STATE Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a measure that allows specially trained nurses, physicians’ assistants, and certified midwives to perform early aspiration abortions within the first trimester of a woman’s pregnancy. Currently, only about half of the state’s 58 counties have abortion facilities, and the law greatly increases the number of available legal health-care providers to perform the procedure. State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson strongly supported the measure and cited safety and expanded access for women in rural areas. The law will go into effect 1/1/14. State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson’s bill increasing protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the workplace was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown. The law, effective 1/1/14, will better protect workers from retaliatory termination and discrimination and will require that employers help victims by changing their work numbers, moving their desks, or creating an office safety plan. The bill earned support of businesses, as well as a San Diego teacher fired after her abusive ex-husband came to her school. The Legal Aid Society found that almost half of California’s workplace victims reported being fired or worrying about being fired.
ENVIRONMENT A yearly report on the status of the world’s oceans headed by UCSB professor Ben Halpern found high marks for biodiversity and coastal livelihoods and economies, but a low mark for
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food production. The analysis, called the Ocean Health Index, scores categories on a 100-point scale, with the higher numbers the better. The 33 score for food production, scientists say, is alarming due to the world’s ever-increasing population. For more information, visit oceanhealth index.org.
Boom Times for Squid Fishery
F Though rare, the ashy storm petrel (pictured) — a small gray seabird that lives on the Channel Islands and other offshore zones of the California coast — isn’t rare enough to warrant the federal protection of the Endangered Species Act. That’s what the U.S. Fish & Wildlife determined last week, denying for the second time the Center for Biological Diversity’s request that the bird be listed as either endangered or threatened. The center’s first attempt to list the petrel in 2007 was denied in 2009; the center sued to force the feds to reconsider their decision, but this latest decision reconfirmed Fish & Wildlife’s opinion that the bird is not in imminent danger of extinction. The center disagreed with the decision, citing multiple potential threats to the species, including rising sea levels, island predators, and light pollution from oil rigs and boats. ■
BY M AT T K E T T M A N N or the fourth year in a row — and with the fastest time ever since modern regulations began in 2005 — California’s squidfishing fleet (pictured) hit its annual limit early, with the more than 100 permitted boats landing about 118,000 tons of the slimy species known as Doryteuthis opalescens by October 18, nearly six months before the season ends on March 31, 2014. Much of that haul came from boats working the Channel Islands and Gaviota Coast with bright lights at night, when it’s easiest to snag the squid as they spawn near the shoreline. From there, the Southern California boats deliver their loads to processing centers in Ventura, Port Hueneme, and San Pedro, which then freeze the squid and ship most of them to China. Together with the squid fishers up north in the Monterey Bay, the industry rakes in about $70 million annually. “They’re the most valuable fishery in the state of California,” said Diane Pleschner-Steele, the Buellton-based director of the California Wetfish Producers Association, which represents commercial fishermen who catch squid, mackerel, sardine, and anchovy.“This was an unusual year. They were spawning way early and every-
where at the same time,” she explained, noting that her association’s research revealed more young squid in August than they usually see in the peak winter season. “It’s a phenomenon we haven’t seen before.” Another twist this year was that the fishermen and processing centers were enlisted to help track the catch, filing reports daily so that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife would know how much fish was being harvested and wouldn’t shut the season early, as had been done in years past. “We were able to help the department and also maximize the value of the fishery,” said Pleschner-Steele, whose association spearheaded the unique relationship and one day hopes for electronic tracking. “It’s an uncommon partnership.” But as much as squid fishermen relish these good years, they know the slow ones are only around the corner, as these “wetfish” species — so named because they were historically processed and put into cans while still wet — come in cycles. “Each resource has its ebbs and flows of abundance,” said Pleschner-Steele, “so you gotta make hay when the sun shines.” Next year’s season kicks off on April 1, 2014. ■ TYLER HAYDEN
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current waiting list.” Since 2004, the golf tournament has raised more than $850,000 for area charities and nonprofits. Last year, $100,000 went to the Westside Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara.
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winter and for women traveling alone and for the mentally ill — that it’s time for the government entities, who, aside from a onetime contribution made by Supervisor Doreen Farr in 2011, have never allocated money for the program, to step up to the plate. Last week, Marin submitted a proposal through the Central Coast Collaborative on Homelessness (CH). Jeff Shaffer, the group’s coordinator, said CH can work to get government eyes on the funding need, although by when remains unclear. Using the $12,000/year figure, Marin is asking that the county contribute $6,000 a year, supplemented by $3,000 from City of Santa Barbara and $1,500 each from Goleta and Carpinteria. A system to monitor who truly needs the taxi services would further reduce costs and could keep CSJ going for a while, Marin said, noting that CSJ has been in talks with the Sheriff ’s Department about such a system. Changing the release hours would be tricky, Sheriff Bill Brown said, requiring a change in how courts order releases, and it could be “complicated” to reformat the jail’s operational structure.“There are a lot of moving parts to this,” he added. “It’s trying to make sure we don’t create more of a problem than we are trying to solve.” Brown added that there isn’t any state or federal grant money that could cover such a program
and that pooling inmates’ commissary funds to pay for the program would leech money from the commissary-funded substance-abuse treatment program. But by the time the new North County jail is built — projected for 2018 — he wants to have solutions in place, Brown said. Goleta Mayor Roger Aceves said that the program is “critical” and that the City Council would “certainly consider it and see if there is funding available.” County Supervisor Salud Carbajal seconded that call for examination and said several questions need to be answered. “Is more funding the solution?” he asked. “Is it really rearranging our policy of release?” Steve Lavagnino, the county’s th District supervisor, said that taxpayers might balk at being asked to pay for released inmates’ transportation, but that the sum wasn’t exorbitant and the inmates’ safety is important. In the meantime, Salinas said the jail is in talks to partner with Lights On, an Orange County–based Catholic organization that would park an RV outside the jail several nights a week, offering releasees coffee, company, and shelter until the buses come in the morning. While he lauded the possibility of Lights On, Marin said he’s focusing his efforts on keeping the ride program afloat: “We’re the only game in town, and we need money. The rest is just pie■ in-the-sky stuff.”
Flying the Flag
OPEN SESAME: Mayor Helene Schneider officially opens the SBPD’s first drop-in center.
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BY T Y L E R H AY D E N lanked by an elementary school and a corner-store hangout popular with Eastside gang members, the Franklin Neighborhood Center on Montecito Street is now home to the city police department’s freshly minted Community Policing Office. An informal drop-in center staffed by a rotating mix of officers — many of them Spanish-speaking — the space is meant to engender a sense of trust and access sometimes lost in the intimidating atmosphere of police headquarters. The one-year pilot program, explained Sgt. Riley Harwood, was hatched in partnership with the city’s Parks & Recreation Department, which offered the $10,000-a-year property for free. Its three rooms — complete with leather
couches, coffee and snacks, and artwork created by Franklin Elementary School students — have already been visited by area residents voicing concerns and asking for advice about driver’s licenses, their children, and interactions with gangs, Officer Adrian Gutierrez said. Taking pains to note the center is not a police substation — meaning no one will be booked or interviewed at the location — Harwood said if all goes well with the Eastside office, the department may look to the Westside for another space. Right now, Gutierrez is holding court at the center and making announcements about its opening on Radio Bronco. Chief Cam Sanchez said he’ll be scheduling office hours for walk-in ■ visitors, as well.
october 24, 2013
THE INDEPENDENt
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