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Our 167th Year
Jack Harwood named Spirit Of Fiesta Santa Barbara City College student is first man to win the honor; Olivia Nelson is Junior Spirit
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
Newly-minted Spirit of Fiesta Jack Harwood and Junior Spirit of Fiesta Olivia Nelson are recognized at the conclusion of auditions at the Lobero Theatre in Downtown Santa Barbara on Saturday. Mr. Harwood is the first man to be named Spirit of Fiesta.
By KATHERINE ZEHNDER Jack Harwood made history Saturday as the first man to be named the Spirit of Fiesta. Mr. Harwood, 18, won during the audition performances before judges and an audience at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. He will appear as the Spirit of Fiesta at various public functions leading up to and including Old Spanish Days, which will celebrate its 99th anniversary Aug. 2-6. “This is something I have been preparing myself for a really long time,” Mr. Harwood told the News-Press Saturday after being named the Spirit of Fiesta. “This is always something I have aspired to be a part of. It’s an indescribable feeling about what I’m experiencing right now. This is something I have been aspiring to do for a long time. “This is my third year trying out, and it means the world,” he said. Mr. Harwood is studying kinesiology at Santa Barbara City College. Also on Saturday, Olivia Nelson, 9, was named the Junior Spirit after impressing judges during the Lobero auditions. Olivia is a fourth grader at Roosevelt Elementary School. The school is a short distance from the Santa Barbara Mission, where Olivia and Mr. Harwood will perform dances during La Fiesta Pequeña on Aug. 2. Olivia talked to the News-Press Saturday after the judges named her Junior Spirit at the Lobero Theatre. “It feels really good,” Olivia said. “This is only my third year dancing and first year trying out. I saw two of my friends win the title, and that made me want to try out for the title.” The original Spirit of Fiesta was Lia Parker, who was the Spirit of Fiesta from 1949-51. Competing Saturday at the Lobero were the 12 finalists for the Spirit of Fiesta and 10 finalists for the Junior Spirit. The runner up for the Spirit of Fiesta is Isabella Ricci,
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By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
An admitted active participant in Santa Barbara’s Westside gang will appear in court next month to be sentenced for her role in the June 2019 stabbing death of a Santa Barbara restaurant worker believed to be an associate of a rival crosstown street gang. Adelain Leilani Ibarra, 23, pleaded guilty in June 2020 to being an accessory to the early morning slaying of Alberto Torres just yards from his home on the 1300 block of Cacique Street after he walked there following his restaurant shift. She was scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, but the hearing was continued until May 24, prosecutors said. Ms. Ibarra is one of three admitted active participants in the Westside gang who were charged with being an accessory to murder. The other two are Alondra Ochoa, 21, and Alejandro DeLaTorre, 26, both of whom also pleaded guilty in June 2020 to being accessories. And Ms. Ochoa admitted enhancements, including a second strike allegation, prosecutors said. Ms. Ochoa got six years in prison, and Mr. DeLaTorre got five years in prison, prosecutors said. There were two defendants charged with the murder of Mr. Torres. One of them, Igor Ortiz, pleaded guilty in December to first-degree murder. He also admitted to being an active participant in the Westside gang, and that he used a knife to commit the premeditated murder in association with members of the criminal street gang for the gang’s benefit.
By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The soon-to-be Spirit and Junior Spirit performed before a sold-out crowd at the event.
and runner-up for the Junior Spirit is Aubrey Romero. “All of our finalists should be very proud of their accomplishments and performances today,” said El Presidente David Bolton. Tara Mata, the 2022 Spirit of Fiesta, addressed the Lobero audience during her farewell speech. “I can’t believe a year has passed since I danced on this Lobero stage, and what a year it has been,” Miss Mata said. “My time as 2022 Spirit of Fiesta has given me so many memories and lessons that I will take with me for the rest of my life. I am so grateful to have been able to represent Old Spanish Days and our community, which is so supportive and festive.” Layla Gocong, the 2022 Junior Spirit of
Mr. Ortiz, 22, was sentenced Feb. 8 to 25 years to life in state prison. The only defendant who still maintains his innocence is Angel Rafael Barajasflores Jr., 35, who like Mr. Ortiz, is charged with murder. “He has been accused of being an active participant in the gang and of committing the crimes for the benefit of the gang,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McAllister said. According to prosecutors, the homicide occurred in the early morning hours of June 1, 2019. A special circumstance filed against Mr. Ortiz and Mr. Barajasflores alleged they killed Mr. Torres “while lying in wait.” “Just yards from his home, Mr. Torres was attacked by Mr. Ortiz and an accomplice (Mr. Barajasflores),” prosecutors said in their Dec. 28 news release. “During the attack, Mr. Ortiz and his accomplice repeatedly stabbed Mr. Torres, killing him.” “As was presented in prior public hearings on this case, there is reason to believe the victim was associated with the rival Eastside gang,” Mr. McAllister said. Like Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Barajasflores faces special allegations that he used a knife to carry out the attack, and that he engaged in “street terrorism.” Mr. Barajasflores has pleaded not guilty to murder and the special circumstances and allegations filed against him. He now faces a murder trial, and is due back in court on May 17 for a status conference, prosecutors said. email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com
Fiesta, also gave a speech. “It is a great honor to stand here on the same stage one year later and say farewell and thank you as the 2022 Junior Spirit of Fiesta,” Layla said. “Boy, did my time fly by! … “Becoming Junior Spirit was a whirlwind and one of the most exciting years yet,” she said. “The people of Santa Barbara really showed up this year ready to Fiesta, and so was I.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com
The Santa Barbara Unified School District board recently approved a $3 million-plus project to improve heating and air conditioning at Santa Barbara High School. The project will be paid for with Measure I 2016 funds. It will include heating, air conditioning, and roofing repairs for the 60s, 70s and 80s wings. Work on the $3,158,680 project will begin in the summer of 2024, according to the school district. The need for a new heating system started in the spring of 2022 when it failed in the 60s, 70s and 80s wings. The units were more than 50 years old and can’t be repaired because parts are no longer available, according to the school district. Portable electric heaters have been provided for each classroom in these wings while a long-term fix was worked on. On July 25, 2022, the board approved a proposal from Kruger Bensen Ziemer Architects, Inc. for a design to
install a new heating system in the wings. The estimated cost of this project was $1.5 million with Routine Restricted Maintenance funding. During the discovery phase of the project, it was determined that individual heating units for each classroom would be the most cost-effective way to restore heat to the classrooms, according to the school district. This would require the construction of a closet in each room to house the units. However, the district looked into the options and recommended installing heat pumps on the roof, which would also provide efficient air conditioning for the classrooms. “Every year, we see the need for air conditioning growing in our schools as we see more hot summer days,” Dr. Hilda Maldonado, superintendent, said in a news release. “This option will provide Santa Barbara High School with efficient heating and air conditioning that will be better for the environment while saving the district money.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com
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Accessory in 2019 stabbing to be sentenced in May
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