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Our 167th Year
Airport update on tap for SB City Council
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Santa Barbara City Council today will receive a status update from Airport Department staff on airport-related matters, including operations, property management, facilities maintenance, air service development, aviation activity and the delivery of capital improvements at the Santa Barbara Airport. The council will meet at 2 p.m. at City Hall, 735 Anacapa St. “The Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) continues to adapt to what has been the most volatile time in industry history,” staff said in its report to the council.
“Initially, the COVID pandemic resulted in a virtual shutdown of aviation activity. Across the industry, recovery was initially very slow, causing a prolonged and very significant drop in revenue. As a result, SBA initially put a pause on most significant capital expenditures as well as on the filling of some vacant positions.” To support airports dealing with revenue shortages, the federal government provided several batches of funding to airports nationwide. The stimulus funding coupled with growth in demand for air travel at SBA to record levels has put the airport on financially stable ground moving forward, staff said. “The challenges that now lie ahead deal
THE CENTER SQUARE
(The Center Square) – California could soon extend COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave through December and offer grants to certain nonprofits and businesses under a budget bill advanced by lawmakers on Monday. The bill expands upon existing supplemental paid sick leave provisions passed in February that offer California workers up to 80 hours of supplemental paid sick leave. The law specified that workers were entitled to at least 40 hours of COVID-19 sick leave to complete a quarantine period, to take care of a family member
who has been instructed to quarantine or is taking care of a child whose school or daycare has closed due to COVID-19. Under the law, workers could receive an additional 40 hours if the employee or a family member tested positive for COVID-19. Those provisions, which were set to expire Sept. 30, would be expanded through Dec. 31 under the budget trailer bill. Lawmakers advanced the bill in the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee on Monday. Lawmakers didn’t discuss the estimated cost of the enhanced paid sick leave on employers. Under the existing law, California employers can require employees to submit a
primarily with implementation of the Airport’s Capital Improvement Projects as SBA looks to provide the infrastructure necessary to meet the demand and customer expectation for service while being responsive to community impacts,” staff said. During the period of January 2022 to present, SBA experienced record passenger growth. The pandemic recovery coupled with the influx of Federal relief funds have positioned SBA well to move forward on several key capital improvements. Although most vacant positions have now been filled, several key vacancies remain. email: nhartstein@newspress.com
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A Santa Maria man arrested after detectives found a massive amount of illegal drugs at a residence, some of which were easily accessible to children living there, is scheduled to appear in court today to set a date for his preliminary hearing. Victor Anthony OliveraHernandez, 21, has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from his Aug. 4 arrest, prosecutors said. A judge could set the date for his preliminary hearing, or continue the proceeding to another date. The Santa Barbara County Superior Court case is being heard in Santa Maria. Mr. Hernandez was arrested on suspicion of child cruelty, unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of narcotics for sales, all felonies. Detectives with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Bureau served a search warrant Aug. 4 at approximately 7 a.m. at a
residence in the 100 block of North Curryer street. They seized approximately 17,000 M30 fentanyl pills, 22.5 pounds of cannabis flower, 27 grams of MDMA or Ecstasy, 218 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, three grams of cocaine and hundreds of acid tabs. Some of the narcotics seized were found in areas accessible to children,who were living in the residence, sheriff’s officials said. He is charged with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition, one count of possession for sale of a controlled substance in connection with the 17,000 MDA pills, another count of possession for sale of a controlled substance in connection with the cocaine, a third count of possession for sale of a controlled substance in connection with the MDMA, and a fourth count of possession for sale of a controlled substance in connection with the psilocybin mushrooms, all felonies. email: nhartstein@newspress.com
end of the year said Monday it would offer key pay protections for workers. The bill also establishes a grant program for smaller businesses and nonprofits with between 26 to 49 employees to help offset some of the costs associated with the expanded sick leave. Qualified businesses and nonprofits can request grants to cover the costs of supplemental paid leave, with grants capped at $50,000. To qualify, businesses must be currently operating and have been operational prior to June 1, 2021. Lawmakers have until the end of the day Wednesday to get the bill out of the Legislature and sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
As part of a project to reconstruct bridges on U.S. Highway 101 at the interchange with State Route 135 in Los Alamos, the northbound bridge will be demolished beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Los Alamos bridge reconstruction to continue starting Sept. 6 By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
A project to reconstruct the bridges on U.S. Highway 101 at the interchange with State Route 135 in Los Alamos will continue with the demolition of the northbound bridge beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6. This roadwork will result in a 24-hour closure of State Route 135 between Bell/Main Street to San Antonio Boulevard beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 7 a.m. until Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 7 a.m. A temporary shuttle service will transport passengers near the Los Alamos Rancho Mobile Home Park and the Los Alamos Senior Center. US 101 will remain open in both directions. Access to the southbound U.S. 101 on and off-ramps will remain open and the northbound onand off-ramps at State Route 135 will remain open for travelers to the Skyview Hotel and Peppertree Lane. In addition, travelers on
northbound U.S. 101 will encounter a traffic switch onto a newly constructed bridge in the center median beginning Wednesday morning for the next four months while construction proceeds on new traffic lanes. This project will continue to include periodic intermittent full overnight closures of State Route 135. Traffic delays are not expected to exceed 15 minutes. Electronic message boards and detour signs will be posted to advise all travelers about these closures. The contractor for this $10 million project is CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria. It is scheduled to be complete by March 2023. Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway construction zones. For traffic updates in Santa Barbara County, motorists may call Caltrans District Public Affairs at: 805-549-3318 or can visit https://dot.ca.gov/caltransnear-me/district-5 email: nhartstein@newspress.com
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second diagnostic test on the fifth day after the employee initially tested positive. This bill further allows the employer to require employees who test positive a second time to take another test after 24 hours, though employers must pay to provide both tests. The bill specifies that an employer has “no obligation” to provide additional COVID-19 sick leave if employees refuse to submit proof of positive tests. The original bill reinstating COVID-19 sick leave in February was signed after the state saw surging case rates throughout January. While the state is not currently amid a surge, supporters of expanding the paid sick leave provisions through the
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
COURTESY PHOTO
Lawmakers may expand COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave By MADISON HIRNEISEN
SM man in court after huge drug bust
DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS FILE
Airport Department staff will deliver an update to the Santa Barbara City Council during today’s meeting.
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Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 16-17-25-43-45 Mega: 9
Monday’s DAILY 4: 3-0-5-9
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 6-27-30-38-64 Mega: 23
Monday’s FANTASY 5: 4-10-15-33-37
Monday’s DAILY DERBY: 08-05-07 Time: 1:47.39
Monday’s POWERBALL: 13-36-43-61-69 Meganumber: 18
Monday’s DAILY 3: 6-5-6 / Midday 2-2-9