Real estate update
‘A Christmas Carol’
Columnist Cristal Clarke says buyers remain interested in area homes - A5
Ensemble Theatre Company performs unique take on classic story - B1
Our 167th Year
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S AT U R DAY, DE C E M BE R 3, 2 02 2
Christmas spirit shines bright Large crowd gathers for tree lighting on State Street By JARED DANIELS NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Biden signs rail deal to avert ‘catastrophe’ By CASEY HARPER
Santa Barbarans didn’t let the cold and damp keep them indoors Friday evening, as well over a hundred people gathered together with friends and family to witness this year’s Christmas tree lighting event outside the Arlington Theatre. The event, which is part of the Downtown Santa Barbara organization’s Season of Cheer, also featured a holiday “block party” inside Arlington Court that offered music by DJ Darla Bea and a variety of familyfriendly activities. While event organizers expressed some concern over the light rain that fell on the city throughout the afternoon and into the early evening — a forecast that earlier caused the block party portion of the event to be moved indoors from its original location outside Please see TREE on A4
THE CENTER SQUARE
(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden signed a bill forcing a deal between several rail companies and a dozen rail unions to avert a Dec. 9 strike. “With the signing of the Railway Labor Agreement, we not only spared this country a catastrophe,” President Biden said after the signing. “We ensured rail workers will get a historic 24% wage increase, better conditions, and a cap on health care costs. And I won’t stop fighting for paid sick leave for all workers.” The House and Senate voted on the deal this week. Critics said the deal didn’t do enough for workers and that the process shouldn’t have been taken over by the federal government. A report from the Association of American Railroads said that the shutdown would cost $2 billion per day and “would immediately harm every economic sector served by rail.” The group said 7,000 trains per day would be affected and would “trigger retail product shortages, widespread manufacturing shutdowns, job losses and disruptions to hundreds of thousands of passenger rail customers.”
Above, Santa Claus made an appearance to greet families during the event. Below, young visitors to the tree lighting ceremony had the opportunity to have their letters to Santa typed up on an old-school typewriter.
President Joe Biden
COURTESY PHOTO
Workshops to cover State Street design By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
The Christmas tree is lit during the Winter Wonderland Block Party & Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the Arlington Theatre on Friday.
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i n s i de Classified.............. A7 Life..................... B1-4 Obituaries............. A4
The city of Santa Barbara next week will host a series of State Street Community Design Workshops, where residents will get a chance to design the future look of the city’s main thoroughfare. On Dec. 9 and Dec. 10, the city will host workshops at 821 State St. (between Canon Perdido and De La Guerra streets) for members of the community to help Please see STATE ST. on A8
Sudoku................. B2 Business . ......... A5, 8 Weather................ A4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 6-18-22-26-34 Mega: 9
Friday’s DAILY 4: 8-9-9-3
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 1-21-36-46-52 Mega: 16
Friday’s FANTASY 5: 9-10-15-19-34
Friday’s DAILY DERBY: 04-10-02 Time: 1:46.30
Wednesay’s POWERBALL: 4-19-24-47-66 Meganumber: 10
Friday’s DAILY 3: 7-4-5 / Midday 5-5-8
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