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Standing with Ukraine Santa Barbara County continues to support nation; local church raises more than $100,000
AG: Smart & Final illegally raised prices Grocery store chain settles with state, agrees to pay $175,000 in fines By KAITLYN SCHALLHORN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Smart & Final grocery stores illegally raised prices on certain egg products at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when in-store items were particularly scarce, Attorney General Rob Bonta said Tuesday. Attorney General Bonta said the state and the grocery store chain have reached a settlement that includes $175,000 in fines, and the company is permanently prevented from future violation of state price gouging laws and related executive orders. Smart & Final raised the prices of four organic and cagefree egg products during the
DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS
The First Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church has worked on efforts for aid in the form of food, clothing and some medical supplies for Ukrainians, Pastor Michael Smiyun said.
By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
Ukraine flags were seen this week on the overpasses above Highway 101 in Goleta as Santa Barbara County continues to stand with Ukraine.
Local groups have raised money for aid, which includes, as of Tuesday, more than $100,000 raised by the First Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church of Santa Barbara. “A lot of people have donated,” Pastor Michael Smiyun told the
News-Press Tuesday. Pastor Smiyun said the money is going mostly for food and clothing for Ukrainians inside Ukraine, but noted an effort is under way to deliver some medical supplies as well. He said those supplies would include N95 masks.
The pastor also explained that his church was working with churches in Ukraine to get aid to Ukrainians. The efforts to help Ukraine are continuing as the world watches heartbreaking images from the Please see UKRAINE on A4
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
Attorney General Rob Bonta
pandemic, the attorney general said. Some prices were raised by more than 10% over prepandemic levels with no accompanying increase in supply costs, Attorney General Bonta said. The grocery company sold more than 100,000 cartons of unlawfully priced eggs, he said. “While these were premium products, remember during these times, shelves were often bare. There weren’t a lot of choices, and consumers had few, if any, choices so they bought what was there,” Attorney General Bonta told reporters Tuesday. The attorney general said the price increases were chain-wide. “It’s unacceptable to take advantage of hardworking families,” he said. Smart & Final has many locations throughout California, including several in the Santa Barbara area. One store is located at 3943 State St. and another at 217 E. Gutierrez St. There is a store at 7090 Hollister Ave. in Goleta and a location at 850 Linden Ave. in Carpinteria. The Commerce-based company did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the News-Press. On its website, Smart & Final said it offers cage-free egg options in the majority of its stores and had a goal to provide only cage-free eggs by 2025. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in early March 2020, triggering California’s price gouging protections. Please see PRICES on A3
Board of Supervisors focuses on energy updates By KAITLYN SCHALLHORN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
Ukraine flags go up on an overpass over Highway 101 in Goleta.
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LOTTERY
i n s i de Classified.............. B4 Life..................... B1-2 Obituaries............. A4
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors received an update Tuesday on its 2015 Energy and Climate Action Plan — and moved toward enacting various other measures to continue to take climate actions and reduce carbon emissions. The board recommended staff develop an ordinance to restrict (not necessarily ban) natural gas infrastructure for new construction and major renovation projects. Supervisor Das Williams, too, pushed for all light-vehicle electrification for county operations by 2023. “We can do a lot as an institution and being a leader and demonstrator in the community that these things can
be done,” Supervisor Gregg Hart said. According to the presentation, Santa Barbara County completed or initiated about 77% of the measures identified in the initial 2015 plan by 2020. About 13% of the measures were discontinued. Additionally Tuesday, the board granted an appeal after the Planning Commission denied a homestay permit request for a property in the Santa Ynez area. According to the staff report, the property owner continued to use the property in a homestay-style fashion despite the permit being challenged by a neighbor. Chair Joan Hartman was the lone vote against upholding the appeal.
Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 3-5-13-17-41 Mega: 14
Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 0-4-0-1
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 22-43-60-63-64 Mega: 18
Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 13-15-17-30-36
Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 12-09-02 Time: 1:44.92
Monday’s POWERBALL: 2-32-39-46-69 Meganumber: 6
Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 2-6-7 / Midday 2-3-2