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Our 167th Year
RAIN TOTALS
Santa Barbara County Building
YESTERDAY.........................0.27” 0.00” SEASON TOTAL ...................9.6” 0.00” 693.7 CACHUMA LAKE LEVEL ....000.00
75¢
T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 5, 2 023
Storm slams SB County
Big storm begins in SB County By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
It’s not like they didn’t warn us. The National Weather Service staff had forecast heavy rain, strong winds and high surf in Santa Barbara County, resulting from a “significant” storm poised to strike the area Wednesday and continue through today. And they were right. It started raining in Santa Barbara shortly before noon Wednesday, right on schedule. “With the storm system that started today, we will see heavy rain overnight and into Thursday,” Lisa Phillips, a meteorologist with NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, told the News-Press. At times, the rain will fall at a rate of 1 inch per hour, and potentially up to 1.25 inches per hour, she said. The NWS predicts 2 to 4 inches of rain will fall along the coast and valleys, and higher amounts in the south-facing west hills/mountains
along the southern coast, from 4 to 8 inches and possibly up to 10 inches. “We tend to see more rainfall there than in interior mountains and hills,” Ms. Phillips said. Heavy rain is forecast for the Alisal, Thomas and Cave Fire burn areas. Visit readysbc.org for more information on this situation, including posted maps on the three burn scar areas that are adjacent to creeks. The three areas were under evacuation orders on Wednesday. “It is imperative to understand the seriousness of the situation, and prepare to take actions to protect oneself, family, pets and any tenants, visitors and workers,” the Santa Barbara County Executive Office said. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch, which started at 4 p.m. Wednesday and was scheduled to run through this morning. Please see STORM on A2
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MarBorg equipment was brought in to salvage a boat that washed up at East Beach on Wednesday. The salvage efforts were ended when waves became too high, but MarBorg left the equipment there in case the boat could be salvaged later.
Residents required to evacuate from burn scar areas By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
Evacuation orders were issued Wednesday for the burn scar areas of the Thomas, Alisal and Cave fires as Santa Barbara County braced for a heavy storm and the National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch. The orders affected the entire Alisal burn scar and specific parcels in the vulnerable sections of the Cave and Thomas scars. The South County evacuation center opened up at the Wake Center at 300 N. Turnpike Road, Santa Barbara. And on Wednesday, Santa Barbara County Animal Services was prepared to take in small animals during the evacuations, and large animals could be taken to Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara. The National Weather Service on Wednesday estimated that 4 to 8 inches of rain could fall within a 24-hour period in Santa
FYI For the latest on Santa Barbara County’s response to storms, see readysbc.org. You can also get information by dialing 2-1-1.
Barbara County, with some areas getting as much as 10 inches. The heaviest amount of rain was expected to fall between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 5 this morning. The most intense downpours were predicted to happen between midnight and 3 a.m. Sheriff Bill Brown said the county would also likely be dealing with winds as fast as 50 to 60 mph on Wednesday night. He told reporters during a news conference Wednesday afternoon that there was concern about the saturation of the soil, the potential of trees coming down and the potential for increased rainfall in the foothill communities. The news conference, which took place on the county government campus by Calle Real in Santa Barbara, also included Montecitio Fire Chief Kevin Taylor. He talked to reporters a few days before the five-year anniversary of the Jan. 9, 2018 debris flow that devastated Montecito and cost 23 lives. “First and foremost, the flood conveyance in Montecito at this moment is functioning as designed,” Chief Taylor said, answering a question from the News-Press. He said water flows were clear and the debris basins were cleaned out and ready to receive material. “We are the beneficiary of a brand new debris basin at Randall Road, a great
community project that was done in record time,” Chief Taylor said. “That will most definitely have an impact on the amount of risk for the community.” Earlier at the news conference, Chief Taylor said Wednesday night’s storm was expected to be less significant than the one that occurred on Jan. 9, 2018, but added, “It is still powerful and should be taken seriously. In the last 30 days, our community has received 8 to 13 inches of rain. The forecast is for up to 10 inches. This accumulative rain and saturation is what causes our risk.” Chief Taylor compared Wednesday’s storm to a 1969 storm that triggered debris-laden floods in watersheds in the Santa Barbara area. That storm came five years after the Coyote Fire. The 2018 debris flow followed the December 2017 Thomas Fire. Up the coast from Montecito, the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol was working Wednesday on getting anchored boats moved to more secure mooring spaces before the worst of the storm hit. “Our Harbor Patrol is making every effort to make sure all those boats are brought into the safe harbor area so those efforts are currently ongoing, to make sure none of those in the free mooring area are left out there,” Santa Please see EVACUATION on A2
DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS
Efforts to stay dry on Anacapa Street include warm clothing and umbrellas as the rain hits Santa Barbara Wednesday afternoon.
McCarthy fails to win House Speaker spot after six attempts By CASEY HARPER THE CENTER SQUARE
(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., failed a fourth, fifth and sixth time in two days to win his bid to serve as Speaker of the House Wednesday as Republicans remain divided and the position remains unfilled. Another vote will be needed to confirm a speaker, and until then the newly seated chamber will remain stalled. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, nominated U.S. Rep. Byron
Donalds, R-Fla., to oppose Rep. McCarthy Wednesday, pointing out this is the first time two black Americans have been nominated for Speaker of the House. “Byron Donalds is a good man raised by a single mom who moved past adversity, became a Christian man at the age of 21, and has devoted his life for…his country, and he has done it admirably,” Rep. Roy said. “But there is an important reason for nominating Byron, and that is this country needs a change. This country needs leadership that does not
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after Rep. McCarthy failed to get the needed 218 votes for the position three times on Tuesday. The same 20, originally 19, Republicans voted for U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Tuesday with Democrats backing Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the expected Democratic successor of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Former President Donald Trump vocalized his support behind Rep. McCarthy in a post on TruthSocial Wednesday. “Some really good conversations
took place last night, and it’s now time for all of our GREAT Republican House Members to VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY, & WATCH CRAZY NANCY PELOSI FLY BACK HOME TO A VERY BROKEN CALIFORNIA,THE ONLY SPEAKER IN U.S. HISTORY TO HAVE LOST THE ‘HOUSE’ TWICE!” he wrote. “REPUBLICANS, DO NOT TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT. IT’S TIME TO Please see SPEAKER on A4
Rep. Kevin McCarthy
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reflect this city, this town that is badly broken.” The new speaker would need 218 votes to secure a majority. After November’s elections, Republicans hold 222 in the House, leaving them a slim majority. Rep. Donalds was able to peel away enough votes to keep McCarthy from winning the speaker’s role and force another vote, earning 20 votes from members of the House Freedom Caucus. Wednesday’s votes came a day
Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-16-18-41-45 Mega: 24
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 6-4-1-5
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 25-29-33-41-44 Mega: 18
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 17-19-26-30-39
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 01-03-08 Time: 1:45.91
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 12-32-56-67-68 Meganumber: 26
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 0-6-5 / Midday 7-0-6