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Locals review president’s address County party officials share thoughts on Biden’s Joint Address to Congress By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
The interior of the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit Center Wednesday was empty, aside from Transit District employees. The center opened Monday after extensive renovations.
Bus service changes looming Santa Barbara MTD opens transit center, shuttle service may be terminated By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District may terminate its popular downtown and waterfront shuttles as part of its annual service changes. Many of MTD’s proposed changes are in response to the pandemic, some reversing decisions made a year ago. The changes will go into effect Aug. 16. The transit district suspended the downtown and waterfront shuttles April 6, 2020, as bus riders were staying home. If officials were to relaunch the downtown shuttle, the route must change to accommodate the new State Street promenade. But the largest obstacle facing these well-known shuttles is funding.
The city pays for these routes using parking revenue, Hillary Blackerby, MTD planning and marketing manager, said during a community meeting Wednesday. It brings the fare to 50 cents, down from other routes’ $1.75. Last May, the city informed the transit district that it didn’t have the money to fund the route, which costs just over $1 million dollars. The city can’t afford it this year either. “We don’t have a way to maintain that service without that subsidy,” Ms. Blackerby said during the meeting. “It’s a difficult conversation to have, but that’s where we are at this point. “There’s so much exciting stuff when talking about downtown and state street, housing, revitalization, reimagining what it’s like to get around down there; we must, MTD
must be a part of that conversation. Transit must be a component of downtown circulation if it’s truly going to be a successful downtown.” She asked community members to reach out to the Santa Barbara City Council if they’d like the shuttles to return. MTD is also recommending the continued suspension of a handful of routes that were canceled at the start of the pandemic: the Cathedral Oaks corridor, the seaside shuttle to Carpinteria and the crosstown shuttle. In regards to the seaside shuttle, Ms. Blackerby said, “We are recommending suspension for a workforce issue, but we know this is something people really like and use. So while this is also a pretty poor performer, it is vital for a lot of folks. We just want to be
conservative in what we bring back so that we can make service.” She describes planning routes to the News-Press, comparing service to a three-legged stool. MTD must balance community preference with the cost and the supply of buses and drivers. This is especially important as the transit district serves Santa Barbara Unified’s secondary schools, which have recently resumed for four-day weeks. When the district announced its intentions to bring students back to campus for nearly a full week, Ms. Blackerby called into the April 6 school board meeting to convey the stress the decision put on MTD. “We have been working with district staff for over a year to plan, prepare, be flexible, start over and Please see MTD on A4
At left, riders load onto the back of the bus. Starting May 10, riders will enter through the front to pay fares. At right, MTD is planning for its annual changes, to be enacted Aug. 16.
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Officials react to Newsom’s oil phase-out plan By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to phase out oil extraction practices statewide could have implications for oil workers in North County long term, but local officials and activists are hopeful the state’s shift to clean energy will benefit the economy and the environment. Last Friday, Gov. Newsom directed the Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management Division to end the issuance of new hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, permits by 2024. In addition, the governor announced plans to phase out oil extraction completely by 2045, directing the California Air Resources Board to determine the best pathways to reach this goal. In Santa Barbara County, Gov. Newsom’s order would impact the onshore oil extraction practices currently taking place in Orcutt, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Los Alamos and the Santa Ynez Valley once it comes time to phase out oil extraction completely in the next
two decades. But in the short run, the new directive from the governor will not have an impact on jobs in North County since the oil industry in Santa Barbara County uses cyclic steam injection, not fracking, for oil extraction. This form of extraction injects hot steam underground, which melts thick, tar-like oil and brings it to the surface. Second District Supervisor Gregg Hart voiced support for the governor’s directive, adding that he was hopeful the governor would have enacted change faster. “(The governor’s announcement) is an important next step in the transition to renewable energy for California,” Mr. Hart told the News-Press. “I would also add that I had hoped the governor would go further than he did, but every step forward is important progress in reducing greenhouse gas emission and addressing climate change.” During his tenure, Gov. Newsom has made lofty climate goals, Please see PHASE-OUT on A3
L O T T E RY RESULTS
INSIDE Classified.............. B4 Life.................... B 1-2 Obituaries............. A4
President Joe Biden’s Joint Address to Congress Wednesday night drew fairly predictable reactions from the Democratic and Republican parties, as he called for unity and cooperation of the two sides. Mr. Biden outlined his sweeping $1.8 trillion plan for American families, took a victory lap for the 220 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in his first 100 days in office, and pushed Congress to pass legislation such as his American Jobs Plan, legislation raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and police reform and gun control legislation. “I would like to meet with those who have ideas that are different, that they think are better. I welcome those ideas,” President Biden said Wednesday night from the U.S. Capitol. “But the rest of the world is not waiting for us. I just want to be clear: from my perspective, doing nothing is not an option. Look, we can’t be so busy competing with one another that we forget the competition that we have with the rest of the world to win the 21st century.” Republican Sen. Tim Scott delivered a rebuttal to the president’s speech afterward, and said that 100 days into his presidency, “the actions of the president and his party are pulling us further and further
apart.” Many of his comments alleged that the Democrats’ legislation, including the American Rescue Plan, American Jobs Plan and the new American Families Plan, are “partisan wish lists” that only give a small percentage of money to what the bill aims to address. Regarding the infrastructure plan, Sen. Scott said, “It’s a liberal wish list of biggovernment waste, plus the biggest job-killing tax hikes in a generation. Experts say, when all is said and done, it would lower wages of the average American worker and shrink our economy.” In closing, the senator said, “Our best future won’t come from Washington schemes or socialist dreams. It will come from you, the American people. Black, Hispanic, white and Asian. Republican and Democrat. Brave police officers and black neighborhoods. We are not adversaries. We are family. We are all in this together.” While many Republicans echo the sentiment that the bills will detriment the economy and impact the middle class, Democrats praise the bills as once-in-a-generation investments into America. “Right here in California, our stimulus programs have provided tax relief for small businesses and money in
Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 14-18-19-33-37 Meganumber: 19
Thursday’s DAILY 4: 9-8-5-9
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 15-22-30-41-42 Meganumber: 25
Thursday’s FANTASY 5: 6-19-24-28-29
Thursday’s DAILY DERBY: 02-01-09 Time: 1:49.70
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 16-18-35-39-53 Meganumber: 21
Thursday’s DAILY 3: 3-1-0 / Wednesday’s Midday 9-2-9