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Our 166th Year
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Group gathers at De La Guerra Plaza to promote medical freedom By MADISON HIRNEISEN
The event, organized by Stand Up Santa Barbara, began at Stearns Wharf at noon. Hundreds of participants from across the region marched up to De La Guerra Plaza as part of a global Worldwide Rally for Freedom.
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Hundreds of people, toting signs and American flags, rallied at De La Guerra Plaza on Saturday in an event that organizers said was meant to promote medical freedom. The event, organized by Stand Up Santa Barbara, began at Stearns Wharf at noon. Hundreds of participants from across the region marched up to De La Guerra Plaza as part of a global Worldwide Rally for Freedom. This event was organized as part of a global, unified freedom movement, and
rallies like the one in Santa Barbara were held in more than 200 cities all over the world on Saturday. Justin Shores, the co-founder of Stand Up Santa Barbara, told the News-Press that the rally was meant to promote five freedoms — freedom of speech,
movement, choice, assembly and health. However, much of Saturday’s conversation among organizers and keynote speakers centered on vaccines and COVID-19. “We need to stand up, push back against the government that are just taking advantage of a bad situation —COVID,”
Mr. Shores said. I believe (COVID) is bad too, my mom got COVID. But there is a treatment for it that (health experts) are suppressing. They’re pushing a vaccine that hasn’t been tested.” “I’ll take every other vaccine that’s been tested and proven that it works, and I
know the side effects. These vaccines are different,” he added. Event attendees heard from multiple speakers during Saturday’s event, including Peggy Hall, the founder of The Healthy American, and local chiropractor Hesu Whitten. Dr. Whitten founded a medical freedom group in 2019 after claiming that he saw many people in the medical community “taking away people’s medical rights.” When speaking about the COVID-19 vaccine, he claimed the vaccine has never been proven to stop infection or reduce death, however, these claims have largely Please see RALLY on A7
Fiesta’s youngest ambassadors gather for photos at SBCC
Pounding the pavement City officials canvas to oppose recall, campaign for re-election By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Ahead of the gubernatorial recall election in September and the City Council elections in November, a group of City officials, members of the county’s Democratic Party and community volunteers met Saturday morning to encourage residents to get out and vote in both elections this fall. Mayor Cathy Murillo and councilmembers Kristen Sneddon, Eric Friedman and Meagan Harmon were present at Saturday’s campaign event, going door to door to talk with voters about the upcoming elections. The campaign, which was organized by the Santa Barbara County Democrats, is known as the “Campaign for a Progressive Santa Barbara.” During Saturday’s event, volunteers and city councilmembers canvased in various neighborhoods around Santa Barbara, encouraging residents to vote for the Mayor and councilmembers running for re-election and vote “no” on the recall effort targeted at Gov. Gavin Newsom. Please see OFFICIALS on A3
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
A group of children and teens from Los Niños de las Flores and La Señoritas gathered on the steps at SBCC’s sports pavilion Saturday for their annual photo shoot.
While this year’s Fiesta celebration is still scaled back compared to pre-pandemic years, the Los Niños de las Flores and La Señoritas are back in person again after a number of classic Fiesta events were cancelled in 2020.
By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
“Viva la Fiesta!” That familiar cry resounded once again from dozens of children and teens gathered in traditional Fiesta attire at the steps of SBCC’s sports pavilion on Saturday. The group, composed of members of Los Niños de las Flores and La Señoritas, crowded together for their annual photoshoot at SBCC before an exciting week of Fiesta events begins in August. While this year’s Fiesta celebration is still scaled back compared to prepandemic years, the Los Niños de las Flores and La Señoritas are back in person again after a number of classic Fiesta events were cancelled in 2020. Though this year’s Fiesta will not
include any parades, the Los Niños de las Flores and La Señoritas will be kicking off the week of events at Fiesta Pequeña at the Santa Barbara Mission on Aug. 4. Lily Crestfield, a member of the La Señoritas, told the News-Press that it feels good to be back in person and spreading the spirit of Fiesta once again. This is her
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eighth year involved in the group, and she said what keeps her coming back each year is being part of a community celebration that brings joy to so many people. “It’s really nice to see people smile again because that’s why we all do it,” Lily said. “(Fiesta) just makes people happy. And you know, last year, we didn’t really get to see
anyone. We got some pictures taken and stuff, but we couldn’t see the audience. So it’s nice to be able to be back and to see the people that we’re making happy and just celebrate as a big group again.” Throughout this year’s celebration, the group of about 115 children and teens will be making their rounds to elderly homes, the police station and the mayor’s office to deliver flowers and spread Fiesta cheer. For Harper Tolmei, a 12-year-old member of Los Niños, going to elderly homes to deliver flowers has always been her favorite part of Fiesta during each of the four years she’s been involved in the celebration. “I really like seeing the old folk homes a lot because they’re all excited to see Please see FIESTA on A1
Mayor Cathy Murillo and councilmembers Kristen Sneddon, Eric Friedman and Meagan Harmon were present at Saturday’s campaign event, going door to door to talk with voters about the upcoming elections.
Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A5
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 1-5-19-27-40 Mega: 8
Saturday’s DAILY 4: 6-8-9-2
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 13-17-19-30-36 Mega: 17
Saturday’s FANTASY 5: 5-13-21-25-29
Saturday’s DAILY DERBY: 05-12-01 Time: 1:48.38
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 1-4-11-59-67 Meganumber: 10
Saturday’s DAILY 3: 5-1-1 / Midday 4-1-3