Architectural treasures in Santa Barbara, Montecito
Department of Education sued over loan cancellation plan Pacific Legal Foundation says Congress didn’t authorize President Biden to forgive students’ debt - A3
Our 167th Year
Tour to highlight special buildings - B1
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W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 8 , 2 0 2 2
Casa de la Guerra in all its glory
Police oversight ordinance sent to Santa Barbara City Council Committee votes 2-1 to send ordinance to full council
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Santa Barbara City Council Ordinance Committee got a first official peek Tuesday at a draft ordinance to assign additional civilian police oversight duties to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners. The duties include the ability to review both internal and external complaints about police conduct. After 1½ hours of discussion, the committee amended the proposed oversight ordinance to include “red-line” changes suggested by a member of the Community Formation Commision. Committee members voted 2-1 to send the proposed ordinance to the full council for deliberation. Councilmembers Kristen Sneddon and Oscar Gutierrez voted yes and Councilmember Mike Jordan voted no, partly because of concerns he had about limits for applicants with a law enforcement background. Before the vote, new Police Chief Kelly Gordon and Barbara Andersen,
senior assistant to the city administrator, talked about the benefits of the proposed police oversight ordinance. “This is in fact historic,” Chief Gordon said. “We believe in the strength of community oversight. We’re committed to transparency.” On June 6, the council directed staff to incorporate additional police oversight duties and authorities to the Fire and Police Commission. The proposed draft ordinance follows that direction. In addition to making policy and budget recommendations regarding the police and fire departments, the ordinance now specifies the type and frequency of reporting to the commission. “This includes reports detailing the total number and type of internal and external complaints received and subsequent action taken, as well as the number of officers disciplined and the level of discipline imposed,” staff said in its report. The commission will also Please see OVERSIGHT on A2
Investigators say more than 70% of cannabis growers use illegal water Study examines Santa Ynez Valley By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
DAVE MASON/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Santa Barbara artist Manny Lopez paints Casa de la Guerra, which is behind him, bottom right. Mr. Lopez, who continued to work on his painting after the News-Press photos were taken, was among several artists who were painting Tuesday morning in De la Guerra Plaza. The subject of Mr. Lopez’s painting, Casa de la Guerra, served as the residence from 1818 to 1828 for José de la Guerra, the fifth commandant of the Presidio de Santa Barbara. Today the site is open for visitors, and guided tours can be arranged. The site is also used for events. In the 1990s, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation restored Casa de la Guerra to its appearance between 1828 and 1858. For more information, see sbthp.org.
California to require salary ranges to be included in job postings By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF REPORTER
(The Center Square) — Many California employers will soon be required to include salary ranges on job postings under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday. The new law, Senate Bill 1162,
will require employers with 15 or more workers to provide employees with pay scales for their jobs starting Jan. 1, 2023. It also requires employers to maintain records of the job titles and wages of each employee. The data would be open to inspection by the state’s labor commissioner, who could
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fine violators up to $10,000. “California has once again shown its dedication to creating a more equitable economy for all,” the bill’s author, Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, tweeted Tuesday. “Disclosing salary ranges have been proven to narrow the wage gap.”
The Golden State is not the first in the nation to move forward with this requirement. Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act took effect on Jan. 1, 2021, requiring employers to disclose a salary range on job postings. Please see SALARY on A3
An investigation by Lynker Technologies LLC and the Law Office of Marc Chytilo has alleged that more than 70% of all cannabis operations in the Santa Ynez River Valley bottom illegally use surface water during California’s worst drought. According to the investigation, more than 500 acre-feet of water per year are being diverted from the Santa Ynez River Alluvial Basin to cannabis grows. The investigation by Lynker and the law office says this usage violates California law, which prohibits use of surface water for cannabis cultivation between March 31 and Nov. 1. Of the 31 cannabis cultivation operations along the Santa Ynez River between Lake Cachuma and Lompoc, 22 appear to pump and irrigate illegally using water that is protected under California law, according to the investigation. “All we’ve heard for two years
is: ‘You need concrete evidence.’ So we went out and got some,” Blair Pence, president of the Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis, told the News-Press Tuesday. “Honestly, the scope of these results came as a surprise to me. I can’t believe this has gone on in our valley, and I am hopeful that the authorities will put a stop to it immediately. “The water that was taken belongs to everyone who uses Cachuma Lake, which affects all of us,” Mr. Pence said. “Our study is just the first step, and we will be exploring any necessary steps to ensure the sustainability of our community’s water resources.” Right now, Lake Cachuma is at 35.5% capacity, and scientists estimate that it would take years of normal rainfall to fully fill the reservoir, which supplies water to Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria. “As a farmer, I am incredibly disappointed that we aren’t all playing by the rules,” Mr. Pence Please see GROWERS on A4
INSIDE
L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified................. B4 Life...................... B1-2 Obituaries............... A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 6-12-21-23-36 Meganumber: 7
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 6-7-2-2
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 12-13-18-22-23
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 01-07-09 Time: 1:40.97
Monday’s POWERBALL: 13-20-31-33-59 Meganumber: 20
Sudoku................... B3 Weather................. A4
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 2-1-1 / Wednesday’s Midday 7-1-2