Westmont comes away with sweep
Coastal cleanup
Win over Menlo gives Warriors a three-win week - A3
More than 10,000 pounds of trash collected during Goleta events - B1
Our 167th Year
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‘State of emergency’ Channel Islands Marine Wildlife Institute strains to provide aid to marine mammals hammered by domoic acid poisoning
Military subsidizes service members’ grocery bills amid higher prices By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE
CIMWI PHOTOS
Patient #181, Channel Islands Marine Wildlife Institute’s newest patient, is a 3- to 4-month old Northern fur seal pup that was rescued because it was malnourished and unable to forage on its own.
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Hundreds of sick sea lions have been stranding on local beaches along with several in areas that were up to a mile from the beach, victims of a domoic acid crisis caused by a toxic algal bloom, according to the head of the Channel Islands Marine Wildlife Institute. “It is a state of emergency for our local marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation nonprofit organization, Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute,” Ruth Dover, CIMWI co-founder and managing director, told the News-Press. From Aug. 15 through Sept. 20, 37 consecutive days, “CIMWI has been inundated with reports of sick sea lions throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties,” she said. “Our local marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation nonprofit organization, Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute (CIMWI), has been on the front lines from sunrise to sunset helping these animals.” Domoic acid is a naturally occurring toxin produced during harmful algal bloom (HAB) events by a certain type of algae, Pseudo-nitzschia australis, Ms. Dover said. This neurotoxin accumulates in shellfish as well as small fish like sardines and anchovies. When sea lions and other marine mammals eat the contaminated fish, it can be harmful and even fatal when consumed in sufficient quantities, she said. Visual signs of a sea lion
Carpinteria City Council to consider Local Coastal Program amendment By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
A California sea lion receives medical treatment by CIMWI volunteers.
suffering from domoic acid toxicosis include disorientation, loss of motor skills, head swaying back and forth, foaming at the mouth, bulging eyes, involuntary muscle spasms, inability to move out of the ocean, unresponsiveness, seizures and death. This neurotoxin causes lesions in the brain and shrinking of the hippocampus, which is primarily associated with long-term memory and spatial navigation.
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Domoic acid poisoning’s degree of effect depends on the amount of contaminated fish an animal consumes. There is no cure for domoic acid. Treatment and supportive care includes subcutaneous fluids to flush out the toxin more quickly, anticonvulsant medication and uncontaminated fish. This particular algal bloom was concentrated in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
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“This strain was potent and much stronger than CIMWI has ever experienced,” Ms. Dover said. “CIMWI saw more acute symptoms and higher rates of mortality on the beaches and with animals receiving treatment and supportive care.” The majority of the animals affected by this domoic acid crisis were adult female California sea lions weighing an average of 175 pounds. There have also been Please see CIMWI on A2
The Carpinteria City Council today will be asked to adopt an ordinance amending the city’s Local Coastal Program that makes changes to the zoning regulations and zoning map of the municipal code by adding regulations concerning accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units. In 2017, the California Legislature passed a package of three bills which generally sought to encourage the development of ADUs and JADUs by streamlining the approval process and limiting local agencies’ authority to regulate ADUs and JADUs. These bills and subsequent ADU and JADU legislation, however, stated that the state’s laws did not supersede the California Coastal
Act (Coastal Act), and thus the city elected not to update its certified Local Coastal Program (LCP) at that time. Following the city’s decision, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) issued memos, including the most recent memo on Jan. 21, providing guidance on implementation of State ADU Law within the Coastal Zone. The CCC encouraged coastal jurisdictions to amend their LCPs to implement State ADU Law consistent with the Coastal Act, and also encouraged local governments to develop ADU and JADU standards in a manner that protects wetlands, sensitive habitat, public access, scenic views of the coast, productive agricultural soils and the safety of new ADUs and their occupants. In response to the initial CCC guidance, the City Council Please see CARPINTERIA on A2
LOTTERY
i n s i de Classified.............. B4 Life..................... B1-2 Obituaries............. A4
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(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Defense is taking new measures to help U.S. service members deal with rising costs as inflation continues to put pressure on Americans. Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder laid out a series of changes from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to help families deal with the recent rise in costs, particularly in food, housing and childcare. “We’re surging funding into the commissary system to drop prices at the register so that military families see savings of at least 25% on grocery bills, compared to their local marketplace, an investment that means military families will see lower grocery bills at the commissary in the next couple of weeks,” Gen. Ryder said. “Second, making moves easier for families. We’ll extend coverage for temporary housing expenses while moving to give military families more flexibility through the move process, and we’ll increase dislocation allowance payments for enlisted troops from E-1 through E-6 to offset personal expenses from PCS moves.” Gen. Ryder also pointed to help with childcare expenses and employment for military spouses. “These are not the first steps that Secretary Austin has launched to take care of our people,” Gen. Ryder said. “These actions follow an initial economic security memo issued last November, the Food Security Initiative that the department launched in July, the proposal for the largest military pay increase in two decades included in the president’s F.Y. ‘23 Budget Request and historic reforms to curb the scourge of sexual assault and to prevent suicide in our
ranks.” The latest federal inflation data shows that food prices have soared in the past year, far outpacing wage growth. “The food at home index rose 13.5 percent over the last 12 months, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending March 1979,” BLS said. “The index for other food at home rose 16.7 percent and the index for cereals and bakery products increased 16.4 percent over the year. The remaining major grocery store food groups posted increases ranging from 9.4 percent (fruits and vegetables) to 16.2 percent (dairy and related products).” The decision comes after The Center Square reported that the U.S. Army was recommending soldiers apply for SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps, to help cope with rising prices. “With inflation affecting everything from gas prices to groceries to rent, some Soldiers and their families are finding it harder to get by on the budgets they’ve set and used before,” troop guidance written by Sergeant Major of the Army Michael A. Grinston reads. “Soldiers of all ranks can seek guidance, assistance, and advice through the Army’s Financial Readiness Program.” The guidance went on to specifically recommend food stamps. “SNAP is a U.S. government program that provides benefits to eligible low-income individuals and families via an electronic benefits transfer card that can be used like a debit card to purchase eligible food in authorized retail food stores. Service members and their families may be eligible,” the Army guidance reads. “To determine qualification, visit the SNAP website or call the SNAP information line at 800-221-5689.”
Sudoku................. B3 Sports ................... A3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 6-12-21-23-36 Mega: 7
Sunday’s DAILY 4: 9-6-4-9
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 5-50-53-58-64 Mega: 22
Sunday’s FANTASY 5: 7-17-19-20-35
Sunday’s DAILY DERBY: 02-08-03 Time: 1:49.87
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 3-9-21-24-29 Meganumber: 14
Sunday’s DAILY 3: 2-2-1 / Midday 0-8-7