The Ty Warner saga
Equinox Concert
Problems at the southern border
What’s next for the Biltmore and lawsuit by his ex? The investigator raises questions - A3
Santa Barbara Revels embraces early California music for first in-person concert since 2019 - B1
Voices columnist Henry Schulte expresses concern - C1
Our 166th Year
Finding homes for animals Shelters waive adoption fees during special promotion By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
A few rabbits Saturday were running and hopping down the rows between hutches in this covered, outdoor shelter in Goleta. They seemed to jump magically from nowhere, then disappear just as quickly elsewhere in the shelter. All that jumping around could mean just one thing. They’re happy. “They jump up and do that twist (in the air). That’s the ultimate happy bunny,” volunteer Lori Crestfield told the NewsPress inside the Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter, which is home to nearly 80 rabbits. Oh, and don’t forget the 16 guinea pigs. One of them, Popcorn, gave little kisses to the hands of Sam Payne-Elliott, who sat at a table outside Santa Barbara County Animal Services during a free adoption day. “He’s really a good boy,” Mrs. PayneElliott said, looking down at him as pet lovers walked up. Animal Services’ Overpass Road facility is home to a dog shelter, BUNS’ rabbit shelter and Animal Shelter Assistance Program, the cat shelter. It was a busy day for all three. In the day’s first two hours, two pit bulls, a shepherd and a Lab mix were adopted at the Goleta campus, Animal Services outreach coordinator Michelle Maltun told the News-Press. And a cat was getting adopted every 15 minutes Saturday morning, Becky Morrill, ASAP’s shelter operations supervisor, said. “We’ve had five cats adopted so far, and we’ve only been open 75 minutes.” Animal Services also operates a shelter in Santa Maria, which was busy as well with its free adoptions. “We had a line going down the parking lot in Santa Maria of people wanting to meet our dogs, cats and rabbits there,” Ms. Maltun said. The free adoption day was part of the Clear the Shelters campaign, organized nationally by NBC/Universal-owned television stations. Besides Animal Services, neighboring Santa Barbara Humane on Overpass Road and Santa Barbara Humane’s Santa Maria campus participated in waiving all fees for a day for adoptions. In Buellton, Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society/DAWG also participated in the promotion but with regular fees. The need to find homes has grown more critical with a recent increase in animals coming to the shelters, Ms. Maltun explained. “Our shelters have been filling up during the last six months,” she said. Last year, it was a different story. With people stuck at home during the pandemic, they were eager to foster or adopt pets, and Ms. Maltun said during that time, animals were getting adopted as soon as they became available. But this year, people are going back to work and are traveling again, and Ms. Maltun said that has made finding homes more difficult. She found it encouraging that people were coming to the Goleta facility Saturday and providing homes for the animals. The dogs, cats and guinea pigs could go with their new families immediately. People could reserve the bunnies of their choice and be guaranteed a free adoption, but Ms. Crestfield said they don’t take them home immediately. People need time to get the supplies they need to care for rabbits. One Santa Barbara resident walked to her car from the ASAP shelter with her new domestic shorthair cats, sisters Bella and Mittens, and she was thrilled. “I’ve always had cats,” Diane Hemmer told the News-Press. “I love cats. I always feel cats need a home. Every shelter is full of these poor animals who need a home. And they’re easy to take care of.”
By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
SpaceX’s Dragon capsule splashed down Saturday afternoon, wrapping up its history-making chapter in space travel with a list of firsts. The four members of the first all-civilian crew to orbit the Earth arrived off the coast of Florida at 4:06 Pacific time Saturday. “All-civilian” means these four, who clearly had the right stuff, went to space and back without a career astronaut aboard. That’s one “first.” Here’s another. It was the first splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean in more than 50 years. After circling the Earth since Wednesday, Dragon underwent a series of phasing burns to leave Please see SPACEX on A2
Jail experiences COVID-19 outbreak By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS
Lori Crestfield holds Erica, one of the rabbits at Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter in Goleta. It was among the shelters participating Saturday in Clear the Shelters, a campaign promoting adoptions.
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Diane Hemmer receives a free bag of wet and dry cat food and toys from an ASAP volunteer. Mrs. Hemmer had just adopted two domestic shorthair cats, Bella and Mittens.
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A new COVID-19 outbreak has been reported at the Santa Barbara County Jail. Since Aug. 19, 65 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, said Raquel Zick, the public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, in a news release Saturday afternoon. Of the 65 inmates, 17 have recovered, said Ms. Zick, who said the outbreak is currently being managed. “There are currently 48 active cases among inmates in the facility that are being closely monitored by medical staff,” Ms. Zick said in a news release. “These individuals are isolated for a minimum of 14 days and monitored by medical staff. All exposed inmates are under quarantine and will be tested per outbreak protocol.” She said four custodial staff members have tested positive since Aug. 19. The Santa Barbara County public health officer has directed daily antigen testing for all custodial staff for the next three days. On the third day, a decision is expected on whether daily testing is required. Ms. Zick said the investigation into the outbreak began Aug. 20 when 11 inmates and one staff member tested positive in the jail’s South Module. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is helping the Sheriff’s Office to contain the outbreak with antigen testing kits, testing personnel and oversight of mitigation efforts. email: dmason@newspress.com
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i n s i de Classified.............. A8 Life..................... B1-4 Obituaries............. A4
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SpaceX’s Dragon splashes down First all-civilian crew completes orbital mission
Please see PETS on A6
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Su n day, S E P T E M BE R 19, 2 021
Sudoku................. B3 Sports ................ A7-8 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 3-5-20-36-45 Mega: 25
Saturday’s DAILY 4: 1-6-1-0
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 17-32-40-59-61 Mega: 18
Saturday’s FANTASY 5: 10-16-18-19-34
Saturday’s DAILY DERBY: 02-11-05 Time: 1:43.24
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 5-36-39-45-57 Meganumber: 11
Saturday’s DAILY 3: 1-8-9 / Midday 1-3-7