City College football team eager to play
Sam would love to chat
After a long hiatus, the Vaqueros will play on the new turf at La Playa Stadium - A3
Montecito author T.C. Boyle writes about smart chimpanzee in his latest novel - B1
Our 166th Year
75¢
F r i da y, S E P T. 10 , 2 0 21
Biden unveils COVID rules
Ceremony to honor victims Program to mark 2001, 1993 attacks By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Requirements intended to boost vaccinations By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
President Joe Biden announced sweeping new vaccination requirements on Thursday that could impact as many as 100 million Americans as part of the administration’s latest attempt to boost the nation’s vaccination rate. During remarks at the White House, Mr. Biden directed the Labor Department to require that all businesses with 100 or more employees require vaccination or weekly COVID-19 testing. In addition, the president said he will require the 17 million Medicare and Medicare healthcare workers to be fully vaccinated. Workers who do not comply with a vaccine or testing requirement in the workplace could face a fine of up to $14,000 per violation, The Associated Press reported. The requirement will be enacted by forthcoming guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The new vaccine requirements come as the latest push in the Biden administration’s efforts to address the recent rise in COVID19 infection. During a speech at the White House on Thursday, Mr. Biden criticized the more than 80 million eligible Americans who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine, saying the Americans who have gotten their shot are growing “frustrated” with those who have not. “We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin,”
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Breakfast is served Seagulls, pigeons, and squirrels get treats Thursday at Goleta State Beach, which remains a popular area for wildlife and the people who enjoy seeing the animals.
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Hope expressed during State of the City By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
RAFAEL MALDONADO/xNEWS-PRESS
Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo noted the City Council has developed a plan to preserve the murals at Ortega Park that it hopes to fund through state park grants.
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email: mhirneisen@newspress.com
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“Our country changed a lot, our individual lives changed. It (the 9/11 anniversary) is a hugely important day. It’s not insignificant, and I hope people continue to remember that,” Santa Barbara Police Chief Bernard Melekian said.
L O T T E R Y RESULTS
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Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo delivered the annual State of the City address virtually on Wednesday evening, reflecting on the past year and delivering a hopeful outlook for the future. Speaking from the newly renovated Cabrillo Arts Pavillion, the mayor recalled moments over the last year of the pandemic, noting the hardships the COVID-19 crisis caused for many individuals in the community. “All of us in Santa Barbara and throughout the state, country and world have experienced hardships and challenges this past year during the pandemic,” Ms. Murillo said. “This past year has been a test of our strength and resolve,” she later added. “This community has faced crisis and disaster before, but we are a resilient community. We have overcome hardships. This pandemic has shown our interconnectedness as a community and the important contribution of all of its members.” During the address, the mayor acknowledged various actions the City Council took over the last year to address prominent issues in the city, such as homelessness, the housing crisis,
criminal justice reform, infrastructure upgrades and climate change. The mayor said that the pandemic “exacerbated” the city’s homeless and housing crisis, which led city officials to spearhead an effort to address encampments across the city, particularly in high fire hazard areas. Their response included allocating $1.6 million in Socioeconomic Mitigation Program reserve funds to relocate unhoused individuals to the Rose Garden Inn through a new pilot program. Thus far, the program has relocated 40 individuals to a temporary shelter at the inn and reduced several high-priority camps, according to the mayor. Ms. Murillo also covered the city’s efforts to start a civilian police review system, discussing how the city supported the creation of a Community Formation Commission. The commission is composed of 15 members who recently completed ethics training and will soon begin outreach to determine what oversight model is best for the city. In addition, the mayor highlighted the ongoing work of the city’s Parks & Recreation
Members of the community are invited to attend a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the Sunken Gardens on Saturday to honor the more than 2,900 Americans who lost their lives 20 years ago in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The ceremony will also honor those who died in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The event will begin at 9 a.m. at the Santa Barbara Courthouse and will feature multiple guest speakers, including U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, Mayor Cathy Murillo, interim Santa Barbara Police Chief Bernard Melekian, Sheriff Bill Brown and District Attorney Joyce Dudley. This event is the first annual 9/11 Flag of Honor Across America Memorial. The Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Teen Court program was chosen as one of 60 participants across America to lead this national remembrance project, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office. During the ceremony, officials will read the names and a short biography of 50 of the 2,983 people who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Members of the CADA Teen Court program will then present county officials with a 9/11 flag of honor, which includes the names of all the victims of the attacks. Community members interested in attending are encouraged to bring a folding chair or blanket upon attendance. County officials are also recommending masking and social distancing when attending. Ahead of Saturday’s event, Chief Melekian told the News-Press that he hopes the public will come out and take time to remember the individuals who lost their lives and the first responders who gave their lives in response to the attack. “I hope people just remember, I really do,” the chief said Thursday. “We tend to get trapped or locked into whatever the latest big thing on the news cycle is, but that day was hugely significant. Our country changed a lot, our individual lives changed. It’s a hugely important day. It’s not insignificant, and I hope people continue to remember that.” For more information on the 9/11 Flag of Honor Across America memorials across the country, visit globalyouthjustice.org/news/9-11-day.
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Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-5-7-25-38 Mega: 2
Thursday’s DAILY 4: 0-2-5-0
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 15-17-25-32-53 Mega:12
Thursday’s FANTASY 5: 11-13-29-36-39
Thursday’s DAILY DERBY: 11-04-10 Time: 1:42.12
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 9-22-41-47-61 Meganumber: 21
Thursday’s DAILY 3: 0-7-8/ Midday 3-2-0