'Gabbie' Robles named SYV Youth Rec Queen

Santa Ynez High School senior has been playing sports through SYV Rec nearly all her life

By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

Gabriela (Gabbie) Robles has been chosen Santa Ynez Valley Youth Rec Queen for 2023. A Santa Ynez Valley Union High School senior, throughout most of her 18 years, Robles has been active in one sports activity or another, which she played on facilities provided by Youth Rec. When she wasn’t at one of her many activities, she was watching one of her siblings.

“I applied to be the Santa Ynez Valley Youth Rec Queen because I wanted to help give back to my community because of all the sports I’ve played in my life on facilities that were created by Santa Ynez Valley Youth Recreation,” said Robles. “I have been volunteering for the Queen Campaign events since I joined the National Charity League in the seventh grade. I’ve seen how much time and effort goes into putting on these events and watching the Queen perform her many duties inspired me to want to help give back to the community and Santa Ynez Valley Youth Recreation for all their efforts in providing facilities for the youth of the Valley to enjoy and excel.”

Robles said her association with Santa Ynez Valley Rec started early.

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Santa Barbara County

fire to the unit of origin by County Fire and no other units were said to be affected.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Santa Ynez

Eighth Annual Airport Day Set for May 20

The 8th Annual Santa Ynez Valley Airport Day will take place on May 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event includes dozens of aircraft on display with pilots who can explain general aviation and their experiences flying. Free intro flights will also be offered for kids from ages 8-17.

includes talking, texting, or using an app. Using a handheld cellphone while driving is punishable by a fine. Violating the hands-free law for a second time within 36 months of a prior conviction for the same offense will result in a point being added to a driver’s record.

If you have an important phone call, text, email, or in a situation with other distractions, pull over to a safe parking spot. Other distractions can be eating, grooming, reaching for something that fell on the floor, putting on or taking off clothing, talking with passengers, or children in the back seat.

The Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel was created to foster open and frequent dialogue between members of the local community and PG&E on matters related to DCPP decommissioning. Panelists are local community members from across the Central Coast who were selected to broadly represent diverse community viewpoints.

Head-On Collision Closes Highway 1

Temporarily

A head-on collision on Highway 1 on Las Cruces Grade just north of the Highway 101 turnoff left the road closed in both directions and left two people injured, one critically. The collision happened at 5:41 a.m. The two motorists were hospitalized, with one of them critical and airlifted to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital via Calstar. Both northbound and southbound lanes were said by Caltrans to be closed, but were announced as open about an hour later.

Solvang

Two Displaced by Apartment Fire

Two residents were displaced after a Monday afternoon (April 10) apartment fire on the 500 block of Second Place in Solvang. Santa Barbara County Fire responded at 3:23 p.m. after occupants in a second-floor unit heard the smoke detector go off. Fire personnel knocked down and confined the

The event is free, with parking and barbecue food included. Last year approximately 1,000 attended the event and that amount is expected this year.

During Airport Day, the Santa Ynez Valley Airport Board of Directors will be awarding a scholarship to a Santa Ynez Valley resident between the ages of 16 and 19. Last year's winner, Helen Pruitt-Kennett, recently passed her FAA oral and flight exam to receive her private pilot license.

Central Coast

Get Off Your Apps: April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month; according to the 2022 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, nearly 72 percent of drivers surveyed said that distracted driving because of texting was their biggest safety concern.

Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or electronic communications device while operating a vehicle. This

Funding for distracted driving enforcement is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

PG&E and Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel Announce New Members

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel (DCDEP) today announced the appointment of four new members to the DCDEP, and the reappointment of two members. The four new appointees — Ernest "Gerry" Finn, Jessica Kendrick, Patrick Lemieux, and Frances Romero — will begin their terms in May of 2023. Kara Woodruff and Bob Pavlik have been reappointed.

The panel provides community input to PG&E as the company prepares a site-specific plan for the future decommissioning of Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) and spent fuel management. The DCDEP members will now include: Finn (three-year term begins May 2023), Kendrick (two-year term begins May 2023), Lemieux (three-year term begins May 2023), Romero (three-year term begins May 2023), Pavlik (one-year reappointment begins May 2023), and Woodruff (three-year reappointment begins May 2023).

“The panel has proven to be invaluable to the DCPP decommissioning activity planning and process. The diversity of the panel members ensures PG&E hears from all voices in the community as to the future of DCPP lands and facilities,” said Maureen Zawalick, Vice President of Business and Technical Services. “PG&E looks forward to working with the previous panel members and the new Panel members to continue this important work.”

The new members bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the panel, with backgrounds in renewable energy, engineering, land use planning, government relations, and community outreach. PG&E is confident that these individuals will help the company in its efforts to decommission the Diablo Canyon Power Plant and manage spent fuel in a safe and responsible manner.

Friends of the Earth Files Lawsuit Against PG&E for Continued Operation of Diablo Canyon Past 2025

Friends of the Earth has filed a lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in San Francisco Superior Court, seeking to stop the utility from continuing to operate the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in Avila Beach past 2025. In 2016, Friends of the Earth and PG&E agreed in a contract that Diablo Canyon would close by 2025. This was in exchange for Friends of the Earth dropping a lawsuit over environmental and public safety concerns at the plant.

Last month, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) determined PG&E could continue operating Diablo Canyon past 2025 while the utility works through the relicensing process. Friends of the Earth responded with a lawsuit filed yesterday, asking the court to order the utility to abide by the 2016 agreement and shut the plant down by 2025.

PG&E received backing from both federal and state officials to extend the operating life of Diablo Canyon through 2030, with a goal of providing Californians electric reliability. PG&E needs to obtain license renewals from the NRC, as well as regulatory approval from other federal and state agencies in order to keep operating the plant past 2025. The utility is planning to file a new license renewal application by the end of 2023, while it continues to operate under the existing licenses.

Friends of the Earth is represented by attorneys at Briscoe Ivester & Bazel LLP. The outcome of this lawsuit will determine whether PG&E will be able to continue