Santa Barbara News-Press: April 29, 2023

The art of helping others

new mural at Peabody

Alum paints masterpiece at Santa Barbara elementary school

sB Earth day Festival ready to wow the community

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The Community Environmental Council and its longtime partner, CarpEvents, are ready to bring the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival back to the community today and

Sunday.

The two-day event will take place at Alameda Park near downtown Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara has been widely known as the birthplace of Earth Day ever since the oil spill off the city’s coast in 1969.

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Excited children and parents gathered Friday morning in the quad at Peabody Charter School to watch as a bright and beautiful mural was unveiled for the school.

The artist of the masterpiece is Eden Andrulaitis, a Santa Barbara native and Peabody alum.

She also attended Santa Barbara High School and graduated from its Visual Arts and Design Academy in 2022.

A few months ago, Ms. Andrulaitis wanted to use her talents to give back to the community, so she approached the Santa Barbara Unified School District board and suggested a mural. Principal Damien Barnett said the school board loved the idea and the creation began.

The mural spans over 640 feet across the side of one of the classrooms near the quad.

It is vibrant and colorful, with many little toys and trinkets that elementary school kids love to see.

It is a breathtaking sight.

Mr. Barnett introduced Ms. Andrulaitis to the children and explained the process of the collaboration between her and the school.

After the unveiling, Mr. Barnett then invited Ms. Andruilaitis to the microphone to share a few words about the mural.

She expressed her immense gratitude to the community and to the students, sharing how it was so fun to come to the school each day and see all the children. She also shared how before this

mural, she had no real experience with the process of budgeting a mural for a school. But she noted the school board was very gracious and helped her along in the process to propel her in her career.

When she ended her speech, Mr. Barnett invited all of the children to yell “thank you!” to her. The joyous chorus of children’s gratitude rang throughout the

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Printed schedules were up Friday ahead of this weekend’s Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival at Alameda Park.

Biden kicks off campaign at polling low point

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) –

President Joe Biden announced earlier this week that he is running for president, but the latest polling data shows he is much less popular than when he first took over the White House.

Gallup released the survey data, which put President Biden’s approval rating at 37%, the lowest point since he became president.

“Only Ronald Reagan in early 1983 had a lower ninthquarter average among elected post-World War II presidents,” Gallup said. “Reagan’s low ratings came during a period when the unemployment rate exceeded 10% after the 19811982 economic recession.”

For most of his tenure, President Biden’s approval rating has hovered just about 40%.

“Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump had slightly better approval ratings than Biden and Reagan; both were just above 40%,” Gallup said. “Four presidents, including George H.W. Bush, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy and George W. Bush, averaged better than 60% approval during their ninth quarters in office.”

President Biden came into office with a 57% approval rating that has steadily dropped, seeing a particular downturn after the chaotic and deadly withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, a recent Emerson College poll found that President Biden may have a real Democratic contender. Incumbent presidents

rarely have serious primary challengers from their own party, but President Biden’s age, low polling, and looming scandals could fuel Robert Kennedy Jr., who is polling with about a fifth of Democratic voters’ support.

RFK Jr. is an author and environmental lawyer known for challenging the COVID-19 vaccines.

“The share of Democratic voters who think Biden should be the nominee has decreased six points since February, from 71% to 65%,” Emerson said.

Emerson has President Biden’s approval rating slightly higher, at 41%, but the group said he is losing support from Independents.

“Driving Biden’s lower approval this month is independent voters, 37% of whom approved of the president in February, which has dropped to 30% this month,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.

It remains to be seen whether President Biden’s announcement this week will rally donors and support from Democrats.

Former President Trump, the current Republican 2024 frontrunner, wasted no time in attacking President Biden this week as the two draw closer to a potential presidential campaign rematch.

“You could take the five worst presidents in American history, and put them together, and they would not have done the damage Joe Biden has done to our nation in just a few short years,” Mr. Trump said in his video response to President Biden’s announcement on TruthSocial.

“Not even close.”

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Artist Eden Andrulaitis stands in front of the mural she recently completed at Peabody Charter School in Santa Barbara. She is a Peabody alum and graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 2019. She was in the high school’s VADA program and hopes to use her talents for the community.

The mural is full of fun colors and intricate pictures that represent the life of an elementary school kid.

A new addition to the Peabody Charter School was unveiled Friday. A 640foot mural has found its home in the Peabody quad for all of the children to enjoy. Please see MURAL on A8

Natural history museum celebrates 23 years with gala

By KIRA LOGAN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History held its 23rd annual Mission Creek Gala on April 15.

Two hundred and three guests attended, and the museum raised more than half a million dollars for its education programs.

The gala took place in an outdoor reception around the Palmer Observatory, with the opportunity to participate in astronomythemed events, which went with the gala’s theme of space.

Guests could see the Marschak Telescope, visit with Astronomy Programs Specialist

Helicopter rescues couple in Los Padres Forest

A couple was rescued Friday morning from the Manzana Trail in Los Padres National Forest.

The Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit rescued the wife, although the reason for the rescue is unknown. Her husband

Krissie Cook, sample astronaut ice cream and enjoy the Tang-based signature cocktail Buzzed Aldrin.

Participants had dinner in the Fleischmann Auditorium and marveled at the decorations, as it was transformed to look like guests were in space. There were five specially-themed tables that represented elements of the cosmos.

The Milky Way Galaxy tableau, the Io Moon tableau, the Diamond Planet tableau, the Supernova tableau and the Halley’s Comet tableau were designed to reflect the theme of the evening. Each course started with a lesson from Krissie Cook about the James Webb Space

Telescope image being displayed. Museum President & CEO Luke J. Swetland spoke to the crowd and raised $208,000.

The sold-out event raised a total of $575,000.

The night ended with guests returning to the observatory to enjoy night sky telescope viewing with Cook and Astronomy Programs Presenter Sean Fox.

The Gala Honorary Committee consisted of Stacey Byers, Sheri Eckmann, Venesa Faciane, Elisabeth Fowler, Heather Hambleton, Ken Kelly, Barbara Evans Kinnear, Karen Nicholson and Susan Parker. email: klogan@newspress.com

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

accompanied her to Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital in Solvang. He was experiencing dehydration symptoms. They traveled by helicopter and landed at the Santa Ynez Airport. On arrival, the husband and wife were then escorted to the Solvang hospital. There are no current updates to the situation.

— Annika Bahnsen

Sheriff’s Office expands free

Narcan Distribution Program

The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office announced it has expanded the free Narcan Distribution Program to include all sheriff’s stations.

This program aims to distribute Narcan (naloxone) to members of the public and increase awareness for the ongoing opioid crisis. Narcan is a lifesaving drug that the Sheriff’s Office urges everyone in the public to have in case of emergency. Visit www.sbsheriff.org for the list of locations and to learn more about the program.

— Annika Bahnsen

IRS data: As high income Californians move elsewhere, poorer residents move in

By DAVID MASTIO THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) - Next time California Gov. Gavin Newsom goes on a political swing through Florida, he might notice the 40,000 Californians who moved there, according to new IRS data released on Thursday. As he flies back, he can wave to the 105,000 who moved to Texas, the state with the most former Californians, and 63,000 in Arizona, the second most.

In all, 716,948 Californians moved elsewhere in the United States in between filing as local taxpayers in 2020 and elsewhere in 2021. In the same year, 385,188 Americans from other states moved in, so IRS data shows the net loss to California was 331,760.

And those people took a lot of money with them. The taxpayers took $29 billion in taxable income, $183,737 on average. That’s higher than the state’s median household income of $84,097, according to the U.S. Census.

“California used to be famous for its production of movies, food,

world-beating college graduates, aerospace technology, medicine, West Coast rap, the Bakersfield Sound, and rock ‘n’ roll. Today our top products are bad ideas, high taxes, regulation, wildfires, homelessness, crime, and an education system ranked among the worst in the nation. It’s no surprise that we now lead the nation in the export of productive Americans – people who’ve worked, saved and paid taxes but who can no longer live with such dysfunction,” said Will Swaim, president of the California Policy Center.

The data shows Texas is the top destination for Californians moving out, but that doesn’t mean that Texans aren’t open to moving to the Golden State. The IRS says 36,092 Texans did just that in 2020.

The problem for California, a state with high taxes on the wealthy and generous benefits for those with low incomes, is that the people moving from California to Texas are significantly different than those moving in the reverse direction. The IRS data show that California taxpayers looking to

Arizona GOP appeal to U.S. Supreme Court to stop COVID-19 vaccine mandate

By CAMERON ARCAND THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – The Arizona Legislature filed an emergency application to the Supreme Court over COVID-19 vaccine mandates on the federal level.

The goal of wanting an injunction brought back is to stop federal contractors from being required to take the vaccine, as the Biden administration executive order from September 2021 is pending litigation.

“We will not allow President Biden to blatantly undermine the will of the Arizona State Legislature in the protections we’ve provided for our citizens to prevent a COVID-19 vaccine mandate from dictating

employment opportunities,” Republican Senate President Warren Petersen said in a statement Wednesday.

“The Biden Administration has made it clear that they are against any Americans who push back against this vaccine and will abuse their powers in order to force compliance as a stipulation of doing business with the federal government. Arizona will not tolerate this gross government overreach and intrusion of individual liberties. The Legislature’s intervention in this lawsuit against President Biden is critical in protecting the sovereignty of our state and the rights of all Arizonans,” Sen. Petersen continued. An injunction was originally in

Please see MANDATE on A4

Corrections

• The Choral Society will wrap up its 75th anniversary season with a “Mozart to Modern” concert at 7 p.m. May 6 and 3 p.m. May 7 at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara, 21 E. Constance Ave. Incorrect times appeared in a story in Friday’s LIfe and the Arts section. The website version of the article was corrected Friday morning at newspress.com.

• Forest Whitaker portrays trainer Doc Broadus in “Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World.” The actor was misidentified in a story in Friday’s Life and the Arts section. The website version of the article was corrected early Friday morning at newspress.com.

make a home in Dallas or Houston earn an average taxable income of $177,555. Texans who moved to San Diego or Fresno in 2020 reported only $75,393 on average.

The people fleeing California filed that they earned an average of twice the state median pay, while the newcomers are below that.

And that pattern holds true for other states as well. California taxpayers moving to Florida averaged over $300,000 per filing. Florida is sending

taxpayers who earn an average of $90,000. Nationally, those moving out of California averaged $125,000 in 2020, while those moving in earned $87,000. For a state struggling with housing costs and among the nation’s highest cost of living, that mismatch can’t help but make the state’s challenges more daunting.

“If California can’t serve as a model for the rest of America, maybe we can serve as a warning,” Mr. Swaim said.

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Singer behind ‘Super Happy Fun Time’ to perform in Solvang

By KIRA LOGAN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Music is a safe haven for most people. People feel heard, seen, and capable of feeling every emotion when they listen to the right song.

For singer-songwriter Bryan Bielanski, that’s why he creates music: to speak the universal language.

Mr. Bielanski is a singersongwriter who grew up in North Carolina and is currently on week six of a nine-month tour throughout the United States.

On May 12, Mr. Bielanski will be performing at the High Roller Tiki Lounge, 433 Alisal Road, Solvang.

The News-Press interviewed Mr. Bielanski about his experience with music and his time as a musician, in preparation for his upcoming performance.

Music has been a staple in Mr. Bielanski’s life. He grew up listening to his parents’ choice of music, which was rock ‘n roll. His earliest memory is sitting in

FYI

Brian Bielanski will perform May 12 at the High Roller Tiki Lounge, 433 Alisal Road, Solvang. For more information, see highrollertiki. com/pages/live-music.

his crib, listening to his parents “rocking out to their music.”

Undoubtedly, his parents’ involvement with music is what motivated him to pursue music for the rest of his life.

“When I play music, it’s a feeling I can’t anywhere else,” he said. “There’s just something about music.”

Mr. Bielanski’s favorite part of the music-making process is …

All of it.

He said he genuinely loves the whole process — “from start to finish.”

Mr. Bielanski has three solo albums out for public streaming, volumes one to three of “Bryan’s Super Happy Fun Time.’”

“I tend to write about my life experiences, so I have a lot of songs about traveling and playing music,” he said. “I have a lot of songs about pop culture references as well.”

“Rock the Library USA” is one of Mr. Bielanski’s favorite songs off of his newest album, which is about how he visits libraries from city to city in the towns he tours in.

When asked what style of music he prefers to perform, Mr. Bielanski said “People have called me Buddy Holly meets The Ramones.” He explains his love for the oldies, like Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley, as well as a soft spot for bands like The Ramones and The Sex Pistols.

Mr. Bielanski titles these artists as his musical inspirations that he continues to be motivated by.

As for his favorite part of performing, Mr. Bielanski said, “I love connecting with an audience. My albums are called (Bryan’s) Super Happy Fun Time for a reason. I’ll see folks who look like they’re having a bad day and after a few of my songs, they’ll have a smile on their face. I love my interactions with the crowd, and people who appreciate and who are touched by my music.”

In regards to his upcoming performance, Mr. Bielanski said the audience can expect to “come down and listen to some happy songs, and have some smiles on their faces!”

Mr. Bielanski’s performance on May 12 will be several hours long, and it’ll be a mixture of original songs and covers from his musical inspirations (listed above).

Mr. Bielanski’s future plans are simple: Keep meeting more people, keep playing more shows, keep visiting more cities. He added he has been writing more songs and is trying to release a full-length album.

And whether he’s recording in the studio or performing in Solvang, Mr. Bielanski looks forward to adding smiles to people’s faces and sharing his super happy fun times.

email: klogan@newspress.com

Newsom doubles down on San Francisco crime-fighting plan

By DAVID MASTIO THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) - Gov. Gavin Newsom is doubling down on his week-old effort to combat what he calls “rampant” crime in San Francisco. Mayor London Breed has signed on to the effort, expected to start May, 1st, arguing that the city’s “open air drug dealing” atmosphere can’t continue.

Only last week, Gov. Newsom announced he was calling in the California Highway Patrol and the National Guard to help “crack down on crime.” Now he’s expanding a multi-agency alliance that once targeted fentanyl dealing to include cracking down on guns and human trafficking.

“Those who traffic drugs, guns, and human beings are not welcome in our communities,” said Gov. Newsom. “That’s why we’re launching this operation. This is not about criminalizing people struggling with substance use – this is about taking down the prominent poison peddlers and their connected crime rings that prey on the most vulnerable, and harm our residents. While it’s true that San Francisco is safer than many cities its size, we cannot let rampant crime continue.”

The California Department of Justice is now set to join the effort. “The fentanyl crisis is a serious threat to public health and the safety of our communities — and addressing this crisis requires a multifaceted, collaborative approach,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Shoulder to shoulder with our partners in this operation, we stand ready to provide legal

expertise and assistance in prosecuting complex and multi-jurisdictional cases and protect our communities from those who traffic deadly poison.”

“The fentanyl crisis is impacting our residents, workers, and businesses, and it requires all of us working together to disrupt the flow of drugs in San Francisco while also making sure we have treatment for those struggling with addiction,” said Mayor Breed. “Our police and district attorney have been working hard to enforce against open-air drug dealing in our City, and this partnership with the California Highway Patrol and CalGuard will help them make more progress and deliver results for our City.”

According to the governor’s office, the California Highway Patrol will launch a “new team of law enforcement personnel to proactively enforce the law — with a focus on drug trafficking enforcement within key areas of the city, including the Tenderloin.” The patrol will also offer investigative support and training.

CalGuard will engage in “analysis of drug trafficking operations, with a particular focus on disrupting and dismantling fentanyl rings” while providing additional personnel for “administrative non-patrol tasks” so more San Francisco Police Department officers can be on the street. According to the governor’s office, “similar CalGuard-supported operations conducted last month statewide resulted in the seizure of 4.7 million fentanyl pills and 2,471 lbs of fentanyl powder — with a wholesale street value of over $49 million combined.”

Democrats call on governor and legislature to fund public transportation

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH

CONTRIBUTOR

THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) - A coalition of public transportation leaders and stakeholders led by Senator Scott Wiener (DSan Francisco) called on Gov. Gavin Newsom and leaders in the Legislature to prevent a looming statewide crisis in public transportation by providing adequate operational funding to the sector.

“Today I’m joined by transit leaders from around the state. We’re here to call on the legislature and the governor for all of us to work together to address one of the most under appreciated crises facing California todayspecifically the transit fiscal cliff we are going to start seeing in the next twelve to twenty-four months if we don’t find funding solutions for California’s transportation systems,” Sen. Weiner pointed out in his opening remarks on April 26.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office overview of California’s 202223 transportation spending plan shows a 20% ($8 billion) decrease from 2021-22 funding levels.

The governor’s proposed budget aimed to cut transit capital funds by $2 billion. The Senate Democratic Caucus Budget framework rejected the proposed cuts and committed to finding funding solutions. California Transit Association projects that transit will need $1 billion per year for the next five years.

Sen. Weiner stated “This is not a problem that is out of our grasp, it is fixable.”

The Legislative Analyst’s Office overview of California’s 2022-23 transportation spending plan shows a 20% ($8 billion) decrease from 2021-22 funding levels.

A $5.15 billion budget blueprint funding request for addressing short-term operating shortfalls was unveiled following monthslong discussions among environmental advocates, business leaders, transit agencies and advocates, members of legislature and Sacramento.

Weiner revealed that at the height of the pandemic, ridership fell by 90-95% and is not recovering quickly enough adding to the woes of the transit sector. Federal emergency funds are currently sustaining the transit operations but they are due to end in the next 12 to 24 months.

“Without those federal funds we will see systems go belly up,” Sen. Weiner said.

If prior year funding allotments are upheld, the impact of the request for additional funding on the General Fund would be limited to $213 million for fiscal year 2023-2024. Additional operational funding would also be sought from other sources to meet transit funding needs more completely.

Sen. Weiner warns that the transit systems can find themselves in a death spiral. “When transit systems have fewer riders, it means less revenue, and if that leads to service cuts it means even more riders leaving

the systems because they are not reliable enough, and then we see further service cuts.”

Sen. Weiner noted that should the transit system unravel, it could have economic implications as workers can’t get to work. It also negatively impacts transit dependent communities and undermines the state’s climate goals.

Michael Pimentel, Executive Director of California Transit Association listed the pandemicinduced challenges facing transit: slow ridership growth; a widening workforce gap; and impending operating deficits which threaten the ability to provide service and contribute to the state’s environmental objectives.

Executive Director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Jeff Tumlin commented on the climate concerns “In San Francisco about half of our greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation…of that about 75% is private cars and trucks while less than 1% is public transit. If we care about advancing our fight against climate change we have to fund public transit through this critical time period.”

The coalition is looking for a state-level solution with flexibility to address local needs.

SACKS, Phyllis Cohn

PHOENIX, AZ - Phyllis Cohn Sacks, a resident of Phoenix, passed away April 4, 2023. Phyllis was born in Los Angeles, and lived in Dallas, New York, Santa Barbara and Rochester, Michigan before moving to Phoenix in 2021.

Phyllis was the beloved wife for 58 years of Sanford

“Sandy” Sacks until his passing in 2007. She was sister to Carol Tobias and mother to Steven E. Sacks. She enjoyed traveling around the world, especially Milan and Barcelona; social events surrounding her husband’s executive career in the department store industry, and being a grandmother and great-grandmother.

Phyllis is survived by her son Steve and wife Diana Sacks of Phoenix, five grandchildren Brent, Andrea, Bryan, Joseph and Katherine, and five great-grandchildren Alex, Audrey, Ben, Sarah and Sadie.

BARBER, Gloris Wanella

January 15, 1926 - April 19, 2023

Gloris Barber, 97, died Wednesday, April 19, in Valle

Verde health care in Santa Barbara from complications of a fall a few weeks earlier. On Saturday, April 15, Gloris woke from a deep sleep at her care home and stated she was going to provide her obituary. She died 4 days later. Her words were recorded, below, how she spoke them with a bit of family history added.

“I was born and raised in Whitewater, Kansas. My parents were Mary Hamilton (1902) Edmund Davis (1892). I was raised in Whitewater until I was 14. My two siblings were Elmina Davis (1924) and Lyle Davis (1930). There were several moves, I moved to Ontario, Pamona, Tabor, and Nebraska. My family moved to Wichita Kansas where I graduated from High School East. I worked at Boeing (1944) as a draftsman of all things. Actually, I went to work for Boeing when I was 17 and I was almost 18 when they found out. They told me I would have to come back and apply later, when of age. I decided to quit midterm and go to school to become a teacher. I worked at Western Union while going to school. I was a substitute. I graduated from the University of Wichita. Got married in 1951, to Bob Barber. My husband and I moved to Iowa, then to Madres Oregon. Taught school at Oregon. My first three children were born in Oregon: Leah Juniper, Eddy Barber, and Jana Barber. After several moves, we ended up in Santa Barbara California (1959). I had Geoffrey in Santa Barbara. I taught at La Patera grammar school for nearly 30 years. The children I taught, taught me more than I taught them. I always thought I had the most perfect family in the world.

Because I had the most perfect family, I did not see any flaws in them.”

Gloris gained two daughter-in-laws in Winnie Willis (Eddy) and Melody Hurst (Leah) and two grandchildren in Shannon (Eddy) and Trayvon Whitley (Jana). In addition, several beloved dogs and chickens (Geoffrey). Mom was loving, caring and intelligent. Those who met her were impressed with her wit and wisdom. She showed women could do work classically done only by men. She was quietly powerful.

She will be missed daily by many.

VELOZ, Robert Louis

January 31, 1934 - April 13, 2023

Bob Veloz passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, April 13, 2023, with his beloved family by his side.

Bob was born on January 31, 1934, in New York City to Louis and Adelaide Veloz. Three years later, the family welcomed identical twin boys who brought so much joy to the family. When Bob was 12 years old, his parents relocated to Burbank, California where he attended Burbank High School, and later Stanford University and UCLA. While in high school, Bob developed a love of sports, especially baseball and football. He was recruited by the Boston Red Sox farm team in his senior year of high school, which he enjoyed immensely until an injury brought his baseball career to an end.

After university, Bob had a long career in aerospace and aviation. From 1972, to 1984, Bob’s career changed course, during which time he was involved in hospital management in the Middle East. Upon returning home, he purchased the J. C. Carter Company, a manufacturing business specializing in aircraft fuel systems and liquified gas pumps.

Bob sold the J.C. Carter Company in 1997, and thereafter retired.

In the early years of Bob’s aerospace career and while at Whittaker Corporation, he met and married the love of his life, Marlene. They were inseparable. Their life together was full of adventure, especially while living in the Middle East and Europe. While abroad, they traveled extensively and made many long-lasting friendships. Bob’s love of adventure and curiosity about different cultures continued throughout his life. His curiosity and life experience gave him a depth of knowledge on so many subjects.

Throughout Bob’s life, he supported his community through many charitable organizations. Bob was a force in Santa Barbara and Montecito, owing to his many generous contributions to the community, and to his insatiable quest to make our community a paradise for all. He particularly enjoyed mentoring young adults. He was passionate about his family, friends, gardening, travel, aviation and his exuberant love of music. Bob took great joy in bringing unexpected and immeasurable happiness to others.

Bob’s death was preceded by the deaths of his parents, Louis and Adelaide, and his younger twin brothers, Thomas and Frank.

Bob is survived by his wife, Marlene, his son Michael and his wife Tia, and daughter Katherine by a previous marriage, his grandchildren, Jonathan and his wife Fanny, Christin and her husband Ryan, Megan and her husband Donnie, and Jeffrey; and his great-grandchildren Kellan, Chloe and Caden.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Bob’s memory to the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center.

SAPP, Richard Stephen

Our beloved patriarch, Richard Stephen Sapp died peacefully at age 84 in Solvang, CA on the morning of April 18, 2023, with his family at his bedside.

Born in Munhall, PA, on August 7, 1938, Richard Stephen Sapp was the only child of Stephen Sapp and Agnes Pripton.

An Air Force ROTC scholarship was the ticket that got Rich out of Munhall and on his way to the University of Notre Dame, where he joined the wrestling team, studied engineering science and became friends with similarly hard-working men that would become his lifelong “Notre Dame Family”.

Shortly after his graduation in 1960, Rich married his childhood sweetheart Arelene (Cook) on a hot and humid August day in Starke, FL. Their first child, Brenda Lynn, was born while Rich was studying for his masters degree in statistics at Stanford University. Two years later they welcomed their second child, Brian Richard.

Throughout their various moves with the US Air Force, Rich shared with his young family his curiosity for so many different aspects of the world - everything from unearthing Civil War relics in Georgia to a whole variety of collections - mushrooms in Indiana, seashells in Florida, and butterflies in Virginia.

Meanwhile, he continued to advance his academic career, capping it with a doctorate in operations research from Purdue University. In the subsequent years, he taught graduate-level engineering and statistics classes in the evenings at several universities along the way including Northeastern in Boston and George Washington and American in Washington, D.C.

When he “retired” as a Lt. Colonel after a 20-year air force career in 1980, Rich continued serving his country and joined NASA as its director of reliability and quality assurance. Several years later, Rich was hired by Lockheed to work on their space shuttle program and eventually became their corporate director of quality in Calabasas, CA.

Their final move delivered them to the Santa Ynez Valley in 1983. Before long, Rich was deeply involved with volunteer work at the Old Mission Santa Ines and San Lorenzo Seminary. He enjoyed sharing with friends and neighbors the bounty of fruits, vegetables and flowers from his well-engineered organic garden.

Once he was fully retired from Lockheed in 1996, he pursued many interests that had eluded him earlier, including learning a foreign language. For 10 years he attended classes and became fluent in Spanish, never missing the chance to engage in Spanish conversations with anyone that could muscle through his “John Wayne” accent. Gatherings with his old buddies from Notre Dame were enjoyed through the decades, both with 5-year reunions in South Bend, and a multitude of “mini-reunions” sprinkled in between. A fierce fan of his alma mater, every fall, the US flag proudly mounted on the front of their house would be replaced by a Notre Dame flag until the end of the football season. Rich so loved Notre Dame, his remains will be interred in the Mary Queen of All Saints Mausoleum on the Notre Dame campus.

Of his numerous passions, none exceeded the love of his family, and physical distance never prevented him from being a major part of their lives. Trips to the east coast were highlighted by visits with his granddaughter Julie McCormick, and stops in Dallas featured his other grandchildren, Richard Sapp II, Ryan Sapp, and Elizabeth Sapp. All of the grandchildren share fond memories of visits to their grandparents’ home in Solvang and many other trips with them throughout California and beyond. Please join his wife Arelene and their children - daughter Brenda and her husband Glenn (Saller), along with their son Brian and his wife Hope (Wigton) - in a celebration of Richard’s life this Tuesday, May 2, at 11 a.m. at the Old Mission Santa Ines.

MONIOT, Donlon Lewis

Donlon Lewis Moniot, age 55, passed away on April 25, 2023, in his home in Santa Ynez. Don was born October 5th, 1967, to Lewis and Margaret Moniot in Santa Barbara. Don graduated from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School in 1986, where he played defensive tackle for the Pirates for 4 years.

After he married his high school sweetheart, Tammy, they had two daughters Heather (who married Logan) and Melissa (who married Victor). Heather and her husband Logan have one daughter, and a son on the way. Don is also survived by his siblings, Jeanine, Denise, Mark, and Marks wife Tina Moniot; as well as an abundant amount of nieces and nephews.

Don worked for his brother for 35 years as an electrician for Mark Moniot Electric Inc. Don was a devoted husband, father, brother and an avid outdoorsman. He loved hunting, fishing, and camping with his family. He will be deeply missed by family, friends, and all who knew him.

Celebration of life will be at Mark and Tinas home Monday May 1st, starting at 1:00pm at 3150 Calkins Road Los Olivos.

Loper Funeral Chapel, Directors

RICE, Charlsie Mae Bias

Longtime Goleta, California resident Charlsie Mae Bias Rice passed away peacefully at home on February 19th, at the age of 93.

Charlsie was born to Charlie and Lylia Bias in Carroll County Georgia and was the oldest sister of 8 children. She was married to David Miller Rice (former husband and now deceased). They had seven children together: Charlotte Elaine of Santa Barbara, C. Yvonne of Goleta, John D.T. (Deceased), Quintin D. of Fresno, David S. (Deceased), Cicely L. of Los Angeles, Caroline A. of Nashville.

In the late 1960s, David and Charlsie relocated to Goleta from Dayton, Ohio, as David was recruited to Raytheon. Since then, she never moved, and Charlsie held both the same home address and phone number since relocating.

Charlsie is survived by her children, her brother Thomas, her sister Bernice and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Charlsie was a member of New Covenant Worship Center for several decades. Our family will always remember her beautiful singing voice at church services and around the house. As her kids grew, Charlsie joined the workforce; Applied Magnetics, Pacific Scientific.

Charlsie can be described by everyone who knew her and was loved by her as a kind, sweet, steadfast friend, mother, and family member. She was quick to smile, warm, constantly poised, and ever graceful. Her children, extended family and friends are devastated to say goodbye, but recognize the profound impact made on their lives. She will always be our Mom.

The service will be held in Santa Barbara, California on Saturday, May 20, at 10:30 a.m. at Greater Hope Baptist Church. The address is 430 East Figueroa in Santa Barbara. Reception to follow, at Jill’s Place - 632 Santa Barbara Street in Santa Barbara.

FRYKLUND, Karen

Karen Fryklund, longtime Santa Barbara resident, passed away at home on March 29th, 2023. Karen was the beloved wife of Richard Fryklund, loving mother to Nicole (Evan) and Darin, and doting grandmother to Lana and Ellis. She will be greatly missed by all those who knew her.

Karen was born on April 30th, 1949, in Los Angeles to real estate developers Anne and Raymond Neiditch. In classic Karen style, she earned her first paycheck before she even turned one year old. She was cast in the 1950s movie My Blue Heaven, starring Betty Grable, where she played the part of a baby grabbing a feather from a hat.

As a teen, Karen went to Hamilton High where she was a member of the Lorelles.

Karen graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1971, and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Education at Sonoma State University. It was while at Berkeley that she met Richard, her husband of 48 years. Karen and Richard had a backyard wedding ceremony with a Mickey and Minnie Mouse ice cream cake.

Karen and Rick ran their own real estate and property management business for 45 years. They started out in Santa Clarita and moved to Santa Barbara in 1990, with their two children.

Karen was a prolific traveler, visiting more than 125 countries. She took most trips with her husband, as well as several with her kids. Her travel included seeing Timbuktu in Mali, hiking in Bhutan and the highlands of New Guinea, seeing gorillas in Rwanda, and following the Silk Road through “the Stans” and Iran. She loved wildlife adventures throughout Africa, India, Patagonia, Alaska, and the Galapagos, visiting sites such as Machu Pichu, Angkor Wat, Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Borobudur, Tikal, Petra, Persepolis, Bagan, and the pyramids. Her most loved trips included Madagascar, Easter Island, and being in Ethiopia during their turn of the millennium celebration. Her favorite trip, however, was the first, a five-month trip with her husband, where they travelled around the U.S. in a converted van.

Karen loved to read books about the history and culture of the countries she visited. She also enjoyed socializing with friends, cooking, book club, and playing pickle ball. She loved spending time with her family and was known as Kiki to her grandchildren and their friends. Karen was involved in the community, including donating to and volunteering with many charities such as the American Cancer Society.

Karen was always full of youthful energy and love for life. She was a problem solver and will always be remembered for her sense of humor, adventure, tenacity, and the ability to pick a perfect watermelon every time.

CHERRY, William “Bill” Allen

William (W. A. “Bill”) Allen Cherry, Ret. Major, U.S. Army, Ph.D., passed away peacefully at his home in Flagstaff, Arizona on February 11, 2023, of service-related Lewy Body dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Born in Tucson on May 27, 1943, son of Viola Allen and Joseph Cherry, Bill spent many hours of his childhood on his own exploring the Sonoran Desert. This experience gave him a lifelong passion for the ecological diversity of the west.

A strong influence in Bill’s life was the Boy Scouts. He was a proud Eagle Scout and attributed his later success and survival through three tours in Vietnam to what he learned in the Boy Scouts. Bill had an amazing variety of experiences in his active life. After graduating high school in 1961, Bill went to beauty school. He enjoyed it, but after a few months decided it wasn’t for him. He joined the U.S. Army, infantry, and was posted to Vietnam. After one tour, he returned to Tucson and attended the University of Arizona where he majored in entomology. During his time there, he wrangled tarantulas for the lab. After graduation, he reenlisted in the army, where he spent the next 25 years. After becoming an Army Ranger, Special Forces (82nd Airborne, 3rd Battalion) and more postings in Vietnam, he graduated from Officers Candidate School (OCS), serving meritoriously in San Antonio, TX; West Germany as Provo Marshal for “Little NATO” in Karlsruhe, and then in Phoenix with the Army contingent of the Arizona National Guard. His last post was as Battalion Commander of the Navajo Army Depot in Bellemont, Arizona.

After retiring from the army, Bill earned his doctorate in political science at Northern Arizona University. There he also met his wife, Katrina Rogers. Bill and Katrina lived in Flagstaff, other countries such as France, Germany, and Great Britain as well as Santa Barbara, California. Together they traveled throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East where Bill demonstrated an extraordinary ability to make friends almost instantly. His good cheer and outgoing personality endeared him to everyone, even strangers who strained to understand his version of their languages, whether it was Spanish, German, French or his personal mixture. His quick wit and ready smile was their passport to far flung adventures. As a friend in his Santa Barbara golf group said, his golf was terrible but his humor was priceless.

At NAU, Bill taught political science and believed that an understanding of the U.S. Constitution was essential to a good education. He even ran, and lost, for the AZ state legislature twice and enjoyed every minute of shaking hands and speaking to people about their lives and concerns. He transitioned into teaching humor writing at NAU and corralled his friends to read side splitting student essays and awarding prizes for the best ones. He was always entertaining and had an unflagging zest for friends and life.

Bill remained grounded in his army roots. In Flagstaff, Bill served as commander of the American Legion, Mark Moore Post #3 (2007-2008) and was involved in local democratic politics for many years. He volunteered for the Flagstaff International Relief Effort (FIRE), the MS Society, Friends of Flagstaff’s Future, and offered his humor and skills as a charity auctioneer to local organizations. He was a member of the American Legion riders, ABATE, and Veterans for Peace. For his 70th birthday, he completed the motorcycle Run for the Wall, a tribute for Vietnam veterans.

Bill was a person who loved his fellow human beings and believed in a lifetime of service. He is survived by his wife, Katrina, and his children, Elizabeth Kristen, Brandt, and Bill Jr. If you would like to make a donation in his name, please give to the fund he helped establish with Katrina in 2019, supporting the faculty and student research collaboration he was passionate about - the President Katrina S. Rogers Faculty Research Fund - at giving.fielding.edu.

A service is being planned at the Arizona Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery- Camp Navajo on May 26th. Cars will line up at 11:45 AM sharp. All are welcome. A service in Santa Barbara will be planned later in the summer.

Mandate for federal workers blocked by appeals court

MANDATE

Continued from Page A2 place by the U.S. District Court of Arizona since Feb. 2022, but it was scrapped by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals this month.

“Procedurally, this application challenges the Ninth Circuit’s sua sponte order staying the district court’s injunction against enforcement of the Contractor Mandate in Arizona, which otherwise would have remained in effect pending issuance of the mandate,” the application

states. “Because the Federal Respondents did not request a stay below, the Ninth Circuit overreached when it disturbed the status quo and stayed the district court’s injunction sua sponte.” Although COVID-19 is no longer considered a national emergency, the decision of whether or not employers should require their employees to get the vaccine remains a contentious topic. President Biden also tried to mandate the vaccine for federal workers, but that is currently blocked by an appeals court, according to NBC News.

DEATH NOTICES

SPENCER, JOHN FREDERICK, 74, of Santa Barbara. Died March 14. A celebration of his life will take place 1 to 4 p.m. May 13 at Oak Park Friendship Grove in Santa Barbara. Arrangements are being handled by Featheringill Mortuary in San Diego.

equivalent to the amount of water consumed annually by 10 people in an urban environment.

Sun.

The goal of wanting an injunction brought back is to stop federal contractors from being required to take the vaccine.

Being a real estate agent is the art of helping others

With the good fortune of having been born and raised in Santa Barbara, the idea to become a real estate agent in this wonderful community seemed very appealing.

2023 marks my 40th year in the real estate industry, which means I have worked in almost every type of market, across numerous cycles and with countless people: clients, fellow agents, lenders, vendors and more. It is what I love to do.

The real estate profession is so special in that it requires one to be helpful on so many levels and to so many people.

By helpful, I mean the big things and the little things.

At a high level that could include: making it easy for clients, saving them time, connecting the dots, etc. To me, the best agents

are those who have the natural instinct and desire to get up every day, motivated to help individuals and families (often multiple generations of them), provide creative solutions, and above all else, make a positive difference in their lives.

In order to achieve a client’s optimal outcome, my first priority is building trust. Once trust has been established, being an adviser is extremely rewarding. It is imperative we (as agents) provide the context, facts and insights on current market conditions, whatever they may be.

Conditions are constantly evolving, especially today. We cannot control the market, but we must know the market. It is paramount to stay current on all things that affect local real estate, which means intimately knowing our inventory, what is available

Charitable giving is one way to make the world better

Charitable giving is an important part of a financial plan.

When we give of our time, talent and treasure, we can help create a better world for everyone while providing valuable tax deductions.

In essence, you will either give a portion of your monies to the government via taxation or give it to a charitable organization where you and the organization will benefit. It’s a way for individuals and companies to give back to their communities, support causes they are passionate about, and help those in need.

Whether it’s donating money, volunteering time or contributing resources, charitable giving can make a real difference in your life and the lives of others.

C.S. Lewis is a great example of a true “charitable giver.”

He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1898 and passed away in 1963. Lewis was a noted Oxford academic, Cambridge professor and author of more than 50 books.

He was known for his generosity. Once while crossing the street with a friend, a panhandler came up and asked Lewis for some money. Lewis emptied his pockets and gave all he had to the man.

As the beggar ambled off, Lewis’s friend scolded him saying, “Why did you give that man money? He’ll just go and drink it!”

Lewis responded, “Yes, but if I’d kept it, I would have drank it!”

Lewis characteristically tended to be more readily suspicious of his own motives more than second guessing the motives of others.

In his lifetime, he set up a foundation he named the Agape Fund, which continues to help those in need today. After Lewis’s death, his solicitor, Owen Barfield, said Lewis gave away 80% of his income — including all the money he made from his books and lectures.

He served as a model of magnanimity and generosity.

Lewis said that all his giving came back tenfold in many ways throughout his life and continues today.

Larry Crandell was one of the most important people in the Santa Barbara community for decades because of what he did for charities. He was my mentor as I began my career in financial services in 1983.

He gave me great advice from a business standpoint, helped me join the board of directors of the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table, and I had the pleasure of serving on the founding Westmont College Foundation Board where Larry was the chairman.

Larry continually emphasized just how important charitable giving is. He told me the “psychic income” one receives from giving is priceless and that “your efforts will come back to you ten-fold in ways you can only imagine.”

Larry was born on April 5, 1923 in Lynn Mass and passed away in

(on or off-market), what is selling and for how much, and what’s coming soon, so we can be relied upon and trusted to provide informed opinions on property values or impactful home improvements. These are big decisions that we must always treat with thoughtfulness, sincerity and a fiduciary responsibility.

Furthermore, maintaining good relationships and respect within the real estate community at large benefits our clients whether they are buyers or sellers. Being able to provide recommendations for vetted vendors, whether they’re inspectors, lenders, roofers, painters, stagers or a myriad of

other connections. The trust that a client has for advice on improvements, preparations, timing and coordination is invaluable.

The community of Santa Barbara is very special and diverse. I am proud of the philanthropic participation so many of our residents take in being active in so many of the activities, nonprofits, schools and businesses that make us unique and exceptional. For me, it has been rewarding to have been involved in the Santa Barbara Airport, the Sunrise Rotary Club, Childhelp USA, the Santa Barbara Zoo as well as volunteering or supporting many other

organizations. It fills me with joy to give back to this oasis of a community that I’ve been a part of my entire life. Being naturally helpful, building trust, providing excellent service to longstanding or new clients and loving what I do keeps me motivated each and every day, a trait I believe is paramount for any serious professional looking for a sustained career. The joy in helping my clients achieve their goals, whether that means finding their dream home, downsizing, or moving to be closer to family, is beyond satisfying.

Patricia Griffin is a Broker Associate with Village Properties

and has been practicing real estate in Montecito and Santa Barbara for more than 40 years. For more information on Ms. Griffin, visit www.patriciagriffin.com or contact her at 805-705-5133.

Inflation marker rises again in March

By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) – Inflation levels continue to remain elevated despite a slew of Federal Reserve Rate hikes, newly released federal inflation data shows.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Personal Consumption Expenditure index, a top inflation marker for the Federal Reserve, rose 0.3% in March.

“From the same month one year ago, the PCE price index for March increased 4.2 percent (table 11),” BEA said. “Prices for goods increased 1.6 percent and prices for services increased 5.5 percent. Food prices increased 8.0 percent and energy prices decreased 9.8 percent.

Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index increased 4.6 percent from one year ago.”

Republicans have repeatedly blasted President Joe Biden for higher prices, which have soared during his tenure. President Biden will likely have to fend off these arguments, having just announced his bid for reelection.

despite the Federal Reserve’s more recent actions.

Santa Barbara in 2016. He grew up poor and virtually fatherless in the Great Depression.

He was just 19 in 1943 when, like so many of the “Greatest Generation,” he answered the call of duty and volunteered to fight in World War II. Larry served as a bombardier on a B-24 Liberator in Europe, and narrowly escaped with his life when his plane was ditched in the Adriatic Sea. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his service.

Larry rose to early success with Arthur Murray’s ballroom dance business in the 1950s, became successful in his real estate investments and then found his true calling for decades as a community leader and preeminent emcee in Santa Barbara.

Known as “Mr. Santa Barbara,” Larry was a volunteer without peer in Santa Barbara’s charity world.

Larry rubbed shoulders with the likes of Michael Douglas, the Dalai Lama, U.S. presidents and NBA champion coach Pat Riley as well as countless other important and famous Santa Barbara visitors.

One estimate puts the amount Larry Crandell rose for charity at more than $250 million. He was “playfully serious and seriously playful.” He had a tremendous ability to use humor to inspire people and “turn good fun into fun for good.” Larry amazed all with his quick wit, humor and especially his desire to help. Once he was the master of ceremonies at a dinner event with over 300 in attendance where he helped raise over $500,000 for a charity.

The next morning, I was at breakfast with Larry, and he noticed a distraught woman at the table next to us. He paid for her meal without her knowing and told the waitress, “Tell her an admirer paid the bill and that things will get better!”

Larry Crandell’s life was filled with giving.

What a tremendous example he was to me and so many. His legacy lives on in Santa Barbara. Charitable giving can bring important tax deductions, but the most important benefit can be the “psychic income” that comes with helping others.

Give of your time, talent and treasure, and stay the course!

Tim Tremblay is president of Tremblay Financial Services in Santa Barbara (www. tremblayfinancial.com).

Economists noted that inflation has slowed since its peak during the Biden administration but still remains high

“Today’s data on persistent increases in the core PCE provides more evidence that the #Fed’s rate hikes aren’t nearly sufficient to return #inflation to 2%,” economist Peter Schiff wrote on Twitter. “If anything, without substantial cuts to government spending, the rate hikes add to the upward pressure on consumer prices.”

Republicans have repeatedly blasted President Joe Biden for higher prices, which

have soared during his tenure. President Biden will likely have to fend off these arguments, having just announced his bid for reelection.

“When President Biden took office, inflation was just 1.4% and the average price for a gallon of gas was $2.39,” U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., wrote on Twitter. “Now, inflation has not fallen below 5% in the last 12 months and the average price for a gallon of gas is $3.67. Americans can’t afford 4 more years of President Biden.”

The real estate profession is so special in that it requires one to be helpful on so many levels and to so many people.

TIM TREMBLAY INVESTMENTS

Event will again feature Green Car Show

EARTH DAY

Continued from Page A1

Since the tragedy, community members have gathered each year to celebrate the earth and find new ways to save the environment.

This year, the festival will host hundreds of exhibits and booths all honoring the sustainability efforts that the Santa Barbara community has provided. Some of these are businesses selling sustainable products, thrift stores, yoga instruction, green energy presentations and more.

A highlight of the weekend is the Green Car Show. This show is the longest-running public environmentally focused car show in the United States. The show will feature a variety of electric vehicles that are in production around the world.

There will be lots of live music and entertainment for the entire family to enjoy. Heads All Happy Hour, Spencer the Gardner and

Biden authorizes military to call up reservists to combat drug trafficking at southern border

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE

SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

CENTER

(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden issued an executive order authorizing activeduty armed forces reservists to be called up to address “international drug trafficking” at the southern border. He did so ahead of the public health authority Title 42 ending in less than two weeks, on May 11.

President Biden issued the order under the National Emergencies Act and in furtherance of an executive order he issued on Dec. 15, 2021, “Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade.” That executive order “declared a national emergency to address the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by international drug trafficking.”

The latest executive order, issued Thursday, authorizes the Defense Secretary “to respond to the national emergency.” It directs the secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force to call up active-duty reservists who would likely be sent to the southern border. The order also authorizes the Department of Homeland Security Secretary to direct the Coast Guard to call up active-duty reservists.

In a subsequent letter to Congress, President Biden wrote, effective April 27, he was “authorizing the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to order to active duty such units and individual members of the Ready Reserve under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned” as each “considers necessary.” Calling up the reserves “will ensure the Department of Defense can properly sustain its support of the Department of Homeland Security concerning international drug trafficking along the Southwest Border,” he wrote. He did so two years after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed Texas Army and Air National Guard to the southern border through the state’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star, which launched in March 2021. Texas has taken the lead on securing the

President Biden issued the order under the National Emergencies Act and in furtherance of an executive order he issued on Dec. 15, 2021, “Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade.”

border, doing the job the federal government has refused to do, Gov. Abbott maintains.

Title 42 is a Trump-era policy that allowed Border Patrol to return illegal border crossers to Mexico during the COVI-19 pandemic.

President Biden’s December 2021 order authorized the Treasury Secretary to impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities involved in the global trafficking of illicit drugs, including fentanyl. In it, he wrote that the trafficking of illicit drugs, including fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, “is causing the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans annually, as well as countless more non-fatal overdoses with their own tragic human toll.”

The order doesn’t identify the origin of the fentanyl crisis stemming from Mexico and Mexican cartels. It states, “Drug cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and their facilitators are the primary sources of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals that fuel the current opioid epidemic, as well as drug-related violence that harms our communities.”

President Biden issued the orders after Gov. Abbott repeatedly called on him to designate Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, something the Texas governor did through executive order last September. Gov. Abbott also has sent eight letters to the president related to border security and has still received no response.

Since March 2021, Texas Operation Lone Star officers have seized more than 382 million lethal doses of fentanyl, enough to kill more than everyone in the United States. This excludes the volume of fentanyl seized by U.S. Border Patrol agents, Drug Enforcement Agency and other federal and state law enforcement agencies that’s enough to kill the

entire U.S. population multiple times over.

OLS law enforcement officers have also apprehended more than 367,000 illegal foreign nationals and made more than 27,000 criminal arrests, with over 25,000 felony charges reported, as of April 21, according to the governor’s office.

Since President Biden’s been in office, well over 6 million foreign nationals have been apprehended or reported evading capture at the southern and northern borders, with both borders reporting record numbers of apprehensions and gotaways. Gotaways are foreign nationals who don’t arrive at ports of entry, don’t file asylum or other immigration claims, and illegally enter the U.S. intentionally attempting to evade capture by law enforcement. The majority aren’t caught, and law enforcement officials have no idea who or where they are.

It’s the gotaways that law enforcement officers have expressed concerns about, describing them mostly as single military age men. They are described as illegally entering the U.S. between ports of entry carrying fentanyl and other drugs in backpacks and trafficking women and children.

While several Democrats in Washington, D.C., have claimed that 90% of fentanyl being trafficked across the southern border is seized at ports of entry, Border Patrol agents and state and local law enforcement fentanyl seizures between ports of entry or several hundred miles from the border disprove this claim. In the southern border states of California, Arizona and Texas, law enforcement officers in single operations nowhere near ports of entry or the border have seized enough fentanyl, methamphetamine and other drugs to kill entire towns, regions and state populations.

The Last Decade are among the performers.

Additionally, the Santa Barbara Earth Day will host Jane Fonda as the speaker Sunday on its main stage. She will also present the CEC’s Environmental Hero Awards to two individuals in the community who have made an outstanding impact on the fight on climate change.

Alongside the speakers and entertainers, there will be many food and drink options to explore. So you can grab a slice of pizza from Hi-Fi Pizza Pi or veggie-based sandwiches from Sassafrass.

Local favorite McConnell’s Ice Cream will be selling all of its best flavors.

For the adults, there will be a beer and wine garden with local vineyards and breweries in attendance. For more information, visit sbearthday.org.

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

Senator seeks to address violence against health-care workers

By GLENN MINNIS

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – With U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showing health-care workers are four times more likely to be seriously injured while on the job than workers in any other industry, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., has introduced legislation aimed at stemming the trend.

Coming as violence against nurses has only picked up, Sen. Baldwin’s bipartisan measure would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to mandate that health-care and social services employers put in place a workplace violence prevention plan that includes a full-fledged evaluation of the facility’s level of security and staffing while also stipulating that employers log violent incidents and immediately launch investigations into them.

Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities and home-based hospice work are among the establishments that would be covered by the new federal standard.

The issue of safety has long been one that worries many across the industry, with a range of employees often raising concerns about departments being understaffed, which ends up

Sen. Baldwin’s bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., and has the support of a trio of Republican representatives.

putting both workers and patients at risk.

Over the past two years, The Journal Sentinel has been conducting an investigation into violence against hospital workers following the 2019 deadly attack on nurse Carlie Beaudin in a sparsely lit Froedtert Hospital parking garage. As part of its reporting, the newspaper pointed to how hospitals have taken few steps to prevent violence against staffers in the face of weak OSHA protections.

With just eight states currently having workplace violence prevention plans in place, Sen. Baldwin’s bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., and has the support of a trio of Republican representatives.

A similar bill proposed by Sen. Baldwin last year stalled in the Senate after passing the House, as the American Hospital Association and several other hospital lobbies have stood opposed to such changes.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Riders go airborne Friday at the Santa Barbara Fair & Expo at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara. The fair continues today and Sunday. For more information, see earlwarren.com/fair-and-expo.

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

This canopy will provide shade for the Earth Day event’s beer garden.

Hutchinson focuses on economy, law as throws his hat into presidential race

By KIM JARRETT THE

CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) - Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson aimed at President Joe Biden’s policy in his Wednesday announcement as a 2024 presidential candidate and did not mention his Republican opponents directly.

“In this campaign for president, I stand alone in terms of my experience, my record, and leadership from Congress to the DEA to homeland security,” Mr. Hutchinson said in Bentonville. “I have served our country in times of crisis.”

Mr. Hutchinson mentioned the economy first and blamed President Biden for the higher inflation and interest rates.

“The Biden administration has turned its back on the American worker,” Mr. Hutchinson said.

“To turn our economy around, we have to stop the ‘break the bank’ federal spending that has led to high inflation and rising interest rates.”

The former federal prosecutor aimed at both parties when addressing the national debt.

“Both Democratic and Republican administrations bear responsibility for our current $31 trillion national debt,” Mr. Hutchinson said. “I would like to say we would be debt free in ‘33. Well, it might take longer than that.”

Mr. Hutchinson said he backed law enforcement, including federal agents.

“The argument to defund police is designed to undermine our rule of law,” Mr. Hutchinson said. “We should not defund the police. We should not defund the FBI. But we do need serious reform to refunction the core functions of

federal law enforcement.”

Mr. Hutchinson enters an already crowded field for the Republican primary led by former President Donald Trump. Radio host and commentator Larry Elder, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy top the list as other announced candidates. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is also exploring a possible run. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is often mentioned as a candidate but he has not announced his intentions. Mr. Hutchinson did not mention Mr. Trump in his campaign announcement but has said previously he doesn’t think Mr. Trump should run if he were indicted. A New York grand jury indicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

President Biden formally announced his candidacy early Tuesday morning.

Mr. Hutchinson enters an already crowded field for the Republican primary led by former President Donald Trump. Radio host and commentator Larry Elder, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy top the list as other announced candidates.

New report shows Arizona manufacturing ‘renaissance’

By CAMERON ARCAND THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square)— New data on the manufacturing sector in Arizona shows rapid growth in recent years for the industry.

A report from the Common Sense Institute, a Phoenix-based conservative think tank, determined that Arizona topped all other states in March for adding 2,000 manufacturing jobs and $77.6 billion in “direct sales and output” from the sector in 2022, which the group said in a roughly 40% uptick since 2017.

In addition, CSI said that manufacturing results in 16% of the state’s workforce, which is over 600 thousand people. On the tax revenue side, the report found that $5.8 billion came from the sector in 2022.

A notable finding from the research is that there’s been a 30% increase in employment for manufacturing in Arizona. There are still fewer employed in the sector than there were in 2000, but it is close to those numbers at the time. Manufacturing took major dips in 2001 and again during the Great Recession in 2008.

A think tank dubbed the increase a “renaissance” starting in 2017, and the growth in recent years comes amid significant investments by companies

Arizona topped all other states in March for adding 2,000 manufacturing jobs and $77.6 billion in “direct sales and output” from the sector in 2022.

deciding to step up shop throughout the state due to low regulations. Taiwan Semiconductor and LG Energy Solutions are recent examples of multimillion investments from the private sector into establishing themselves on the outskirts of the Phoenix Metropolitan area.

The report suggests that incentives are the best way at the state and federal levels to continue development.

“To support continued growth in Arizona given this environment, state policymakers may be asked to consider policies that create new or expand existing manufacturing incentives,” the report states.

Arizona GOP committee to review federal, state and local COVID response

By CAMERON ARCAND

THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — Arizona Republicans at the state and federal levels plan to reflect on the COVID-19 response at all levels of government with a new committee.

On Friday, the Arizona State Senate announced the Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee, which will start in mid-May with state Sen. Janae Shamp leading as chairman and Sen. T.J. Shope as Vice Chairman. The goal is to “evaluate protocols and overall public health guidance, funding incentives for health care facilities, injustices committed against families, businesses, workers and industries, potential preventative protections,” according to the statement. In addition, the group will develop a report by the end of next year to present to the state legislature.

“The pandemic was a heartbreaking period for so many people on so many different levels,” Sen. Shamp said in the statement. “I lost my job as a Perioperative Nurse because I refused to take the experimental vaccine that we now know has produced serious side effects in

On Friday, the Arizona State Senate announced the Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee, which will start in mid-May.

a number of otherwise healthy individuals. We’ve witnessed lives and livelihoods lost for no other reason than the mismanagement of COVID-19, and we are determined to hold those accountable for the injustices experienced.”

State Rep. Steve Montenegro, RAvondale, as well as Congressmen Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, and Eli Crane will be on the committee. The first two meetings will be at the state capitol on May 25 and 26, but they plan to have more at later dates. Although Arizona arguably had less stringent coronavirus pandemic measures compared to its more liberal counterparts at the state level, places like Pima County took harsher action well after 2020. The committee also plans to look at “any possible legal remedies” for governmental actions that may have had a

harmful impact throughout the pandemic.

While actions to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic started in the United States in March 2020, the national emergency did not formally end until earlier this April, as President Joe Biden signed a bill originally put forth by House Republicans.

The Centers for Disease Control has attributed over 1.1 million deaths to COVID-19 nationwide. Over 33 thousand of those deaths have been in Arizona, according to Arizona Department of Health Services data as of April 26. The state had one of the highest rates of COVID19 deaths in the country. As measures such as school and office closures dominated the U.S., the impact ranging from learning loss from students to mental health impacts are still being assessed.

Westmont men’s tennis falls in GSAC Championship

By JACOB NORLING

WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER

Appearing in their first GSAC Championship in five years, and final as a member of the conference, Westmont Men’s Tennis lost to top-seeded #11 Westcliff 4-0 on Thursday. The loss brings an end to Westmont Tennis’ tenure in the NAIA, and also brings an end to the tenure of Westmont head coach Mark Basham.

“I’m grateful,” reflected Basham. “I’m grateful that we had the opportunity to play in this match, representing Westmont. I’m grateful that our guys were healthy and ready to play, and I’m

grateful that our guys truly gave it their best.”

In doubles, Benny Saito and Santiago Tintore Ramon were leading their match on three by a score of 5-4, but the results on one and two made the third match a moot point. On one, Felix Veyhle and Max Mueller bested Logan Thompson and Etha Ha 6-2, and on two, Zak Khalili and Kal Vanderassen defeated Cody Ray Emery and Owen Vander Ark 6-3.

In singles Westcliff took matches on six, five, and three, where Loick Cherruy, Maxence Kupfert, and Angel Melger defeated Saito, Preston Hastings, and Ha, respectively.

Amidst the raw emotion of elimination,

UCSB men’s volleyball’s Seif Earns AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award

By KRISTEN KELLER UCSB SPORTS

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced the recipients of its annual Thirty Under 30 award.

This year, UCSB men’s volleyball’s Assistant Coach Jonah Seif was named to the list.

The AVCA’s Thirty Under 30 award highlights 30 up-andcoming coaches around the country who are making an impact in the sport of volleyball. They range from head coaches to volunteer assistants who are nominated for the award.

“To me, receiving this award is a validation of the efforts of our entire staff and the players throughout the years,” Seif said. “Our successes and achievements are not possible without a team effort, and I feel fortunate to work with such amazing people and for such a special program.”

Seif has been with UCSB

San Marcos triumphant in boys and girls diving

GOLETA — The Royals swept the top spots in both the boys and girls diving competitions for the Channel League Finals.

The meet took place April 20 at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta.

The San Marcos girls’ team took the top two spots with junior diver Kate Edgar having her career best meet to secure a first-place finish with a score of 328.60. Junior diver

men’s volleyball not only as a coach, but as a player. His time in Rob Gymnasium started in 2012 as a player, where he was a three-time AVCA All-American. Once his playing career ended, he accepted a position on the coaching staff with head coach Rick McLaughlin in 2019, serving the student-athletes of UCSB a since then. During his time on staff, the Gauchos won The Big West Championships in 2021 while making a run to the NCAA Semifinals. Since joining the coaching staff, the Gauchos held an overall record of 57-33.

Head Coach Rick McLaughlin said about Seif: “Jonah is one of the top upcoming coaches in the country. We are extremely lucky to have him at UCSB.”

Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB.

email: sports@newspress.com

Bridget Cunnison was right behind, finishing second with 322.30.

On the boys’ side, senior diver Jack Cunnison took first place with a score of 404.70.

“Jack had been out for most of the season with an injury but came into the meet relaxed and nailed his dive list,” said head coach Michael Martz.

Senior diver Sam Eaton took the second place spot with his personal best score of 341.60, and freshman diver Otis Eaton placed fourth with a score of 266.25.

— Annika Bahnsen

Westmont’s team huddled around each other for nearly an hour, with each member of the club expressing their gratitude for the journey. The men spoke not of the tennis played, but of the bonds built between them over their time spent together.

“I’m going to remember the relationships,” shared graduating Captain Benny Saito. “The bond that we were able to form on the court, on the trips, and just being around each other, those are special. That’s what I’m going to remember.

“These guys are like brothers. I’m also going to remember my time with Bash. Coach Basham was a great coach, but

more than anything, he was a mentor to each and every single guy. That’s special. I’m going to remember a couple wins too, but it’s the relationships with these guys that’ll stick with me.”

“There’s a lot to remember about this team,” said Basham. “It was just so much fun to spend time around them. This is a wonderful, respectful, and grateful group. They’re men of God, and I feel very fortunate to have been able to be their coach this year. When asked what he would remember most about his time at Westmont overall, Basham said, “First and foremost, the players. I’ve been fortunate not only to coach wonderful young men, but also to

remain in touch with a great deal of them.

I’m thankful for that.

“It’s also been very humbling for me, spending time around other wonderful coaches. I think of John Moore and his leadership, I think of Kirsten Moore, Dave Wolf, and so on. It’s a great place, a great athletic department, and a great program.

“I’m grateful and humbled that I got to be a part of it.

Basham’s 137 wins are the second-most in Westmont Men’s Tennis history.

Jacob Norling is the sports information assistant at Westmont College. email: sports@newspress.com

UCSB women’s water polo’s season ends against Long Beach State

By ERIC BOOSE UCSB SPORTS WRITER

Seven different Gauchos found the back of the net, and Madison Walker made 15 saves, but the No. 6 seed UCSB women’s water polo team fell in the quarterfinals of The 2023 Big West Championship, 10-7, to No. 3 seed Long Beach State. The Gauchos end the 2023 season with a record of 18-11, seven more wins than their 2022

campaign.

Hosting The Big West Championship for the first time since 2016, UCSB came out strong, with Walker shutting out Long Beach State’s offense through the first quarter. The Gauchos scored the first three goals of the match, with Sarah Owens and Cami Mras giving UCSB a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period. Drew Halvorson made it 3-0 to start the

second quarter, but the Beach got two back before the halftime buzzer. Long Beach scored the first two goals of the second half, but Imani Clemons and Nina Munson got those goals back before the end of the third quarter. It was only in the fourth quarter that the Beach was able to hold the momentum, scoring four in a row, holding a three-goal lead before UCSB found the back of the net.

Caitlyn Snyder scored with four minutes left to provide a late spark, and Annie Kuester really gave the Gauchos some hope by scoring with just under two to go, but it was not to be.

Eric Boose is assistant director of athletic communications at UCSB.

email: sports@newspress.com

MURAL

Continued from Page A1

school, and applause began. When talking with the NewsPress, Ms. Andrulaitis explained her motivation for the mural and what it has been like being back.

“It’s a full circle moment. It is good to see students who were where I was when I was a student.”

“I think the mural has been really great to be an inspiration to them,” she said with a smile.

“That has been the most special part. Especially hearing them say thank you like they did, it is truly special.”

Ms. Andrulaitis also mentioned her future endeavors as an artist:

“I really like painting and want to get into the gallery scene.”

Ms. Andrulaitis then expressed that she is going to be attending Rhode Island School of Design in the fall to pursue her dreams.

email: abahnsen@newspress.com

KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS

The children of the Peabody Charter School will now have a mural to enjoy for many years to come.

‘Hearing them say thank you like they did, it is truly special’

Life theArts

Canadian artist

By MARILYN MCMAHON

Beginning today with an opening reception from 2 to 4 p.m., “Recent Paintings by Ross Penhall” will be on view through May 15 at the Caldwell Snyder Gallery, 1266 Coast Village Road in Montecito.

The Canadian artist paints vibrant landscapes that he observes while traveling and in his daily life. This exhibition is inspired by California and Vancouver, British Columbia.

CALENDAR

“The subjects I choose are familiar to me — I see them around me everyday and in my travels,” Mr. Penhall said. “In these subjects, I look to contrast, balance and amplify what I see. My interest lies in the composition, transforming the world outside and making it my own, while allowing viewers to find their own stories.”

Nature, as shaped and redefined by human hands, is the focus of Mr. Penhall’s captivating yet enigmatic paintings. His work depicts enchanting, manicured, urban landscapes — groomed lawns, shaped shrubbery, pruned trees

Ross Penhall’s vibrant landscapes on view through May 15

maintained.

— all arranged in eye- pleasing symmetry that speaks of a serene, orderly world.

“I inch my way, removing obstacles and distractions. Art is problem solving and making adjustments. There are no mistakes, only adjustments,” said Mr. Penhall, whose work can be found in numerous private, corporate and public collections in the United States and Canada.

The greatest influence on his life and art has been living in the highcontrast hillsides of Vancouver’s North Shore.

“The subjects I choose are

familiar to me — I see them around me everyday,” he said.

Drawing upon the influences of such notable painters as Thomas Hart Benton, Georgia O’Keefe, Grant Wood and Emily Carr, Mr. Penhall has taken his own turn enhancing the enhancements.

He flattens, stylizes and simplifies forms, embellishes colors and exaggerates contrasts. The result is a make-believe, somewhat unreal landscape that although compelling, serves as a gentle reminder that nature is never static, and man’s imprint is transitory unless vigilantly

“I’m becoming more content with the joys and discomforts of living the creative life. I realize these feelings or moods are cyclical. I practice gratitude. My creative flow comes from daily practice, which builds a strong base allowing me to move forward,” said the artist, who paints at his studio in Vancouver and lives with his wife, Caron, and his dog, Howie, in Horseshoe Bay, British Columbia.

“Practicing my craft every day in or out of my studio has become second nature to me — a way of

Please see PENHALL on B4

COURTESY PHOTO

Tenor Jimmer Bolden will be among the soloists when The Choral Society performs the fi nal concert of its 75th anniversary season May 6 and 7 at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara.

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Please email them a full week before the event to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@newspress.com.

TODAY

The Santa Barbara Fair and Expo will take place through April 30 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. For more information, go to earlwarren.com/ fair-and-expo.

8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Carpinteria Valley Historical Society and History Museum will host its outdoor fundraiser called “The Marketplace” from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the museum grounds, 956 Maple Ave., downtown Carpinteria.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Storytelling: Native People Through the Lens of Edward S. Curtis” is on display through April 30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, visit sbnature.org. By appointment on weekdays: “Holly Hungett: Natural Interpretations” is on view through May 20 at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara’s gallery, 229 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and weekdays by appointment. For more information, call the foundation at 805-965-6307 or go to www.afsb.org.

Noon to 5 p.m. “Clarence Mattei: Portrait of a Community” is on view now through May at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, which is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 136 E. De la Guerra St. Admission is free. Hours are currently from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and from noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, visit www.sbhistorical.org.

APRIL 30

The Santa Barbara Fair and Expo will take place through April 30 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. For more information, go to earlwarren.com/fair-and-expo.

3:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Museum of Art presents a unique conversation between renowned poet and art critic John Yau and artist Joan Tanner.

The event will take place at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara. Tickets are free for SBMA members and students and cost $5, otherwise. They are available at tickets.sbma.net.

MAY 3

7:30 p.m. Movie stars Laura Dern and Diane Ladd will be speaking May 3 during a UCSB Arts and Lectures program to discuss their new book “Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life and Love.” The event will take place at UCSB Campbell Hall, where the actresses will talk with KLITE’s Catherine Remak. For more information, go to artsandlectures. ucsb.edu.

MAY 6

7 p.m. The Choral Society will wrap up its 75th anniversary season with a “Mozart to Modern” concert at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara, 21 E. Constance Ave. Accompanied by a full orchestra, the 70-member Santa Barbara chorus will perform Mozart’s Requiem and music varying from Palestrina to Morten Lauridsen. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $10 for children. To purchase, go to sbchoral.org.

MAY 7

3 p.m. The Choral Society will wrap up its 75th anniversary season with a “Mozart to Modern” concert at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara, 21 E. Constance Ave. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $10 for children. To purchase, go to sbchoral. org.

— Dave Mason

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2023

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

COURTESY IMAGES “My interest lies in the composition, transforming the world outside and making it my own, while allowing viewers to fi nd their own stories,” said artist Ross Penhall, whose paintings are on display today through May 15 at Caldwell Snyder Gallery in Montecito. The images with this story are some of his oil paintings.

Allan Hancock College to honor community leaders

SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College will recognize three community leaders for their positive impact at the college during the Hancock Honors celebration.

The names of the three honorees will be announced in early May. The event will take

place Sept. 9 at the new Fine Arts Complex’s outdoor plaza and recital hall at the Santa Maria campus. The evening will consist of digital interactive art installations, live art productions and music performed by the Jazz Mafia.

“We’ll not only celebrate the work of these three honorees, but we’ll also showcase the bright future of our college and our community.” said AHC Foundation Executive Director Jon Hooten. Proceeds from the Hancock Honors celebration will benefit

When your heroes let you down

His holiness the Dalai Lama recently apologized for asking a young boy to “suck his tongue” after giving the child a kiss on the lips. Video footage of the exchange shows that the Dalai Lama was all over the boy — it just isn’t right.

CNN and multiple news sources reported that the office of the 87-year-old spiritual leader of Tibet issued a statement saying, “His holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused,” adding that he “regrets” the incident.

“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras,” the statement said.

The exchange took place during an event in the hillside city of Dharamshala in February. The articles reported that the apology happened after the video of the exchange went viral on social media. In the video, the young boy can be seen approaching the Nobel Peace Prize winner before the kiss, asking “Can I hug you?”

the Hancock Promise, which provides local high school graduates with a year of free tuition at Hancock. Additional information regarding tickets and the event will be available in May.

The 87-year-old spiritual leader then invites the boy on stage and points to his cheek and says, “First here,” prompting the boy to give him a hug and a kiss.

The Dalai Lama then points to his lips and says, “Then I think finally here also.” He then pulls the boy’s chin and kisses him on the mouth.

“And suck my tongue,” he says after a few seconds, poking his tongue out.

In response to the incident, a prominent Delhi-based child rights group, Haq: Center for Child Rights, told CNN in a statement that it condemns “all forms of child abuse.” It added, “Some news refers to Tibetan culture about showing tongue, but this video is certainly

not about any cultural expression, and even if it is, such cultural expressions are not acceptable.”

I have seen this behavior in many people with dementia, and hopefully that’s the cause. So many people have respected this Peace Prize winner for decades. I know I certainly have. The Lama PR machine is trying to make a joke out of this, trying to get us to laugh it off. I’ve seen that tried plenty of times by abusers too. But trying to pass this off as a joke is inexcusable. I know what child abuse is, and this most certainly meets the criteria. Children need to be under our protection, as do the elderly who cannot take care of themselves and who can hurt others. The Dalai Lama’s action cannot be denied, and it has brought so much pain to his followers and even to those who just follow the Dalai Lama on social media. The comments about this are as you would expect: a few people defending him but so many more who are disgusted by what he did. As am I.

My heroes have always been people who cared for those who could not care for themselves.

Albert Schweitzer was the first, and the Dali Lama was someone I respected my entire life. Now that respect is gone.

Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D., is an award-winning psychotherapist and humanitarian. He is also a columnist, the author of eight books and a blogger for PsychologyToday. com with more than 28 million readers. He is available for video consults worldwide. Reach him at barton@bartongoldsmith.com or 818-879-9996. He has lived and practiced in Westlake Village for more than two decades. His column appears Saturdays and Mondays in the News-Press.

SOhO concert to benefit wilderness project

SANTA BARBARA — Pete

Muller and The Kindred Souls will perform at 7:30 p.m. May 2 at SOhO Restaurant and Music Club, 1221 State St., Suite 205, Santa Barbara. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

Proceeds will benefit the Wilderness Youth Project.

Mr. Muller — a Santa Barbara singer, songwriter and pianist — has released four solo albums.

In addition to Mr. Muller, The Kindred Souls includes John Whooley, Missy Soltero and

Martha McDonell.

The Kindred Souls is known for its American roots and soul music, folk intimacy, pop charm and jazz sophistication. The band’s latest album, “Hello Outside,” was released April 21. Tickets cost $30 for general admission and $85 for VIP seats. To purchase, go to www.sohosb. com. The concert is for all ages.

— Dave Mason

Library foundation to present new award

SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation recently launched the inaugural Jessica Cadiente Library Champion Award at a National Library Week event.

This award was created to honor the Library Director Jessica Cadiente’s vision and leadership. The award will be given annually to someone who shows dedication to the Santa Barbara Public Library.

Ms. Cadiente has worked in almost every position available at a public library through the course of her career. She believes that public libraries have the power to adapt to the needs of their communities and

have the ability to expand services and collections to benefit everyone, the foundation noted.

The event, held on Monday, updated the attendees on the Library’s progress on the new Michael Towbes Library Plaza and recognized the people who participated in the renovation.

On Tuesday, the Library Foundation and Library Board accepted a proclamation from the city of Santa Barbara, declaring this week as National Library Week. Throughout this week, residents have been encouraged to visit their local library and explore resources.

— Kira Logan

Rotary Club honors teacher for classroom excellence

SANTA BARBARA —The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara recently recognized Jenna Turner for her leadership as a special education preschool teacher at Harding University Partnership School.

The Rotary Club held a lunch meeting on April 21, where Ms. Turner was awarded a plaque and a $1,000 check for her classroom needs.

Ms. Turner said this money would go toward purchasing items that create a sensory-rich and inclusive environment for her students.

The recipients of this award and recognition are chosen with the

help of the Santa Barbara County Education Office’s Teachers Network.

Ms. Turner is the last of four teachers to be recognized by the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara this school year.

Ms. Turner was nominated by Santa Barbara Unified School District Interim Director of Special Education Karla Curry, who said, “Jenna Turner goes above and beyond to ensure students are assessed and receiving services. She does all of this with a smile on her face and a positive attitude.”

— Kira Logan

— Kira Logan

COURTESY ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE

The Hancock Honors celebration is set for Sept. 9 at Allan Hancock College’s new Fine Arts Complex.

SUDOKU

Thought for Today

“Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.” —

HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Saturday, April 29, 2023

ARIES — Some rather shocking news could come to you from a friend who lives far away, Aries. This probably won’t affect you directly, as it most likely concerns the world economy, politics, or big business, but you still might worry about its long-term effects on society. You could discuss it with friends.

TAURUS — A dip in the stock market might cause you to worry about your own financial future, Taurus. You may have some investments that could be temporarily negatively affected. Bear in mind that such events don’t necessarily reflect future trends. Take steps to create some kind of safety net if you wish, but don’t assume the worst.

GEMINI — Today you might find that some of your more ambitious plans finally seem to be paying off, Gemini. You should be happy about this, but you might panic a bit, fearing that everything could crash at the last minute. Don’t assume the worst and don’t waste your energy worrying.

CANCER — If you’ve been doing some creative or jobrelated writing, today you might be tired, blocked, and unable to muster the energy to turn on the computer. Cancer, you need to ask yourself how important it is to get it done today. It’s far better to wait another day and do it well than grind out something that isn’t up to your standards.

LEO — A project of some kind you’ve been working on could be going well, Leo, but today you might experience a sudden rush of inspiration that makes it a lot better than you originally envisioned. This could involve effort that seems intimidating at first, but the results should be worth it.

VIRGO — A family member could be experiencing business difficulties, Virgo. Your sensitivity could cause you to feel their anxieties, too. You might want to make it clear to this person that you’re there for him or her, but you also need to

be objective about the situation.

LIBRA — A friend or relative could be ill, out of work, or otherwise beset by problems. You may want to do whatever you can to help out. This could be frustrating, but you will feel better for having done what you can. This person needs to face and deal with his or her responsibilities. They’re out of your control to fix, Libra.

SCORPIO — An unexpected expense, perhaps requiring repairs to the house or car, might take a chunk out of your bank account, Scorpio. This may be disheartening. You’ve worked hard for your money and now you might have to put some of your plans on hold. Still, you need to be philosophical about it.

SAGITTARIUS — Career changes may be on the horizon, Sagittarius. Although positive in the long run, the events leading up to the change may seem catastrophic. Your employer could go out of business or move too far away for you to commute. The secret here is not to panic.

CAPRICORN — Premonitions today might be rather disturbing, Capricorn, and you might actually feel some fear because of them. Don’t panic! Your intuitive abilities aren’t quite as sharp as usual. What you feel could be distorted or untrue. This doesn’t mean you’ve lost it, either.

AQUARIUS — Changes within a group you’re affiliated with might profoundly affect you today, Aquarius. Perhaps the group is veering in a new direction that doesn’t particularly interest you. You might need to reevaluate your involvement. This could make you rather sad since you’ve grown fond of the people and won’t want to lose them as friends.

PISCES — A scandal concerning a celebrity you admire could be in the news today, Pisces. This might throw you for a loop. You might even suffer some disillusionment. Withhold judgment for the time being. Much of what you hear may be traced to gossip or misinformation.

DAILY BRIDGE

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Saturday, April 29, 2023

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.

When you are declarer, you mustn’t try to play two contracts at once. Focus on the contract that is, not one you might have bid.

In today’s deal, six spades would have been a reasonable spot for North-South, probably making if East had the queen of trumps, but they stopped at four, just as reasonably. West led the queen of diamonds, and South took dummy’s ace and let the jack of trumps ride for a finesse.

ACE OF CLUBS

West took the queen and led another diamond, and South ruffed East’s king and drew all the trumps. That left him with none, and when West took the ace of clubs, he cashed three diamonds.

South must have thought he was at a slam. After he wins the first diamond, he can cash the A-K of trumps, then start the clubs. West wins and forces with a diamond, but South runs the clubs. West can score his low trump and his queen, but South keeps control and loses only three tricks in all.

Your partner opens one spade, you respond 1NT

CODEWORD PUZZLE

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3-by-3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9. that means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

Sudoku puzzles appear on the Diversions page Monday-Saturday and on the crossword solutions page in Sunday’s Life section.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers to previous CODEWORD

How to play Codeword

Codeword is a fun game with simple rules, and a great way to test your knowledge of the English language. Every number in the codeword grid is ‘code’ for a letter of the alphabet. Thus, the number 2 may correspond to the letter L, for instance. All puzzles come with a few letters to start. Your first move should be to enter these letters in the puzzle grid. If the letter S is in the box at the bottom of the page underneath the number 2, your first move should be to find all cells numbered 2 in the grid and enter the letter S. Cross the letter S off the list at the bottom of the grid. Remember that at the end you should have a different letter of the alphabet in each of the numbered boxes 1- 26, and a word in English in each of the horizontal and vertical runs on the codeword grid.

PUZZLE

and he bids two clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner has fewer than 19 points, and game is unlikely. Still, you can’t leave him at two clubs when his spades are probably longer. Bid two spades. Your preference shows a tolerance for spades, not real support (with which you would have raised directly to two spades). Your hand is too weak to bid 2NT. South dealer

vulnerable

Napoleon Bonaparte

Wizards turn glass into marvels of art

Ihave known many kinds of artists in my career, but perhaps the most inventive and eccentric artists by medium are the glassblowers.

I don’t know if it is something to do with the heat, the long deep breaths of air down a punty rod, the fickle nature of glass. But a glass artist is a wizard, a shaman, a technician, an engineer and a creator. Glass is one of the mysteries of life as it is not a solid. It is a liquid (so I am told). This tradition is fast becoming a lost art, mainly because it is an expensive medium. The furnaces and tools and gear are major expenses. With glass selling so cheaply out of countries other than the U.S. American traditional glass may see a challenging future.

Ed sends me a lovely 1980s 16inch diameter glass bowl that is signed by Vandermark and numbered in an edition of 300. (The edition number means only a certain number was blown.)

There’s an etched signature on the foot: “Steven Smarr.” Some research indicates that Mr. Smarr was blowing glass with Douglas Merritt in New Jersey in the late 1990s. Doug is still lecturing about glass, and I contacted him about this bowl.

The artists who came out of the studio of Gerald Vandermark (born in the 1940s) were a talented group that studied how to make glass the “Old School” way. Doug and other students of Vandermark learned Colonial glass making techniques, and worked, like their mentor, at national parks and historic manor museums, where glassblowing was part of the Colonial Craft Village Experience.

Mr. Vandermark in 1959 worked at the colonial glasshouse at Jamestown National Park, and his students worked for various colonial villages. In fact, Vandermark Studios was known for colonial reproduction glassware beginning in 1972, but the studio soon developed a unique style in contemporary art glass.

Mr. Merritt and Mr. Smarr

made glass together at the Creative Glass Center of Millville N.J., and the artists there developed a following in traditional art glass techniques, both as teachers and creators of fine glass in styles like cameo glass (think Galle and Daum), cased glass (the layering of different colors of glass blown in sequence), layered glass (think of glass that is cut down to a colored base layer), feathered glass (Tiffany style peacock), and flashed glass (think of Aurene/ Tiffany).

Mr. Merritt developed a technique called Diatretta, which is what we see on this large bowl, where the pink and green floral design seems to be “in the round” having weight and dimensions.

American Art Glass is deservedly famous, and if you get a chance to see the Corning Glass Museum in upstate New York, you will see just how wonderful American glass was and still is. In fact, Merritt has a piece in that museum, a work of cameo glass — a technique made popular in France in the early 1900s.

Vandermark Merritt Studios was a fixture in New Jersey for 44

years, but shut down the furnace in 2016, and Mr. Merritt teaches today. That brings me back to the opening paragraph of this article: Glass blowers are a special breed of artist, and the act of making glass takes a definite physical toll on the artist’s body. If you have seen just how much breath it takes to make a vessel, and just how hot the furnaces are, and how dangerous the work is, you would agree.

Not to mention the disciple you must have not to really hurt yourself.

I find it interesting that Vandermark Merritt Studios “came up” through the American Colonial glassmaking tradition, and in fact, their students performed those costumed demos at such places as Sturbridge, Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown. The “old school” glassblowers knew how to build a furnace, how to build their own glassmaking tools, and they knew how to melt their own glass (not just to order glass pellets from Amazon). They also knew that glass artistry was the ultimate challenge, as glass can tease and trick (says Mr. Merritt).

Vandermark Merritt glass is in the collection of the MET, the Toledo Museum, the Chrysler Museum, the Corning Museum of American Glass, The Wheaton Museum of American Glass, the Smithsonian, Boston Museum, Philadelphia Museum, Newark Museum, Sturbridge, and Colonial Williamsburg.

Douglas Merritt was chosen to blow the glass globes for the Renaissance Revival Room of the American Wing of the MET, where he had made reproductions of the fancy glass globes for a late 19th-century chandelier.

Ed’s bowl, if it were new, would be valued at $3,000, but I see similar ones selling for $800.

Dr. Elizabeth Stewart’s “Ask the Gold Digger” column appears Saturdays in the News-Press. Written after her father’s COVID-19 diagnosis, Dr. Stewart’s book “My Darlin’ Quarantine: Intimate Connections Created in Chaos” is a humorous collection of five “what-if” short stories that end in personal triumphs over presentday constrictions. It’s available at Chaucer’s in Santa Barbara.

PENHALL

Continued from Page B1

life in which there is no boredom,” said Mr. Penhall. “The rituals and routines of how I do my work are as important as the art itself. I am sustained by the years of my life poured into my work and the body

“California March” COURTESY IMAGES

of work that speaks for itself.

“I have been painting for almost 30 years, but curiosity and creativity have been in me since I was a boy. Since then, they have become an inseparable part of my life, informing my thoughts and interests.”

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

FYI

“Recent Paintings by Ross Penhall” is on view today through May 15 at the Caldwell Snyder Gallery, 1266 Coast Village Road in Montecito. For more information, call 805-680-0186.

COURTESY PHOTO

If it were new, this glass bowl would be valued at $3,000.

The county tries to keep its bloat afloat/

DID YOU KNOW?

Bonnie Donovan

Democrats call Justice Clarence omas an impure jurist

“The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected.”

— Justice William Douglas

In writing the Constitution, our founders wanted to balance competing ideals. Alexander Hamilton desired a strong executive branch, and James Madison wanted a dominant legislature.

They spent months formulating a devised balance of power so no one could “hijack” the people’s government.

While the framers disagreed on the balance of legislative versus executive power, there was one thing they agreed upon: They wanted no Constitutional provision that allowed for political parties.

E.E. Schattschneider, author of “Party Government,” wrote, “The authors of the Constitution set up an elaborate division of powers to make political parties ineffective. They hoped they’d exhaust themselves in futile attempts to fight their way through

the labyrinthine framework of government.” One civics lesson Americans have learned over the past two years is “even the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” A progressive trifecta is an undemocratic way to turn a republic into a socialist dominion. Progressives will do anything to gain absolute power within the government.

“Most people don’t know what is best for them until government does it for them.”

— Nancy Pelosi

In 1937, when the Supreme Court diminished President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s thrust for power, the hubristic F.D.R. came up with a scheme to add progressive justices to the Supreme Court to make it his personal legislative bench. He demanded Congress approve his strategy to pack the court with his own hand-picked justices.

F.D.R.’s court-packing scheme would control all federal judges.

He wished to appoint a progressive judge to replace all judges 70 or older. Only a national outcry against his quest for unlimited power and a congressional revolt led by Democratic Sen. Josh Bailey disquieted F.D.R.’s coup. Our founders structured the Supreme Court, “the court of last resort,” in determining the efficacy of law, yet since F.D.R.,

progressives have misused the court to remake unconstitutional laws as constitutional.

“The Court does not rule to please people. It makes decisions on the rule of law.”

— Josh Bailey

In 2020, when President Donald Trump nominated Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the most scholarly qualified judge on the court, disgruntled Democrats planned to resurrect F.D.R.’s court-packing scheme if they won the election. Progressives saw this as a way to get everything they ever wished for and even more!

During the 2020 election, the Democrats campaigned to retake the White House, Congress and to take control of the court. But as the electorate continued to repulse this stratagem, fearing the loss of independents, they regrouped and doubled down on assassinating the character of Donald Trump.

Since public opinion was against court-packing, President Biden and his comrades manufactured new ways to control the court

Proposed tax on short-term rentals is a bad idea

Once more, a politician punishes the innocent, for the sins of the government.

The sour taste of a Limón is expressed in Sen. Monique Limón’s Senate Bill 584, where she is proposing an additional tax, code-named an “assessment,” on short-term rentals.

It appears that it would include families who rent out a B & B room and bathroom to vacationers, including other small landlords in California, focusing on coastal cities.

This bill does not quantify the amount of this assessment, but it appears to be a percentage of the rent for short-term stays and must be payable within 90 days of the receipt of the rent.

through the back door. He fulfilled a promise to put a progressive black woman on the bench by asking liberal Justice Stephen Breyer to retire and giving his seat to a black woman.

“I believe putting women of color on the highest court in the land is politically correct.”

— Joe Biden

Democrats talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk. After President Biden sacrificed Stephen Breyer, pressure has been placed on justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to give up their seats to young progressives.

With his job numbers in the tank, and Vice President Kamala Harris the most unpopular VP in history, Biden knows he must strike now. His new target for forced replacement is black conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, who has been on the Democrats’ hit list since “before” he was nominated by George Bush.

Since Justice Thomas has an

Please see HAUPT on C4

It’s been rough, but we have to hang on

mission.

movement)

We’re losing it.

I mean, we are really losing it.

The royal “We,” meaning those of us of a particular political bent, who find joy and inspiration in heated debate, thoughtful discourse and in the first 10 amendments of the U.S. Constitution, are and have been on the losing side of public debate for decades. And the trend continues to travel in the wrong direction.

Occasionally, we get a reprieve with a Ronald Reagan and more recently, Donald Trump, but the aftermaths of their administrations have been short-lived. The progressive agenda moves on, despite the stumbles.

This latest decline began, I suppose, after Inauguration Day

2017 with the accusation that our new president — Donald J. Trump — had been “compromised” by some nefarious relationship with Vladimir Putin and Russia.

The salacious and completely fictional “Steele Dossier” that claimed President Trump had

hired prostitutes to urinate on the bed that President Barack Obama slept on in Moscow and other equally sensational falsehoods, had been presented as “evidence” to a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) Court of Mr. Trump’s culpability to all things Russian. Most thinking Americans now know that was not only nonexistent poppycock, but was fabricated disinformation promulgated and paid for by the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign and sustained by FBI leadership, along with the help of many of America’s “intelligence” agencies.

PURELY POLITICAL

They succeeded.

In April 2017, we were less than three months into Trump’s presidency when we lost Bill O’Reilly as Fox’s primetime opinionator. He’s still around but he as an influential TV voice has been scuttled. His message has been gutted. His opinion, neutralized.

James Buckley

Piling on were the mainstream printed press, virtually all news and social media outlets, the Hollywood community, and of course, the Democratic Party apparatus. All of which claimed it to be their solemn duty to harass and destroy this president’s destructive (to the Progressive

Then in November 2020, the horrible news that Democrats had cleverly maneuvered a COVID-19era presidential victory for a masked-up lifelong political hack from Delaware named Joe Biden was delivered the morning after Election Day.

Heading up a lackluster campaign out of a basement in his home, he and his leastpopular-Democrat-runningfor-president-ever — Kamala Harris — were named presidentand vice-president-elect, even though President Trump had received many millions more votes (74,223,369) than he had in his first

election.

Somehow, basement-dweller Biden received many millions more than President Trump (81,282,916) without stepping outside his house for any extended period.

Go figure.

On the morning of Feb. 17, 2021, barely a month after President Biden took over at the White House, we learned of the death of Rush Limbaugh. Rush had filled our late mornings here in California with brilliant insight, cogent analysis and lots of politically incorrect humor five days a week for over 30 years.

We received the awful news of his death at the beginning of his radio show, delivered by telephone by his wife, Kathryn. “The Rush Limbaugh Show” began familiarly enough with James HoneymanScott’s opening bass guitar strains from The Pretenders’ “My City Has Gone” theme song. But when Kathryn Limbaugh began to speak (most of us listeners knew Rush had been going through treatment for lung cancer), we voiced a

collective “Uh oh” as we waited to hear what she would say.

Here is what she did say:

“I — like you — very much wish Rush was behind this golden microphone now, welcoming you to another exceptional three hours of broadcasting,” she began, voice cracking ever so slightly. “It is with profound sadness I must share with you directly that our beloved Rush, my wonderful husband, passed away this morning due to complications from lung cancer.”

We knew one day we’d hear those terrible words about the man who worked with “half my brain tied behind my back,” but the reality shocked and deeply saddened us, nevertheless.

Our rock, our hero was no more.

Next, by virtue of President Biden’s flurry of executive orders, the building of the Keystone Pipeline had been halted, leases for drilling in a small portion of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge were rescinded, and a virtual ban on fracking had been

The reason given for this bill is: “To fund workforce housing for those who cannot afford market-price rents.”

This is a bill that will make potential tax criminals out of non-wealthy people, who both provide a rental service and supplement their incomes because, for many of them, without it, they could not afford to live here.

The Limón-proposed “assessment” will add another tax on top of property taxes, federal income taxes, state income taxes and an existing 12% bed tax, plus other charges and restrictions imposed by the local governments on shortterm rentals.

In the meantime, the real culprits creating housing shortages in Santa Barbara include UCSB and Santa Barbara City College — in UCSB’s case, that’s to the tune of 14,050 students and staff. UCSB was committed to provide housing for 5,000 students, plus 2,000 for faculty and staff, prior to reaching a level of 25,000 students.

In addition, there are more than 7,000 students attending SBCC who are from out of town, or who do not live with their parents, for whom no housing is provided by SBCC.

In 2010, UCSB proposed a long-range plan for approval by the local government. In this plan, UCSB committed to cap its student body at 25,000 students by 2025 and to build an additional 5,000 housing units for students and an additional 2,000 housing units for faculty and staff commensurate with the growth.

Based on these commitments to the community, the plan was approved by local government officials. However, there were no six-monthly reviews of progress against these commitments by the approving authorities. Why? Was this incompetence? Or was this a kind of “nod, nod, wink, wink deal?

It wasn’t until 2021 that the penny dropped. Local government officials became alarmed. The student body was already above 25,000 in UCSB, but only 1,500 additional

COURTESY PHOTOS

Justice Clarence Thomas

COURTESY PHOTO Sen. Monique Limón

William Haupt III

The author is a Center Square contributor

Wendy McCaw Arthur von Wiesenberger Co-Publisher Co-Publisher

GUEST OPINION

Supervisors ponder how to keep the bloat afloat!

Even though the Santa Barbara County budget has been growing by the tens of millions every year, our county supervisors just can’t get enough of your money to spend.

And truth be told, the No. 1 recipient of taxpayer largesse is the county workforce itself. More than one-half of the $1.5 billion county budget goes to workforce salaries, benefits and pensions.

Meanwhile, county infrastructure, including buildings, roads, parks, bridges and sidewalks, continues to deteriorate.

How bad is it? Well, one day, during the budget hearings, both elevators in the county building were out of order.

The maintenance deficit for county assets is now $527 million and growing. What to do? Well, it was no surprise that at least some of the supervisors figured this might be a good time to raise taxes, because obviously it is hard to get things done with only 4,628 employees whose average salary and benefit package is a mere $166,000 a year.

The three taxes the county supervisors are promoting are a higher sales tax, flood control assessment and over-determined taxing machinations having to do with the marijuana industry.

Regarding sales taxes, the supervisors have several options. They could try to impose a countywide tax, which means all voters within the county must vote to approve the same. Or they could just float a tax in the unincorporated areas, which would limit voting to unincorporated residents. Another variable has to do with whether the supervisors float a general tax or a special tax.

A general tax ballot measure, which does not specify the exact uses of the money to be raised, only needs approval by a simple majority.

A special tax, on the other hand, means the county can only spend money on specific uses outlined to voters on the ballot. Special taxes require two-thirds approval from voters.

Regarding flood protection, county staff brought this to the board’s attention to deal with problems in the Montecito flood zone. However,

Your way is fine; just respect mine

Remember Lucy? She was discovered in Africa in 1974. They found hundreds of pieces of fossilized bone, and yet they were able to make the determination they belonged to a female. I find it rather ironic that paleoanthropologists could determine bones that were over 3 million years old to be that of a female. There are others over 4 million years confirmed as female, but Lucy is the famous one.

Let’s protect the ocean

On Jan. 28, 1969, there was a devastating oil spill right off the coast of Santa Barbara. The destruction of nature that followed showed people that our attitude about the environment needed to change.

supervisors are considering offering voters higher assessments in some North County zones too because some farmers need additional work to be done and they don’t mind paying for it.

Of course, the problem herein is that state and federal laws limit our ability to protect lives and infrastructure from flood damage by way of habitat and species protections. Hence, the caveat “buyer beware” applies.

The supervisors are in a pickle with respect to the tax revenues paid by the cannabis industry, which they welcomed here with a red carpet. The supes were rightly warned that the number of grows the county was permitting would likely collapse the market price of cannabis by way of a market glut. However, they ignored the warning.

They now find themselves barely able to pay for the permitting and enforcement costs that arise from having both legal and illegal cannabis grown in the county. Hence, they want to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

The only reality check on the proposed sales tax measures came from supervisors Steve Lavagnino and Bob Nelson. Supervisor Lavagnino pointed out that a few million dollars in additional sales taxes won’t go very far. Supervisor Nelson reminded his fellow supervisors that the best way to raise money is by allowing the economy to grow rather than by raising taxes.

This has to do with the 40year history of the county doing its best to stymie economic growth by way of exorbitant fees, mind-numbing and time-consuming land use regulations, along with flat out prohibitions.

Unfortunately, the supervisors won’t discuss the elephant in the room. Pensions. The $170 million otherwise going to pensions costs could fix every single financial problem the county has. That, plus eliminating 1,000 or more employees, because taxpayers are truly not getting their money’s worth by this bloat.

The disaster inspired Earth Day, and that legacy gives me pride as a student attending UCSB. It was a message that everyone needs to actively take care of the earth, because if we don’t, the consequences will be disastrous.

Unfortunately, this disaster did not stay long in the public memory. Our oceans are currently threatened by corporate interests who lobby to indiscriminately exploit the ocean’s natural resources, sea creatures or fossil fuels.

I urge you all to push our governor to advise his state agencies to increase ocean protections to the necessary 30% level recommended by the United Nations. The alternative is to surrender to those who won’t stop until they’ve killed the last fish.

Jake Twomey UCSB student

Marine Protected Areas make a difference

W hen I think of Santa Barbara, I think of the glittering ocean and beautiful beaches.

The beach was a big reason that I chose to attend UCSB, and I’m sure many of my peers would say the same. However, this essential part of our culture and community is under attack.

California’s ocean and coastline are being threatened by destructive fishing practices and oil drilling. The best way to protect our oceans from these industries is to establish Marine Protected Areas. MPAs restrict destructive practices, allowing marine life to recover while protecting biodiversity. California’s current system of MPAs is outdated and inadequate, putting beaches like ours at risk. Therefore, Gov. Gavin Newsom must commit to expanding California’s MPAs and not allow powerful industries to keep hurting our oceans. We must take action to ensure that the beautiful coasts we all love are preserved for generations to come. Contact your local representative to show support for expanding ocean protections.

Kyla Metchette UCSB student

No need for assault rifles

T he only weapons that should be allowed are ones that were available when the right to bear arms was written! No one needs an assault rifle to kill a deer or protect themselves!

Lee Weir Santa Ynez Valley

Is Biden the best we can do?

This week President Joe Biden released a video about his re-election campaign for 2024. Never mind giving speeches or events in person. Is he capable of communicating in a clear straight forward manner in public?

Going forward, America should think about whether it is a good idea to re-elect him. What about his age (80) and declining energy level? And why is his work schedule primarily mostly between 10 a.m. - 4 p.m? Isn’t it the job of the president to protect America 24/7?

What do Americans think about President Biden?

Recently, a report came out about Mr. Biden’s negative polling and short work schedule. “Nearly three-fourth of the United States adult residents believe Biden’s America is out of control. A majority of Americans believe the nation is heading in the wrong direction.

“Seventy percent of Americans feel financially stressed. Fewer than a quarter of Democrats feel excited about Biden’s 2024 campaign for re-election. And only 39% of Americans approve of Biden.”

As a nation, we need to get real. Is Biden the best we can do for our next president? Don’t we need a leader who has clear thinking and is physically strong to deal with our domestic and worldwide problems?

Don Thorn Carpinteria

Escape from New York: the judicial system

The voters in the Democratic primary of 2013 accelerated the destruction of the “safe” judicial system that was created by Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani, when they chose Anthony Weiner, a Democrat, as their mayoral candidate for New York City. Their choice may have been based on a combination of Mr. Weiner’s having been their congressman and his marriage to Huma Abedin, the special assistant to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

This says a lot about these voters since Mr. Weiner had resigned from Congress in 2011 after he was caught “transferring obscene material to a minor” on Twitter.

Ms. Abedin had been hired by Secretary Clinton, a Democrat, as a special assistant after her and her family’s involvement with a terrorist organization caused her to be denied the necessary security clearance to be an employee. What a sad day for the U.S. Since then, as the special assistant, she had access to the America’s top secrets as she transferred the “official” State Department

for Secretary Clinton onto Ms. Abedin’s personal computer, which she shared with Mr. Weiner, before forwarding them to Secretary Clinton during the time when Ms. Clinton funded the Steele Dossier before destroying the 33,000 emails rather than comply with a subpoena.

When Mr. Weiner, after he was again caught sexting explicit photos, withdrew from the mayoral race on July 23, 2013, it was too late to hold another primary so Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, was elected mayor of New York City effective Jan. 1, 2014, serving until Jan. 1, 2022.

Subsequently, Mr. Weiner was sentenced to jail after sexting to a 15-year old on Aug. 16, 2016.

Mayor de Blasio’s failing to support the police reached a breaking point when Black Lives Matter — BLM — on May 28, 2020, began daily protests in the city that lasted until June 7. These demonstrations became so violent that the mayor, rather than support the police to control them, imposed the first curfew in Manhattan since the war year of 1943, from June 1-7. Law-abiding citizens obeyed. But the “protesters” did not. The

police arrested 550 for commercial burglary (peaceful protesters?), 137 for obstructing governmental administration (sound like Jan. 6?), 114 for possession of stolen property (no one charged with theft?), 66 for criminal mischief, 39 for assaulting a police officer and 23 for possession of burglary tools.

During the time when 39 were arrested for assaulting police officers, conspicuous by its absence are any charges of attempted murder or looting even though two police officers, on June 1, were hit by a car that was escaping from looting, and on June 3, two police officers were shot and one stabbed in the neck. How many others were not reported?

Subsequently, 146 officers would be disciplined for “excessive” force and some protestors rewarded with $21,500.

Brent E. Zepke is an attorney, arbitrator and author who lives in Santa Barbara. His website is OneheartTwoLivescom.wordpress. com. Formerly, he taught law and business at six universities and numerous professional conferences.

He is the author of six books: “One Heart-Two Lives,” “Legal Guide to Human Resources,” “Business Statistics,” “Labor Law,” “Products and the Consumer” and “Law for Non-Lawyers.”

Yet Ketanji Jackson, now a Supreme Court justice, was asked during her confirmation hearing by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, “Can you provide the definition for the word ‘woman’?” Ms. Jackson was scrambling trying to figure out how to get out of that one. Her answer was, “I’m not a biologist.”

Right then and there, a woman no less, someone who should have known how to define a woman, should never have been given the honor of serving on the Supreme Court. Purely in the interest of wokeness, she had to stay stupid to keep her side of the warped thinkers from going ape on her. Even Ariana Grande has a song entitled “God is a Woman.”

So back in the day, millions of millions of years ago, there were males and females. Big surprise. So how did we digress to where we are today? I wonder if in another million or more years when bones from our period are discovered if scientists would be able to determine if the remains belonged to a transgender person or were part of the confusing alphabet soup designation? Lest you think

I’m gay bashing, I’m honestly wrestling with this.

I believe most people live by the adage, “Live and let live.” Or to be more blunt, you stay out of my face, and I’ll stay out of yours.

The leftists have been forcefeeding their agenda in our faces for years now, and to their credit, major inroads have been made in their favor. Men can get pregnant, boys are girls, girls are boys. I’d venture to guess, maybe there were some in Lucy’s extended family who favored an Australopithecus afarensis of the same sex. I’m not trying to make the case there’s anything wrong with that. I’m trying to make the case that activists are making outrageous demands.

Unlike Ketanji, you don’t have to be a biologist to understand basic human biological facts. Granted, a percentage of the country took some time to accept gay marriage. And it has been an adjustment to grasp all the various labels and terms that go against what has been considered the norm. For those who live in that environment, that’s fine. I get it. If you want to be a unicorn, that’s OK.

Americans have slowly come around accepting the sudden rise of all the new definitions of sexual orientation. Perhaps it’s more like “You do your thing, and I’ll do mine,” or, they’ve learned to adjust with, “Go with the flow.” But the alphabet crowd won’t let things rest. Three percent of the population won’t let up on the over 300 million other Americans. That’s where the trouble starts.

There are gay activists who don’t just want to make inroads; they want to own the road. Instead of going about their daily lives and living it the way they want to, they want everyone else to live it their way as well. It’s the “in your face” attitude where the push back is coming from. What gives the gay

Andy Caldwell is the COLAB executive director and host of “The Andy Caldwell Show,”

Andy Caldwell

Henry Schulte The author lives in Solvang

Brent E. Zepke

The author lives in Santa Barbara.

COURTESY IMAGE

KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

An older gray whale makes its presence known near the Channel Islands as seen from an Island Packers boat in 2021. UCSB student Jake Twomey stresses the importance of protecting the Pacific Ocean in a letter to the News-Press.

Biden sleeps tight while nation drowns in debt

strengthen their influence around the world.

But the reason they see the supposed leader of the free world as weak is not because America refuses to “pay our debts.” Russia and China see our nation as fiscally and morally corrupt, and they are right. Whether we’re speaking about a nation or an individual, absence of selfdiscipline is a sign of weakness.

The only words that capture fiscal reality in our country today are “profligate” and “undisciplined.”

The Congressional Budget Office projects $2 trillion deficits over the next decade. It projects the national debt, today equal to 100% of our GDP, to reach a record 118% of GDP in 2033 and, by 2053, almost twice the size of GDP.

Average federal spending, per CBO, over the last 30 years, from 1972 to 2022, was 20.9% of GDP. In 2023, it is projected to reach 23.7% of GDP and by 2033, 25.3%.

Yet, this does not seem to bother President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats at all.

Hillary Clinton writes in The New York Times that Republican insistence to link any increase in the nation’s debt ceiling to spending cuts and control threatens our national security.

“It’s a sad irony that Mr. McCarthy and many of the same congressional Republicans seemingly intent on sabotaging America’s global leadership by refusing to pay our debts are also positioning themselves as tougher-thanthou China hawks.”

Ms. Clinton is right that our enemies, Russia and China, see America today as weak and are using the opportunity to

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and fellow Republicans are putting on the table a plan to at least start getting our fiscal house in order, but President Joe Biden has noted he has zero interest in any conversation. He wants unconditional agreement to raise, once again, the nation’s debt ceiling.

Why does it even matter that we should get things under control? Many important reasons.

One, the more that fruits of our hard work are diverted to government rather than productive and creative use in the private marketplace, national productivity suffers.

We’re already seeing the results of this.

As economist and blogger Scott Grannis has pointed out, the U.S. economy grew annually 3.1% per year from 1950 to 2007. Since then, average growth has been 2.2% per year. Economist Steve Moore at the Committee to Unleash Prosperity estimates that this one percentage point drop in annual GDP growth, due to more and bigger government, has lopped off about $15,000 in median family income. If we had continued the 3.1% growth, the average American would have some 22% higher income, per Moore. Second, we’ve just gone through a period experiencing the ravages of inflation, the direct result of government spending and pouring increasing amounts of money into the marketplace that are not backed up by productive resources.

Third, higher interest costs. A byproduct of inflationary pressure is increasing interest rates. Higher rates translate into ever-increasing interest costs on our debt burden in the federal budget. The CBO projects that in 10 years, in 2033, interest costs in the federal budget will reach 3.6% of GDP. If defense spending remains around where it is today, interest costs in the federal budget will exceed defense spending.

Which takes us back to Ms. Clinton’s laughable claim that the Republican push for some fiscal responsibility threatens national security.

Republicans want to reset the federal budget baseline to 2022 and limit increases over the next 10 years to 1% per year. Total savings would be $4 trillion over 10 years. This can be described as a dose of prudence. It certainly can’t be called draconian.

Marxian education

Some schools are ditching traditional grading.

Instead, they use “labor-based grading,” an idea promoted by Arizona State University professor Asao Inoue.

Labor-based grading means basing grades more on effort than the quality of work.

But prudence is the last thing our irresponsible president wants to hear about. He and his party want a blank check on the earning power of the American people.

But, as Margaret Thatcher once said, sooner or later you run out of other people’s money.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

Copyright 2023 by Creators.com.

NPR, postal service should fess up to receiving taxpayer support

National Public Radio wasn’t thrilled about being labeled “governmentfunded media” by Elon Musk’s Twitter (and others) despite receiving tens of millions of dollars from taxpayers each year.

In response to Twitter’s insistence that NPR acknowledge its government support, the news organization decided to stop posting content on its 52 official Twitter feeds. While Twitter has since dropped the “governmentfunded” label as a part of a larger shakeup related to checkmarks, NPR’s defensiveness marked a bizarre detour from reality.

Unfortunately, thin-skinned recipients of federal largesse are nothing new.

The U.S. Postal Service has similarly pushed back for years against (correct) claims that it receives billions of dollars’ worth of annual subsidies from federal and state governments. These organizations should be honest about their reliance on taxpayer dollars. It’s time to have a real conversation about how best to finance their operations because taxpayers deserve answers on where their hard-earned dollars are going.

When Twitter unveiled its

“government-funded” label, NPR’s public relations team was ready to push back. The organization defended itself by claiming it “receives less than 1% of its $300 million annual budget from the federally funded Corporation for

Public Broadcasting.”

While that may be true of direct federal grants, this narrow focus ignores the big picture of how NPR makes money.

As detailed by American Enterprise Institute scholar

Howard Husock, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is legally required to devote a significant chunk of its $500 million annual, taxpayer-funded treasure chest to local public television and public radio stations.

These local stations in turn are required to set aside about a quarter of their CPB funding for purchasing nationally distributed programming such as “All Things Considered” and “Fresh Air.” Federal money is therefore flowing to local channels, with the legal understanding that these channels will significantly patronize NPR.

Ignoring this wider reality does a disservice not only to its listener base, but also taxpayers who are forced to foot the bill for content they might not agree with.

America’s mail carrier may provide a very different service than public radio, but similarly relies on misleading claims to pretend it doesn’t receive taxpayer dollars.

The postal service has insisted it “generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.” While words like “generally” are best left to the lawyers, the postal service rakes in more than $3 billion per year through government tax gimmicks and preferential loans. It also received $10 billion from Congress to offset pandemic-related losses, even though a surge of packages during the 2020-21 period increased agency revenue.

The agency also benefited from $3 billion granted by Congress to purchase electric vehicles. And thanks to “reform” passed

Don’t make women and girls pay a horrific price

Editor’s note: Santa Barbara resident Celeste Barber recently sent this letter to various officials and asked the News-Press to publish it.

April 17, 2023

Attention: Paula Lopez, Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee.

Michal Lynch, Women’s March Santa Barbara.

Joanie Jones, Leadership Team for League of Women Voters, Santa Barbara.

Irene Cooke, Society of Fearless Grandmothers.

Suzanne Cohen, Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County.

Cc: Representative Salud Carbajal.

State Senator Monique Limón.

State Assembly member Gregg Hart.

Re: Female Autonomy

Dear Leaders for Women’s Advocacy and Enfranchisement: I read your letter to a local publication, responding to federal Judge

Matthew Kacsmaryk’s ruling against abortion protections (413-2023). Thank you for standing up for us. Even though California is the leader in reproductive protections, including written into the state Constitution, it’s important to remain vigilant always and to speak out. But there is another increasing threat to female autonomy, and that is the encroachment of transgender rights into protections granted women and girls, some of them hard won. Laws necessary to protect our right to privacy, safety, educational and job opportunity, and competitive athletics — the last legislated more than 50 years ago with the passage of Title IX. All of those rights are threatened.

Even our right to call ourselves female, mother, daughter — our birthright to be women — is now being legislated away as I type. I am calling on you, Santa Barbara female advocacy groups, to stand up for American women, and for the constitutional protections that

have safeguarded us. If you will speak for reproductive rights, why so silent on women’s rights fully over their bodies, their female autonomy?

I am a feminist. I also believe in the United States Constitution and its protections. But those protections are now being perverted in the cause of an ideology that is not science-based. Homo sapiens are higher order mammals. And like all mammals, (and most animal and plant life), we are divided into two sexes: male and female. One cannot simply blind oneself to biological fact and evolutionary design, and then declare by fiat, “I am who I choose to be, male or female or neither or either.”

I don’t wish to debate with you the denial of evolutionary biology and the sudden cultural move to embrace “multiple genders” here, as my primary focus is on the detrimental consequences forced upon females. Just leave it at this: Transgender is at best a medical

condition and at worst, “a male fetish that objectifies women” (Jennifer Bilek, Feminist and investigative journalist). Women and girls pay a horrific price for our culture’s embrace of a cult.

First, females are prey to the male predator. That is a simple, biological fact. The phrase, “Rape and Pillage,” has a long history going back into ancient times and continuing into the modern world. I imagine today — in Ukraine. Furthermore, U.S. Rape and domestic violence statistics bear me out. I addressed this letter to six women, including me, bringing the total to seven. Statistically, one among us has or will be sexually assaulted. That is a true statement, statistically: One — or more — a victim of rape. Legislated male access to traditionally protected female spaces will only increase the predation upon females, including children. It’s already happening: in female prisons and in two Virginia high schools. Need I remind you that incarcerated females constitute the most vulnerable women in the country?

In addition, Dr. Inoue lectured a conference of rhetoric professors to “stop saying that we have to teach this dominant English. ... If you use a single standard to grade your students’ languaging, you engage in racism!”

So I reported that Dr. Inoue opposes teaching standard English. He complained that I was being unfair.

“What I’m saying is that students should have choices,” says Dr. Inoue in my latest video. “Is it possible that a student comes in who wants to learn the standardized English in my classes? Absolutely.” My German-speaking parents made me learn proper English. Where would I be if they hadn’t?

“There are absolutely benefits to a standardized English,” says Dr. Inoue. “But that same world creates those same benefits through certain kinds of biases. Those can be bad.”

Lecturing to professors, Dr. Inoue says, “White people like you ... built the steel cage of white language supremacy ... handmaiden to white bias in the world, the kind that kills black men on the streets!”

What? Teaching standard English kills black men?

“I think it can,” says Dr. Inoue. “We have Eric Garner saying, ‘I can’t breathe.’ But no one’s listening and he dies. That’s the logics that we get.” I still don’t get it. Eric Garner died because white people teach standard English? He uses words like “logics”?

“Languaging”?

Much of the time, I don’t understand what Dr. Inoue is talking about. If this is how professors speak now, I see why students are bored and depressed.

Twenty-six years ago, a school board in Oakland announced that its black students were “bilingual.” They spoke both Black English (Ebonics) and standard English, and the schools should give “instruction

What protects women is THE LAW. But now those same laws are being shredded in order to accommodate transgenderidentifying biological males. They may enter our dressing rooms, locker rooms, dormitories, public showers, and we are denied the basic right to privacy and safety. Even our First Amendment right to speak out against such practices is denied us. Anyone who opposes is shamed and labeled a bigot or worse. We can lose our jobs; and for female athletes, their right to compete, affecting their college scholarships and future livelihood.

A naked man in my presence, uninvited, is a predator. A naked man in the presence of a child is a pedophile.

As a woman, I have always had to live a cautious life, one attentive to danger. All women do. You don’t go out alone at night. You check your car to make sure no one is lying in wait. You are careful to avoid fellow employees or the boss who seeks something else (as happened

Your opinions are valuable contributions to these pages. We welcome a variety of views. Letters must be exclusive to the News-Press. In most cases, first priority for immediate publication goes to those submitted by 6 p.m. Tuesdays.

We encourage brevity, and shorter letters have a better chance of being printed immediately.

We edit all submissions for length, clarity and professional standards.

We do not print submissions that lack a civil tone, allege illegal wrongdoing or involve consumer complaints. We also may decide not to print letters or op-eds for other reasons.

Limit your letters to one every 30 days. All letters must include the writer’s address and telephone number for verification. We cannot acknowledge unpublished letters.

We prefer e-mailed submissions.

If you send attachments, please send word documents. We can’t guarantee that we can open a PDF.

Send letters to voices@ newspress.com. Writers also may fax letters to 805-966-6258. Mail letters to P.O. Box 1359, Santa Barbara 93102. The News-Press reserves the right to publish or republish submissions in any form or medium. Direct questions to Managing Editor Dave Mason at 805-564-

John

Star Parker

The author is with the Center for Urban Renewal and Education

COURTESY PHOTOS

President Joe Biden

Speaker Kevin McCarthy

Celeste Barber

The lives in Santa Barbara

DAVE MASON/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, writes that the U.S. Postal Service should admit it receives billions of dollars in annual subsidies from federal and state governments. Above is the post office on Anacapa Street in Santa B

David Williams

The author is with the Taxpayers Protection Alliance

student housing units have been built. And only 260 housing units for faculty and staff.

It is now estimated that more than 14,000 attendees and staff of UCSB live in Isla Vista. An unknown number of UCSB students and staff live outside Isla Vista in Goleta and Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara City College was chartered as a local community college. It is no longer that.

SBCC has 12,525 students.

Approximately 55% of them are from outside the SBCC charter service area. They come from other cities, other states and other countries. SBCC is a feeder to UCSB for students who could not pass the entry requirements as freshman to UCSB. In fact, UCSB has just made it much easier for a student at SBCC to gain entry to the four-year university.

As SBCC is chartered as a community college, it was based on the assumption that local students in a local community college would reside at their parent’s homes during the twoyear course of study.

There are almost 7,000 outof-charter students living in the community, because SBCC provides no student housing. This number assumes that the other 5,636 local-area students live at home with their parents. But this is unlikely. It is safe to guess that there are at least another 1,000 students renting accommodation in the Santa Barbara or Goleta areas.

are thousands of UCSB and SBCC students from other states and countries occupying low costhousing. In addition, millions of undocumented immigrants are occupying housing in all California cities that, otherwise, could be available to American citizens.

institutions are quasi-government entities, and you don’t turn on your own. The repercussions would be more severe, than aiming at a small section of the public, who is just trying to get by in a cost-ofliving crisis, caused by policies of the Democratic Party.

has killed the long-term, private rental market in Santa Barbara and other cities where landlords are regarded by the political class as evil, predatory profiteers who do not deserve legal protections against government overreach.

But this is by no means the end of government responsibility for our housing crisis.

Adding to the failure of local, tax-funded, colleges failing to provide adequate, or any housing, for their students, faculty and staff, Gov. Gavin Newsom has made California a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants.

The latest statistics show that the number of undocumented immigrants in California has reached 2,730,000, and growing, creating a housing crisis that crowds out American citizens at the lower end of the income scale — “those who no longer can afford market price rents.” There are more than a million residential units taken out of California’s housing stock by people who are here illegally, according to federal law.

Sen. Limón’s failings go beyond pernicious taxation. She is also into punishing legal, taxpaying, brick and mortar businesses/ entrepreneurs!

She voted for Senate Bill 972 which legalized street vendors who are, by definition, cash-only, tax-evading, non-accountable, uninspected purveyors of food, drinks and other goods.

Enough is enough

SCHULTE

Continued from Page C2

community the power or the right to impose its sexual choice upon America and, more precisely, on the children?

Who says their explicit sexual books need to be in schools, but Doctor Seuss’ books can’t?

What’s the motivation behind this meteoric rise to demand everyone join their ranks? In other words, where do they come off saying, “it’s our way or the highway?”

We all have enough stuff to deal with that keeps us busy to get through a day. Adding another layer of drama to the world isn’t helping anyone’s cause.

Pushing as hard as the gay movement has been doing, it’s having an opposite effect. Most people are saying enough is enough. You’ve gone too far. You try to indoctrinate kids, mutilate children, demand to change the character of every business, government, the military. That’s ticking people off.

If gay activists would go about living their lives without the constant bombardment of “Do it their way or else” and use common sense and adult

conversation instead of making demands, acceptance would come much easier. Case in point, Budweiser. Had the promotion been a little less profile, or as someone suggested, putting a small rainbow on the cans, it would have blown over and not cost them billions of dollars. Stupid move, and Americans stepped up this time and fired back.

By going violent and demanding everyone shut up or else you’ll shut them up because they’re not agreeing with you won’t make any friends either.

The large silent majority in this country will step up and can and will make an impact. If human beings — whatever your sexual proclivity is, and it is all about sex— want to live in harmony, then it’s time to lay down the knives, shake hands and go about blending with society as one. Because when all is said and done (so many cliches), we’re just updated versions of Lucy and her clan. Our bones, millions of years from now will reveal nothing more than we were all part of the human race.

Henry Schulte welcomes questions or comments at hschulteopinions@gmail.com.

Getting back to Sen. Limón and her bill. She should be aiming her big guns at universities and colleges across the state that charge outlandish college fees, but don’t provide any housing or adequate housing, for their students nor their staff and faculty. But then, these

These vendors are a third-world eyesore in our city, adding to the shantytown of structures ruining our once-beautiful State Street.

Sacramento is forcing on us a crash program to build millions of new houses in our cities. But, just in Santa Barbara alone, there

What Sen. Limón is not planning for are equal and opposite countermeasures against her financial assessment on shortterm rentals. The people she is aiming at will switch to longerterm student rentals. Or they will sell their property into the unaffordable housing market. It’s this kind of punitive legislation that

Justice Thomas ‘can’t possibly be seen as a neutral actor’

Continued from Page C1

impeccable record on the bench, President Biden knows the left has no legal premise to remove him. So Mr. Biden’s henchmen are doing his dirty work for him. Their strategy is to make life miserable for Justice Thomas’ wife Virginia to force him to retire. There is no question that this is the most unorthodox self-motivated political power grab ever used by a U.S. president in history.

U. S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., called on Justice Thomas to resign after news that Virginia Thomas emailed Mr. Trump’s lawyer John Eastman while he was investigating the 2020 presidential election.

Rep. Pascrell said Justice Thomas “can’t possibly be seen as a neutral actor.” He labeled Justice Thomas “a corrupt jurist” because of his “wife’s” election concerns; “not anything he did!”

Rep. Pascrell acted the day after The Washington Post reported the committee investigating the Jan.

6 protest obtained an email from Virginia Thomas to Mr. Eastman. The Post would not reveal what was in the email and refused to mention why a committee member gave it to them “only?” Obviously for Democrats:

“There is a new dichotomy in law: guilty until proven innocent.”

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

The House committee has asked Virginia Thomas, not Justice Thomas, to speak with the panel following news she sent this email to Mr. Trump’s attorney. Virginia Thomas retorted, “I look forward to talking with them to find out why they question what I do as a citizen.”

Clarence Thomas was never criticized while he was a secretary of education for the Office for Civil Rights. Mr. Thomas first came under fire from the left in 1984 when he chaired the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Mr. Thomas told black leaders, “Instead of working against Ronald Reagan, you need to work with him on teenage

pregnancy, unemployment and illiteracy.” The left has been attacking Mr. Thomas’ character since.

It has been said that “people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” Mr. Thomas’ wife is a nonviolent activist who has never broken the law, protested in public, or committed a destructive or violent act. Eleanor Roosevelt was outspoken and often disagreed with F.D.R.’s politics, and nobody cared. No one in government or media ever punished Hillary Clinton for her husband’s numerous affairs. Is this because Virginia is white and Justice Thomas is black; or because they lean right?

In his book about Clarence Thomas, author Larry Elder praises him for his attainments. He grew up in extreme poverty but had a stern, loving role model in his grandfather. He enrolled in the Catholic seminary and attended religious schools. He was the first in his family to attend college. He had the fortitude to know that nobody owed him anything. Above all, he knew his passion for law could help him make America

It’s hard to ask the right questions

WILLIAMS

Continued from Page C3

year.”

better for everyone. This made him one of the greatest justices in U.S. history. Justice Thomas has had a target on his back most of his life, and he is a survivor. He once said, “If I was liberal and blamed white America for the problems blacks have, I’d be a hero!”

Justice Thomas conquered discrimination with education. When Justice Thurgood Marshall stepped down, Mr. Thomas stepped up. He is not someone who will roll over and take abuse from the left so President Biden can replace him with a black progressive. Mr. Biden has picked a fight with the wrong man and family.

“I grew up in a religious environment, and I was going to be a priest; I’m proud of it. And I thank God I believe in God, or I would probably be enormously angry right now.”

— Clarence Thomas

This commentary was provided to the News-Press by The Center Square, a nonprofit dedicated to journalism.

We are shunted aside and told to accept it BARBER

Continued from Page C3

to me many years ago when working at CBS in accounting).

You take care in a way that men don’t have to. Now, I worry when I enter a public restroom and the person in the stall next to me is too quiet. Or when I undress in the women’s locker room at my fitness club, I now scan the room to make sure I am safe. At 70 years of age, I oughtn’t to have to live like that. NO WOMAN must have to live in fear for her safety.

The government tells us that this is about “civil rights.”

Well, I don’t recall any previous disenfranchised group for whom the attainment of their rights required stomping upon someone else’s. Just the reverse.

The glory of Civil Rights legislation has been the expansion of rights! The Civil Rights Act of 1964 for black Americans. The American Disabilities Act of 1990. And yes, Title IX, too.

I graduated from high school three years before Title IX,

Continued from Page C1

There’s no reason to catalog the series of catastrophic policies and decisions promulgated by President Biden and his team that have not only run up the U.S. national debt, allowed millions of border crossers unfettered access to the American heartland, left the U.S. begging for oil from Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, and whose reckless spending has brought on

when California female students were still legally denied equal access to public education and competitive sports. In none of the above examples, were the majority impacted by the expansion of basic civil rights to blacks, the disabled, the gay community, and to female students and athletes.

The same cannot be said today with the extension of civil rights to biological males who self-identify as female. They violate female rights. We are shunted aside and told to accept it, just as female swimmers and runners now face. If a health club accepts such individuals into female spaces, women are forced to make the choice to leave, or to suck it up. Even honors traditionally granted women are awarded to biological males: beauty pageants, “Woman” of the Year, and so forth. Shunted aside? The invisible female person -— again. I would also like to speak to the matter of child and adolescent females who self-identify as male. Here, too, we should be concerned, deeply, as this practice leads to self-mutilation and sterilization.

the worst inflation in nearly 50 years. We bristle as Trump supporters, whose only “crime” was to join an invited crowd into the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, are hauled into court, fingerprinted and charged, while rioters and arsonists in other cities are ignored and real insurrectionists rewarded and applauded. And now, we’ve lost Tucker Carlson, the most imaginative and effective voice for common-sense resistance to the ongoing madness that we had. The uttered ecstasies of various TV personalities, talk-

Didn’t the Feminist Movement celebrate women and our bodies?

That we are perfect just as we are? We rightly condemn the extreme religious-based practice of female genital mutilation. Where, then, the outrage at double mastectomies, sterilization, and male hormones ingested into a female body?

Historically, transvestites and cross-dressing were confined primarily to males. Female gender dysphoria was rare. Some experts state and with sound evidence, that social media is a strong influence on girls. There are examples of girls selfidentifying not as an individual but among groups of girls — clearly motivated by one another. Glenn Greenwald recently reported that lesbians have told him that “butch” lesbians are increasingly transitioning to male, including the mutilation and sterilization procedures. That’s new. Tossed aside in the hysteria, the fact that some girls are born tomboys, some boys are effeminate. Will they grow to identify as lesbian or gay?

Possibly. But the important difference

Bonnie Donovan writes the “Did You Know?” column in conjunction with a bipartisan group of local citizens. It appears Saturdays in the Voices section. implemented. In less than a month, the U.S. had lost its coveted status of energy independence.

show hosts and left-wing political pundits at the downfall of our spokesman, our champion at the Fox News Channel leaves many of us both shaken and sad. But don’t be fooled: The smarmy comments and lip-smacking elation of his detractors are evidence of the powerful and effective voice that Tucker had.

He’ll be back.

We are indeed grappling with an existential dilemma, one that wakes us up at night wondering if our beloved country will ever find its way back to the ideals of its founders or of the writers of our Constitution and its foundational

between identifying as transgender as opposed to gay is stark: Gay men and lesbians are comfortable in their Godgiven bodies. That’s an important distinction that is overlooked by the trans lobbyists, who instead label women like me as homophobic, anti-gay. Again, an attempt to silence, even when what is alleged is false. And gay rights, like all previous civil rights legislation, shares the expansion of basic rights. Not the trampling of rights.

Certainly, there are some among you who stand with women and girls as we are being threatened in our daily public lives, and even more concerning, threatened with our identity as female human beings. I hope that you will declare openly for women and girls. I pray that as feminists, you will stand together in defense of the female.

Celeste Barber is past president of the Lompoc Valley chapter of NOW and past recipient of Santa Barbara County Woman of the Year, Fourth District.

Bill of Rights. But it’s up to us to hang on despite continued losses. Because, if we don’t, there’ll be no one around to sweep up the mess these nasty people and their illinformed “voters” will have left behind.

Let’s go, Brandon!

James Buckley is a longtime Montecito resident. He welcomes questions or comments at jimb@ substack.com. Readers are invited to visit jimb.substack.com, where Jim’s Journals are on file. He also invites people to subscribe to Jim’s Journal.

last year, the postal service got the greenlight from Congress to offload roughly $60 billion in retirement liabilities to the cash-strapped, taxpayer-funded Medicare program.

These funding flows are more than just financial technicalities.

In the case of the postal service, lawmakers are using the “power of the purse” to steer America’s mail carrier toward priorities they care about, such as electric vehicles. EVs are exceptionally expensive, entail significant maintenance issues and impose an array of environmental issues.

A report from the Office of the Inspector General in March runs through different scenarios on agency EV use with detailed cost and mileage assumptions and finds that, under a wide range of cases, EV adoption would not be good for postal finances. According to the report, an electric vehicle fleet would be more expensive than conventional trucks.

Assuming “an average delivery route length of 24 miles per day and 301 operating days per

Masking the federal funding of electric mail trucks makes the postal service’s fleet procurement policies look like an independent business decision, rather than an illadvised push from lawmakers. In NPR’s case, denying government funding clouds credible accusations of bias. If listeners don’t know who is keeping the station lights on, they won’t be on the lookout for faulty reporting.

Government agencies such as the National Security Agency and FBI have attempted to steer foreign news networks and nab records from journalists, and it’s plausible that government funding could be used as leverage for cooperation. But, it’s hard to ask the right questions without being able to follow the money. Organizations such as NPR and the postal service should pursue transparency and level with the American people. David Williams is the president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. This commentary was provided to the News-Press by The Center Square, a nonprofit dedicated to journalism.

Immigrants succeed after learning English

STOSSEL

Continued from Page C3

to African-American students in their primary language.”

Ebonics advocates told teachers not to correct students who say “she here” instead of “she is here.”

When many people, including black parents, objected, Oakland officials said that they never intended to teach Ebonics, just to recognize it as a legitimate language.

Dr. Inoue says that the Ebonics movement didn’t do enough.

“Everyone says, yes, we believe in that, but they didn’t do anything in their classrooms.”

No wonder his students label him “easy grader.” I’m glad he doesn’t teach engineering.

Dr. Inoue identifies as “Japanese American.”

I tell him that Japanese Americans earn, on average, $21,000 a year more than average Americans, yet he keeps talking about America’s “white supremacy.”

“What kind of white supremacist country lets that happen?” I joke.

Dr. Inoue replies, “JapaneseAmerican communities wanted to be seen as more American” and made great efforts to join American culture.

Exactly! Japanese Americans prospered because of it. So do other immigrant groups. Several now earn more than whites in America. They succeed by speaking standard English, and because America is relatively color blind.

“I get a little uncomfortable

with colorblindness,” replies Dr. Inoue, “That’s not how humans work ... there’s no such thing as a neutrality.”

“But there is,” I say. “Hire people based on the highest test score, you’re being neutral about other factors.”

“Depends on how you see the test,” he answers. Tests may be biased. He also criticizes high school honors classes, calling them “pretty white spaces.”

Dr. Inoue says he believes in “Marxian” ideas and asks things like, “Who owns the means of opportunity production in the classroom?”

“Where has Marxian philosophy ever helped people?” I ask.

Marxian philosophies “don’t give us a plan of action. They’re not socialism,” he says. As for capitalism, “I think we can do better.”

I doubt it. For years, intellectuals promised Marx’s ideas would work better than capitalism. Instead, socialism perpetuated poverty. Nevertheless, on campuses today, Marx’s views thrive. Students often hear them unchallenged.

At least Dr. Inoue was willing to come on Stossel TV to debate. Most “Marxian” professors refuse.

Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Mr. Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”

Copyright 2022 BY JFS Productions Inc.