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City of Santa Barbara seeks public input on implementation of new system - A3
Santa Barbara business owner member of record-breaking all-female crew - B1
Our 167th Year
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Haskell’s Beach oil pier removal to begin
Disabled veterans weigh future after defeat of property tax aid legislation By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE
(The Center Square) – California lawmakers quietly killed a bill this month that would have offered property tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans, leaving some former service members to weigh whether or not they can afford to stay in the Golden State. Senate Bill 1357 would have offered property tax exemptions on the home of a 100% disabled veteran and their spouse or unmarried surviving spouse. The measure was a victim of the Suspense File, a bi-annual process where lawmakers review hundreds of fiscal bills and quietly kill or forward off measures without public discussion.
The measure would have represented a significant change to the state’s existing property tax exemption for disabled veterans, which currently allows an exemption in the amount equal to the value of the property up to $100,000, adjusted for inflation. If household income is under $40,000, the exemption is increased to $150,000. The full tax exemption would have exclusively applied to 100% disabled veterans who own a home in California. In total, just over 73,000 veterans who had a 100% service-connected disability rating lived in California, according to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Please see VETERANS on A2
Boys and Girls Club in dispute with Honest Education Learning Project Club declined opportunity to share facilities with new organization By NEIL HARTSTEIN
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
The last two oil piers at Haskell’s Beach in Goleta, also shown at right and below, are seen on Thursday. Efforts to remove the structures are slated to begin on Monday.
By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The end of an era begins on Monday at Haskell’s Beach, as the State Lands Commission in collaboration with the city of Goleta starts work to remove the pier and caisson structures known as PRC 421-1 and 421-2. It’s a process that will take up to six months, during which time sections of the beach may close temporarily to keep the public safe during the operations. The
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executive director, Mr. Michael Baker, where he graciously offered to let me use ‘of any of the clubs to launch learning pods,” she said. “It was a near perfect match, Honest Education Learning Project, H.E.L.P. could use United Boys and Girls Club’s wonderful facilities during the day and, in exchange, support UB&G Club kids and help grow UB&G’s membership base. “All was going according to plan: I began interviewing teachers, recruiting parents and students, and lining up foundation funding.” So what happened? “As news of H.E.L.P. spread, an undisclosed group suddenly reached out to Michael Baker to complain that he was partnering with me. Why? I don’t know for sure. Nor do I know the specific complaints or even the complainers. “Mr. Baker chose not to share the accusations or the names of my accusers with me. How could I address their concerns if everything was kept hidden from me? I offered to host a public meeting so that anyone could ask questions, but Mr. Baker refused. “Cancel culture runs very deep in Santa Barbara,” she said. “It is sustained by self-righteous cowards and all those timid souls who bow to them. If we are ever to get serious about educating lowincome Hispanic families and welcome them as equal partners in the American Dream, we first need to have the courage to overcome both cowardice and ignorance, rather than to submit to it.” The News-Press reached out to Mr. Baker to give him a chance to respond to Ms. Lozano’s version of events and her allegations but did not respond by the time the paper went to press Thursday. email: nhartstein@newspress.com
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i n s i de Classified.............. B4 Life..................... B1-2 Obituaries............. A4
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The head of the United Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County is embroiled in a dispute with the founder of the new Honest Education Learning Project. The dispute follows the Boys and Girls Club’s rejection of the Learning Project’s request to share facilities, a decision which Christy Lozano, the Learning Project’s founder, blames on the “cancel culture.” However, Michael Baker, chief executive officer of United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County, said the two groups sharing classroom and facility space was simply “not a good fit” for his organization. “UBGC supports all schools and organizations that provide educational opportunities and enrichment for youth in our community and has carefully considered the request by Honest Education Learning Project, LLC (“HELP”) for shared classroom and facilities usage,” he said in a news release. “UBGC has determined that this is not a good fit for UBGC, and UBGC will continue to focus and dedicate its resources to provide afterschool and weekend opportunities and enrichment for underserved youth in our community to make the greatest impact possible. “UBGC wishes all the greatest success to HELP, SB School District and any other school or organization that provides educational enrichment opportunities to the youth of our community.” Ms. Lozano, responding to Mr. Baker’s statement, said it’s a bit more complicated than that. “In April 2022, I met with and received a verbal agreement from United Boys and Girls Club
beach will remain open otherwise. This landmark decommissioning project marks the end of the Ellwood Oil Field that began production in the late 1920s and continued into the 1990s. At one time, the area off Haskell’s Beach hosted 13 large piers and significant oil storage and processing facilities immediately onshore, a latticework of oil and gas development. Please see OIL PIERS on A3
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Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 7-10-15-40-44 Mega: 5
Thursday’s DAILY 4: 3-0-0-5
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 3-5-47-48-67 Mega: 7
Thursday’s FANTASY 5: 3-10-15-16-19
Thursday’s DAILY DERBY: 03-06-10 Time: 1:44.28
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 6-24-35-37-44 Meganumber: 22
Thursday’s DAILY 3: 7-6-8 / Midday 2-1-7