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T H U R SDAY, J U N E 29, 2 023
Fourth of July travel 2,000 travelers expected at peak times at airport; Central Coast predicted to be third-highest destination for Southern Californians
Doubts surface about hit-and-run suspect’s competence Man accused of running down a good Samaritan while evading police By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The attorneys for a Santa Barbara man charged with running down a good Samaritan trying to stop him from driving away from a police traffic stop contend their client is mentally incompetent to stand trial. Cary Glenn Allen, 43, of Santa Barbara, appeared in court Tuesday to set dates for a preliminary hearing on two felony cases, and a probation violation hearing on a misdemeanor case. However, both matters were stopped after his attorneys declared their doubts about his competency, Senior Deputy District Attorney Megan Chanda told the News-Press. “The defense attorneys declared a doubt as to the defendant’s competency …,” she said. “Criminal proceedings have been suspended, and two doctors have been appointed to evaluate the defendant to determine whether he is
competent to stand trial. We return to court for the doctors’ reports on 7/25.” Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch announced June 9 that charges had been filed against Mr. Allen in connection with the June 6 hit-and-run incident in Santa Barbara. Prosecutors charged him with four felony counts - Aggravated Mayhem, Assault with a Deadly Weapon for personally inflicted great bodily injury upon the victim, Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Serious Permanent Injury and Evading an Officer Causing Injury. Mr. Allen is also charged with two misdemeanor counts – Hit and Run Driving (resulting in property damage) and Domestic Violence Contempt of Court. Further, prosecutors allege that he was out on bail in another case, in which he is charged with one felony count of Corporal Injury to a Spouse and one misdemeanor count of Domestic Please see SUSPECT on A4
California to audit placement service for released sexually violent predators By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTOS
Over 3.4 million Southern Californians are expected to travel over 50 miles on freeways such as Highway 101 (seen here in Goleta).
By LIAM HIBBERT NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
This Thursday through next Tuesday is expected to be one of the busiest times for travel in the Santa Barbara area in years. Santa Barbara Airport and the major roads around the city are expected to be much busier than usual as thousands of people go in and out of the Central Coast to celebrate the Fourth of July. “If you’re traveling over the holiday weekend, the big motto for us is arriving early and being prepared because it will be busy,” Santa Barbara Airport Marketing Supervisor Angi Daus told the News-Press Wednesday. “Having patience and arriving early is going to be your best bet.” The Santa Barbara Airport is expecting up to 2,000 travelers at peak times this Fourth of July weekend. Travelers are recommended to take rideshares like Uber and Lyft to the airport if possible, as the short- and longterm parking lots are expected to be near capacity for the next couple days. TSA lines are also expected to be longer than usual. People are recommended to arrive at the airport two hours early for their flights. “We know it’s going to be a very busy week on our roadways,” AAA Communications Manager Doug Shupe told the News-Press Please see TRAVEL on A4
An American Airlines jet lands at the Santa Barbara Airport. “If you’re traveling over the holiday weekend, the big motto for us is arriving early and being prepared because it will be busy,” airport Marketing Supervisor Angi Daus told the News-Press.
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(The Center Square) - On Monday, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee unanimously approved a request by California Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) to audit Liberty Healthcare. “We are thankful that the bipartisan Legislative Audit Committee understands the need to further investigate Liberty Healthcare’s poor management of” sexually violent predators, Sen. Jones said. Liberty Healthcare is a health and human services management company in Intellectual and Developmental Disability care and psychiatry. The east-coast based company has enjoyed an exclusive 20year partnership with the Department of State Hospitals to manage the Sexually Violent Predator Conditional Release Program which requires the program to place released offenders within their county. Sen. Jones revealed in a letter to the Chair of California Joint Legislative Audit Committee, Assemblyman David Alvarez, that several attempts to get answers from the department about sexually violent predator placement and operations through Liberty Health has been very difficult if not impossible. “This troubles me because it seems that DSH has delegated their authority and responsibility to a private contractor,” Sen. Jones said. In the letter to Asseblyman Alvarez, Sen. Jones continued, “Liberty Healthcare’s practices are not in line with public oversight and fail to focus on safety that the program
calls for. In fact, it appears full details of where Liberty Healthcare is leasing homes for sexually violent predators are kept secret from neighbors, schools and local government officials, including even local law enforcement. It is only after Liberty Healthcare signs leases for homes and pays for them with our tax dollars, that they slowly release details to the community, making it almost impossible to stand up against inappropriate placements.” A sexually violent predator has a high probability to reoffend as the individual not only commits a violent sexual act but is diagnosed with a mental disorder. Liberty Healthcare is paid by the state for every placement by their service. DSH payments to Liberty Healthcare for such services are $34,000 per client on average, according to a 2021 Daily Press report. “Liberty Healthcare comes into unsuspecting communities up and down California and employs a disturbing placement strategy in which full details of where they are leasing homes for SVPs are kept secret from neighbors, school officials, and even local law enforcement,” said Sen. Jones. “As information becomes available, communities react to the placement creating situations of divided neighborhoods, and litigation by County District Attorney’s to block the dangerous and unwanted placements,” Sen. Jones said, “A lot of taxpayer money is wasted year after year by DSH in this process while the vendor just makes more money and moves on to other communities to start the whole cycle over again. “
Sudoku................. A3 Weather................ A4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 5-9-12-34-46 Mega: 27
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 8-4-1-1
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 8-34-35-41-52 Mega: 12
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 9-10-21-22-38
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 09-02-01 Time: 1:45.20
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 19-25-34-57-68 Meganumber: 4
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 7-3-6 / Midday 3-1-7