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California Dems propose gas rebate Plan would give taxpayers $400 to combat price hikes By KAITLYN SCHALLHORN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS
A sign advises visitors they are entering private property on Hollister Ranch Road. Public access to beaches has been delayed again, with the California Coastal Commission determining an April 1 deadline for the project won’t be met.
Hollister Ranch coastal access delayed again
State panel says environmental impact report is needed By KAITLYN SCHALLHORN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
An April 1 deadline for completion of the public coastal access at Hollister Ranch will not be met, the California Coastal Commission has determined. Instead, a full programmatic environmental impact report will need to be compiled regarding the potential impacts of the public access project. The State Agency Team will select a consultant and expects the process to take about 18 months before the EIR and revised Hollister Ranch Coastal Access Program plan will be brought back before the California Coastal Commission for review, according to a March 1 briefing report. “This additional analysis will not only increase the public’s
confidence that access won’t harm sensitive resources, it will enable the commission to better withstand legal challenges in the likely event that program approval is litigated,” Sarah Christie, legislative director for the California Coastal Commission said during a meeting earlier this week. Ms. Christie also said the state had not yet made it clear “on how to secure public access across this private property” — thus resulting in the project missing the upcoming April 1 deadline. “While this is a momentary setback in the timeline for access, we believe it will accrue in the long run to a more robust and successful outcome,” said Ms. Christie. At the heart of the issue is legislation signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019 that
was supposed to open some of the beaches at Hollister Ranch — 14,000-plus-acre subdivision that includes about 8.5 miles of publicly-owned shoreline along the Santa Barbara Channel with no land-based access for the public. The road into the ranch is private property, thus blocking the Gaviota Coast beaches from public use. Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, championed the legislation that was meant to open the beaches and said she was “disappointed” in the additional delay. “The original intent of my bill was to ensure a balance between equitable access and protections for the environment,” Sen. Limón told the News-Press in an interview. “This was always Please see ACCESS on A3
By DAVE MASON
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Sheriff Bill Brown addresses supporters as he announces his reelection campaign.
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Nearly a hundred supporters joined Sheriff Bill Brown when he announced his re-election campaign this week in front of the Northern Branch Jail near Santa Maria. Sheriff Brown, who was first elected Nov. 7, 2006, is seeking his fifth term. He is running against Lt. Juan Camarena, who oversees the Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Bureau and SWAT Team. Speaking in support of Sheriff Brown Wednesday were Supervisor Steve Lavagnino,
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Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine, said the proposed $400 rebate would be equivalent to a “one-year gas tax holiday.”
such as utilities and groceries, also rise. According to a letter sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leadership Thursday, the proposed rebate would also be available for taxpayers who do not own or drive a car. “They too have seen their living expenses increase due at least in part to the increased cost of gasoline,” the Democrats said. “California has been Please see REBATE on A5
Parents could sue social media firms under new state bill By KAITLYN SCHALLHORN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER COURTESY PHOTO
Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, championed the legislation that was meant to open the beaches by Hollister Ranch and said she was “disappointed” in the additional delay.
Supporters back Sheriff Bill Brown at campaign gathering near Santa Maria NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
A group of Assembly Democrats unveiled a proposal Thursday to provide $400 rebates for California taxpayers to combat the skyrocketing gas prices and other rising costs. “Soaring gas prices are hitting Californians at the pump. We know our constituents are hurting right now,” Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine, said during a press conference. “We know too many Californians are struggling to make ends meet right now. We are here to offer help.” The proposed $400 per individual would be equivalent to a “one-year gas tax holiday” for most Californians, Assemblymember Petrie-Norris said. The Democrats proposed the rebate — as opposed to a moratorium of the gas tax as Republicans have suggested — so as not to disrupt infrastructure projects the fuel tax funds. Money for the rebate would come from California’s budget surplus, the lawmakers said. Additionally, the Democrats contended this rebate would help Californians as other costs,
District Attorney Joyce Dudley, Santa Barbara County Undersheriff Sol Linver, Santa Maria Mayor Pro Tem Mike Cordero, Lompoc Mayor Janelle Osborne, Goleta City Council member Roger Aceves, Lompoc Police Chief Joe Mariani and Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub. “Bill, you have been a great sheriff,” Ms. Dudley told the sheriff as she addressed the crowd. She said she has been in awe of the sheriff’s “insight, wisdom, sensitivity and bravery” and said Please see CAMPAIGN on A5
A bipartisan California bill would allow parents to hold large social media companies liable for knowingly allowing a platform to be addictive to children and ultimately causing harm. The bill from Assemblymembers Jordan Cunningham, R-San Luis Obispo, and Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, creates a duty on large social media companies, such as TikTok or Meta, to ensure their platforms are not addictive for minors. Parents, guardians and the state attorney general would be able to bring legal action against a company that allegedly violated this duty that led to a child’s harm. “We’ve had kids over the last two years online and using social media apps at unprecedented levels, and we’re seeing unprecedented hospital admittance, unprecedented depression, eating disorders, suicidal ideations. There’s a real crisis among our youth,” Assemblymember Cunningham, whose district includes northern Santa Barbara County, told the NewsPress.
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Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham, R-San Luis Obispo, said the unprecedented use of social media is leading to unprecedented problems for the mental wellness of young people.
According to Assemblymember Cunningham, the bill limits liability to situations where there is demonstrable harm. It would allow parents and the attorney general to hold companies liable for their practices — such as designing algorithms that cause addiction Please see BILL on A4
INSIDE
L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified................. A6 Life...................... B1-2 Obituaries............... A6
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 21-28-33-45-46 Meganumber: 5
Thursday’s DAILY 4: 1-1-2-0
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 9-14-28-59-60 Meganumber: 24
Thursday’s FANTASY 5: 7-15-19-29-36
Thursday’s DAILY DERBY: 11-09-01 Time: 1:48.71
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 3-28-34-35-58 Meganumber: 17
Sudoku................... B3 Weather................. A6
Thursday’s DAILY 3: 3-2-7 / Wednesday’s Midday 6-8-6