Our 167th Year
Symbolic stones
Holiday season in Buellton
Gem Faire takes place in Santa Barbara - A2
Festivities include real snow and twinkling lights - B1
75¢
MON DAY, DE C E M BE R 12 , 2 02 2
Parade of Lights
Unity Shoppe Telethon raises about $400,000 By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Boats decorated in Christmas lighting glide past Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara during the annual Parade of Lights event on Sunday. For more photos, see page A4.
The Unity Shoppe hosted its annual holiday telethon Friday evening, raising approximately $400,000 to support their efforts throughout the year. “I think the energy was really good,” Unity Shoppe Executive Director Tom Reed told the News-Press. “We brought some folks back that had been a part of the telethon in the early days. Kenny Loggins was interviewed during the last hour. Kenny caught a vision of what Barabra Tellefson shared with him in the early 80s, even though we were working out of cardboard boxes in a small office space. We also had Don Katich, a tv producer who started with the telethon in the early days, and Lance Orozco, an on-air personality that helped with the pitch. We had a generous donor that promised to match us if we reached $75,000 during the telethon and we did achieve that match. We also had several large donations over $20,000. We raised approximately $400,000, and I think by the time it is all counted we will be very close to half a million.” “With loyal financial and volunteer support as its foundation, Unity Shoppe strives to be a yearround trusted community safety net which expands the social and economic equity of the underserved, helping them regain their footing in the shortest time possible, especially when confronted by an unforeseen crisis that might otherwise result in welfare dependence or homelessness,” according to Unity Shoppe’s website. “We started with opening comments from KEYT-TV. Then the city fire truck drove up and donated a bunch of toys. Dana Newquist also drove up in his 1937 antique fire truck filled with toys and decorated for Christmas. We had nonstop interviews and cameras in the food store and Santa’s toy shoppe. We also had cameras at the phone bank, cameras in the event center and cameras outside with the lights. It’s pretty dynamic so you don’t get bored watching. We had great entertainment: Brad Paisley, Glenn Phillips, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald. Katy Perry also submitted a video and Ms. Perry’s parents, Mary and Keith Hudson were also in attendance. There was a segment honoring my retirement in which I sang a Christmas song I wrote as well,” said Mr. Reed. “We had varied entertainment, which is often why people tune in. That is why this has become a tradition in Santa Barbara which I think will continue. We always sing ‘It’s Christmas Once Again In Santa Barbara,’ by Barry deVorzon, together on stage to end the telethon,” he added. To learn more or donate, go to https://unityshoppe. org. email: kzehnder@newspress.com
Restaurateur says SB lost at least $750,000 in Flightline Restaurant debacle By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
City taxpayers actually lost at least $750,000 because of the city’s refusal to assign a lease to the Flightline Restaurant to operate at Santa Barbara Airport, according to Flightline owner/ restaurateur Warren Butler. In addition to the $225,000 the city agreed to pay to settle a lawsuit Flightline filed against Santa Barbara, Mr. Butler said the city paid $250,000 to hire a Ventura attorney to represent it, and lost more than $250,000 in revenue/rent it could have earned had the restaurant been allowed to operate these past three years. “They started the process and kept holding things up and delaying it by not assigning it” to Flightline, instead of acting in a ”quick, reasonable and timely manner and not trying to change the lease.” Mr. Butler said he took over operating the then-High Sierra Grill in 2017 with plans to rename it to Flightline and change the concept to one that celebrated the city’s rich aviation history.
“The whole aviation community loved what we were doing,” he said. The city not only ended up losing money, he said, but cost residents “by what they took away from the community. We were going to be a gem, something special.” Instead, the Flightline restaurant closed, and now sits in a dilapidated, unleasable condition, he said. The city agreed to pay $225,000 to Flightline Restaurant as part of a Nov. 15 settlement agreement to avoid going to trial which included a mutual release from further litigation by either side, The city agreed to settle after Superior Court Judge Donna Geck rejected the city’s request for a summary judgment against Flightline and instead said the case could go to trial. “The city decided they wanted to settle and not go forward,” Mr. Butler said. “The bottom line is the judge ruled in our favor and said these guys have a legitimate case against the city and what they’ve done.” This all began back on March 26, 2015 when High Sierra Grill entered into a
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threw one curve after another.” On or about Dec. 11, 2019, the plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging Breach of Written Lease, Breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, Interference with Contract, Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage, Interference with Contract, Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic advantage, and breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing. Then, on or about April 8, 2020, the city filed its cross-complaint for rent and damages, seeking unpaid rent and other sums allegedly due. The plaintiffs alleged the city acted unreasonably in denying its request to assign the lease to Flightline. The city denied it was being unreasonable. The ensuing litigation and amended complaints lasted three years before the city agreed to settle the dispute. “They had to settle because they knew what had been done was not legal and they were going to lose,” Mr. Butler said.
The Lompoc Police Department has arrested Benito Martinez, 20, on suspicion of shooting a man who died from his wounds. On Friday at approximately 11:25 p.m., officers responded to the 600 block of North Fourth Street in Lompoc regarding a shooting. When officers arrived, they located a 22-year-old man on the ground with bullet wounds. Officers began providing life-saving measures until relieved by paramedics. Lompoc police said the victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Detectives responded and were able to identify the alleged shooter as 20-year-old Benito Martinez, according to Lompoc police. Mr. Martinez was later arrested by the police department in the early morning hours on Saturday. The investigation is still ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Lompoc Police Department Detective Bureau.
email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
BY KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
LOTTERY
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lease agreement with the city to operate a restaurant at 512 Norman Firestone Road in Santa Barbara, the former site of the Elephant Bar restaurant. Plaintiffs Manuel Perales, Mario Medina, and Paul Ybarra executed personal guarantees for the restaurant. The 10-year lease had three fiveyear extensions for a total of 25 years the restaurant could have operated. Mr. Butler contended the city could have reaped close to $1 million in revenue over that time period. In 2018, the plaintiffs requested their lease be assigned to Flightline Restaurant. But on or about Aug. 19, 2019, the city formally denied the request. As a result, High Sierra Grill closed the restaurant it was operating. “They were not acting in good faith by going forward in terms of assigning the lease,” Mr. Butler said. He said some city officials wanted instead to develop the side of the airport where the restaurant stood as part of the airport Master Plan. “In the end they wanted to get out of it,” he said. “They tried every trick in the book. They delayed it for years and
Man arrested after fatal shooting in Lompoc
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Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 13-18-19-22-38 Mega: 11
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