‘A Comedy of Tenors’
Supreme Court looks at student debt
Noteworthy play opens this week at SBCC - B1
Our 167th Year
Justices raise concerns about Biden’s plan- B4
RAIN TOTALS
Santa Barbara County Building
YESTERDAY.......................... 0.00” SEASON TOTAL...................25.14” CACHUMA LAKE LEVEL..... 752.13 98.6%
75¢
W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1, 2 0 2 3
Man pleads not guilty to electronic peeping Judge orders Justin Obinna Asinobi, 22, not to have contact with his alleged victims By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
A man accused of hiding a camera to spy on more than two dozen people to film them in various stages of undress pleaded not guilty Monday to 26 misdemeanor counts of unlawful electronic peeping, prosecutors said. Justin Obinna Asinobi, 22, was supposed to be arraigned Friday, but the proceeding was continued until Monday when he entered his not guilty pleas, Supervising Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Karapetian told the News-Press.
“The case was assigned for a readiness or settlement conference on 3/8 …,” she said. Last week, Judge Raimundo Montes de Oca set Mr. Asinobi’s bail at $200,000 and ordered him to not have any contact with his alleged victims, stay out of Isla Vista and be subject to GPS monitoring. A case involving electronic peeping was initially reported in 2022, and as a result, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office conducted an almost yearlong investigation into the allegations, Prosecutor Karapetian said. Please see PEEPING on A4
UKRANE: ONE YEAR LATER
DAVE MASON/NEWS-PRESS
The Santa Barbara City Council Tuesday voted to designate the State Street Parkway — the median with trees that includes this part of State Street just off Padre Street — as a city landmark. In the background is the First Congregational Church of Santa Barbara.
Protecting State Street Parkway Santa Barbara City Council designates green median as a city landmark
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Santa Barbara City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to designate the historic State Street Parkway between Mission Street and Constance Avenue as a city landmark. As part of its resolution conveying city landmark status on the parkway, the council followed staff’s recommendation that the landscape groundcover must consist of low plant materials, as opposed to mulch or gravel, and that any Pindo Palms that have to be removed be replaced by other Pindo Palms. Further, council members agreed with staff that the
landmark designation should only apply to the parkway itself, which runs down the center of the street, and should not run curb to curb to include the paved street on both sides of the parkway. The Historic Landmark Commission, which had recommended the council name the parkway a city landmark, had also voted unanimously that the designation should apply to the entire street, roads and parkway included. But staff pointed out Monday that would mean having to return to the HLC repeatedly for permission to perform street repairs and maintenance. Restricting the landmark status to just the parkway would allow
crews to do the work as needed without permission, staff said. “It would make it easier,” Associate Planner Nicole Hernandez said. “Either way, the parkway is going to be protected. I think we can reach that goal with that designation” while still restricting the status to the parkway alone. The council sided with staff. Although she hesitated to go against a unanimous HLC vote, Councilmember Kristen Sneddon said she would support staff’s position. “Our priority is preserving the parkway in its current state,” she said. “But we need to maintain the roads for current uses.” She and other council members
then enthusiastically endorsed conferring city landmark status on the State Street Parkway. ‘I’m fully in support of this,” Councilmember Mike Jordan said. “I’m supporting staff’s recommendation 100 percent,” Councilmember Eric Friedman added. “Our intent is to protect the parkway. We don’t have to do the roads.” He described the parkway section of State Street as “an oasis” situated in between two developed commercial areas of State, echoing a comment made earlier by a public speaker. “It’s important we do this,” he said. Mayor Randy Rowse Please see PARKWAY on A4
More rain expected to fall today as winter weather persists By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday was cloudy and cold in Santa Barbara County, rounding out several days of unusual wintry weather. Rain is expected to be back today throughout the county. In fact, the chance of rain tonight is either 100% or close to 100% throughout the county, according to the National Weather Service. Snow is predicted for Cuyama. Today’s weather service forecast for Santa Barbara includes showers with a low of 40 degrees and a high of 53 with
a 90% chance of precipitation at night and a 70% chance during the day. The forecast for UCSB includes showers with a low of 39 and a high of 53, with a 90% chance of precipitation at night and a 70% chance during the day. Lompoc’s forecast includes showers with a low of 41 and a high of 51 with a 100% chance of precipitation at night and a 70% chance during the day. The forecast for Santa Maria includes showers with a low of 39 and a high of 50 with a 100% chance of precipitation at night Please see WEATHER on A4
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COURTESY PHOTO
Janet Reineck dances on State Street with World Dance for Humanity, which has raised $225,000 to help Ukrainians.
World Dance for Humanity connects with Ukraine on Zoom
Santa Barbara organization brings world together during Sunday sessions Editor’s note: This is the sixth and final article in a News-Press series on local efforts to help Ukraine. By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS
Visitors at Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara were treated to the rare view of the snow-dusted Santa Ynez Mountains on Saturday. It was cloudy and cold on Tuesday, and the winter weather is expected to continue today with rain and low temperatures.
Every Sunday at 10 a.m. PST, Santa Barbara-based World Dance for Humanity holds “Dance and Dialogue” Zoom calls with Ukraine. It’s a chance for Americans to comprehend the realities of war, and for Ukrainians to escape from it, even just for an hour. There are tears, laughter and an outpouring of love, support and gratitude. This past Sunday, 48 people joined the weekly Zoom call from Santa Barbara, Oregon, Alaska, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Idaho, Kherson, Kyiv, Brovary, Odessa region and Mykolaiv. “Dancing during a war is a
very strange concept,” Janet Reineck, founder and director of World Dance for Humanity, told the News-Press. But she added, “Through time, we have realized that music is a way that we can connect, by moving together to Ukrainian music of all kinds. There is a phenomenal amount of beautiful Ukrainian music. This is how you get America to ‘feel’ Ukraine. “On the Zoom call, some move, and some just sit there. It is a very unique and personal experience for everyone.” Dr. Reineck holds a master’s in dance ethnology from UCLA and a doctorate in anthropology from UC Berkeley. Her goal in creating World Dance in 2010 was to share the joy of international music and dance while serving people in need. These weekly Zoom calls have Please see ZOOM on A2
INSIDE
L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified................. B4 Life...................... B1-2 Obituaries............... A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-15-22-24-32 Meganumber: 7
Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 6-3-8-0
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 12-22-27-37-39
Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 06-12-05 Time: 1:41.91
Monday’s POWERBALL: 16-28-49-51-55 Meganumber: 23
Sudoku................... B3 Sports . .................... A3 Weather................. A4
Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 2-1-7 / Wednesday’s Midday 2-3-6