Santa Barbara News-Press: December 14, 2022

10 community projects in one morning

Gifts for lovers of nature and culture

Biden signs gay marriage bill

New law protects same-sex and interracial marriages

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE SENIOR REPORTER

(The Center Square) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill codifying protections for same-sex and interracial marriages.

“Today is a good day,” President Biden said. “A day America takes a vital step toward equality, for liberty and justice, not just for some but for everyone.”

The signing took place after a ceremony and string of performances from gay entertainers. The bill, which received support from nearly 40 House Republicans last week to send it to the president, repeals the federal Defense of Marriage Act that was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996.

As The Center Square previously reported, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., helped lead the effort in the Senate, where the bill was first passed. Her office said the legislation would “require the federal government to recognize a marriage between two individuals if the marriage was valid in the state where it was performed.”

Tourism success proclaimed

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara outperformed the county, state and even the nation in terms of growth in revenue per available hotel/motel room, the head of Visit Santa Barbara told the city council on Tuesday in the group’s annual presentation.

The numbers show the city has more than rebounded since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down many businesses and damaged the local economy, said Kathy Janega-Dykes, president and CEO of Visit Santa Barbara.

“Our crowning success is that in many ways this outpaces that of our competitors,” she told the Santa Barbara City Council during its meeting. “Growth in revenue per available was an astonishing 44%” — more than the average for Santa Barbara County, California and the country as a whole — “while the state is working to get back even.”

During her presentation, Ms. Janega-Dykes provided a look back on the Fiscal Year 2022 tourist industry performance, and a look ahead to Visit Santa Barbara’s sales and marketing plans to attract visitors to Santa Barbara, known as “the American Riviera.”

“Santa Barbara has the upper hand in terms of brand,” she said. “It checks all the boxes for our

visitors.”

At the same time, she said her group’s efforts are not just on behalf of tourists but “for the community here, our residents, your constituents.”

“The challenge remains the same pre- and post-COVID,” she said. “The city and Visit Santa Barbara do our best work together to protect our reputation as a beautiful destination.”

Whether it’s COVID or another

obstacle, “our community has a way of coming out on top.”

She said that even during the pandemic, Visit Santa Barbra stayed on top of the tourist market aggressively so that when restrictions were lifted, “from day one, our hotel occupancy rebounded,” increasing the city’s transient occupancy taxes dramatically.

Despite the group’s success in promoting Santa Barbara and

attracting visitors, Visit Santa Barbara’s mission remains the same: to put Santa Barbara on the map.

“Certainly the pandemic has taught us lessons that last a lifetime, to maximize the moment at hand” while acknowledging that change is inevitable, she said.

“The bottom line is that we have to continue to market aggressively. We’ve had to since day one and we have to continue for the days to come.”

Councilmember Kristen Sneddon asked why Santa Barbara continues to do so much better than its competitors.

“We were in the market immediately,” launching an advertising campaign to put the city on people’s radar “and keeping our fingers crossed,” Ms. Janega-Dykes said. “We were very hyper-focused and used cell phone data to identify prospective customers,” updating the group’s website continuously “to make sure it stays fresh and contains all the information visitors are looking for. And it worked.”

Councilmember Mike Jordan agreed the group and city need to continue their marketing efforts to pitch Santa Barbara as the choice place to visit.

“If we sit on our hands and

The legislation would also guarantee that “valid marriages between two individuals are given full faith and credit, regardless of the couple’s sex, race, ethnicity or national origin, but the bill would not require a state to issue a marriage license contrary to state law.”

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled

COURTESY PHOTO President Joe Biden

in 2015 on the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges to make same-sex marriage the law of the land nationwide. That ruling required states to allow same-sex unions under law. The high court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this year as well as comments made by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas raised concerns that the court could do the same to the Obergefell ruling.

“Passing the Respect for Marriage Act wasn’t just the right thing to do for America,” Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. “It was personal to us, to our staff, and to our families.”

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

Breakthrough reported in nuclear fusion

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

A breakthrough in nuclear fusion — seen as a major step in the progress toward clean power — was announced Tuesday by the federal government.

The U.S. Department of Energy and its National Nuclear Security Administration reported the achievement of fusion ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif. This is seen as a major scientific breakthrough that has been decades in the making, and the Department of Energy says it will pave the way for advancements in national defense and the future of clean power.

On Dec. 5, a team at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility conducted the first controlled fusion experiment in history to reach this milestone. It’s known as a scientific energy breakeven, meaning it produced more energy from fusion than the laser energy used to drive it.

The Department of Energy says this historic, first-of-its kind achievement will provide insights

into the prospects of clean fusion energy, which the department said would be a game-changer for efforts to achieve President Joe Biden’s goal of a net-zero carbon economy.

“This monumental scientific breakthrough is a milestone for the future of clean energy,” said Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., in a news release. “While there is more work ahead to harness the potential of fusion energy, I am proud that California scientists continue to lead the way in developing clean energy technologies. I congratulate the scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for their dedication to a clean energy future, and I am committed to ensuring they have all of the tools and funding they need to continue this important work.”

Praise also came from Jennifer M. Granholm, the U.S. secretary of energy. “This is a landmark achievement for the researchers and staff at the National Ignition Facility, who have dedicated their careers to seeing fusion ignition become a reality, and this

LOTTERY RESULTS

Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 13-18-19-22-38 Meganumber: 11

Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: N/A Meganumber: N/A

Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 11-08-03 Time: 1:47.26

Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 0-2-1 / Wednesday’s Midday 7-3-1

Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 6-0-0-6

Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 6-15-21-29-38

Monday’s POWERBALL: 16-31-50-55-61 Meganumber: 9

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Sea Center offer varied merchandise - B1

Visit Santa Barbara tells city council that Santa Barbara is doing better than other entities

DAVE MASON/ NEWS-PRESS

Mayor Randy Rowse watches Visit Santa Barbara’s video promoting the area for tourism during the Santa Barbara City Council meeting.

COURTESY VISIT SANTA BARBARA COURTESY CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

Kathy Janega-Dykes, left, president and CEO of Visit Santa Barbara, told the Santa Barbara City Council that Santa Barbara is outperforming Santa Barbara County, California and the U.S. in growth in revenue per available hotel/motel room. The city council on Tuesday appointed Sarah Knecht, right, as the city attorney.

Congregation B’nai B’rith to help community on Mitzvah Day

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Congregation B’nai B’rith will celebrate Mitzvah Day — “A Day of Giving” — with 10 community projects Sunday morning in Santa Barbara.

The congregation invites the community to participate in the goodwill efforts.

“One of the core values of Judaism is ‘tikkun olam,’ a Jewish concept defined by acts of kindness performed to perfect or repair the world,” Elizabeth Gaynes, the congregation’s executive director, told the NewsPress. “Congregation B’nai B’rith is a diverse, inclusive community of individuals and families building together a warm and vibrant house of living Judaism,”

“Mitzvah Day is CBB’s annual community-wide day of service. People of all ages come together for a morning filled with good work helping others,” said Ms. Gaynes.

“A Day of Giving to Benefit the Community” will take place at the congregation, 1000 San Antonio

Creek Road, Santa Barbara. The doors will open at 9 a.m. Sunday, and breakfast will be available. The event will begin with a welcome address at 9:30. Then 10 projects will be completed from 10 a.m. to noon.

Ms. Gaynes said the first Mitzvah Day took place in 2005 and that the congregation has held another 14 Mitzvah Days since then.

“The annual day of service has expanded to Tikkun Olam Initiatives that happen all year long, as well as many Mitzvah projects as part of the school curriculum,” she added. “Mitzvah Day is a great way to get a taste of community service work, to do this work together, and to learn more about our local nonprofit partners here in Santa Barbara and around the world for ongoing volunteer connections.”

“Participation on Mitzvah Day ranges from our youngest preschoolers to the elders of our community, and the best part is that we work side by side, together.,” said Ms. Gaynes.

“Especially during this time of

increased isolation, Mitzvah Day gives us a good and important reason to come together — in service of others.”

To make the 10 community projects possible, Congregation B’nai B’rith is working with many local nonprofits. The projects will be completed Sunday morning at the congregation’s site on San Antonio Road as well at two offsite locations.

Among the projects is one that supports Ukrainian soldiers.

“We are supporting soldiers in Lviv, Ukraine, by collecting and sending cold weather gear and medical supplies, as well as writing notes of support for the troops,” said Ms. Gaynes.

The News-Press asked Ms. Gaynes about how this community day got started.

“This is actually a very personal story,” she explained. “Rabbi Steve Cohen approached me many, many years ago, when my children were attending the education programs at CBB, with a volunteer leadership opportunity.

SEC charges FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried with fraud

BY THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF

(The Center Square) — Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of defunct cryptocurrency firm FTX, was charged Tuesday by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with defrauding investors.

In a formal complaint, the SEC alleges that Mr. Bankman-Fried raised more than $1.8 billion from investors since 2019 but diverted the funds to his personal crypto account.

“We allege that Sam BankmanFried built a house of cards on a foundation of deception while telling investors that it was one of the safest buildings in crypto,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement. “The alleged fraud committed by Mr. BankmanFried is a clarion call to crypto platforms that they need to come into compliance with our laws.

“Compliance protects both those who invest on and those who invest in crypto platforms with time-tested safeguards,

such as properly protecting customer funds and separating conflicting lines of business. It also shines a light into trading platform conduct for both investors through disclosure and regulators through examination authority. To those platforms that don’t comply with our securities laws, the SEC’s Enforcement Division is ready to take action.”

The charges were filed a day after Mr. Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas.

Sheriff’s office, foundation provide naloxone training to inmates at Northern Branch Jail

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with Pacific Pride Foundation to provide naloxone training to inmates, beginning with the Northern Branch Jail near Santa Maria.

On Monday, more than 90 inmates were trained by the foundation on recognizing signs of an overdose as well as how and when to correctly administer naloxone.

The sheriff’s office staff also educated inmates on California’s 911 Good Samaritan law. The goal of this training is to increase awareness of the dangers of opioids and opioid overdose, increase lifesaving overdose intervention and decrease overdose deaths — both in Santa Barbara County jails as well as in the communities.

“Overdoses from fentanyl and other opioids kill far too many people in our communities,” Sheriff Bill Brown said in a news release. “It is important that

Naloxone,

everyone knows how to recognize when an overdose has occurred and know how to use naloxone to save a life. We in the Sheriff’s Office are proud to partner with Pacific Pride Foundation to provide this awareness and training to our county jail inmates.”

Naloxone is a lifesaving medication designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Opioid overdose can be due to many factors including deliberate misuses of a prescription, illicit opioid use (such as heroin), or use of an opioid contaminated with other even more potent opioids

(such as fentanyl).

An overdose can also occur when a patient takes an opioid as directed but for which the prescriber miscalculated the opioid dose, when an error was made by the dispensing pharmacist, or when the patient misunderstood the directions for use.

Anyone experiencing an opioid overdose needs immediate medical attention. The sheriff’s office urges people to call 9-1-1 if they suspect an overdose is occurring.

California’s 9-1-1 Good Samaritan law, AB 472, provides limited protection from arrest, charge and prosecution for people who seek emergency medical assistance at the scene of a suspected drug overdose.

And Pacific Pride Foundation offers free naloxone at its syringe exchange program, and at its offices in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria.

For more information, visit. pacificpridefoundation.org.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

SB County announces appointment of agriculture commissioner/director of Weights and Measures

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Jose Chang has been approved by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors as the new agriculture commissioner/ director of weights and measures.

He will begin his new role on Jan. 23.

Mr. Chang will assume the duties from Cathy Fisher, who is retiring after 12 years as commissioner.

Mr. Chang has worked in agriculture/weights and measures since 2006 for Napa County and most recently for Monterey County, where in his role as assistant agriculture commissioner/sealer, he oversaw a $13 million budget and 80 staff members.

In addition, he served as the president of the California Association of Standards and Agricultural Professionals in 2018-2019.

Growing up in an agricultural family, Mr. Chang has always been passionate about farming. He studied agriculture at UC

Davis and spent his career working to protect and promote agriculture in the California Agricultural Commissioner System.

“The experience, skill set and education I have gathered over the past 18 years have led me to this position. I have worked in Napa, where wine grapes are the primary crop, and as you know, wine grapes are one of the top agricultural commodities here,” Mr. Chang said in a news release. “In addition, working in Monterey County, I acquired knowledge and experience of the vegetable and fruit crops grown there, ranging from strawberries to broccoli, which have tremendous economic value in Santa Barbara County.”

Mr. Chang received a bachelor’s in plant biology at UC Davis. He is bilingual in English and Spanish. He holds his California Department of Food and Agriculture license for agricultural commissioner, sealer, deputy agricultural commissioner and Deputy Sealer.

Joan Hartmann, chair of the

Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, praised Mr. Chang for being a wonderful addition to the county. “Agriculture is a vital pillar in the economic structure of our county, and with Jose’s background in other California counties that focus on agriculture and his familiarity with our top crops, he has a good understanding of just how important the work he will be doing is for our whole community.”

Ms. Hartmann added, “I would like to recognize Cathy Fisher for her work and leadership as the agricultural commissioner for the past 12 years. She has worked to protect agriculture, natural resources and the quality of life in Santa Barbara County. She has been a wonderful leader, working to improve processes and helping our agricultural community thrive while protecting the consumer.”

For more information about the Agriculture/Weights and Measures Department, go to www.countyofsb.org.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

COURTESY PHOTO

which is commonly known by its brand name Narcan, has proven effective in saving the lives of people suffering from an opioid overdose.

U.S. SENATE PHOTO

Sam Bankman-Fried

KENNETH SONG/ NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

Holly Goldberg helps assemble pillow packages for the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation during the annual Mitzvah Day in 2021 at the Congregation B’nai B’rith in Santa Barbara. The foundation will again be one of the nonprofits assisted by the congregation during this year’s Mitzvah Day on Sunday. Please see MITZVAH on A4

COURTESY PHOTO

Jose Chang

Supreme Court: California’s flavored tobacco ban can take effect

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — California’s flavored tobacco product ban can take effect on Dec. 21, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday.

The justices rejected the validity of a lawsuit from major tobacco companies challenging the ban. The lawsuit came in response to Californians voting 63% in favor of Proposition 31 this November, which upheld the ban on flavored tobacco products. The original ban was passed into law by California lawmakers in 2020, but the law was put on hold after tobacco companies filed a referendum in hopes of repealing the law.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network issued a statement praising the Supreme Court’s decision. Lisa Lacasse, president of the organization, said the decision will save lives.

“The Supreme Court’s rejection of Big Tobacco’s attempt to stop this lifesaving law from taking effect is a huge win for our cancer mission,” she wrote. “It’s been nearly two years since the California Legislature and then voters overwhelmingly supported ending the sale of menthol cigarettes and most flavored tobacco products, recognizing that it is a critical step to reduce suffering and death from tobaccorelated diseases like cancer.

“While the industry repeatedly pursues legal challenges to delay

or thwart policies aiming to protect our communities from the scourges of tobacco use, ACS CAN will continue to vigorously defend this law to ensure it can save lives from cancer caused by tobacco use as intended,” she added.

The lawsuit filed by companies like R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. and Modoral Brands Inc. asked the justices to consider if California had the legal authority to institute a ban on flavored tobacco products.

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan deals with emergency matters concerning the Ninth Circuit. She rejected the request on Monday; none of the other eight justices filed any dissent. The decision comes after the

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a similar request. The court argued that the state was within its right to regulate tobacco products.

The tobacco companies argued that California’s law violates the Tobacco Control Act, which banned flavored cigarettes except for menthol. California’s flavored tobacco ban included menthol cigarettes.

Additionally, the tobacco companies argued, unsuccessfully, that California’s law violates the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution. The companies wrote in the lawsuit that California’s law “attempts to regulate manufacturers that are not within the state’s borders.”

California Attorney General announces $5.7 billion multi-state Walgreens opioid settlement

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) —

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a $5.7 billion multistate settlement agreement in principle with a retail pharmacy chain on Monday.

The settlement reached with Walgreens aims to resolve the pharmacy chain’s role in “fueling the opioid epidemic,” according to a news release from Attorney General Bonta’s office.

The settlement aims to resolve allegations that Walgreens failed to properly oversee opioid dispensing at its pharmacies. It could bring more than $500 million in funding for California to help those harmed by the opioid epidemic, the release said.

“This settlement is another win in our ongoing fight to bring help and healing to California communities harmed by the opioid crisis,” Attorney General Bonta said in the release. “To all those struggling with substance abuse disorders, to all those desperately in need of treatment and recovery options — help is on the way. The California Department of Justice is working to bring valuable funding

to our state’s efforts to combat the opioid crisis from the companies who once chose profits over the well-being of our communities.”

State, local and tribal governments will split the funds from the settlement. Most of the money will go toward combating the opioid epidemic, including increasing funding for treatment and recovery services, the release says.

The settlement includes court-ordered injunctive relief requirements in hopes of preventing this from happening in the future, the news release says. Here are some of those provisions, according to the release:

• The implementation of a Controlled Substance Compliance Program to ensure compliance with injunctive terms, to train employees, and to help prevent drug diversion.

• A requirement to investigate and resolve prescriptions with potentially suspicious “red flags” before dispensing the drug.

• Site visits and compliance reviews of individual pharmacy locations.

• An agreement to provide unblinded “867” sales data from

the company’s distributor to drug manufacturers, which will help identify and prevent drug diversion.

• An executive committee of attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and

Texas, who have served as the lead negotiators on this deal. The settlement has been endorsed by the executive committee, attorneys representing local governments and Walgreens.

Each state will now review the terms of the agreement. They will have until the end of this year to join. If enough states sign on to the agreement, then it will go to local governments around the country for them to sign on to in the first quarter of 2023.

California is currently assessing the terms of a similar type of settlement agreement with fellow retail pharmacy chain CVS.

“Attorney General Bonta is committed to holding accountable all those who fueled or profited from the opioid epidemic and bringing needed funding back to impacted communities,” the press release from the Attorney General’s office said.

“To date, (the) DOJ has secured approximately $30 billion through nationwide settlements against opioid manufacturers Johnson & Johnson and Mallinckrodt; distributors Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen; and consulting firm McKinsey & Company.”

Nearly one million Californians sign energy policy referendum petition

By TOM JOYCE THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — Nearly one million Californians have signed an energy-related petition over the past two months.

More than 978,000 California residents have signed the Stop the Energy Shutdown petition. Those signatures have been turned in to the county registrar of voter offices throughout the state, according to a news release from the California Independent Petroleum Association.

The signatures are for a referendum aimed at stopping a

new California law (Senate Bill 1137) that sets distance minimums between new oil wells and certain areas.

The measure bans new oil wells within 3,200 feet of schools, homes and hospitals. It also sets pollution controls for existing oil wells within 3,200 feet of these zones.

The California Independent Petroleum Association is leading the referendum effort and bashed the new law, arguing that there is no scientific basis for the requirement.

“California-produced oil is the most climate-compliant oil in the world,” Rock Zierman, CEO of the California Independent Petroleum Association, said in the release.

“Producers in our state must adhere to the state’s greenhouse gas reduction program and account for all emissions. Foreign oil imports are totally exempt from those requirements.”

The CIPA argues that the law will restrict the supply of domestic oil, forcing California to import more expensive and less environmentally friendly foreign oil.

“There is absolutely no reason California should be held hostage and export our wealth to OPEC+ countries,” Mr. Zierman added in the release. “But by strangling our domestic supply, Gov. (Gavin) Newsom is promoting greater

greenhouse gas emissions generated in other parts of the world and making gasoline more expensive.”

Supporters of the law argue that it protects the health of millions of Californians. About 5.5 million Californians live within one mile of at least one or more oil and gas wells. Supporters argue that this increases the risks of asthma, preterm births, high-risk pregnancies and cancer.

Opponents of the law will need to have 623,000 qualifying signatures for their measure to make the 2024 ballot. If it makes the ballot, then the voters will decide the fate of the law.

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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of California’s ban on flavored tobacco products.

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS

Attorney General Rob Bonta

Gauchos men’s basketball team stops Hawks’ flight with 81-68 win

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

It was a quick turnaround from Saturday night’s overtime game to Monday night’s nonconference contest, but the UCSB men’s basketball team (7-2) hit the hardwood again as the Gauchos welcomed the San Diego Christian Hawks to The Thunderdome.

These two teams played each other three different times, with the Gauchos taking the win from this NAIA program in each meeting.

Monday night was no different for the Gauchos as they put their record to 4-0 against the Hawks, securing an 81-68 win to put them at 7-2 on the season.

The Gauchos had control of the game from the moment they

stepped on the court. The first nine points all belonged to UCSB as they set the tone for the rest of the game.

By the time they hit the end of the first half, the Gauchos were up 4822 over the Hawks.

Miles Norris and Calvin Wishart were the main forces on offense, securing 10 points apiece. Along with that, Wishart added on four steals and three assists. As a team, the Gauchos registered a 72% clip, going 21 of 29 from the field.

Once the second half started, the Gauchos kept the pressure on their opponent. Despite the number of points put on the board, UCSB kept the pressure on their opponents, keeping them from making a comeback in this contest.

Norris ended Monday’s game on top for the Gauchos, securing

15 points in just 14 minutes on the court against the Hawks. He also shot an impressive 70 percent from the field.

Following up behind him was Cole Anderson. The sophomore had a strong performance in the second half to give him 11 points on the night. With that, he shot 50% from the field while going threefor-five from beyond the arc.

Wishart was a tremendous asset in the 14 minutes he played. He secured 10 points in this contest while adding a team-high four steals to go with three assists.

Koat Keat Tong came into his own, crashing the boards to earn a team-high five rebounds. He also managed to add on a block and an assist.

In the 11 minutes Ajay Mitchell

played Monday evening, he made an impact on offense. He distributed the ball well to confuse the Hawks’ defense, giving him a team-high five assists.

The Gauchos will make the trip up the coast as they head to Portland to take on Portland State University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday.

For those who cannot make it to Viking Pavilion, they can watch at home on ESPN+ or follow along with the live stats. Links for the live stream and stats can be found at ucsbgauchos.com.

Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB. sports@newspress.com

Sea Center welcomes visitors

Together we worked to create the very first Mitzvah Day at CBB in 2005. That chair role was my introduction to volunteer service and leadership at our synagogue, and was a pivotal moment in the congregation’s history.

“That first year was one of the single largest gatherings in the temple’s history, and began a wonderful and lasting tradition,” Ms. Gaynes continued. “The experience led me to volunteer for several positions on the board and then eventually to move into my current role as executive director. It has been one of my great pleasures to see the tradition continue under the talent of so many of our volunteer leaders. What is even better is that the

good work of repairing the world happens year round and is a major priority for our community.”

These projects will be completed at the congregation site:

• Supporting Ukraine: People will write notes of support and love to Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines, and/or support the Lviv Medical Volunteers, who urgently need items for the soldiers. A local Santa Barbara family is shipping these items to Lviv, and a wish list is at cbbsb. org/mitzvah. Among the desired items are medications, bandages, sleeping bags, fleece jackets and tactical boots.

• Blood Donation: People can donate blood and help replenish the local banks through Vitalant.

• The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation: Participants will create festive snowmen candy

bars to give to children fighting cancer in time for their holiday party.

• Lunch for the Hungry: Assemble lunch bags and basic needs items to be delivered to the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission. Completed bags will be distributed at the temple’s Wednesday Neighborhood Navigation Center at the Rescue Mission.

• Scrap-booking for Dreamers: The Dream Foundation serves terminally ill adults and their families by making end-of-life dreams come true. Volunteers are being sought Sunday to create beautiful scrapbook pages as a memento for families.

• Animal Mitzvah: People will make treats, toys and warmers for animals in the local shelters.

• Hanukkah Treats for Seniors: Participants will assemble

Hanukkah candles and treats for our seniors at local retirement homes.

• Operation Gratitude: OG is a nationwide nonprofit providing Americans with opportunities to honor our military. Those participating make paracord bracelets that are added to care packages and have proven to be life-saving.

OFFSITE PROJECTS

• Tree gleaning: You can join nature lovers to glean trees at private homes and donate the produce to local food charities.

• Instant Choir: Vocalists are being asked to join Cantor Mark Childs for a visit to Vista Del Monte Retirement Community to share Hanukkah music and other Jewish songs.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

don’t continue to market, react and work on impacts, we go backwards and lose all our benefits we receive due to tourism,” he said.

Councilmember Eric Friedman said the city’s success in drawing tourists didn’t just happen by accident.

“We got 44% while California has negative 2%,” he said. “That comes from great planning ahead. It helps us tell our story as the biggest small town you can ever live in.”

In other business, the council appointed Sarah Knecht as Santa Barbara’s new city attorney. She has been the acting city attorney since August.

Ms. Knecht said she is thrilled to have this opportunity to serve the City Council and community in her new position.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the talented team in the City Attorney’s Office as well as the dedicated city staff to ensure that we continue to deliver superior public service,” she said.

Her new position is effective as of Saturday. Her starting salary is $281,736 per year plus

benefits.

Ms. Knecht will take over the job from former City Attorney Ariel Calonne, who was placed on paid leave and then fired after a heated argument he had with someone in his office was overheard by others and reported to Human Resources.

In other business, the council named Linda Esparza Dozer,

HERRERA, Manuel Albert

Manuel “Manny” Albert Herrera passed away peacefully on October 25, 2022, with his children by his side at his son’s home in Colorado after a brief battle with brain cancer. He was 79 years old. Manuel is survived by his children, Troy (Monica) Herrera of Brighton, Colorado and Tracey (Angel) Jimenez of Ventura, California. His brother Sal (Edna) Herrera of Utah, sister Kathleen Herrera of Texas and his twin sister Natalie (Tony) DePaco of Santa Barbara, California, grandchildren Alycia, Ana, Natalia, Michael, Angelo, Luc, Nathaniel, great-grandson Alexander, many aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Salvador Herrera and Anita “Annie” Cordero Herrera, grandmother Mary Venzor Cordero, grandfather Albert Cordero, great-grandmother Natalia Venzor Hernandez, sister Mary Herrera Redding and brother Paul I. Herrera. Manuel was born in Fairfield, CA on November 11, 1942, and known to most as “Manny.” He spent the majority of his young life into adulthood in Santa Barbara, CA, graduating from SBHS in 1961 and attending SBBC before joining the Army to serve our country. He spent his career as a UPS driver, primarily delivering parcels in Carpinteria. Manny retired in 1998, and after living in Utah he then settled in Thornton, Colorado for his remaining years. Growing up, he immersed himself in sports and he was very successful on the football and baseball fields. He was co-captain of the SBHS Golden Tornado football team that won a CIF Championship in 1960. Over the years Manny would assist many young athletes and encourage them to go after their dreams. He stayed active over the years, playing racquetball, weightlifting, and bicycle riding. He turned his passion for weight lifting to training athletes with kettlebells and set state records in Utah for bench press and deadlift powerlifting, which still hold as records today. Manuel’s passion for football and weightlifting carried over into the relationships he had and the lives he impacted while sharing his knowledge. Many athletes benefited from his advice and training not only on the field, but it instilled a sense of responsibility and determination in other areas of their lives. Manny had a big personality and a great smile. He loved to share stories about his family and their accomplishments. In 2005, the book, “The Kid” was published by Bill Nowlin of Rounder Records which chronicled the family roots of Manny’s 2nd cousin, Baseball Hall of Famer, Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox. Manny was one of the family members from Ted’s maternal side that were a contributor to this book and he was very proud to be a part of the process. Manny’s family is comforted at knowing he has joined our Heavenly Father and the loved ones that have passed before him and he will be resting in paradise forever.

Graveside services will be held in his honor on Friday, December 16, 2022, at The Goleta Cemetery at 11 am. In place of flowers, the family asks for a donation in Manuel’s name to Santa Barbara High School Alumni Association.

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

Fire and Police Commission.

Ms. Dozer. Ms. Rodriguez and Ms. Zepead were appointed to four-year terms ending Dec. 31, 2026. Mr. Herlinger and Mr. Hill were appointed to two-year terms ending Dec. 31, 2024.

The council passed an ordinance on Oct. 18 that assigned additional civilian oversight duties to the commission to oversee the police and monitor citizen complaints in an effort to increase transparency and public trust.

email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

58/41/pc

Dec. 15 4:03 a.m. 3.9’ 9:07 a.m. 3.1’ 1:42 p.m. 3.7’ 9:08 p.m. 0.8’ Dec. 16 4:33 a.m. 4.2’ 10:38 a.m. 2.5’ 3:21 p.m. 3.4’ 9:52 p.m. 1.1’

75/60/s 76/59/s

84/76/c 86/71/s

36/24/c 37/25/s

Mexico City 76/55/s 74/53/s Montreal 34/29/s 38/32/c

New Delhi 74/47/pc 73/47/pc

Paris 32/28/sn 35/26/sn

Rio de Janeiro 79/67/pc 82/70/s

Rome 60/45/r 62/56/r

Sydney 74/56/sh 70/57/pc Tokyo 57/38/pc 52/41/pc

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 Weekend 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.

Daniel Robert Herlinger, Gary Jon Hill, Lizzie Rodriguez and Ana Alicia Zepeda to five seats on the newly reconstituted

KENNETH SONG /NEWS-PRESS

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily on Stearns Wharf. For more information, go to www. sbnature.org.

Council members Alejandra Gutierrez and Eric Friedman listen to the presentation by Kathy JanegaDykes, president and CEO of Visit Santa Barbara. Mr. Friedman later noted that the city’s success in drawing tourists didn’t just happen by accident.

Managing

Life theArts

CALENDAR

Feel-good gi s

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

From books and games to clothing and eco-friendly products, holiday shoppers can find something for every nature- and culture-lover in the stores at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Road, and the Sea Center on Stearns Wharf.

Not only will they discover unique gifts for all ages, including books, puzzles, apparel, jewelry, décor, toys and more, they will be supporting the museum’s nature and science education programs at the same time.

Shoppers can save $5 off every $50 purchase and $10 off every $100 purchase in store or online at sbnature.org/store.

2KG African Imports will be showcasing extraordinary upcycled telephone wire baskets and bowls and other home décor featuring fair trade art from Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Kenya from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

see GIFTS on B2

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. “Interlopings: Colors in the Warp and Weft of Ecological Entanglements” is an exhibit that runs through March 12 at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The exhibit features weavings dyed with pigments from non-native plants on Santa Cruz Island. The weavings were created by artists Helen Svensson and Lisa Jevbratt. For more information, see sbbotanicgarden.org.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit “Parliament of Owls” runs through Feb. 5 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, see sbma.net.

5 to 7 p.m.: A free candlelight concert series takes place on the steps of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.

7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805965-5400.

DEC. 15

7:30 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805965-5400.

DEC. 16

8 p.m. Johnny Mathis will perform at the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom, 3400 State Route 246, Santa Ynez. Tickets for the Santa Ynez concert are $69 to $109. To purchase, go to www.chumashcasino.com. The Chumash Casino Resort is a 21-andolder venue.

8 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805965-5400.

DEC. 17 Noon to 3 p.m. The free Big Brass Tuba Christmas Concert will take place in Storke Placita, which is between 722 and 724 State St. and is adjacent to De la Guerra Plaza in Santa Barbara. The Youth Makers Market will be in the same block.

2 and 7 p.m. State Street Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara High School student Olivia Pires will play Clara at the 2 p.m. matinee. Professional State Street Ballet dancer Emma Matthews will portray Clara at the 7 p.m. show. Tickets vary from $38 to $121, with a discounted price of $26 for children 12 and younger in select price zones. To purchase, go to granadasb.org. A student discount is also available for purchase in person at The Granada’s box office.

3 p.m. The Quire of Voyces, an a cappella choir based at Santa Barbara City College, will perform its “Mysteries of Christmas” concert at St. Anthony’s Chapel at the Garden Street Academy, 2300 Garden St., Santa Barbara. Tickets are sold weekdays at the Garvin Theatre box office at the SBCC campus or

The stores’ merchandise include Bees & Honey, a 1,000 piece puzzle.

at the

COURTESY PHOTO Johnny Mathis will perform at 8 p.m. Friday at the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom, 3400 State Route 246, Santa Ynez.

Holiday shoppers support programs at Natural History Museum and Sea Center

At top, you can dress up for a garden party with the Pressed Flower Jewelry while having a refreshing drink with the Floral Moth Stainless Steel Wine Glass. You can also give your loved ones one of the Butterfl y Blown Glass Ornaments. Above, you can draw from a variety of mushroom-inspired merchandise for holiday gifts.

COURTESY PHOTOS

2KG African Imports offers baskets, bowls and home décor from Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Kenya at the Folk & Tribal Arts Pop-up, set for Friday through Sunday at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Please

At top, this Mushroom Natural Adult T-Shirt is among the gifts you can buy family members or friends at the stores at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Road, and the Sea Center on Stearns Wharf. Above, La Mariposa Gold Butterfl y Wing Earrings is also among the merchandise.

Nursing students graduate from Allan Hancock College

SANTA MARIA — Sixty-one students graduated recently from Allan Hancock College’s nursing program.

The graduating class included 31 graduates from Hancock’s registered nursing program and 30 graduates from the college’s vocational nursing program. The graduates and their families celebrated with a ceremony Thursday at the Marian Theatre on the college’s Santa Maria

campus. Both groups received commemorative pins marking their accomplishments.

“We need you in this community,” Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers told the graduates. “We are so grateful for students like you and the career path you have chosen.”

Said Hancock vocational nursing graduate Heather Hamer, “Being a Hancock nursing student proves that

each of us has an abundance of determination and dedication.”

Hancock’s nursing program is one of the college’s Career and Technical Education programs. For more information, see www. hancockcollege.edu/pathways.

Registration is open for spring classes, which start on Jan. 23. To register, see www. hancockcollege.edu/spring.

— Dave Mason

Righetti student selected for honor choirs

Ford, Doordan now on maritime museum board

SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara residents Kate Ford and John Doordan have joined the board of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

Ms. Ford served on the Santa Barbara Unified School District Board from 2018-2022, which includes her role as the school board president in 2020-21. She has also been the principal/ executive director of the Peabody Charter School.

An English and drama teacher for many years, she holds a master’s degree in

GIFTS

Continued from Page B1

Friday through Sunday at the museum.

Gift memberships last an entire year with free admission to both the museum and Sea Center as well as discounts on camps, classes, store purchases and reciprocal free admission to more than 350 museums and science centers.

Memberships start at $90 for

CALENDAR

Continued from Page B1

educational leadership from Chapman College, a bachelor’s degree from UC-Santa Cruz, and lifetime California Teaching and Administrative Services credentials from Santa Clara University. Ms. Ford has also won two Educator of the Year awards and is a longtime member of the maritime museum’s education committee.

Mr. Doordan, a longtime senior manager with worldwide corporate experience, is the president of the Santa Barbara Club Preservation Foundation

individuals or $115 for families and are available at sbnature.org/ gift-membership.

For foodies and wine aficionados, there are tickets to the Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival from 2 to 5 p.m. June 24 in the museum’s oak woodland along Mission Creek.

A major fundraiser for the museum, the festival has become the region’s premier event for more than 100 award-winning wineries, restaurants and food purveyors.

will

and throughout the community. The program begins at 9 a.m. with breakfast, followed by a welcoming address at 9:30.

For more information, visit cbbsb.org/ mitzvah.

2 p.m. State Street Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Dos Pueblos High School student Sophia Kanard will play Clara. Tickets vary from $38 to $121, with a discounted price of $26 for children 12 and younger in select price zones. To purchase, go to granadasb.org. A student discount is also available for purchase in person at The Granada’s box office.

and sits on the board of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, where he chairs its Historic Resources Committee.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and served as a naval aviator piloting carrierbased aircraft in the military before beginning his career in international management and management development. For more about the museum, see sbmm.org.

General admission tickets are $120, which include a commemorative wine glass. Designated driver tickets are $50.

For more information, visit sbnature.org/winefestival.

One hundred percent of the net proceeds from

email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

2 p.m. The Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “A Christmas Carol” at the New Vic, 33. W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $40-$84. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call 805-9655400.

3 p.m. The Quire of Voyces, an a cappella choir based at Santa Barbara City College, will perform its “Mysteries of Christmas” concert at St. Anthony’s Chapel at the Garden Street Academy, 2300 Garden St., Santa Barbara. Tickets are sold weekdays at the Garvin Theatre box office at the SBCC campus or at the door 30 before the concert.

the Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival supports the museum’s nature and science education programs.

COURTESY PHOTO

Caitlin Voss stands proudly with her niece, Jadyn Voss — the only singer from Santa Barbara County who has been accepted into the High School Coastal Honor Choir and 100-member California AllState Honor Choir. Jadyn, a junior at Righetti High School in Santa Maria, will join other vocalists at a performance at the California Music Educators Conference Feb. 16-18 in Fresno. This photo shows Jadyn at the Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where late last month, Jadyn was honored for being named to the High School Coastal Honor Choir.

COURTESY PHOTO

A ceremony honors students graduating from the nursing program at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria.

— Dave Mason

COURTESY PHOTOS

Kate Ford

John Doordan

Thought for Today

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a brokenwinged bird that cannot fly.”

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com Wednesday, December 14, 2022

ARIES — Take the unconventional approach today, Aries. You’re able to gain a great deal and establish a whole new perspective just by opening your lens wider in order to include what you normally shrug off. Your emotions may be on edge, and the slightest thing may set you off on a rampage. Try your best to keep your cool.

TAURUS — Today is a day of opposites for you. You may jump from one thing to another, Taurus. Somehow nothing seems to sit right with you, and so your search intensifies. Try to be the active one in the situation as opposed to the one acted upon. There is the potential for you to get knocked about, but you can easily turn this around by striking the first blow.

GEMINI — Today is a terrific day for you, Gemini, in which action spells reward. You can’t go wrong by expressing your needs and how they fit with the collective agenda. Feel free to focus on you and be selfish about your passions. Be aware that unexpected events may crop up to remind you that number one is indeed important, but don’t forget about numbers two, three, and so on.

CANCER — Egos may rage out of control today, leaving you to wonder what all the fuss is about. Give other people their space, Cancer. If the conversation gets too boring, just smile and nod. There may be a great deal of tension among people who are fighting about how much they can get versus how much they give.

LEO — Today is a powerful day for you, Leo. Your emotions may be stubborn but realize the very thing you resist is the very thing you need the most.

Consider making a major change that will help bring about a healthier balance between you and the people with whom you associate. It may be time for a whole new outlook on how you deal with your relationships.

VIRGO — Today could be an unusual one for you emotionally, Virgo. Your usual easygoing, adaptable nature could be ruffled by people who try to take over projects that you are perfectly qualified to do. In such situations, you would

normally retire gracefully to a quiet corner, but now you spread your beautiful wings and let it be known that you should not be overlooked.

LIBRA — Try not to be too arrogant today, Libra, even when you’re utterly sure you’re right about the given situation. More than likely, you have the correct answers, but it isn’t necessary to be strident about it. Unexpected events are coming your way, and you may find that someone is toying with your emotions.

SCORPIO — People may have an extra spark in their actions and an extra bite in their words today. You will find that you may be better off just walking away from any situation that doesn’t feel right. You’d be wise to stay in the background and not worry about anything besides your immediate concerns and daily routine. Try not to rock the boat.

SAGITTARIUS — Express yourself to the fullest today, Sagittarius. Feel free to take an unconventional approach when it comes to dealing with your emotions. Try not to let others cajole you into thinking you need to fit into an artificial construct of what you need to be and what you need to think.

CAPRICORN — It may be hard to deal with the opposing energies today, Capricorn. Conflicting viewpoints and twisted perspectives clash within your world. Your emotions may pin you to one side of the issue, while a powerful force pulls you to believe in a more revolutionary approach. Try to maintain a balance in all situations, especially those that involve the sensitive emotions of others.

AQUARIUS — Aquarius, this may prove a challenging day for you. You’re used to being the sovereign surrounded by courtiers currying your favor. There’s something trying to draw attention away from you, reminding you that there are other people on this planet besides you.

PISCES — Take care of yourself and your needs, Pisces. There’s an advantage to making sure your emotions are cared for and stable before you try to heal others. Your feelings are powerful and erratic today. You might find that other people try to oppose your beliefs. Stand up for yourself and be strong.

SUDOKU

CODEWORD PUZZLE

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

“The brain is amazing,” Cy the Cynic told me in the club lounge. “It functions 24/7, except maybe when you take a test or meet someone attractive. Or when you’re my partner and playing the dummy.”

“Your partner let you down?” I asked.

Cy showed me today’s deal. His partner had played at four hearts, and West led a club: three, king, ace. Declarer led the king of trumps, and West took the ace, cashed his queen of clubs and led a diamond.

TWO DIAMONDS

“My partner put up dummy’s king,” the Cynic said, “and lost two diamonds. He went down only one when the spade finesse won. Partner insisted that West had bid, vulnerable, so to play the king of diamonds was clear. And he blamed me for bidding four hearts when I could have bid only three.”

Cy’s bid was too bold, but South should make the game. To have a chance, he must assume West has the king of spades. But West, a passed hand, has shown the ace of hearts and queen of clubs: South can’t play him for the ace of diamonds.

diamond, you respond one heart and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Since you have a decent five-card suit, 12 high-card points and two tens, you can reasonably commit to game (especially if your partner isn’t one to open junky hands). To jump to 3NT might be right. Instead, bid two spades, forcing. If partner then bids 2NT, raise. If he bids three hearts, go to four hearts. West dealer Both sides vulnerable

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.

— Langston Hughes

Grocery prices continue to rise nationally

By

(The Center Square) — While overall inflation has slowed from its rapid pace earlier this year, grocery prices continue to rise, putting Americans in a pinch, according to newly released federal inflation data.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the monthly Consumer Price Index report, which showed prices rose 0.1% in November, less than experts predicted, contributing to a 7.1% increase in the past 12 months.

“The indexes for shelter,

communication, recreation, motor vehicle insurance, education and apparel were among those that increased over the month,” BLS said. “Indexes which declined in November include the used cars and trucks, medical care and airline fares indexes.”

Energy prices declined, but shelter prices rose significantly.

“The index for shelter was by far the largest contributor to the monthly all items increase, more than offsetting decreases in energy indexes,” BLS said. “The energy index decreased 1.6% over the month as the gasoline index,

the natural gas index and the electricity index all declined.”

Food prices, though, drove the increase as well.

“The food index increased 0.5% over the month with the food at home index also rising 0.5%,” BLS said.

Grocery prices have risen 12% in the past 12 months.

“Four of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased over the month. The index for fruits and vegetables increased 1.4% in November, after falling 0.9% in October,” BLS said. “The index for cereals and bakery products rose 1.1%

over the month while the index for dairy and related products increased 1% in November. The index for nonalcoholic beverages rose 0.7% in November, after rising 0.5% last month.”

This data comes on the heels of wholesale producer price data from BLS, which found the price of some goods skyrocketed in November but overall producer prices rose only 0.3%, though that was more than experts expected. Overall, producer prices rose 7.4% in the last 12 months.

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

Republicans call for impeachment of DHS head

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE SENIOR REPORTER

(The Center Square) — A group of U.S. House Republicans on Tuesday called for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The lawmakers, led by U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., made their remarks during a news conference outside the Capitol, calling for Secretary Mayorkas’ impeachment amid the soaring number of illegal immigrants crossing into the U.S.

“Every day he remains in office, America is less safe,” Rep. Biggs said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released a steady stream of figures showing that the number of illegal immigrants entering through the southern border has soared to record levels since President Joe Biden took office.

Those numbers are poised to get worse. Trump-era Title 42 protections that allowed feds to expel migrants more quickly because of COVID-19 concerns are set to expire later this month, and experts predict a surge of illegal immigrants are awaiting that expiration.

Some areas, like El Paso, are seeing thousands of migrants cross over each day.

Those larger numbers of migrants have also brought large quantities of fentanyl, a deadly drug that is trafficked in the U.S. via cartels. Fentanyl overdoses have soared in recent years as well.

Some in the Senate have echoed the criticism of Secretary Mayorkas.

“The southern border has been an issue for a long time,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. “Secretary Mayorkas only showed back up when the mainstream media caved and reported on the issue.”

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

milestone will undoubtedly spark even more discovery.

“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to supporting our world-class scientists — like the team at NIF — whose work will help us solve humanity’s most complex and pressing problems, like providing clean power to combat climate change and maintaining a nuclear deterrent without nuclear testing,” Secretary Granholm said.

LLNL’s experiment surpassed the fusion threshold by delivering 2.05 megajoules of energy to the

target, resulting in 3.15 megajoules of fusion energy output. In doing so, the experiment demonstrated for the first time a most fundamental science basis for inertial fusion energy, according to the Department of Energy.

The DOE said many advanced science and technology developments are still needed to achieve simple, affordable inertial fusion energy to power homes and businesses. The DOE is currently restarting a broad-based, coordinated IFE program in the U.S.

“We have had a theoretical understanding of fusion for over a century, but the journey from knowing to doing can be long

and arduous. Today’s milestone shows what we can do with perseverance,” said Dr. Arati Prabhakar, the president’s chief adviser for science and technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Fusion is the process by which two light nuclei combine to form a single heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy. In the 1960s, a group of pioneering scientists at LLNL hypothesized that lasers could be used to induce fusion in a laboratory setting.

Led by physicist John Nuckolls, who later served as LLNL director from 1988 to 1994, this idea became inertial confinement fusion,

kicking off more than 60 years of research and development in lasers, optics, diagnostics, target fabrication, computer modeling and simulation, and experimental design.

To pursue this concept, LLNL built a series of powerful laser systems, leading to the creation of NIF, the world’s largest and most energetic laser system. NIF, which is located at LLNL in Livermore in Alameda County, is the size of a sports stadium and uses powerful laser beams to create temperatures and pressures like those in the cores of stars and giant planets, and inside exploding nuclear weapons.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

DeSantis asks statewide grand jury to investigate COVID-19 vaccines

By BRETT ROWLAND THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF REPORTER

(The Center Square) — Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday new actions designed to hold the federal government and pharmaceutical companies accountable for decisions related to COVID-19 vaccines.

Gov. DeSantis will establish the Public Health Integrity Committee, overseen by the state’s surgeon general, to assess federal public health recommendations and guidance. The governor also petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to impanel a statewide grand jury to “investigate crimes and wrongdoing committed against Floridians related to the COVID-19 vaccine,” according to the announcement.

Further, the governor plans to look into sudden deaths of people who got a COVID-19 vaccine in Florida, based on autopsy results. The state will collaborate with the University of Florida to compare research with studies done in other countries.

“With these new actions, we will shed light on the forces that have obscured truthful communication about the COVID-19 vaccines,” Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said in a statement.

Dr. Ladapo will oversee the Public Health Integrity Committee, which will assess federal decisions, recommendations and guidance related to public health and health care.

“This has been a tremendously difficult time for everybody, but we are near the tail end of it, and it is time to start taking stock of what went wrong and make

COURTESY PHOTO Gov. Ron DeSantis

reforms so this doesn’t happen

Gov. DeSantis filed a petition asking the state’s Supreme Court to put together a statewide grand jury to investigate issues around COVID-19 vaccines. The petition said that federal agencies, medical experts and others “created an expectation that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine is an ethical or civic duty and that choosing not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is selfish and harmful to others.”

“It is impossible to imagine that so many influential individuals came to this view on their own,” according to the petition. “Rather, it is likely that individuals and companies with an incentive to do so created these perceptions for financial gain.”

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT, FBN No: 20220002803 First Filing. The following person (s) are doing business as RAZOR RODENAS BARBERING: 1114 STATE ST. #6, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101 County of Santa Barbara. Full Name(s) of registrants: ISRAEL S. RODENAS: 420 N VOLUNTARIO ST #7C, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93103. 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 11/16/2022 by E30, Deputy. The registrant commenced to transact business on: Not Applicable. Statement

01, 2022.

NOV 23, 30; DEC 07, 14 / 2022--58874

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT, FBN No: 20220002810 First Filing. The following person (s) are doing business as CURTIS HOMES: 254 EAST HIGHWAY 246, STE.B, BUELLTON, CA 93427 County of Santa Barbara. Full Name(s) of registrants: CURTIS & SONS, INC.: 254 EAST HIGHWAY 246, STE.B, BUELLTON, CA 93427, STATE OF INC.: CALIFORNIA. This business is conducted by: A CORPORATION. This statement was filed in the office of JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, County ClerkRecorder of SANTA BARBARA COUNTY on 11/17/2022 by E30 Deputy. The registrant commenced to transact business on: Nov 11, 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

NOV 30; DEC 07, 14, 21 / 2022--58889

each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Santa Barbara News-Press Date: 11/17/2022 Name: THOMAS P. ANDERLE,

of the Superior Court. NOV

2022-- 58875

COURTESY PHOTO

Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

again,” committee member Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, professor of health policy at Stanford University Medical School, said in a statement.