

INDIVIDUAL SCORES (SBCC)

5 - Ginger Libby (83).

T6 - Carlee Steven (84).

T12 - Emily Ruiz (95).

18 - Joey Fletcher (97).

T19 - Megan Duncan (98).

TEAM SCORES

1. Canyons (342).

2. Bakersfield (357).

The California measure was backed by unions and women’s committees across the state, who argued that greater transparency is needed to expose and eliminate gender and race-based pay disparities. It faced opposition from the Chamber of Commerce and certain industry associations who feared the law could open employers up to litigation and would undermine “employers’ ability to hire.”

“SB 1162 undermines employers’ ability to hire and subjects employers to a

private right of action and penalties under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA),” CalChamber and other associations wrote in an opposition letter in August.

“The additional burdens and costs this proposal would create will limit an employer’s ability to offer higher wages and benefits to new or existing employees and discourage growth or expansion in California.”

The law was among a package of bills signed by the governor Tuesday that were backed by the Legislative Women’s Caucus.

Gov. Newsom also signed Assembly Bill 1287 to eliminate the “pink tax” in California,

prohibiting two “substantially similar” products from being priced differently based on what gender they are marketed toward.

“The ‘Pink Tax’ is a genderbased penalty that harms women who are already paid less,” said the bill’s author Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, D-Orinda. “This type of arbitrary gendered pricing has no place in California. It’s long past time to eliminate this type of inequality.”

Gov. Newsom also signed new laws Tuesday that increase eviction protections for domestic violence and abuse survivors, provide free medical evidentiary

3. SBCC (359).

Antelope Valley (374).

Moorpark (397).

Citrus (404).

Allan Hancock (410).

NEXT UP On Oct. 3, the Vaqueros will play at Woodley Lakes Golf Course in Van Nuys for WSC #4. Michael Jorgenson works in communications/media relations at Santa Barbara City College. email: sports@newspress.com

exams for domestic violence victims, and require sexual assault and domestic violence counselors to be independent from a college’s Title IX office.

“California has the strongest equal pay laws in the nation, but we’re not letting up on our work to ensure all women in our state are paid their due and treated equally in all spheres of life,” Gov. Newsom said in a statement. “These measures bring new transparency to tackle pay gaps, end discriminatory pricing of products based on gender and expand supports for survivors of abuse and assault.”

Madison Hirneisen covers California for The Center Square.

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COURTESY PHOTO

President Joe Biden

Texas sending aid to Florida ahead of Hurricane Ian

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — Texas is sending aid to Florida ahead of Hurricane Ian, which is expected to make landfall this week.

What appears to be a Category 3 hurricane is growing in strength and expected to cause widespread damage. Multiple counties are under evacuation orders and 2.5 million people have already evacuated.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is regularly giving updates about a storm that has been projected to grow to a Category 4 hurricane.

On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to deploy Texas A&M Task Force 1 to Florida to support a request by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“The spirit of Texas is helping

one another in times of need, and we are proud to help our fellow Americans in Florida ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Ian,” Gov. Abbott said. “Texas is no stranger to hurricane disaster response efforts, and we recognize the urgency for additional resources in preparation of this Category 3 storm. We greatly appreciate the generosity of Floridians and aid the State of Florida has sent us during times of crisis in our state — and we are honored to do the same.”

Texas A&M Task Force 1 has deployed a Type 3 urban searchand-rescue team consisting of 45 personnel, four boats and two canines.

The task force functions as one of the 28 federal teams under FEMA’s National Urban Search and Rescue System and is one of two statewide search and rescue teams under the direction of the

TDEM.

Texas A&M Task Force 1 is sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, a member of The Texas A&M University System, and is headquartered in College Station, Texas.

In addition to 5,000 Florida National Guard members who’ve been activated, 2,000 guardsmen and women from Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina have also been activated.

When making remarks about lowering healthcare costs on Tuesday, President Joe Biden said he spoke to the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater about storm preparations. He told them, “Whatever they need, contact him directly.”

President Biden’s yet to speak with DeSantis, NBC News reports, but FEMA has approved the emergency assistance requests

Zebra in Funk Zone

made by DeSantis’ office, Gov. DeSantis said Monday.

While forecasts can change, President Biden said, “experts say this can be a very severe hurricane, life-threatening and devastating.”

His administration is “alert and in action,” he said, “to help the people of Florida.”

FEMA has deployed hundreds of people to Florida, he said. It’s also prepositioning 3.5 million liters of water, 3.7 million meals and hundreds of generators.

Floridians in the potential impact area, President Biden said, “should obey the instructions of local officials. Evacuate when ordered. Be prepared for the storm when it comes.

“Your safety is more important than anything. Our hearts are with everyone who will feel the effects of this storm and we will be with you every step of the way.”

Manchin pulls energy permitting reform from government funding bill

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE SENIOR REPORTER

(The Center Square) — Congress faces a looming deadline this week with the government set to shut down Friday night if lawmakers cannot agree on a spending measure to keep the lights on.

The currently proposed measure keeps funding at its current level through Dec. 16, and notably the midterm elections, giving lawmakers more time and less political pressure to pass a longer funding measure.

A key sticking point in the debate has been permitting reform for energy and mineral projects. The issue became particularly important after the record-high gas prices earlier this year and the oil market disruptions from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., pitched a permitting reform measure last week to be included in the government funding measure, known as a continuing resolution, that would speed up approval for energy projects.

But on Tuesday, Sen. Manchin asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to drop it from the funding resolution because of growing bipartisan opposition.

Some liberal Democrats say the permitting reform measure goes too far. Republicans have their own version of permitting reform and say Sen. Manchin’s reforms wouldn’t do enough to force the Biden administration to make a substantive change.

Sen. Manchin said the current process “takes too long and drives up costs.” He argues his reforms are “extremely balanced.”

“Look what the people in

America are facing right now, 200% increase in natural gas,” he said. “Increases to regular gasoline is up 67%, residential electricity is up 15%. We’ve got a good piece of legislation that is extremely balanced.”

Daniel Turner, executive director of the energy workers advocacy group, Power the Future, said the recent oil market disruptions are evidence of the need for energy independence so that the U.S. is no longer reliant on Russia or OPEC.

“Energy independence, something we achieved just three years ago, is easily within our reach if we would stop playing these political games with our crucial energy infrastructure,” he said. “The Manchin permitting reform is a salient example of what D.C. has become: a petty, childish place where regular Americans bear the brunt of the games played by politicians. We’re headed into winter with critically low levels of oil and

GROWERS

Continued from Page A1

has faced water crackdowns for years, and we have diligently abided, no matter how frustrating it has been. As a community member, I know first-hand the sacrifices that homeowners and farmers in the Valley are making, all while water is stolen from all of us.”

Erin Gnekow, a Santa Ynez Valley resident and rancher, noted, “Everyone in the Valley knows how dire the conditions are. We are all making cutbacks like watering our plants less,

yet it turns out that our valuable water is being used illegally. That water belongs to all of us. That just isn’t right.”

On Sept. 9, the Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis sent a 162-page complaint to the State Water Resources Control Board outlining the alleged illegal uses of water by cannabis operators in Santa Barbara County during the drought.

“We feel it is important in our role in managing the Santa Ynez River that everyone complies with the rules and that everything is equitable so that all ground water pumpers are

treated equally,” said Bill Buelow, groundwater program manager of the Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District.

However, not all cannabis grows are diverting resources.

Mr. Buelow told the News-Press that he knew personally at least one grower who drilled a new well when she found out her well was a river well.

Mr. Buelow said the Santa Ynez River wells are under contention because they were excluded from the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which was passed in 2014 and implemented in 2015. But the wells still fall under the jurisdiction of the State

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS

Water Resources Control Board.

The Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District has questioned the state board on this, and the board has responded that the issue is being handled on a “case-by-case” or “well-by-well” basis, Mr. Buelow said.

Joan Hartmann, the 3rd District supervisor for Santa Barbara County, was unavailable for comment. The Santa Ynez Valley is in her district.

To learn more about SGMA go to water.ca.gov/programs/ groundwater-management/sgmagroundwater-management.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

FERGUSON, Constance C.

January 2, 1932 - September 15, 2022

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the unexpected passing of Anthony (Tony) Michael Munoz on the morning of September 16, 2022.

Tony was born in Santa Barbara and raised in Goleta, “the Goodland” where he participated in youth sports; Goleta Valley South Little League, YFL, Page Center Basketball, Boys Club Basketball, and martial arts. He attended St. Raphael’s Elementary School, Bishop Garcia Diego High and graduated from Dos Pueblos High School in 2004 where he played football and basketball. He was an All-Channel League Defensive Back and was selected to the Santa Barbara County All Star Football team.

Tony worked for Santa Barbara County for 11 years in various positions and was employed as a Park Ranger at Cachuma Lake at the time of his passing. Cachuma Lake was a special place for him, and he enjoyed hanging out there with his friends and co-workers.

Tony’s greatest joy was being a father to his daughters Malia and Makena. He was devoted to his girls and adored them. He loved teaching and coaching them in sports and spending quality time with them.

Tony was an avid sports fan and loved his Cowboys, Dodgers, and Lakers. Another passion of his was playing a competitive round of golf with his brother, Isaac, and his friends. When he wasn’t on the golf course, he was fishing, hunting, playing disc golf, hiking with his dog Oakley or socializing with his friends and family.

Tony is survived by his daughters Malia (8) and Makena (6) Munoz, his mother Yvonne Torres (Roberto); father, Anthony Munoz; sisters Amanda Munoz, Salina Munoz (Griselda), brother Isaac Munoz (Danielle); nieces and nephews, Naomi, Sophia, Lily, Luke, and Brandon; grandmother, Lorraine Torres, numerous cousins and a large extended family. He is preceded in death by his grandfathers Gilbert Torres Sr., Anthony Munoz and his grandmother Theresa Munoz.

Tony was charismatic and had a passion for life, always present in the moment. He was fiercely loyal, and he lived life for today. Tony was loved by so many in the community and he will be dearly missed. To know him is to love him. He had a kind heart and never wanted anyone to feel alone. His passing will forever change all of us and the mark he has left on our lives will last forever.

Services are as follows; Rosary on Thursday, September 29, 2022, at 6:30pm at St.

Raphael’s Church, Funeral Mass on Friday, September 30, 2022, at 10:00am St.

Raphael’s Church. Interment immediately following at Calvary Cemetery.

Constance C. Ferguson died peacefully at Nazareth House of Los Angeles on September 15, 2022. She was born in Los Angeles, California to Constantine and Mary Castruccio on January 2, 1932. She was raised in San Marino with her siblings Clotilde, Nicholas, Louise, and Louis. She graduated from Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles. She earned her undergraduate degree from Marquette University in 1953, and her law degree from Loyola Law School in 1956.

While a student at Loyola Law School she met her future husband, Thomas R. Ferguson. She was admitted to the California Bar Association in 1957 and worked as an attorney at the California State Lands Commission. She and Tom were married in 1957 and began their family in Los Angeles before moving to Oxnard in 1959 and eventually to Santa Barbara in 1977. Connie remained an active member of the California Bar Association and continued to provide pro bono legal services for many years. She is survived by her sons, Thomas (Roxann), Nicholas (Mary), Robert (Louise); and her brother, Louis (Jane) Castruccio. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Pilar, Marie (Henry), Michelle (TJ), Amy, Andy (Jen), Connie, Scott, Nickie, Giacomo, and Aurelia; and her great-grandchildren: Sophie and Chloe. She is predeceased by her husband, Tom, and her daughter, Kathleen, who are welcoming her into Heaven with open arms.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Santa Barbara at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 14th. A Rosary service will begin at 10:30 a.m.

A special thank you to the dedicated staff at Nazareth House for providing Connie with such wonderful care. In lieu of flowers, donations to Nazareth House, 3333 Manning Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90064, or a charity of your choice, would be sincerely appreciated.

Obituary notices are published daily in the Santa Barbara News-Press and also appear on our website www.newspress.com To place an obituary, please email the text and photo(s) to obits@ newspress.com or fax text only (no photos) to (805) 966-1421. Please include your name, address, contact phone number and the date(s) you would like the obituary to be published. Photos should be in jpeg format with at least 200 dpi. If a digital photo is not available, a picture may be brought into our office for scanning. We will lay out the obituary using our standard format. A formatted proof of the obituary and the cost will be emailed back for review and approval. The minimum obituary cost to print one time is $150.00 for up to 1.5” in length -- includes 1 photo and up to 12 lines of text, approximately 630 characters; up to approximately 930 characters without a photo. Add $60.00 for each additional inch or partial inch after the first 1.5”; up to approximately 700 characters per additional inch. All Obituaries must be reviewed, approved, and prepaid by deadline. We accept all major credit cards by phone; check or cash payments may be brought into our office located at 715 Anacapa Street.

The deadline for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday’s editions is at 10a.m. on Thursdays; Tuesday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Fridays; Wednesday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Mondays; Thursday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Tuesdays; Friday’s edition deadlines at 10a.m. on Wednesdays (Pacific Time). Free Death Notices must be directly emailed by the mortuary to our newsroom at news@newspress.com. The News-Press cannot accept Death Notices from individuals.

MUNOZ, Anthony Michael 1986-2022

COURTESY PHOTO

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin

Please see BILL on B4

A zebra in a window provides contrast to shades of green Sunday in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone.

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

‘Celebrating Santa Barbara” is the theme for the 13th annual ArchiTec Tour presented by the American Institute of Architects, Santa

‘Celebrating Santa Barbara’

Local architects to showcase work at ArchiTec Tour on Saturday

Barbara.

The in-person event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday will be followed by an after party from 4 to 6 p.m.

Included are several unique residences — a contemporary cliffside home on the Mesa, a renovated modern farmhouse in

downtown Santa Barbara and two homes in Montecito that share a strong relationship with their natural surroundings. Also on the tour are several historic building renovations and two new multifamily housing buildings downtown that offer a range of unit sizes and amenities.

Tickets are $75 for AIA members and seniors, $85 for the general public and $25 for students who must show proof of enrollment.

Attendees, who will receive a tour brochure and/ or app with maps, photos and information detailing all the projects, can

meet the architects and design professionals and discover how design impacts art and art impacts design.

ArchitecTour is an annual celebration of local architecture and cultural identity. Projects on the tour showcase the design and depth of knowledge of AIA

architects. The self-guided tour offers a rare opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at exceptional properties. For more information, visit www.aiasb.com.

email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

Appleton Partners, Architects

Casa Anatega

Casa Anatega is a Spanish Colonial Revival-style mixeduse development at the corner of Anacapa and Ortega Streets in downtown Santa Barbara.

Designed in classic Santa Barbara style architecture, the multifamily housing units are adorned with Spanish tile roofing, juliette balconies and are built around a colorful, landscaped central courtyard.

At street level, the spacious commercial/retail/restaurant space opens onto Anacapa Street, a short walk from State Street and Stearns Wharf.

Architect: Cearnal Collective.

State and Pedregosa

Architect: Thomas Ochsner.

Modern Farmhouse

An adventurous couple bought this historic house on Olive Street in Santa Barbara, which was in need of significant repair and improvement.

No new square footage was added to the house, but portions were rearranged and simplified to meet the couple’s preferences for a more open floor plan and stronger connections to the outdoors.

Architect: Bildsten Architecture and Planning.

Pepper Lane

Designed to bring the outside in, this residence was under construction for a major remodel when the Montecito mud flow almost completely destroyed it.

The residence was originally constructed in 1978 as a modest three-bedroom French influenced contemporary. The new design reconfigured the dated architectural forms and compartmentalized floor plan into open interior spaces that seamlessly flow to the outside. The new program included an ADU and pool pavilion.

Architect: Thomas Ochsner

BLAKE BRONSTEAD PHOTOS

The new location of the office and Marc Appleton Library of Appleton Partners, Architects, is rich in history. In 1931, descendants of Colonel William Wells Hollister hired the architectural firm, Edwards and Plunkett, to design a Spanish Colonial-style brick building with porches and an open garage for their family’s office. Exclusive to tour participants is a book signing with Marc Appleton from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Architect: Appleton Partners.

APPLETON PARTNERS PHOTO

Located at the southwest corner of State Street and Pedregosa, this Santa Barbara lot was a gas station for many years.

The owners waited almost 20 years for the passive soil contamination to reach a level of development. The desire to embrace Santa Barbara’s heritage style of Spanish colonial was important. The project is a mixture of residential duplexes and a small commercial building. Garden walls and separate patio gates have been carefully placed to balance the feeling of privacy and openness while still encouraging a sense of neighborhood within the complex.

JIM BARTSCH PHOTO

JIM BARTSCH PHOTO

JASON RICK PHOTOS

SOFT WASHING

Soft washing is the alternative to pressure washing. We use water based, biodegradable solutions. They emulsify dirt and grime, break down insect nests and webs as well as kill mold, mildew, algae and bacteria. All while sanitizing the surface we are cleaning. Soft washing uses one-third the water of pressure washing, lasts four to six times longer, and doesn’t erode the surface like pressure washing often can.

ADDING HOME VALUE

According to the National Association of Realtors, cleaning the homes exterior (for the home and driveway) can add anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 to the value of your home, making pressure washing one of the most costeffective and time-efficient cleaning techniques.

“High pressure washing systems are likely to damage asphalt roofing and should not be used on asphalt roofing for removing algae or for any other purpose.”

— Asphalt Roofing Manufacturing Association

Santa Barbara Soft Wash uses processes and roof cleaning solutions that are recommended by the ARMA so you can be reassured that your roof warranty is not voided.

KILLS MOLD, MILDEW, & ALGAE

The problem with high pressure washing is it only strips away the top of the algae bloom, and while it may temporarily remove discoloration, it leaves the root spores on the surface, often blasting them deeper, and allowing them to grow back thicker and healthier. Soft Washing penetrates to the root of the growth, eliminating the discoloration instantly while breaking the bond of the spores and achieving a 100% kill ratio.

SPECIALOFFER

CLEANING

Romero Canyon

Cabrillo Commercial Complex

Home to an aging restaurant for 30 years, the Cabrillo Commercial Complex renovation project involved breathing new life back into an existing, deteriorating building on a prominent site.

Remaining true to the architectural style of downtown Santa Barbara, layering of lighting and natural materials combine to create a dynamic exterior and interior dining experience adjacent to a historic waterfront setting. Essential to the design solution was the introduction of several pedestrian-oriented outdoor dining spaces on both lower and upper levels, activating the street-front facade.

Architect: DMHA Architecture + Interior Design in association with Henry Lenny Design.

Organized around a large central courtyard with a pool, the compound’s four structures include a singlestory residence, a pool cabana, a recreational structure and a two-car garage.

The buildings in Montecito are carefully sited around several large existing oak trees and oriented to take advantage of sweeping views of the Santa Ynez Mountains.

Architect: Studio William Hefner

Mayee Plaza

This mixed-use development is located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara at 226 E. De La Guerra St.

The building is a central two-story Monterey style structure, surrounded by three-story Spanish Colonial-style apartment housing. Beneath it all is a garage that features automated parking lifts to provide maximum parking in the minimum amount of space.

Architect: Cearnal Collective.

Edge House

The residence utilizes an “upside-down” floor plan with the kitchen, dining, living room and primary suite upstairs, and the entrance and guest rooms downstairs. Also a feature of the ground floor is the elegant carport with its magnificent, exposed, steel structural system.

The home’s four façades were designed to each be in direct dialogue with the surroundings facing it.

Architect: Winick Architects.

ERIN FEINBLATT PHOTOS

LAURA HULL PHOTOS

BLAKE BRONSTAD PHOTO

ERIN FEINBLATT PHOTO

Diversions

Thought for Today

“War does not determine who is right - only who is left.”

— Bertrand Russell

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com Wednesday, September 28, 2022

ARIES — What’s happening in your community today that attracts crowds, Aries? A parade? A festival of some kind? Some friends may want you to go with them, but you hesitate for many different reasons. Go if you want to but take necessary precautions. You could meet some interesting people.

TAURUS — You may be too free with your money right now, Taurus. You’re usually careful with it, but the spirit of generosity and abundance is definitely upon you. You’re more inclined to be generous with those you care about. After all is said and done, you could panic, but don’t. You’re good at making money.

GEMINI — You usually love to talk, Gemini, but right now you’ve probably reached your limit. You’ve attended a number of virtual gatherings and talked to a lot of people over the past week or so, and now you want to sit quietly at home. If friends or family members insist on your chatting with them, don’t be afraid to say no.

CANCER —Have you been indulging in too many goodies, Cancer? You might feel under the weather because of all this abundance. You probably should take it easy. Think about reorganizing your priorities. Is a second piece of chocolate cake more important than your energy and health? Indulging can be important to your psyche, but don’t forget about moderation.

LEO — It has been said that you can never have too many friends, Leo, but today you might wonder if perhaps you do. Your phone could be ringing off the hook. One person after another will be soliciting you for advice and your famous shoulder to cry on. Be patient. One day you may need that person to be there for you.

VIRGO — A small gathering of some kind could attract you and your family tonight, Virgo. Perhaps you will arrange to meet some friends there, if possible. You may feel good just being out with those you love, but you’re likely to be tired by the end of the event. Make sure you fortify yourself with nourishing food during the day.

LIBRA — Too many phone calls may be on the agenda today, Libra. You might also have a few last-minute errands to run in your neighborhood. It won’t be easy, probably because of unexpected delays, closures and traffic. Nonetheless, your sense of excitement and enthusiasm will help you tolerate conditions that would normally be very frustrating.

SCORPIO — You may have lost your usual control of the purse strings and spent too much money lately, Scorpio. Don’t worry about it. It’s all been for a good cause. It’s nothing you can’t handle, and certainly not enough to bankrupt you. The situation is only temporary anyway. The financial picture looks great for you in the months to come. Make the most of it!

SAGITTARIUS — Generally, you’re a very sociable person, Sagittarius, and today you won’t want to slow down. Invitations to parties, from intimate coffee klatches to big neighborhood bashes, continue to come in, but you weigh the pros and cons of attending carefully now. Saying no goes against your nature because you don’t want to miss anything.

CAPRICORN — You and other members of your household might suddenly decide to do one more thorough house cleaning, Capricorn. Usually this would be a good idea, but today it doesn’t really need it, and you might work too hard and do too much. Do you really need to clean your closets now?

AQUARIUS — Too many people may be making demands on your time right now, Aquarius. Some may have genuine concerns and need your assistance, but others have definite agendas that they really should deal with on their own. Use your intuition to tell the difference because you won’t be able to help them all.

PISCES — A lot of creative work may need to be finished by today, Pisces. If you’re professionally involved with writing, a deadline may loom. It could be difficult to get it done because family members and friends could constantly call and text, which keeps you from concentrating. The best course of action might be to go somewhere quiet,

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

SUDOKU

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-Saturday and on the crossword solutions page in Sunday’s Life section.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

CODEWORD 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

Unscramble these Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.

Ans. here:

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.

HUMAN GUIDE SIDING HINDERJumbles: Answer: The land parcels near the top of the mountain cost more and were — IN HIGH DEMAND

THAT

GAME

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

Inspector general audit: ICE wasted $17 million on hotels to not house illegal foreign nationals

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) –Endeavors, a nonprofit that’s received half a billion dollars in taxpayer money through nobid government contracts to house foreign nationals who illegally entered the U.S. and were released by the Biden administration instead of being deported, wasted $17 million on unused hotel rooms, according to a recent audit.

The Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General evaluated an $86.9 million sole source contract first awarded to Endeavors earlier this year. The contract was awarded for six months to provide “temporary shelter and processing services for families who have not been expelled and are therefore placed in immigration proceedings for their removal from the United States,” The Center Square previously reported.

The audit evaluated the process used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to grant no bid contracts to Endeavors and their compliance with federal law.

Sole source contracts are used when an agency can demonstrate the contract meets specific and justified criteria. If contracts don’t meet one of the criteria, they must be awarded through an open competitive process.

Endeavors has no professional history of providing housing services and has never provided beds or all-inclusive emergency family residential services, OIG auditors found. Those critical of DHS’ contract process argue the agency should be awarding contracts through an open

competitive process to ensure that those bidding for funds can offer the services they claim they can provide.

Under the contract in question, for six months between March and September 2021, Endeavors was responsible for providing 1,239 beds and other necessary services in hotels. It used six hotels and repurposed them as Emergency Family Reception Sites to accommodate families staying less than three days while ICE considered conditions of release, including alternatives to detention.

IOG inspectors found that ICE didn’t “adequately justify the need for the sole source contract to house migrant families and spent approximately $17 million for hotel space and services at six hotels that went largely unused between April and June 2021. ICE’s sole source contract with Endeavors resulted in millions of dollars being spent on unused hotel space.”

The IOG made four recommendations for ICE to improve its contracting and oversight of hotel facility management and operations. ICE concurred with one recommendation and didn’t concur with three. Based on information ICE provided in its response, the IOG said it considered one recommendation resolved and closed, and three recommendations administratively closed.

ICE has typically used hotels to house family units because federal holding facilities built near the border were designed to detain individuals, not families. In early 2021, ICE anticipated an increased number of families arriving at the border. After Department of Homeland Security

Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas altered deportation and removal processes, for which he was sued by multiple states, ICE awarded contracts to Endeavors to manage the hotels.

OIG auditors conducted remote inspections of four hotels operated by Endeavors: Casa de Estrella and Casa Consuelo in El Paso, Texas; Casa de Paz in Pearsall, Texas; and Casa de la Luz in Phoenix, Arizona.

Auditors found that Endeavors didn’t “meet new healthcare protocols or ensure proper COVID-19 testing for families.”

They found that ICE agents didn’t first test those in its care to determine if they had the coronavirus before transporting them to hotels managed by Endeavors. Once the families arrived, they weren’t “always tested by Endeavors staff upon arrival at or departure from hotels, putting migrant families and the outside population at risk of contracting COVID-19.”

According to ICE, there were 1,713 cases of COVID-19 in the six sites Endeavors operated between April 9 and Nov. 18, 2021.

Months after it received its first no bid contract, Endeavors received a second $530 million contract and hired former Biden administration official Andrew Lorenzen-Straight as its senior director for migrant services and federal affairs, Axios reported.

Mr. Lorenzen-Strait previously worked at ICE and on the Biden-Harris transition team. He also ran a consulting firm advising companies on federal procurement practices, Axios reported, and worked with the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HHS has oversight

of detaining and processing unaccompanied minors who are brought to the southern border by traffickers and cartel operatives.

DHS policy is to detain, house and release into the U.S. unaccompanied minors to a sponsor or family member. Border Patrol agents have told The Center Square, and federal agents have acknowledged, they don’t use biometric or DNA testing to confirm that those claiming the minors are family members are actual biological family members. They’ve released hundreds of thousands of minors to adults who claim to be their relatives.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has repeatedly raised concerns about minors being trafficked into Texas. Among the many questions he’s asked President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris is if the federal government is tracking where the unaccompanied minors are coming from, what COVID-19 variants they might have been exposed to, and how long they will be held in Texas. He’s received no response.

Last year, he directed the Texas Rangers to launch an investigation and blamed the Biden administration after reports surfaced of abuse occurring at federal facilities housing unaccompanied minors in Texas. Since then, the Biden administration has acknowledged it’s lost track of thousands of unaccompanied minors released into the U.S.

A record number of unaccompanied minors have been apprehended at the southern border since President Biden’s been in office: 146,925 (FY21) and 140,186 (FYTD22), according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

House GOP: Venezuela deliberately releasing violent criminals, sending them to U.S. border

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – A coalition of House Republicans led by U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, is “demanding answers about Venezuela releasing violent prisoners early and pushing them to join caravans heading towards our southern border” in a letter sent to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

“We need transparency and accountability from this administration,” Rep. Nehls tweeted when publishing a letter he and his colleagues sent late last week.

In their letter, the group expressed “serious concern” about a recent DHS intelligence report “received by Border Patrol that instructs agents to look for violent criminals from Venezuela among the migrant caravans heading towards the U.S.-Mexico border.

“It has been widely reported that the murderous narcoterrorist Maduro regime in Venezuela is deliberately releasing violent prisoners early, including inmates convicted of ‘murder, rape, and extortion,’ and pushing them to join caravans heading to the United States. Some of the released prisoners have already been spotted within migrant caravans traveling from Tapachula, Mexico, toward our southern border as recently as July of this year, meaning they could already be in our interior.”

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, between October 2021 and July 2022, more than 130,000 Venezuelans were encountered illegally entering the U.S. across the southern border.

Under the Obama administration, when MS13 gang members and other criminal foreign nationals were deported, their home countries wouldn’t take them back, Mr. Trump said.

“For years, these countries wouldn’t take them back,” Mr. Trump said, which is one reason why he halted financial aid to these countries. Then he got calls from their leaders, he said, who told him, “Sir, you’re not paying us anymore.’ And I said, ‘That’s right.’

“They said, ‘Sir, we would love to have MS13 back in our country. We think they are wonderful people,’” Mr. Trump said.

“And we were bringing them in by the thousands getting them out. And now they’re sending them back because what they are doing is they are opening their prisons and prisoners, murderers, human traffickers, all of these people, drug dealers, they’re coming in through the caravans, not everybody, but are coming in illegally,” he added.

The members of Congress asked Mr. Mayorkas to provide information about what precautions DHS was taking to prevent criminals from Venezuela from entering the U.S., if DHS was aware of the current location or final destination of released prisoners, how many Venezuelan nationals have already entered the U.S. at the southern border since President Joe Biden took office and how many of them have criminal records.

The letter comes after Mr. Mayorkas in July extended by 18 months Temporary Protected Status for eligible Venezuelans.

gas, and the green utopia Biden promised is nowhere near reality. How much more do American families have to suffer before our politicians start putting their needs ahead of the partisan nonsense?”

The permitting reform battle will come to a head this week and threatens to shut down the government if lawmakers cannot come to an agreement.

But critics blasted lawmakers for allowing it to get this close to a shutdown in the first place.

“It is a complete failure of leadership that we are entering the final days of the fiscal year, and Congress has not even passed

a budget, let alone set funding levels for the government for the next fiscal year,” said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. “This will make it the 26th consecutive year in which Congress has not funded the government on time with all appropriations bills and the fifth year in a row in which not a single funding bill has been signed into law by the start of the fiscal year.

“This goes to show how truly broken the federal budget process is,” she added.

Other critics pointed to inflation, which has soared in the past year. Inflationary prices increases have been offset in recent weeks by a drop in gas prices, but in the last week gas prices started to climb again.

On Tuesday, the national average for gas was $3.75 a gallon, up from $3.67 a gallon last week, according to the American Automobile Association. In California, the average was $5.88 a gallon, up from last week’s $5.46 a gallon.

And on Tuesday in Santa Barbara County, gas cost an average of $5.91 a gallon, up from last week’s $5.46 a gallon.

“Inflation is out of control and inflicting real pain on the American people, who are forced to prioritize their spending to afford gasoline, groceries, and necessities,” Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said. “By contrast, Congress is out to lunch choosing to rubber stamp last year’s budget and give themselves an opportunity to write a massive

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omnibus spending package during the lame-duck period when they will be least accountable to voters. The Biden-Pelosi-Schumer agenda represents reckless and unnecessary spending on the Left’s priorities. This spending bill only guarantees more of the same.”

MacGuineas, who said the debt has increased by over a trillion dollars already this year, called for a reform to the budget process “that encourage real, timely budgeting instead of waiting until the last minute only to kick the can down the road once more.”

News-Press Managing Editor Dave Mason contributed to this report.

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

“DHS confirms that Venezuela empties prisons and sends violent criminals to our southern border,” Rep. Nehls previously argued. “President [Donald] Trump warned us about this years ago.”

Mr. Trump reiterated his claims last June at an event in the Rio Grande Valley with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He said federal security officials in his administration thwarted drug dealers and smugglers and halted much illegal activity across the border as a result of deals he made with Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.

As a result of these agreements, criminals from these countries weren’t allowed to enter the U.S. or these countries would stop receiving financial aid from the U.S. government.

He said doing so was “one of many ways the Biden administration is providing humanitarian support to Venezuelans at home and abroad, together with our regional partners. We will continue to work with our international partners to address the challenges of regional migration while ensuring our borders remain secure.”

The 18-month TPS extension became effective Sep. 10 and lasts through March 10, 2024. Only beneficiaries under Venezuela’s existing designation, and who were already residing in the U.S. as of March 8, 2021, are eligible to re-register for TPS under the extension. Venezuelans who arrived in the U.S. after March 8, 2021, are not eligible for TPS. Approximately 343,000 individuals are estimated to be eligible for TPS under the existing designation of Venezuela, DHS says.

Santa Barbara MTD Invitation for Bids for DPF Cleaning System

The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD), a public transit operator, is accepting bids for a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Cleaning System. Invitation for Bids (IFB) packages are available to interested parties starting on September 28, 2022. Detailed information about the IFB will be available on MTD’s website at https://sbmtd.gov/about/doing-business/. Sealed bids will be received at 550 Olive Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 until Wednesday, October 26, 2022, at 10:00 AM (local time) when bids will be opened and read aloud. Any bid received after that time will be returned unopened to the bidder. All contract terms are contained or referenced in the IFB package. SEP 28; OCT 6 2022 -- 58700

Call 805 963-4391 to place your home or business service listing.

Clerk

County

Holland, County Clerk 9/14, 9/21, 9/28, 10/5/22 CNS-3624131# SANTA BARBARA

/ 2022

CHURCH, 50 E ALAMAR ST, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93103, County of Santa Barbara.

Name(s) of registrants: INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF THE FOURSQUARE: 1910 W SUNSET BLVE STE 200, LOS ANGELES, CA 90026-0176. This business is conducted by: A CORPORATION, STATE OF INC.: CA. This statement was

SEP 14, 21,

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT, FBN No: 20220002210 First Filing. The following person (s) are doing business as: INTEGRALIGN, 924 ANACAPA ST., SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101, County of Santa Barbara. Full Name(s) of registrants: NALINI F KOKATAY: 902 N LA PATERA LN, GOLETA, CA 93117. This business is conducted by: AN INDIVIDUAL. This statement was filed in the office of JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, County Clerk-Recorder of SANTA BARBARA COUNTY on 09/06/2022 by E28, Deputy. The registrant commenced to transact business on: Sep 05, 2022. Statement Expires on: Not Applicable.

NOTICE: This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the County Clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be

before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state

business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (See Section 14400, ET SEQ., Business and Profession Code). (SEAL) SEP 14, 21, 28; OCT 5 / 2022--58653

OCT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT, FBN No: 20220002160 First Filing. The following person (s) are doing business as: LILIBETH SALON HAIR AND MAKEUP, 1470 E. VALLEY ROAD, #5819, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93108, County of Santa Barbara. Full Name(s) of registrants: LILIBETH DE DIOS CAPLINGER: 2616 W. ORANGETHORPE AVE. SPACE 40, FULLERTON, CA 92833. This business is conducted by: AN INDIVIDUAL, STATE OF INC.: CA. This statement was filed in the office of JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, County Clerk-Recorder of SANTA BARBARA COUNTY on 08/31/2022 by E54, Deputy. The registrant commenced to transact business on: Jun 01, 2014. Statement Expires on: Not Applicable. NOTICE: This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the County Clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (See Section 14400, ET SEQ., Business and Profession Code). (SEAL) SEP 7, 14, 21, 28 / 2022--58634

in the office of JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, County Clerk-Recorder of SANTA BARBARA COUNTY on 09/19/2022 by E30, Deputy. The registrant commenced to transact business on: Sep 01, 1927. Statement Expires on: Not Applicable. NOTICE: This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the County Clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (See Section 14400, ET SEQ., Business and Profession Code). (SEAL) SEP 28; OCT 5, 12, 19 / 2022--58697

Notice To Readers

California law requires that contractors taking jobs that total $500 or more labor and/or materials be licensed by the Contractors State License Board. State law also requires that contractors include their license numbers on all advertising.

Check your contractor’s status at www.cslb.ca.gov or 800-321-CSLB (2752).

Unlicensed persons taking jobs that total less than $500 must state in their advertisements that they are not licensed by the Contractors State License Board.

To verify a Mover is licensed call 1-800-877-8867 or status at www.cpuc.ca.gov/static/ transportation/movers.htm

Audit also finds ICE didn’t follow COVID-19 protocols when transporting, releasing them into U.S.