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World waits for Russia to start full-scale invasion Pentagon warns Russia appears to have finished preparations By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
The world waited nervously Wednesday night for the start of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As the wait continued, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia would take military action in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, the area of eastern Ukraine that contains the separatistcontrolled regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Earlier Wednesday, the Pentagon warned Russia seems to have finished its preparations for such an invasion, and Ukraine went into a state of emergency Wednesday. Russia is “at the final point of readiness,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told NBC News.
End of one Wolf era By RON SMITH WESTMONT SPORTS WRITER
Dave Wolf has announced that the fall 2022 season will be his last as head coach of the Westmont men’s soccer team. This coming fall will be his 32nd at the helm of a program that has known only four skippers in its 57year history. Wolf has piloted the Warrior program through most of its existence, accumulating a record of 353-172-56 (.656). “Dave Wolf has played a central role both as a men’s soccer coach and as an administrator in Westmont Athletics,” said Westmont Athletic Director Dave Odell. “I am so grateful for the impact he has had at Westmont for more than three decades, and I am thankful that he included me early in his decision making process.” Anyone who knows Dave Wolf, knows that he does not make life-changing decisions without careful deliberation. In true “Wolfian” form, the beloved coach articulately shared not only his conclusions, but his thought process as well. “Let me take you to the beginning of the thought process,” Wolf said over a cup of coffee. “There were two pieces that came together at the same time. One was reaching the 30-year mark. I think anytime we hit markers, we get a little bit introspective. I don’t know what is different between 29 and 30, but there is something about hitting those markers that gets us thinking thoughts about our tenures and our journey. “The second piece was having
“I am planning on expanding my teaching responsibilities,” Dave Wolf said about his Westmont duties after he steps down as head men’s soccer coach.
Graeme Jorden and Jackson Wolf (Dave’s youngest son) in the incoming class (last fall). As I was thinking about the journey for me, this whole journey started with R.J. (Ryan Jorden, Gaeme’s father) as a first year student-athlete in the fall of ‘91. It just started feeling to me like it had come full circle.” The elder Jorden served as Wolf’s assistant coach for eight years and is currently the head men’s soccer coach at UCLA.
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“That was the starting point of this conversation,” continued Wolf, “which actually began in the summertime. My first conversation with Dave Odell was back in June, and it was just letting him know how I was feeling and opening up the conversation. At that point, I felt like I wouldn’t be coaching beyond Graeme’s and Jackson’s four years at Westmont.” “A couple of other pieces for me were, one — I have only ever
been a head coach. It is all I have known. When you are the boss all the time, you are always the one making the final decisions, always the one carrying that responsibility and always the one wrestling with the results, long after others are. There is a toll. So that was definitely part of it. “Along with that was the recognition that not every Please see WOLF on A2
Please see UKRAINE on A3
COVID-19 cases continue to fall locally, nationally
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“I am not entirely convinced that I am done coaching,” said Dave Wolf, who plans to make the fall 2022 season his last one as the head men’s soccer coach at Westmont College. Wolf said he’s interested in becoming an assistant coach at some point.
Westmont’s Dave Wolf decides to make his 32nd season his last one as head men’s soccer coach, but is looking forward to his next chapter at the college
He said a larger invasion could start at any time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed his nation and said Russian President Putin had ordered a full-scale invasion. Ukraine has prepared for a Russian invasion by manufacturing more tanks, calling reservists into action and teaching survival skills to schoolchildren. “Ukraine now looks and feels like a country embracing for a full-blown war,” said CBS News correspondent Charlie Daggett, reporting in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. During his address to Ukranians, Mr. Zelensky said that if Russia attacks, Russian troops “will see our faces, not
By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The number of new COVID-19 cases continues to drop in Santa Barbara County, and a similar significant downturn is being seen across the country. “Public health experts say they are feeling hopeful that more declines are ahead and that the country is shifting from being in a pandemic to an ‘endemic’ that is more consistent and predictable,” The Associated Press reported. On Tuesday, Santa Barbara County reported 64 new COVID cases. On Wednesday, the number was 61. In early January, the daily number tended to be around 1,000 cases. “Cases of COVID-19 continue to drop locally even as omicron remains the dominant variant,” said Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, the Santa Barbara County public health director. “This is a promising confirmation of what models have anticipated would follow this most recent surge,” she told the News-Press in an email Wednesday. “As we head into the spring and summer months, it is critical to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, stay home if you are ill, and take precautions to safeguard this positive trajectory toward the ending of the pandemic.” On Feb. 17, California became the first state to officially shift to an “endemic” approach, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a plan that would emphasize prevention and a speedy reaction to outbreaks rather than mask mandates and shutting down businesses. “We’re going to keep them safe, and we’re going to stay on
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“Cases of COVID-19 continue to drop locally even as omicron remains the dominant variant,” said Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, the Santa Barbara County public health director.
top of this.This pandemic won’t have a defined end. There’s no finish line,” Gov. Newsom said. California is among states that recently lifted its indoor mask mandates for fully vaccinated individuals. Others include New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York and Illinois. Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties lifted their mandates for fully vaccinated individuals. This week, Target, which has stores in Santa Barbara, Goleta and Santa Maria, announced it wouldn’t require masks of its employees and customers at its stores across the nation, unless required by local regulations. The policy went into effect Monday. The loosening of restrictions comes as numbers show fewer Please see COVID CASES on B4
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L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified................. B4 Life...................... B1-2 Obituaries............... A4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 6-4-2-6
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 6-17-22-57-62 Meganumber: 3
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 2-8-19-27-32
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 00:00.0 Time: 1:44.71
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 2-36-37-45-69 Meganumber: 3
Sudoku................... B3 Weather................. A4
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 6-4-0 / Wednesday’s Midday 0-5-0