Santa Barbara News-Press: December 29, 2021

Fine delayed for ocean carriers

Diving back into live theater

Southern California officials postpone fine for staying in ports for nine days or longer - A2

2021 was the year local playhouses reopened their doors to audiences - B1

Our 166th Year

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W E D N E S DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 21

Rainy season continues Forecast calls for precipitation today, but National Weather says there’ll be no rain Thursday in Santa Barbara County

KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS

From left, bins for garbage, recyclables and compost from Marborg Industries stand outside a Goleta residence. In 2022, all local jurisdictions must provide organic waste collection services to residents and businesses under a state law.

Green waste law takes effect Saturday In 2022, all jurisdictions in California must provide organic waste collection services

By FORREST MCFARLAND NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Clouds loom over the horizon Tuesday as cacti and fields blanket the landscape at western Goleta off Farren Road. The National Weather Service predicts there will be rain today in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Sunshine graced the sky above the Pacific Ocean Tuesday. That was the comforting view from Farren Road in Goleta.

But if you turned around and looked toward the Santa Ynez Mountains, you saw something else.

Clouds on the horizon.

And that set the stage for today’s expected rain throughout Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

The National Weather Service is predicting rain everywhere, from Santa Barbara to Santa Ynez to Santa Maria to Cuyama.

And with the rain comes more

of the cold. The weather service’s forecast calls for highs in the mid 50s throughout the county, except for Cuyama where the high is expected to be 49. Lows are forecast to be in the low 40s in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and Lompoc and even lower in Santa Ynez, where it will be a chilling 38 degrees, and Cuyama, which is near freezing at 34.

On Tuesday, things were a bit warmer. The highs were 61 in Santa Barbara, 59 in Goleta, 54 in Santa Maria and Santa Ynez, 55 in Lompoc and 47 in New Cuyama.

Lows were 47 in Santa Barbara, 43 in Goleta, 39 in Santa Maria, 37 in Santa Ynez and Lompoc, and 36 in New Cuyama.

According to the Santa Barbara

County Public Works Department and its monitoring stations, rain fell everywhere Monday in Santa Barbara County. But the heaviest amount was in the South Coast, where there was around a half inch.

Meanwhile, a look toward the horizon showed not only clouds ahead of today’s rain, but a sign of winter. Snow could be seen in the distance in the Santa Ynez Mountains.

Thursday will see relief from the rain, at least in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, where the National Weather Service predicts partly cloudy conditions. But rain is expected to fall again Thursday in Ventura and Los Angeles

counties.

The forecast, though, calls for nothing more than partly cloudy conditions in all four counties on Friday. And according to the weather service, 2022 will start Saturday on the right note: sunshine.

Keep your jackets handy, though.

“Temperatures will remain significantly below average,” the National Weather Service reported Tuesday.

Lows will continue to be in the 40s and the highs in the 50s. It’ll be even colder in Santa Ynez, with a predicted low below freezing: 31.

Brrrr.

Saturday marks the implementation of a California law that requires organic waste to be collected, recovered and recycled into new end-products.

Organic or “green” waste is any material that is biodegradable and comes from a plant or an animal. The short-lived climate pollutant reduction strategy, known as Senate Bill 1383 (signed into law in 2016 by Gov. Jerry Brown), plans to utilize organic waste to reduce pollution and fight climate change.

“This is the biggest change to our trash since we started recycling in the 1980s,” Rachel Machi Wagoner, director for CalRecycle, told the News-Press Tuesday.

State agency CalRecycle is overseeing this transition under the law, which goes into effect Saturday. According to the CalRecycle website (calrecycle. ca.gov/organics/slcp), “Starting in 2022, all jurisdictions will need to provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses and recycle these organic materials using recycling facilities such as: anaerobic digestion facilities that create biofuel and electricity and composting facilities that make soil amendments.”

But local jurisdictions are given flexibility for their start date during this year.

“By Jan. 1, we believe roughly 50% of California jurisdictions will have their programs in place. Over the course of 2022, Please see WASTE on A5

email: dmason@newspress.com

RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

The Santa Barbara County Grand Jury said the lowered jail population at the Main Jail in Santa Barbara is the result of several initiatives by criminal justice partners.

At left, blue skies are seen over the Pacific Ocean from Farren Road. At right, snow is seen in the distance in the Santa Ynez Mountains.

KAREN ENSIGN PHOTO

Coach, commentator John Madden dies at 85

By FORREST MCFARLAND NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

NFL Hall of Fame coach and broadcasting icon John Madden died unexpectedly Tuesday at 85.

Spending most of his childhood in California, Madden rose to fame coaching the Oakland Raiders for 10 seasons from 1969-1978.

He led them to victory in the

Super Bowl in 1977.

Madden is still the coach with the most wins in Raiders history.

“We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a news release.

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After retiring from coaching in 1979, he transitioned into color commentary for CBS. He worked as a color commentator for several major networks from 1979-2009.

He also wrote several books and served as a commercial pitchman for different products and retailers.

Madden was known for his enthusiasm, as evident in his work on and off the field.

County Grand jury analyzes jail diversion

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” said Goodell. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.” email: fmcfarland@newspress.com

By FORREST MCFARLAND NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The Santa Barbara County Grand Jury released a report this week analyzing developments in justice reform and jail diversion in Santa Barbara County.

The report reviewed changes in the criminal justice system over the past decade.

According to the jury, the five agencies in the criminal justice system —the Santa

Barbara County offices of the Sheriff, District Attorney, Public Defender and the departments of Probation and Behavioral Wellness— are “learning to manage the transition to greater jail diversion practices for lowlevel offenders.”

The grand jury, which released its report Monday, determined that the Santa Barbara County Main Jail population has been trending Please see REPORT on A5

INSIDE

L O T T E RY RESULTS

Classified................. A5 Life...................... B1-2 Obituaries............... A6

Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 5-8-9-29-43 Meganumber: 27

Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 5-6-1-2

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

Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 2-9-22-24-27

Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 09-07-04 Time: 1:46.79

Saturday’s POWERBALL: 36-38-45-62-64 Meganumber: 19

Sudoku................... B3 Sports . .................... A3 Weather................. A6

Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 8-6-5 / Wednesday’s Midday 8-8-3

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SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2021

286 new COVID-19 cases reported

By FORREST MCFARLAND NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Santa Barbara County reported 286 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday.

Of those, the highest number, 90, was in Santa Barbara and unincorporated Mission Canyon, according to the Public Health Department.

Twenty-four cases were in Santa Maria. Neighboring Orcutt had nine cases.

Elsewhere, 32 cases were reported in Lompoc and nearby Mission Hills and Vandenberg Village.

Twelve cases were in the North County areas that include Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama and Guadalupe.

Thirteen cases were in Isla Vista.

Santa Ynez Valley reported eight cases.

Twenty-six cases were in Goleta.

Twenty-nine cases were in

unincorporated Goleta Valley and Gaviota.

Twenty-five cases were in the South Coast corridor, which includes Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria.

The location of 18 cases was pending.

Forty-three patients are recovering in county hospitals.

Another 10 are recovering in intensive care units.

Santa Barbara County now has a total of 48,531 cases, of which 1,206 are still infectious. The total number of deaths remains at 562.

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department reported that 68.6% of the eligible 5-and-older population is fully vaccinated.

Of the entire county population (all ages), 64.5% is fully vaccinated.

All numbers are provided by the health department.

email: fmcfarland@newspress.com

Jail outbreak now totals 119

COURTESY PHOTO

The Port of Los Angeles (pictured above) and Port of Long Beach have delayed the “Container Dwell Fee.”

SANTA BARBARA — Custody staff at the Main Jail have identified an additional 38 COVID-19 positive inmates since the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office’s update last week on the outbreak.

Twenty-eight inmates have recovered since then, and four inmates have been released from custody, according to a news release on Tuesday.

This brings the total number of COVID-19 positive inmates in this outbreak to 119 with 87 active

cases.

Only 22 of the inmates are symptomatic, and none of them have required hospitalization. Of the remaining 97 inmates, 96 are asymptomatic, and one refused to disclose if they were experiencing symptoms.

All COVID-19 positive inmates are continuously monitored by custody staff and Wellpath partners, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

— Forrest McFarland

California ports again delay congestion fees (The Center Square) — Port officials in Southern California have pushed back implementing a fine for lingering containers to help smooth out a bottleneck in the nation’s supply chain.

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have delayed the “Container Dwell Fee” until Jan. 3.

Originally approved on Oct. 29, the measure will fine ocean carriers with containers destined for a truck delivery $100 daily for every container dwelling nine days or

more. The same fine system goes for containers awaiting a train delivery, but the fine would be implemented after six days.

“Since the program was announced on Oct. 25, the twin ports have seen a combined decline of 41% in aging cargo on the docks,” port officials said in a news release. “As expected, progress has eased due to year-end holidays.”

Before the pandemic increased imports in mid-2020, containers for local delivery remained on terminals for fewer than four days on average, port officials said.

Containers destined for trains dwelled for less than two days.

The policy was initially developed as a group effort between the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, U.S. Department of Transportation and multiple supply chain stakeholders.

On Dec. 15, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka addressed accusations that the port disguised the actual number of ships waiting to enter San Pedro Bay and dock at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach via a new queuing system. Reporters found multiple ships floating off the coast

of Mexico while awaiting entry to the port of Los Angeles.

Mr. Seroka said the new system allowed vessels from Asia to request dockside labor upon departure instead of racing across the Pacific to get in line at the port.

Port of Los Angeles officials estimated last week a record final volume of 10.7 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units, which would beat the port’s previous record by about 13%. The port processed 811,460 TEUs in November, an 8.8% drop compared to November 2020.

© 2021 Ashleigh Brilliant, 117 W. Valerio Santa Barbara CA 93101 (catalog $5). www.ashleighbrilliant.com

California’s lawmakers look at surplus revenue spending limit, express interest in reforms state to increase its limit by a corresponding amount.

The legislature would have to introduce trailer legislation to do this, which the LAO said could be done over the 2021-2022 budget year.

Another option to reform the limit is to take the initiative back to the voters and request changes, according to the LAO. Under the California Constitution, voters can opt to temporarily change the appropriations limit for up to four years. With this rule in mind, the state legislature could ask voters to allow for a temporary increase to the appropriations limit, which could give the state adequate time to “​​pursue longer-term and more structural changes to the state’s budget,” according to the LAO. According to the LAO, sending the initiative back to the voters via a ballot measure would take more than a year.

Proponents of changing the Gann Limit say asking the voters to modify existing law could allow for additional spending and investments that would benefit Californians.

“Modifying the Gann Limit would allow the state to both support the rising costs of current services and leave room for significant new ongoing investments to address the critical needs of Californians,” Sarah Jimenez, the director of strategic communications for the California Budget & Policy Center, told The Center Square.

“Even if policymakers are able to manage within the spending cap over the next couple of years, the Gann Limit’s restrictive rules mean that many kinds of ongoing

expenditures would be off the table, such as big new investments in affordable child care or health care.”

Some legislators, however, are not in favor of making reforms to the Gann Limit, saying changes are not in the interest of taxpayers.

Sen. Jim Nielsen, a Republican and vice chair of the Senate Budget Committee, told The Center Square that he is not in favor of reforms to the Gann Limit, noting that he would openly campaign against changes.

“The only changes that people would be wanting to propose would be to water down the Gann Limit even more,” Sen. Nielsen, R-Red Bluff, said. “To strengthen it or to maintain it – they will have no interest.

“Let’s think about the people.

Let’s think about the taxpayers.

Let’s think about the citizens.

Let’s think about the budget of California. That’s what was intended. And it is all the more needed now.”

Sen. Nielsen, alongside several other Republican legislators, said he favors using some of the state’s surplus for infrastructure investments, particularly investments in state water projects. He and other Republicans recently penned a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month asking for funding to boost the state’s water infrastructure, writing that this is the most “prudent” option to meet Gann Limit requirements.

Further information regarding the Senate’s spending priorities heading into the next budget year is anticipated in January.

Madison Hirneisen covers California for The Center Square.

TRAFFIC, CRIME & FIRE BLOTTER

SANTA MARIA — A $12 million road resurfacing project in Santa Maria will begin Jan. 5.

This project will resurface

six miles of State Route 135 (Broadway in Santa Maria) from the Highway 101/State Route 135 Interchange to Lakeview Road.

Travelers will encounter weekly lane closures in each direction of State Route 135 from Sunday night through Friday morning between 8 p.m. and 6

a.m.

Delays should not exceed 10 minutes, according to a Caltrans news release. Travelers are encouraged to proceed safely in this work zone.

The project is expected to be complete next summer with weather permitting.

For traffic updates on other state highway projects in Santa Barbara County, call Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 805549-3138 or visit the District 5 website at dot.ca.gov/caltransnear-me/district-5.

— Forrest McFarland

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(The Center Square) — Heading into the next legislative session with a massive budget surplus, California lawmakers are contemplating ways to meet the requirements of the State Appropriations Limit, also known as the Gann Limit, and have indicated an interest in potential reforms.

The Gann Limit, passed by voters in 1979, capped state and local government spending at 1978-1979 levels and adjusts for inflation. If state tax revenue exceeds the Gann Limit, lawmakers must find ways to allocate the excess funding, either through tax rebates or allowed state spending, like infrastructure projects.

Earlier this month, the Senate Democrats released their key values for the upcoming fiscal year budget, which includes about $51 billion available for discretionary spending.

One of those values is to “strengthen equity while meeting Gann Limit requirements,” and Democrats said they aim to do this by increasing infrastructure investments and strengthening tax relief programs.

“The Senate is committed to putting the state’s wealth to work to benefit those who need it most — the middle class and families struggling to get by,” Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, said in a statement. “California is in good fiscal health — thanks to a revenue system approved by voters and responsible budgeting by the Legislature — and it’s time to build on the progress we’ve

made: more access to education and health care, strong reserves to protect us in down times, and more investments that grow the economy and create equity.”

In addition to investments for infrastructure and tax relief, Democrats also indicated a desire to “consider future reforms to modernize the Gann Limit while respecting original intent” within its budget key values.

While specifics about what reform could look like were not further explained, there are a few paths lawmakers could take if they choose to make changes to the decades-old law.

Heading into the next fiscal year, the state is eyeing an estimated $31 billion surplus, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO).

With this, the state is on track to exceed the Gann Limit within the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the LAO predicts.

As the state nears the limit, there are a few options for the legislature to consider.

According to the LAO, to avoid exceeding the limit, legislators could choose to issue tax refunds, allocate excess revenue to schools or increase spending on “excluded purposes,” like infrastructure.

These are all immediate actions the legislature could take to avoid exceeding the limit.

Making temporary or longterm changes to the Gann Limit, however, is a bit of a different story.

To make statutory changes to the State Appropriations Limit, the LAO said the legislature has a few options to consider. One option is to introduce legislation requiring districts to reduce their spending limits by the amount of any unused revenue, which would allow the

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SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS

NEWS

UCSB women’s basketball may have its first undefeated month in 13 years

By MICHAEL JORGENSON UCSB SPORTS WRITER

The UCSB women’s basketball team (6-3) will complete its first undefeated month since January 2008 if it beats UC San Diego (3-6) Thursday.

The game will take place at 7 p.m. (3-6) at the UCSB Thunderdome. Live stats will stream on ESPN+.

UC San Diego is out to a 3-6 start, despite leading all Big West teams in opponent field goal percentage (33.6%), blocks (6.11) and three-pointers per game (7.56) heading into league play. Senior guard/forward Sydney Brown paces the team in scoring at 11.2 points per game, while senior center Alex Obouh Fegue leads the team in rebounds (8.9) and the conference in blocks (2.4).

The Tritons ended their first year in the Big West in 2020-21 with a 6-9 mark in conference play. They will be playing their first game in 13 days after their Dec. 21 game against Northern Arizona was canceled due to COVID-19.

UCSB TO PLAY UC IRVINE The UCSB women’s basketball team will go on to host UC Irvine Saturday.

UC Irvine (5-6), 2020-21 Big West

Championship runner-up, has dropped four of its five December games.

After opening the conference games against CSUN on Dec. 30, the Anteaters will bring to town one of the highest scoring offenses in the Big West. UCI averages a second-best 70.9 points per game, led by freshman guard Kayla Williams’ 13 points and 4.1 assist averages.

The Anteaters are one of the most active teams on the glass, with their conference-leading 13.3 offensive boards per game set to challenge UCSB’s second-ranked +1.7 rebounding margin.

UCSB BEATS SAN JOSE STATE Led by junior center Ila Lane’s 26 points (11-15 FG) and seven rebounds, UCSB won its fourth straight game at San Jose State on Dec. 20.

The women’s basketball team won 81-51.

The Gauchos (53.3 FG%) shut down the Spartans (31.1%), using a 23-4 run in the middle of the game to pull away as four Gauchos scored in double-digits for the fifth time already this year.

Ila Lane made it look easy in last Tuesday’s win, rarely needing to dribble as she came up one point shy of a career-high with her 26. She is on pace to lead the Big

West in rebounding (9.5) for the second time, as well as leading the pack in field goal percentage (59.5%) and double-doubles (3).

She also ranks third in blocks (1.4).

Lane has already climbed to third all-time in Gaucho history with five Big West Player of the Week awards. She has two this month, adding to the three she notched in her freshman season in 2019-20.

In addition to earning one for her efforts at San Jose State, she picked up her first of the year after totaling 27 points and 10 rebounds on one of the most efficient shooting performances in program history (13-14 FG) in an 89-90 win over Denver on Dec. 2.

Competing in just her second year of athletic eligibility, the Moraga native has plenty of time to challenge the program’s longstanding weekly award leaders in Erin Buescher and Lindsay Taylor.

DANAE MILLER JOINS 1,000 POINT CLUB With 14 points in the 89-80 win over Denver on Dec. 2, Danae Miller became the 28th member of the Gaucho 1,000 point club. She is also seventh all-time at UCSB with 392 assists, currently averaging 3.5 per game this season (7th in Big West). The Carson native is third

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on the team in scoring (10.3 ppg) and second in three-pointers (12).

DEEP THREATS Megan Anderson has been one of the Big West’s top shooters this season, ranking fourth in the conference shooting a superb 47.1 percent from range on 3.8 attempts per game. She put on a brilliant shooting display in a 74-63 win at Pepperdine (5-7 3FG, 20 pts) on Nov. 20, resulting in UCSB’s first 20-point performance of the season and helping the Gauchos out to their first 2-1 start since 2008.

Fellow senior guard Taylor Mole has the highest three-point percentage (53.3%) on the team, having made 8-of-15 attempts from the outside.

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LANE ON AWARD WATCH LIST Junior center Ila Lane was named to the 2022 Lisa Leslie Award Watch List prior to the season, recognizing the top 20 centers in women’s college basketball. Lane opted-out of the 2020-21 season, but her freshman campaign in 2019-20 was one of the best in program history, leading the Big West as the only player averaging a double-double with 15.3 points and 13 rebounds per game.

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email: sports@newspress.com.

Dos Pueblos beats St. Bonaventure in basketball VENTURA — The Dos Pueblos girl’s basketball team won a game at St. Bonaventure 51-15 on Monday.

“We played as if we were off for four months, not four days in the first half,” Coach Phil

Sherman told the News-Press in an email.

The halftime score was Dos Pueblos, 16; St. Bonaventure,13.

The Chargers then went on a 24-0 run in the third quarter, securing a strong lead and

eventually the win.

“We have played in a very similar fashion in a couple of our games only to figure out other ways to compete in a game. It is a sign of maturity in many ways,” Sherman said. “The girls are

growing as a team and finding ways to succeed when shots are not falling. This was one of those nights.” email: fmcfarland@newspress. com

Cotton-top tamarins arrive at Santa Barbara Zoo

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Look and listen.

You’ll see — and hear — Stella and Mini hanging around the Santa Barbara Zoo. Known for their distinct whistling sound, the two cottontop tamarin siblings arrived earlier this month from the Central Florida Zoo, where they were both born. They came to Santa Barbara on a recommendation from the Species Survival Plan.

You can visit the cotton-tops in their new home next to the capybaras on Zoo Train Lane.

Stella is female and 6½ years old, and Mini is male and 5 ½ years old. Cotton-top tamarins are one of the smallest species of primates.

They’re found in a small area of northern Colombia where there are only about 6,000 individuals left in the wild.

These small monkeys, which each weigh about 1 pound, play an important role in rainforest ecology by dispersing digested seeds throughout the forest, according to a news release.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists them as critically endangered because of deforestation and illegal pet trade.

They vocalize using a shrill whistling sound that changes depending on what they are communicating to each other.

And “cotton-top” describes them perfectly. They’re named for the shock of white hair on the tops of their heads.

You can see Stella and Mini at the Santa Barbara Zoo, 500 Ninos Drive, which is open daily from 9 a.m. for members and 9:30 a.m. for general admission until 5 p.m. General admission is $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for children 2-12, and free for children under 2. Parking is $11.

For more information, go to www.sbzoo.org.

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Two cotton-top tamarin siblings have joined the residents at the Santa Barbara Zoo.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2021

Ohio Supreme Court hears challenges to congressional map

By J.D. DAVIDSON THE CENTER SQUARE SENIOR REPORTER

(The Center Square) — Ohio Republicans argued voters have more competitive congressional districts than before, despite claims in lawsuits the General Assembly gerrymandered new maps to benefit Republican candidates.

Attorney Phillip Strach, who represents Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, told the Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday the state’s new congressional district map contains seven competitive districts, at least as many as any other plan offered.

The court heard arguments in two cases brought on behalf of Ohio voters against Gov. Mike DeWine and other members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission.

“The people in their vote wanted less partisan districts, and that is what they got,” Mr. Strach argued. “The districts are a win for the people of Ohio.

They got more competitive districts.”

The lawsuits argue the new map favors Republicans, 123, while Republicans argue the advantage is 6-2, without the seven districts they say are

competitive.

Ben Stafford, an attorney representing those challenging the map, told the court all the competitive districts skew Republican and said competitiveness and fairness are not the same concept.

Gov. DeWine signed the new map into law in late November, triggering court challenges from the National Democratic Redistricting Commission, the Ohio League of Women Voters and the A. Philip Randolph Institute.

Republicans have said the map is fair and competitive, while keeping all but one of Ohio’s major cities intact. The commission missed deadlines to create the congressional map, which sent the process back to the General Assembly.

The map passed the assembly along party lines, creating a four-year map rather than a traditional 10-year map, which would have needed Democratic support to be passed.

“What the General Assembly decided was we are going to be sued no matter what, so we are drawing a competitive map,” Mr. Strach told the court. “I think the reforms absolutely worked. It caused different decision-making on the General

Assembly.”

Ohio voters established the Ohio Redistricting Commission in 2018 to redraw congressional and legislative district maps.

The commission consists of Gov. DeWine, State Auditor Keith Faber, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, along with appointments from both House and Senate Republicans and Democrats.

Senate representatives include Sen. Huffman and Sen. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron. Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima, and Minority Leader Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, represent the House.

Seven of Ohio’s eight largest cities are contained within congressional boundaries for the first time in 50 years under the new map. Cincinnati is in one district for the first time in 100 years.

Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Toledo, Cincinnati and Dayton all stay combined in one district. Only Columbus, the state’s largest city, will be split because its population exceeds the limit for a single district.

The map splits 12 counties when the state constitution allows up to 23 counties to be split, and Speaker Cupp said it does not unduly favor or disfavor any political party or incumbents.

RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

With response protocols to COVID-19, the average daily population at the Main Jail dropped 37% by June 2020, according to the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury.

REPORT

trial supervision and discharge planning.”

These changes took place as a result of “changing societal attitudes toward keeping criminals locked away,” according to the report.

The grand jury reported that rehabilitation is now key to criminal justice reform.

While there is overall progress in reducing the jail population, the grand jury concluded with recommendations for the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

There are seven recommendations, and the grand jury is asking the Board of Supervisors to address six of those.

The recommendations center

Continued from Page A1 downward in the last five years.

With response protocols to COVID-19, the average daily population at the Santa Barbara jail dropped 37% by June 2020.

The grand jury said the lowered jail population is the result of several initiatives by criminal justice partners.

According to the report, “partners have increased methods such as cite and release tickets, zero bail, referral to specialized courts, utilizing alternative facilities including Stabilization Centers, greater use of Co-Response teams, alternative sentencing, pre-

around cohesion between the five agencies in the criminal justice system. The report’s “Recommendation One” asks the Board of Supervisors to allocate funding for a consolidated criminal justice data system.

The grand jury concluded that “collaboration among the justice partners is vital for the success of jail diversion. Consensus is developing… Criminal justice collaboration that allows both public safety and improved personal reform would be a gift to the community.”

The full report can be viewed at sbcgj.org/2021/JailDiversion. pdf. email: fmcfarland@newspress. com

Westchester DA won’t charge Cuomo despite ‘credible’ evidence

By STEVE BITTENBENDER THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — For the second time in less than a week, a New York prosecutor has declined to press charges against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for alleged incidents of sexual harassment, including one that was not mentioned in the independent report that led to Mr. Cuomo’s resignation earlier this year.

On Tuesday afternoon, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah issued a statement saying her office looked into allegations by two

women who claimed Mr. Cuomo kissed them inappropriately.

While the investigation found “credible” evidence indicating the incidents occurred, Ms. Rocah said “due to the statutory requirements of the criminal laws of New York,” charges could not be filed in the suburban county north of New York City.

“This conclusion is unrelated to any possible civil liability which is beyond the scope of a district attorney’s jurisdiction, which focuses solely on criminal laws,” Ms. Rocah added.

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Nassau County District Attorney Joyce Smith said her office looked into a claim by a state trooper who served on Mr. Cuomo’s security detail that the governor touched her inappropriately after an event at Belmont Park.

While Ms. Smith said she found the incident “deeply troubling,” it did not meet the standard for criminal prosecution.

Ms. Rocah’s office investigated a second claim from the trooper. While she was on duty at Mr. Cuomo’s residence in Mount Kisco, the trooper said she asked him if he

needed anything. He responded by asking to kiss her.

Concerned about how Mr. Cuomo would react, she said, “Sure,” and the then-governor kissed her on the cheek, saying afterward that he probably wasn’t supposed to do that.

The trooper’s allegations were mentioned in a five-month independent investigation earlier this year that was overseen by Attorney General Letitia James. In August, Ms. James released a report from the outside lawyers who ran the investigation, and the 165page report found claims from 11 women, including some who

worked for Mr. Cuomo, to be credible.

Ms. Rocah’s statement mentioned a second woman who told investigators that Mr. Cuomo grabbed her, pulled her toward him and kissed her on the cheek without her consent during an event at White Plains High School.

“We continue to recognize the bravery of the women and witnesses who have cooperated with law enforcement, and we remain committed to supporting them and all survivors,” Ms. Rocah said.

“As in all cases of alleged misconduct, my office will

05",)# ./4)#%3 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT, FBN No: 20210003252. First Filing. The following person (s) are doing business as: SANTA BARBARA SMILES DENTISTRY, 1412 SAN ANDRES ST. SUITE D, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101, County of Santa Barbara.

Full Name(s) of registrants: DONALD LAYUS, DDS, INC.: 1412 SAN ANDRES ST. SUITE D, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101.

This business is conducted by: A CORPORATION. STATE OF INC.: CALIFORNIA. This statement was filed in the office of JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, County Clerk-Recorder of SANTA BARBARA COUNTY on 11/30/2021 by E30, Deputy.

The registrant commenced to transact business on: Apr 05, 2021. 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) DEC 15, 22, 29 / 2021; JAN 5 / 2022 --57827

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SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW) CITACIÓN (Derecho familiar) NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: Noe Fuentes Garcia AVISO AL DEMANDADO: Noe Fuentes Garcia You have been sued. Read the information below and on the next page.

Lo han demandado. Lea la información a continuación y en la página siguiente.

Petitioner’s name is: Teresa Huerta Nombre del demandante: Teresa Huerta CASE NUMBER (NÚMERO DE CASO): 21FL00591 You have 30 calendar days after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter, phone call, or court appearance will not protect you.

If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs.

For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. courts.ca.gov/selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpca.org), or by contacting your local county bar association.

Tiene 30 días de calendario después de haber recibido la entrega legal de esta Citación y Petición para presentar una Respuesta (formulario FL-120) ante la corte y efectuar la entrega legal de una copia al demandante. Una carta o llamada telefónica o una audiencia de la corte no basta para protegerlo.

Si no presenta su Respuesta a tiempo, la corte puede dar órdenes que afecten su matrimonio o pareja de hecho, sus bienes y la custodia de sus hijos. La corte también le puede ordenar que pague manutención, y honorarios y costos legales.

Para asesoramiento legal, póngase en contacto de inmediato con un abogado. Puede obtener información para encontrar un abogado en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en el sitio web de los Servicios Legales de California (www.lawhelpca.org) o poniéndose en contacto con el colegio de abogados de su condado.

NOTICE—RESTRAINING ORDERS ARE ON PAGE 2: These restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders. They are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them.

AVISO—LAS ÓRDENES DE RESTRICCIÓN SE ENCUENTRAN EN LA PÁGINA 2: Las órdenes de restricción están en vigencia en cuanto a ambos cónyuges o miembros de la pareja de hecho hasta que se despida la petición, se emita un fallo o la corte dé otras órdenes. Cualquier agencia del orden público que haya recibido o visto una copia de estas órdenes puede hacerlas acatar en cualquier lugar de California.

FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party.

EXENCIÓN DE CUOTAS: Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario un formulario de exención de cuotas. La corte puede ordenar que usted pague, ya sea en parte o por completo, las cuotas y costos de la corte previamente exentos a petición de usted o de la otra parte.

1. The name and address of the court are (El nombre y dirección de la corte son): Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara CA 93101 2. The name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, are: (El nombre, dirección y número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante si no tiene abogado, son): Angelica Maria Gutierrez Diaz 510 E Chapel Street Santa Maria, CA 93454 8053481638 Date (Fecha): 4/16/2021 Clerk, by (Secretario, por) /s/ Nicolette Barnard, Deputy (Asistente) DEC 22, 29 / 2021; JAN 5, 12 / 2022 -- 57845

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Crown Castle is proposing to install an 80.83-foot monopole telecommunications tower at the following site: 4120 South Bradley Road, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County, CA 93455; Lat: 34-52-54.6, -120-24-55.2. Crown Castle invites comments from any interested party on the impact of the proposed action on any districts, sites, buildings, structures or objects significant in American history, archaeology, engineering or culture that are listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and/or specific reason the proposed action may have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Specific information regarding the project is available by calling Monica Gambino, 2000 Corporate Drive, Canonsburg, PA 15317, Monica.

Gambino@CrownCastle.com, 724416-2516 within 30 days of the date of this publication. Crown Castle is also notifying any interested party that believes the proposed action may have a significant impact on the environment that a Request for Environmental Review (Review) may be submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Such Request may only raise environmental concerns.

Information regarding the project may be found under file number A1205302 on the FCC website www.fcc.gov/asr/applications.

The Request must be filed with the FCC within 30 days of the notice being posted on the FCC website.

The FCC strongly encourages that all Requests be filed electronically at www.fcc. gov/asr/environmentalrequest.

Requests may also be mailed to: FCC Requests for Environmental Review, 445 12 th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554, ATTN: Ramon Williams. The Request must also be served upon Crown Castle by mailing a copy to 2000 Corporate Drive, Canonsburg, PA 15317 ATTN: Legal Department.

12/29/21 CNS-3539350# SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS DEC 29 / 2021 -- 57861

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT, FBN No: 2021-0003315. First Filing.

The following person (s) are doing business as: VERONICA SPRINGS CHURCH, 949 VERONICA SPRINGS RD, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93105, County of Santa Barbara.

Full Name(s) of registrants: FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH: 949 VERONICA SPRINGS RD, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93105.

This business is conducted by: A CORPORATION. STATE OF INC.: CA. This statement was filed in the office of JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, County ClerkRecorder of SANTA BARBARA COUNTY on 12/09/2021 by E28, Deputy.

The registrant commenced to transact business on: Dec 09, 2016. 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) DEC 15, 22, 29 / 2021; JAN 5 / 2022 --57829

investigate such claims irrespective of the position or status of the accusers or the accused.”

Mr. Cuomo does face a charge of forcible touching in Albany County stemming from an allegation made by a former aide in the independent report.

Brittany Commisso, the former assistant, claimed Mr. Cuomo put his hand under her blouse while the two were in the Executive Mansion.

Forcible touching is a class A misdemeanor, and, if found guilty, the former governor could go to jail for up to 364 days.

PETITION OF: KELLY CHRISTINA KLEIN FOR CHANGE OF NAME. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 21CV04611

PETITION OF: BRADLEY THOMAS HUNT FOR CHANGE OF NAME. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 21CV04540

TOALLINTERESTEDPERSONS: Petitioner: KELLY CHRISTINA KLEIN filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: KELLY CHRISTINA KLEIN to Proposed name: KELLY CHRISTINA TURSICK THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: January 24, 2022 Time: 10:00 am Dept: 5 Address: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once 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: 12/06/2021 Name: Colleen K. Sterne, Judge of the Superior Court.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: Bradley Thomas Hunt filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Bradley Thomas Hunt to Proposed name: Bradley Orion White THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: January 25, 2022 Time: 10:00 am Dept: 3 Address: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once 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: 12/07/2021 Name: Thomas P. Anderle, Judge of the Superior Court.

DEC 15, 22, 29 / 2021; JAN 5 / 2022 --57828

DEC 15, 22, 29 / 2021; JAN 5 / 2022 --57826

GOLETA WATER DISTRICT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING INCREASING DIRECTOR COMPENSATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at 5:30 pm on January 11, 2022 the Board of Directors of the Goleta Water District (GWD) will conduct a public hearing pursuant to Government Code Section 6066 and Water Code section 20203 to consider adoption of an Ordinance increasing Director compensation. Due to the current COVID emergency, the public hearing will be conducted via teleconference. Information on how to participate in or observe the meeting will be detailed in the meeting Agenda, which will be published on January 6, 2022. The Agenda will be available online at http:/www.goletawater.com/agendas-and-minutes and posted outside the District office located at 4699 Hollister Ave., Goleta, CA 93110.

DEC 22, 29 / 2021 -- 57846 NOTICE TO CREDITORS of Albert Yenni (Probate Code §19040 and following)

CASE NO. 21PR00172 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA Notice is hereby given to the creditors and contingent creditors of the above-named decedent, that all persons having claims against the decedent are required to file them with the Superior Court, at 1100 Anacapa Street, P.O. Box 21107, Santa Barbara, California 93121-1107, and deliver pursuant to Section 1215 of the California Probate Code a copy to Wendy M. Edmunds, as trustee of the Albert Yenni Trust dated May 23, 2014, wherein the decedent was the settlor, at Post Office Box 4219, Santa Barbara, CA 93140, within the later of four months after December 22, 2021 (the date of the first publication of notice to creditors) or, if notice is mailed or personally delivered to you, 60 days after the date this notice is mailed or personally delivered to you. A claim form may be obtained from the court clerk. For your protection, you are encouraged to file your claim by certified mail, with return receipt requested.

Wendy M. Edmunds, Trustee of the Albert Yenni Trust dated May 23, 2014 Post Office Box 4219 Santa Barbara, CA 93140 DEC 22, 29 / 2021; JAN 5 / 2022 -- 57854

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NEWS

SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS

WASTE

Continued from Page B1 local governments will implement programs at their own pace,” Ms. Machi Wagoner told the NewsPress. “We know the last few years have been very difficult on all levels of government. We are very focused on helping jurisdictions find the solutions that work for them.”

Prior to this law, most organic waste went to landfills which, according to Ms. Machi Wagoner, eventually broke down into methane.

Methane is known as a super pollutant as it is “84 times more potent than carbon dioxide,” she said.

Ms. Machi Wagoner said if the strategy’s landfill goals are met, it will be equivalent to taking roughly 1 million cars off the road.

Rather than allowing organic waste to go to landfills, local governments are now responsible for reducing waste disposal by 75% and rescuing at least 20% of currently disposed surplus food by

KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS

From left, bins for compost, recyclables and garbage sit outside a Goleta residence.

2025.

“We’re taking organic waste and diverting it to compost facilities,” Ms. Machi Wagoner told the NewsPress. “This helps with water retention, mitigates pesticide usages and also acts as a fertilizer in and of itself.”

The legislation also requires

20% of surplus food to be utilized and served to those in need. Ms. Machi Wagoner recounted a program CalRecycle started in 2018 to implement this initiative by providing local governments and nonprofits with funding from grants.

According to the director, this

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2021

program has facilitated more than 145 million meals served that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

“We’re trying to make a cultural change,” Ms. Machi Wagoner said.

“If we make just a slight change to what we do, we have an impact on not only our environment, but also on our communities and those that are hungry.”

Ms. Machi Wagoner reiterated that the immediate timeline of when this takes place on the local level is flexible, as it is about making sustainable lasting changes.

This may affect the way waste is picked up in communities or create compost facilities which will process the green waste.

“It’s an incredible opportunity and responsibility,” Ms. Machi Wagoner told the News-Press.

“This is the easiest and fastest thing that every single one of us can do in the fight against climate change. Everytime we divert organic waste, we have an immediate impact.”

By BETHANY BLANKLEY (The Center Square) — Florida’s commitment to liberty, conservative governance, economic opportunity, and a focus on “facts and not fear,” has helped it emerge as one of the fastest recovering states in the nation, Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican often at odds with the Biden administration, says.

While other states are struggling with higher unemployment, supply chain interruptions, and economic decline, Gov. DeSantis said his new budget puts “freedom first.”

“In Florida, we have put Freedom First – protecting Floridians’ freedom to earn a living, to operate businesses and to choose educational options tailored for their children,” Gov. DeSantis said when announcing the budget. “As a result of our commitment to freedom, Florida’s economy continues to thrive, and Floridians are better able to provide for their families. This budget puts Floridians and their freedoms first, keeps taxes low, and addresses key priorities — all while maintaining record budget reserves.”

“Despite dire projections two years ago, the Florida economy has flourished,” the budget summary states. State revenues exceeded pre-pandemic estimates by more than $3 billion over fiscal years 2020-21 and 2021-22, and its AAA stable bond rating has also remained the same.

The governor’s proposed Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget totals $99.7 billion, with the General Revenue portion totaling $37 billion and the state’s total reserves totaling $15.3 billion.

The budget includes four tax

NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

holidays and proposes eliminating the $25 fee the state charges to obtain a Florida ID card.

Over the last few years especially, Florida remains a top destination for Americans relocating from higher-taxed blue states. Its per capita state tax collection of $2,086, the lowest among all states, and no personal income tax remain key factors for those relocating.

The $1.172 billion tax cut package includes four tax holidays: a fuel tax holiday, a seven-day Freedom Week sales tax holiday, a 10-day back-toschool sales tax holiday and a 10day Disaster Preparedness sales tax holiday.

The proposed fuel tax holiday is expected to save Florida families $1 billion by reducing the tax on motor fuel by 25 cents a gallon in an effort to offset rising gas prices.

The proposed seven-day Freedom Week sales tax holiday is expected to save Florida

families $57.4 million, according to the proposal. During the tax holiday, Floridians wouldn’t have to pay taxes on tickets for events, museums, the arts and certain outdoor recreational purchases up to a certain amount under the plan.

The proposed 10-day Backto-School sales tax holiday is projected to save Florida families $72.9 million, according to the proposal. The tax holiday covers clothing up to $60, school supplies up to $15, and the first $1,000 of personal computers and related accessories.

The proposed 10-day Disaster Preparedness sales tax holiday also will save Florida families $11 million, the budget summary states. It covers disaster-related items like generators costing $1,000 or less.

The budget also proposes permanently eliminating the $25 fee the state charges to obtain a Florida ID Card, which is expected to save Florida families $14.7 million. The budget maintains local tax collector revenue by redistributing a portion of the Class E driver license fees, according to the plan.

Democratic Florida Reps.

Angie Nixon, Michele Rayner, Carlos Guillermo Smith and Anna V. Eskamani argued that the budget doesn’t go far enough to fund public education, affordable housing, social services and other priorities, The Floridian reported.

“The Governor’s budget proposes a few long-standing Democratic demands, but it’s not enough,” Ms. Nixon said, according to the publication.

However, according to a recent CATO Institute “Freedom in the 50 States” report, Florida leads the U.S. with the best overall fiscal policy and is the most

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

By NYAMEKYE DANIEL THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF REPORTER

(The Center Square) — While some policy analysts say the federal government’s decision to reject Georgia’s work requirement and premium proposal for its partial Medicaid expansion plan kills a good incentive, others say it highlights the need for a full expansion.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it rejected the provisions based on the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to reduce health disparities.

CMS said the plan counteracts the goal of the program, especially amid greater health risks and economic interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“CMS believes that the COVID-19 pandemic and its expected aftermath have made the state’s work requirement infeasible,” the federal agency wrote in a Dec. 23 letter to the state. “In addition, implementation of the work requirement to suspend coverage or disenroll beneficiaries who become eligible under the demonstration during the public health emergency for COVID-19 would currently not be in compliance with the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) temporary increase in federal Medicaid funding, which

is conditioned on the state’s maintenance of certain existing Medicaid parameters.”

Georgia Budget Policy Institute said more than 230,000 additional Georgians would be eligible for the state- and federal-funded program without the work requirement, but it would cost the state more than a full expansion.

The federal government gives states the option to raise the income eligibility requirement for Medicaid to open the program to more participants. States can choose to do a full expansion of the program and raise the income limit to 138% of the federal poverty level – or $17,000 for an individual. The state’s partial expansion, Georgia Pathways, would extend the Medicaid income eligibility to a maximum of 100% of the federal poverty line — or a little more than $12,000 annually. The Trump administration had approved Georgia’s plan in October 2020.

Under Pathways, Georgians would have to complete a minimum of 80 hours of work per month or other activities, such as training or education, to qualify for the program. It was supposed to start July 1. CMS has warned it had concerns about the work requirement since February and placed Georgia’s implementation of the plan on standby until Georgia could explain why the requirements should stay in place.

(The Center Square) — Colorado’s total marijuana sales topped $2.19 billion in 2020, marking a new record high, according to the latest annual market report from the state’s Marijuana Enforcement Division.

The state saw almost $1.75 billion in Adult Use Marijuana sales — which designates marijuana sold for recreational use — an increase of 24% compared to 2019’s total of $1.41 billion. Medical marijuana sales totaled $442.5 million last year, according to MED’s report.

The COVID pandemic increased demand for both retail and medical marijuana “as household spending shifted to food, drink, and entertainment consumed at home,” the report said.

The report compiled data from Colorado’s Inventory Tracking System, a database of selfreported inventory counts from all the state’s licensed retail and medical marijuana businesses, to give regulators a bird’s-eye

Marian Kirkbride passed peacefully at Santa Fe, NM, on Monday, December 20, 2021 after a long illness at the age of 94. She was the daughter of Capt. Allan Richard Rafuse and Ruth Marguerite King of Port Hastings, NS, and was raised in Mille Roches and Cornwall, ON. Wife of the late Bradley Currey, and John Kirkbride. Mother of Washington Currey of Gig Harbor, WA, Jefferson Currey of Moscow, ID, and Elayne Currey-Nishita of Tucson, AZ, also leaving 6 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. She began her educational career teaching in 1945, in Wales, Maxville, Belleville, and Niagara Falls, ON, later teaching in Santa Barbara, CA, tutoring children and adults with dyslexia and other learning disabilities in Monterey and Hollister, CA, and ending her teaching career in Santa Fe, NM. Survived by her children, sister Pat Britton of Calgary, AB, and brother Nelson Rafuse of Smith Falls, ON. Predeceased by sister Marjorie, and brothers Richard, Alan, and Robert. Spring interment will be at St. Lawrence Valley Cemetery – Ingleside, Long Sault, ON. Please make remembrance donations to the charity of your choice.

IN MEMORY In Loving Memory

JARYL C. “DAVID” WESTON 8/5/87 – 12/29/12

Death cannot kill what never dies. Forever in our hearts. Until we meet again, “David lives on.”

economically free state.

Florida ranks first in the nation for its fiscal policy due to its low tax burden, low government debt, a higher ratio of private employment to government employment, and fiscal decentralization related to taxation policies.

While residents in other states are suffering from ongoing lockdowns and restrictions, “Floridians are back to work, back to school, and back to living life with their loved ones,” the governor’s office says. Pointing to last month’s job growth rate, which was six times faster than the nation’s, Gov. DeSantis argues his policies are working and benefiting Floridians.

“Our job growth rate is six times faster than the rest of the nation because we’ve worked hard to keep Florida open and protect the jobs of individual Floridians,” Gov. DeSantis said when announcing November workforce data published by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “Because we have protected their livelihoods, Floridians are confident in finding work and operating their own businesses. We will continue to focus on our state’s foundation of freedom to ensure that Florida remains a leader in economic growth and Floridians are able to succeed.”

In total, Florida has gained 1,162,700 private sector jobs since April 2020, the department reports, representing “93.5% of jobs lost during the pandemic that have been recovered.”

“Florida continues to see significant increases in (its) labor force, growing by 607,000 over the year as more Floridians are confident in returning to the labor force,” the agency adds.

Feds rescind work Colorado’s marijuana sales requirement, premiums in topped $2.19B in 2020 Georgia Medicaid proposal

By ROBERT DAVIS

KIRKBRIDE, Marian

email: fmcfarland@newspress.com

Florida governor’s ‘Freedom First’ budget proposes taxpayer savings THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

view of the industry and help them “improve and build upon the market success, safety, and efficiency that (Colorado) has enjoyed as the longest-running legal marijuana market in the U.S.” To account for the increase in sales, marijuana cultivators had one of their most productive years on record. Cultivators grew approximately 1.24 million plants in 2020, which turned into 662.3 metric tons of product entering the supply chain.

The report also suggested that consumers may be shifting their preference to medical marijuana as retail marijuana prices remain elevated compared to last year.

The average price of a gram of retail marijuana increased from $3.99 in 2019 to $4.80 last year, a 20% increase. At the same time, medical marijuana prices also grew by 26% up to $3.80 in 2020.

The report said these trends suggest that the industry found a “price floor” in 2019 because the price increases in both markets “occurred even as total retail outlets and production levels increased to all-time highs.”

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Love, Mom, Jabari and Papa Bill

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LOCAL FIVE-DAY FORECAST TODAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Cool with rain at times

Cloudy and cool

Breezy in the afternoon

INLAND

INLAND

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Mostly sunny and Sunshine and cool cool

INLAND

INLAND

INLAND

54 39

56 39

56 28

54 28

56 26

54 44

56 41

61 37

59 36

58 39

COASTAL

COASTAL

Pismo Beach 55/45

COASTAL

COASTAL

COASTAL

Shown is today's weather. Temperatures are today's highs and tonight's lows.

Maricopa 54/45

Guadalupe 55/44

Santa Maria 55/43

Vandenberg 57/46

New Cuyama 51/36 Ventucopa 47/36

Los Alamos 55/41

Lompoc 55/44 Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021

Buellton 54/40

Solvang 54/40

Gaviota 56/47

SANTA BARBARA 54/44 Goleta 54/43

Carpinteria 54/45 Ventura 54/48

AIR QUALITY KEY Good Moderate

Source: airnow.gov Unhealthy for SG Very Unhealthy Unhealthy Not Available

ALMANAC

Santa Barbara through 6 p.m. yesterday

TEMPERATURE High/low Normal high/low Record high Record low

59/43 64/40 81 in 1956 28 in 1990

PRECIPITATION 24 hours through 6 p.m. yest.

Month to date (normal) Season to date (normal)

0.00” 7.28” (2.50”) 8.49” (4.50”)

City Cuyama Goleta Lompoc Pismo Beach Santa Maria Santa Ynez Vandenberg Ventura

STATE CITIES Bakersfield Barstow Big Bear Bishop Catalina Concord Escondido Eureka Fresno Los Angeles Mammoth Lakes Modesto Monterey Napa Oakland Ojai Oxnard Palm Springs Pasadena Paso Robles Sacramento San Diego San Francisco San Jose San Luis Obispo Santa Monica Tahoe Valley

53/44/r 49/40/c 34/23/sn 40/22/sf 51/48/r 47/39/r 53/49/r 46/31/r 50/41/r 56/51/r 26/6/sn 48/41/sh 55/43/r 46/35/sh 50/41/r 50/43/r 55/48/r 57/48/r 54/49/r 52/42/r 45/36/r 59/54/r 49/42/r 51/41/r 56/45/r 56/51/r 31/11/sn

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 45/37/pc 56/41/r 57/40/pc 58/40/pc 56/38/pc 56/39/pc 58/44/pc 56/43/r

72/66/sh 40/38/c 36/28/c 76/50/r 35/20/s 83/65/pc 82/71/pc 9/3/s 46/43/sh 52/45/sh 57/49/pc 33/22/pc 47/36/r 33/28/sf 29/23/pc 56/50/r

POINT ARENA TO POINT PINOS

Wind south 8-16 knots today. Waves 2-4 feet; southwest swell 3-6 feet at 10 seconds. Visibility under 3 miles in afternoon showers.

POINT CONCEPTION TO MEXICO

Wind south 8-16 knots today. Waves 2-4 feet; southwest swell 3-6 feet at 10 seconds. Visibility under 3 miles in afternoon showers.

SANTA BARBARA HARBOR TIDES Date Time High Time Dec. 29 Dec. 30 Dec. 31

5:28 a.m.

6:42 p.m.

6:08 a.m.

7:47 p.m.

6:52 a.m.

8:47 p.m.

LAKE LEVELS

5.6’ 3.3’ 6.2’ 3.5’ 6.6’ 3.6’

Low

12:40 p.m.

11:27 p.m.

1:29 p.m. none 12:16 a.m.

2:16 p.m.

0.2’ 1.7’ -0.6’ 1.9’ -1.3’

AT BRADBURY DAM, LAKE CACHUMA 50/43/pc 51/39/c 35/21/sn 44/21/c 53/46/r 51/36/pc 58/44/r 46/39/pc 51/39/c 56/44/r 32/14/c 51/37/pc 57/43/pc 51/31/pc 51/40/pc 54/40/r 56/43/r 59/48/c 57/45/r 53/37/pc 47/34/pc 60/51/r 51/42/pc 52/38/pc 60/41/pc 55/43/r 33/17/pc

NATIONAL CITIES Atlanta Boston Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Miami Minneapolis New York City Philadelphia Phoenix Portland, Ore. St. Louis Salt Lake City Seattle Washington, D.C.

Wind east-southeast 6-12 knots today. Waves 1-3 feet; west-southwest swell 2-4 feet at 10 seconds.

Visibility under 3 miles in rain.

TIDES

LOCAL TEMPS Today Hi/Lo/W 51/36/r 54/43/r 56/42/r 55/45/r 55/43/r 54/39/r 57/46/r 54/48/r

MARINE FORECAST

SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL

70/63/r 44/40/r 37/32/pc 73/55/pc 52/26/pc 80/70/pc 84/69/s 23/10/c 50/44/r 55/46/r 59/51/sh 39/31/sn 54/43/pc 38/30/c 36/23/sn 56/51/c

At Lake Cachuma’s maximum level at the point at which water starts spilling over the dam holds 188,030 acre-feet. An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, equivalent to the amount of water consumed annually by 10 people in an urban environment.

Storage 93,026 acre-ft.

Elevation 712.06 ft.

Evaporation (past 24 hours) 16.5 acre-ft.

Inflow 168.3 acre-ft.

State inflow 8.1 acre-ft.

Storage change from yest. +132 acre-ft.

Report from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

SUN AND MOON Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moonset

New

First

Jan 2

Jan 9

WORLD CITIES

Today 7:05 a.m.

4:58 p.m.

2:26 a.m.

1:32 p.m.

Full

Jan 17

Thu. 7:05 a.m.

4:59 p.m.

3:37 a.m.

2:12 p.m.

Last

Jan 25

Today Thu. City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W Beijing 41/17/pc 42/13/pc Berlin 40/37/c 52/49/sh Cairo 65/56/pc 67/60/sh Cancun 85/74/s 86/72/sh London 59/55/r 59/53/sh Mexico City 75/43/s 75/44/s Montreal 25/19/c 29/25/c New Delhi 66/44/pc 65/45/pc Paris 59/55/r 58/47/pc Rio de Janeiro 83/74/t 81/73/t Rome 62/43/c 61/43/c Sydney 74/62/pc 78/65/pc Tokyo 54/39/pc 56/35/s W-weather, s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

PAGE

B1

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

Life

W E D N E S DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 21

BEN CROP PHOTO

A game of one-upmanship leads Marilyn (Ann Dusenberry), center, and Abby (Leslie Ann Story), right, to tackle skydiving in “Ripcord.” At the far left is a character played by Justin Stark. The play marked the first time the Theatre Group at Santa Barbara City College had two actresses jumping out of an airplane on stage.

YEAR IN REVIEW

The thrill of live theater Local actors were happy to perform in 2021 for a live audience

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

F

or the first time in history, two actresses jumped out of an airplane on the Garvin Theatre stage.

The cast and crew of Theatre Group at Santa Barbara City College’s “Ripcord” created the thrill of skydiving, which seemed dramatically appropriate in the year that live theater returned to Santa Barbara County.

The pandemic caused the cancellations of live theater productions planned for spring 2020.

But live performances resumed this year with San Marcos High School students’ outdoor rendition of ABBA’s “Mamma Mia!” in May, followed by the resumption of live indoor theater shows this summer and fall throughout the county.

Before the state’s reopening this summer, theater companies had to improvise.

That meant recording performances that streamed on viewers’ computers, which has its limitations. Actors couldn’t benefit from the energy of a live audience, and viewers lacked the unpredictability of a performance that could change from night to night.

The Theatre Group at Santa Barbara City College got creative last spring by presenting a recorded performance of a radio play, “The Thin Man,” which featured the kind of rhythm, classic costumes and old-school but imaginative sound effects that lured actress Jenna Scanlon. She starred as Nora Charles, the wife of detective Nick Charles.

“I’m a fan of old movies that feature fast-talking, smart people,” Ms. Scanlon, a fan of films such as “My Girl Friday,” told the NewsPress at the time.

“The Thin Man,” a murder mystery with a healthy mix of

BEN CROP PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

At left, puppeteer Laksmini Wyantini brings Nick and Nora’s dog Asta to life in “The Thin Man,” which the Theatre Group at Santa Barbara City College performed on stage but without a live audience. It was one step closer to live theater, which resumed later this year on campus.

At right, from left, Rebecca Mozo, Adam Poss, Chelsea Kurtz and Kyle T. Hester portray Lizzie, Darcy, Lydia and Wickham in the Ensemble Theatre Company production of “The Wickhams: Christmas at the Pemberley” at the New Vic.

drama and comedy, was filmed on the Garvin Theatre stage without an audience, with the actors wearing costumes but standing behind microphones, as they would be if they were recording a radio play.

“It feels more like a play than anything I’ve done in the last 16 months,” Ms. Scanlon told the News-Press. “I’ve done things purely on Zoom. This felt like being in a play. It was so challenging and rewarding.”

Actors had fun with the play, which featured puppeteer Laksmini Wyantini bringing Nick and Nora’s dog Asta to life.

But imagine actors’ delight when the theater doors opened this summer and audiences returned for indoor plays from City College to the New Vic in Santa Barbara to PCPA in Santa Maria.

Live theater was back.

Companies took COVID-19 precautions, and audiences could again enjoy the experience of seeing a play in person.

The Theatre Group at SBCC kicked off its live performances this summer with a Broadway revue.

“There’s no way to describe how incredible it is, to be a performer with a live audience,” said Katie

Laris, director of “Here We Go Again! A Musical Revue.”

It was the first Theatre Group at SBCC production with a live audience since the pandemic interrupted the troupe’s performance of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime” in March 2020.

“It (the thrill of a live performance) is because you’re sharing the same moment in time.

It means every single member of the audience impacts the experience, as does every single member of the cast and every single member of the crew,” Ms. Laris told the News-Press at the

time.

No two performances are the same, she noted. “If an audience comes in and they’re in a good mood, that affects the performance. If that’s not the case, that affects the performance.”

In October, the City College theater troupe took its plays to new heights by having actors jump out of an airplane on stage in “Ripcord.”

“I read 80 to 200 scripts a year,” Ms. Laris told the News-Press.

“This is a play that is incredibly entertaining. At this moment, we wanted to offer our audience something that would allow them

to escape into a different reality — a New Jersey retirement community with these two women who have found themselves to be roommates, unexpectedly, who are very different in their personalities.”

“But they’ve both been through a lot in their lives,” Ms. Laris said about the play, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire. “It’s really about them getting to know each other.

They go through so much in the play, and the audience is taken on a roller coaster ride.

“We’ve never seen two actresses jump out of a plane in our theater, and I’ve been here a long time,” Ms. Laris said.

In August, PCPA resumed live productions at the theaters at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria.

The latest production was “The Secret Garden, Spring Version” at the college’s Marian Theatre, where the stage extends into the audience for an immersive experience.

And back in Santa Barbara, Ensemble Theatre Company reopened the New Vic to audiences in October with “Tenderly,” a musical about movie star Rosemary Clooney.

Two months later, the longtime Santa Barbara theater company recreated the world of Jane Austen in “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley,” which recently concluded its run at the New Vic. The play was among those that was canceled from the 2019-2020 season because of the pandemic.

Director Michael Butler said the play, an original story inspired

by Ms. Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” had a lot of heart.

“The humor comes from a very human, character-driven, somewhat situational place,” he told the News-Press. “It’s certainly not a farce. It’s not zany.

“The two playwrights (Lauren Please see PLAYS on B2

B2

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A nice person can make all the difference

y mother-in-law is going home to Europe after an extended stay, and I am going to really miss her. Since we’ve been living in COVID-world, life has been much less social, and having this very nice person around — even when we don’t speak the same language — just made life more pleasant.

She and my wife were always laughing, and I mean always.

They would both applaud whenever I played guitar, they cooked up a storm together (I feasted on their cooking), and the two of them saw more of Southern California than I have in my entire life here. They had a great time, and I am so glad, because this has been a busy year for me, and my wife had someone to play with.

Momma was never ever in a bad mood. Every morning I would be at my computer when she would come in to make coffee. Doing this was about a 30-minute process, so we had some solid time to hang out. Then my wife would come

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experience, my wife and I are even closer, because we share love for and from this other person.

That is what a family is really about.

These days, I spend more time on family video calls with Momma and have an extra ember of warmth in my heart because I know my family loves me for just being me. The next time Momma comes, I am going to take a month off and hang out more with the girls.

Being able to soak up some extra love after the most difficult years of our lives was a godsend.

This pandemic has taught us the great value of love and family.

Please give and receive an extra hug from your family members, and if you don’t have anyone to be with, remember I was there not that long ago, so it isn’t too late to make it happen.

Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D, is an award-winning therapist and humanitarian. He is also a columnist, the author of seven books and a blogger for PsychologyToday.com with nearly 27 million readers. Reach him at barton@bartongoldsmith.com.

His column appears Sundays and Wednesdays in the News-Press.

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down, and the two of them would go outside for their breakfast while I got to work.

I never had a loving mother, and to see that kind of love in action reminds me of what I missed. The old wound still hurts, but I see Momma’s arrival in my life as an opportunity to heal. I now have a loving mother in my life too. I love her, and she does truly love me.

Now that she’s back in Europe, I wish I’d spent less time at work and more time with her. When we were together, Momma got most of my jokes.

My wife sometimes needed to translate, but we were able to communicate pretty well in our own way. Human kindness needs no words.

And just listening to the two of them fill the house with laughter made everything nicer.

That kind of energy is healing and infectious, and there was a definite energy shift when Momma left. My wife went out that day, and I joined her, so she wouldn’t feel lonely, but we both miss Momma. Through this

Precious Precious would love to cuddle with you.

The German shepherd is awaiting adoption at Santa Barbara County Animal Services in Goleta.

The 3-year-old dog loves hanging out with people and is known for her sweet disposition.

Like other animals at the shelter, she’s spayed.

K-9 Placement and Assistance League, Inc. is promoting Precious for adoption. For more information, call the shelter at 805-681-5285. It’s located at 5473 Overpass Road in Goleta.

To view more dogs for adoption,

go to www.k-9pals.org.

K-9 PALS is an all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to humane care, permanent homes and advocacy for homeless and abandoned dogs in Santa Barbara County.

K-9 PALS provides lifesaving veterinary care, behavior training, daily supplies and comforts for the dogs at the county Animal Services shelters, as well as behavior training for adopted dogs.

To donate to K-9 PALS, go to www.k-9pals.org, or contact the nonprofit at 805-570-0415 or info@k-9pals.org. Checks are welcome at K-9 PALS, P.O. Box 60755 Santa Barbara 93160-0755.

— Dave Mason

COURTESY PHOTO

Shelters seek homes for pets

Local animal shelters and their nonprofit partners are looking for homes for pets.

For more information, go to these websites: • Animal Services-Lompoc, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc.

• Animal Shelter Assistance Program in Goleta, asapcats.org.

ASAP is kitty corner to Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter in Goleta, bunssb.org.

BUNS is based at Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Companion Animal Placement

Assistance, lompoccapa.org and facebook.com/capaoflompoc.

CAPA works regularly with Animal Services-Lompoc.

• K-9 Placement & Assistance League, k-9pals.org. K-9 PALS works regularly with Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation, sbcanimalcare. org. (The foundation works regularly with the Santa Maria Animal Center.)

• Santa Barbara County Animal Services in Goleta: countyofsb.org/ phd/animal/home.sbc.

• Santa Barbara Humane (with

campuses in Goleta and Santa Maria), sbhumane.org.

• Santa Maria Animal Center, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc. The center is part of Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

• Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society/DAWG in Buellton, syvhumane.org.

• Shadow’s Fund (a pet sanctuary in Lompoc), shadowsfund.org.

• Volunteers for Inter-Valley Animals in Lompoc: vivashelter. org.

— Dave Mason

Martin Luther King Day activities planned (805) 683-3549 queenofcleansantabarbara@gmail.com

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The committee’s 2022 theme is, “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” This is a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. MLKSB additionally announced its keynote speaker— Guy R. Walker, president of Endowment

for Youth Community Events on the official holiday, Jan. 17, will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.. There will be a morning program and a mid-day program.

For more information, go to www.mlksb.org.

— Forrest McFarland

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SANTA BARBARA — The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee Santa Barbara will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a weekend of events in De la Guerra Plaza.

Starting Jan. 14, the local MLKSB Committee will host live music, dance and a youth essay or poetry reading, anticipating Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 17.

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Every month in the Santa Barbara News-Press and online at newspress.com

Gunderson and Margot Melcon) were very interested in being true to the tone, the style, the period of Jane Austen,” Mr. Butler explained.

“And they try to recreate that world. It’s a realistic creation of Jane Austen’s world of 1815.

“Within that, they push the envelope on the theme and messages,” Mr. Butler said.

A short distance away, Center Stage Theater, upstairs in Paseo Nuevo, resumed its on-stage productions of plays, dance productions and concerts.

Throughout the county, plays resumed in community theater and school productions. Even before plays could resume indoors, San Marcos High School staged a musical last spring outside, one inspired by ABBA: “Mamma Mia!.”’ It was reportedly the first live theater of any kind in the county since the pandemic started.

“I think for the Santa Barbara community in general, it’s going to be not just a high school show that

KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS

San Marcos High School students gather on the outdoor amphitheater stage for a dress rehearsal of the musical “Mamma Mia!” It marked the return of live theater in Santa Barbara County.

you’re going to see, it’s going to be the first live theater you’ve seen in a year and a half,” San Marcos senior Maddie Thomas told the News-Press in May. “And I think that’s going to be really emotional and a big deal for our community, just because I think that Santa

Barbara does have a very live theater scene and not having that for so long was disheartening. And so I think we’re lucky that we kind of get to be the first (live) show that happens.” email: dmason@newspress.com

SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS

B3

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2021

Diversions HOROSCOPE s PUZZLES

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'LIILFXOW\ /HYHO 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.

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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.

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CROSSWORD PUZZLE

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PUZZLE THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

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

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LIBRA — You may find it hard to take a realistic approach to your emotions today, Libra. A sensitive issue is apt to be pulling on you in such a way that it’s leaving you feeling like you are way out in left field in terms of the way you relate to others. You might want to consider letting someone else take the lead for once and allow stability to form before the next decision is made.

SCORPIO — Question the validity of anything you find yourself in conflict with today, Scorpio. You might find that people are acting on incomplete information and that they are falsely accusing you of something you didn’t say or do. Work to bring harmony to the situation by getting the truth out on the table and helping the actual motivations become known. Words may be charged with strong emotions, so be gentle with your actions.

SAGITTARIUS — It may feel like something has suddenly clicked into place for you today in which you have found the missing piece of a puzzle you’ve been working on for a while, Sagittarius. The answers may be subtle, but they are there. Fantasy and a playful attitude will lead you to them effortlessly. Spread your ideas out to the world today and adopt an attitude that encourages others to join in your daydreams as well.

CAPRICORN — Things may seem a bit surreal for you today, Capricorn, so don’t take other people’s chatter too seriously. Today is a day to reach out and touch someone, so pick up the phone and dial it. It’s a good day to share your dreams with others, despite how farfetched they may sound. Others may look at you as if you have three heads, but as long as you’re being honest with yourself, there’s no reason for you to be shy about sharing.

AQUARIUS — Today is a great day for you in which you should enjoy a great deal of playful conversation with others, Aquarius.

Fantasy is likely to play a large role in the events of the day, and you may find yourself daydreaming as you walk down the street. Don’t bother with reality today if you don’t have to. You’re much better off keeping the tone light and playful.

Enjoy your fantasy world and feel free to invite others into it.

PISCES — There may be a rather confusing element to the day for you, Pisces, in which you feel tempted to act but not all the pieces seem to be in place. It could be hard to make a decision about things since the facts seem to be quite clouded. You’re better off spending this day enjoying your friends or your favorite hobby rather than trying to make any major life decisions or commitments.

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ARIES — Be the star of your own movie today and be proud of the role you play, Aries. You might find yourself adopting the persona of many different characters depending on your mood of the hour. There is a special gleam in your smile today that you should share openly with others. Don’t feel rushed to get anywhere. You have already arrived. Enjoy yourself in the company of those you love.

TAURUS — Take a break from your daily routine and get off the track today, Taurus. The world will turn with you for a day, so feel free to tune out for a while. Remember that whatever path you decide to take is the right path. Regret is a useless emotion - don’t even bother with it. Enjoy the present day and all the small joys that it has to offer.

Communicate your dreams and bring things into balance.

GEMINI — Things are flowing your way today, Gemini, and you should find a great deal of pleasure in the comfort of others. You might find that there is an air of fantasy about the day that is causing your emotions to lose track of time and space. Don’t bother connecting to reality if you don’t have to. Go to an art museum or attend a dance performance. See a movie and go out to your favorite restaurant.

CANCER — Don’t try to nail down any answers today, Cancer, because you’ll probably just end up feeling more frustrated than when you started. The less you try to force your will on others, the more you’ll find that things just automatically go your way. Today isn’t about finding solutions to problems; it’s about enjoying that which you have already learned and accomplished.

Keep things light.

LEO — Let your childish side come out to play today, Leo. Your dreams are in full force, so let them lead the way. Enjoy lighthearted conversations with friends about the latest movies and your favorite websites. You might want to consider working out or getting a haircut. This is a good day to improve your general appearance overall. You have a much sharper eye for physical beauty on a day like today.

VIRGO — Take a break from the trail you’re on and get off the beaten path, Virgo. Today is a day to forge ahead with ideas and dreams rather than commitments and answers.

Question things and debate the facts. Whatever you do, have fun.

This is the perfect day to go out and enjoy the fresh air with an outdoor activity, especially group activities.

You can’t go wrong with joining up with friends and chatting away about the latest events of your life.

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

-

Horoscope.com Wednesday, December 29, 2021

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“Great minds have purposes; others have wishes.”

— Washington Irving

HOROSCOPE

CODEWORD PUZZLE

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(Answers tomorrow) Jumbles: USHER DROOP BANTER EXCITE Answer: 7KH\ ZDQWHG WR SXW *HRUJH )RUHPDQ·V QDPH RQ a grill, so they thought — OUTSIDE THE BOX

B4

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