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Highway 101 construction disrupts flow of traffic Caltrans recommends caution after Monday’s fatality; CHP says collision wasn’t caused by road work
By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Recent fatal crashes along Highway 101, just north of Ventura, have sparked conversation regarding the current highway construction. On Monday morning, a Honda CR-V and utility truck collided in a fiery fashion, taking the life of one person involved. This shut down the northbound lanes for multiple hours, causing much traffic backup for commuters, who include Ventura County residents who work in Santa Barbara County. Although the California Highway Patrol said the cause was not a direct result of the ongoing highway construction, the work has not made any positive impact on the flow of traffic. Jim Medina, a representative for Caltrans District 7, told the News-Press Tuesday that the work north of Ventura involves
a multitude of actions, including replacing damaged pavement on two right lanes in each direction, repairing road shoulders, repaving on and off ramps, installing new guardrails and improving drainage systems. This construction has altered the normal traffic flow in the area, reducing a 4.3-mile section of Highway 101 from three lanes to two lanes in each direction for the duration of the project. Additionally, the northbound traffic pattern has been redesigned with two bypass lanes, including one that crosses over the median. The purpose of this is to block off two right northbound lanes with k-rails for the safety of workers and motorists during construction, Mr. Medina said. Multiple signs are posted to warn motorists about the traffic pattern. Two of the right southbound Please see 101 on A4
NEWS-PRESS EXCLUSIVE DAVE MASON/NEWS-PRESS
Regular gas was sold for $4.899 a gallon Tuesday at the Chevron station on Fairview Avenue in Goleta, near Highway 101. Averages in Santa Barbara County, California and the U.S. are down $1 a gallon from one year ago, which an analyst says is a historic drop.
GAS PRICES FALL
U.S., including California and Santa Barbara County, sees historic drop from one year ago By TOM GANTERT THE CENTER SQUARE MANAGING EDITOR
(The Center Square) — The United States is witnessing a historic drop in the price of gas at the pump, according to an industry analyst. The American Automobile Association had the national average per gallon dropping from $4.48 a gallon a year ago to $3.53 Tuesday. Patrick De Haan, an energy analyst with Gas Buddy, said
on Twitter there were only four times in history when the U.S. experienced such a dramatic drop in gas prices. He said the other times were the 2008-2009 recession ($3.04 Jan. 2008 to $1.79 Jan. 2009); when OPEC increased its production of oil in 2015 ($3.31 Jan. 2014 to $2.12 Jan. 2015), during the COVID pandemic in 2020 ($2.86 May 2019 to $1.87 May 2020) and now due to the war in Ukraine. Gas prices listed are from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
California’s prices remain above the national average, but there’s good news here as well. AAA reported the state’s average on Tuesday was $4.80 a gallon. That’s down from $5.98 one year ago. On Tuesday, the average price in Santa Barbara County was $4.84 a gallon, down from $5.95 one year ago, according to AAA. The News-Press found lower prices Tuesday at Goleta gas stations. The 76 station at Fairview Avenue and Calle Real
was selling regular gas at $4.539 a gallon for customers paying with credit or debit cards and $4.459 a gallon for cash. Across Calle Real, Fuel Depot was selling regular gas to everyone for $4.519 a gallon. Across Fairview Avenue from Fuel Depot, the Chevron station was a little higher Tuesday than the county’s average, at $4.899 a gallon. The big news remains the $1 Please see PRICES on A4
Board of Supervisors review proposed improvements at jails
By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
COURTESY PHOTO
Kirk Lagerquist, the general services director for Santa Barbara County, previewed the plan for the new renovations of the Main Jail, during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors discussed possible renovations to the Santa Barbara Main Jail Tuesday as well as possible construction at the Northern Branch Jail. Kirk Lagerquist, the general services director for Santa Barbara County, previewed the plan for the new renovations of the jail, which has been in the works since July 2020. After a negotiated settlement between Disability Rights California and the county, the
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requirements called for a change in architecture of the County Jails. In March 2021, the Board approved a professional services agreement to discuss programming options for the main jail. Mr. Lagerquist shared the recommended actions to the board, which included: directing staff to proceed with a minimized renovation plan, making Americans with Disabilities Act improvements, as well as eliminating the use of other beds, which was outlined in the conceptual options for renovations reports. The accessibility compliance
renovations listed were renovating cells, showers, public restrooms, visiting and inmate toilets. Additionally, an ADA path of travel to public parking is required. Additionally, there’s a reported need for intake improvements. This consists of medical and mental health screenings as well as private meeting spaces for clients to meet with lawyers. The total cost of these renovations totaled to about $17.5 million, which included the above renovations as well as deferred maintenance needed — such as Please see JAILS on A4
Prosecutors say peeping suspect’s lawyer plans to seek suspension of criminal proceedings By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The attorney for Justin Asinobi — the man charged with 26 counts of unlawful electronic peeping — is planning to ask a judge to suspend criminal proceedings against him because of his alleged mental health problems, prosecutors said. Lawyers for both sides had been talking about possible resolutions to the case, but the last time they appeared in court, May 3, all such discussion was put to a stop, according to Deputy District Attorney Dalia Granados. “The case was continued to June 21,” she told the NewsPress. “Defense is filing a mental health diversion petition.” Mr. Asinobi pleaded not guilty to the 26 charges, all misdemeanors, at his arraignment. Prosecutors say if the case goes to trial and he is convicted, the defendant could get up to six months in Santa Barbara County Jail for each count. The defendant, 23, has been charged with unlawful electronic peeping between Oct. 1, 2021 and Feb. 15, 2022. The complaint filed against him alleges that he “willfully and unlawfully used a concealed camcorder, motion picture camera or
photographic camera to secretly videotape, film, photograph or record by electronic means another identifiable person, or through the clothing worn by that other person, for the purpose of viewing the body or undergarments worn by that other person, without that person’s knowledge or consent.” Prosecutors allege he hid multiple devices in private homes where people had a reasonable expectation of privacy. By filing the motion for diversion, the defense is not questioning Mr. Asinobi’s legal competency to stand trial, Prosecutor Granados said. According to a statute, when pretrial Mental Health Diversion is requested, the court, in its discretion, and after considering the positions of the defense and prosecution, may grant pretrial diversion to a defendant if he meets the eligibility requirements and is suitable for that diversion. Eligibility is based on whether a defendant has been diagnosed with a mental disorder including, but not limited to, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder, but excluding antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder and pedophilia. “Evidence of the defendant’s Please see PEEPING on A4
INSIDE
L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified................. B4 Life...................... B1-2 Obituaries............... A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 5-11-16-18-39 Meganumber: 12
Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 9-3-8-9
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 3-11-18-23-24
Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 05-03-09 Time: 1:46.78
Monday’s POWERBALL: 1-26-28-55-58 Meganumber: 25
Sudoku................... B3 Weather................. A4
Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 8-5-6 / Wednesday’s Midday 7-6-7