CARP SUSPECT ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS CARPINTERIA, July 12, 2007 — Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a 17-year-old male accused of multiple counts of sexual battery in the Carpinteria area since March, according to a statement from the department on Thursday. The suspect, who authorities declined to identify by name because of his age, allegedly assaulted a number of female victims near Casitas Pass Road, grabbing them in the rear. He also allegedlu exposed himself on at least one occasion, authorities said. Deputies made the arrest Wednesday evening after combing the area for a suspect wanted in connection with an assault that took place near Poplar and Via Real earlier in the day. In that case, the suspect allegedly approached the victim on bicycle, grabbing her buttocks as she walked, authorities said. He then fled the area, according to deputies. Connected to a string of similar assaults that occurred on the bike path between the 5600 block of Carpinteria Avenue and Via Real, the suspect was taken to juvenile hall and charged with sexual battery. -Barney McManigal
BUELLTON COUNCIL REJECTS EXPANSION STUDY
BUELLTON, July 12, 2007 — With a crowd of 250 people in attendance, the Buellton City Council on Thursday voted 3-2 not to take the first steps towards annexing 2,000 acres of farmland on three sides of town. The council majority — Mayor Diane Whitehair, Mayor Pro Tem Russ Hicks and Councilwoman Victoria Pointer — said that initiating a study on whether to expand Buellton’s “sphere of influence” on either side of Highway 101 would open the door to sprawl and and spoil their bucolic valley. After the meeting, Joan Hartmann, a resident who helped collect more than 1,000 signatures on a petition against the study, said she was proud to be in Buellton, “despite its funny name.” “The councilmembers who voted to terminate this were very courageous,” she said. “They understand that the best way to plan is with the community, not with the bureacrats.” Buellton presently covers 1,25 acres and has a population of 4,500. Residents who favored going forward with the study, including councilmembers Dale Molesworth and Ed Andrisek, said the future annexation of 2,000 acres would prevent the county from “usurping” local control and building high-density, low-cost housing just outside of Buellton. — Melinda Burns BIG STINK AT THE BIRD REFUGE
SANTA BARBARA, July 11 -- Noxious odors emanating from the Andree Clark Bird Refuge, at Cabrillo Boulevard and Los Patos Way, have been reported in recent days from as far away as Riviera neighborhoods and noted by motorists passing by on Highway 101. City officials said the smell is the result of "significant algal blooms" due to the pond's poor circulation and lack of natural fresh water input. The Bird Refuge, a 29-acre pond, is particularly susceptible to algal blooms, or the process of "eutrophication," in the summertime, officials said, adding that the spell of warm weather, following the below-average rainfall last winter, contributed significantly to the problem. In an effort to alleviate the odor and improve water quality, the city has released more than 4 million gallons of potable water into the pond since Friday. It is hoped that the added water, combined with the operation of a small boat to increase aeration, will reduce the odor and offset future algae blooms. Blending fresh water with pond water at the Bird Refuge is an annual management practice of the Parks and Recreation Department. The cost to release the potable water each year can reach $20,000. So far this year, the water releases have cost more than $12,000. Conditions are expected to improve by the weekend, officials said. In the long term, the city is assessing the feasibility of installing solar powered aerators to improve water quality and habitat at the pond. - SBN COPS: MEN IN CAMO DROP POUNDS OF POTSANTA YNEZ VALLEY, July 12, 2007 — A rancher interrupted a marijuana harvesting operation when he stumbled upon a group of men carrying duffle bags full of the plant who were trespassing and walking out of the hills toward a nearby road, officials said. Armed with a rifle and searching for coyotes, the rancher observed eight Latino men in the early hour of Tuesday, said Santa Barbara Sheriff's Sgt. Erik Raney, a department spokesman. "The suspects were wearing camouflage clothing and carrying military style duffle bags," Raney said in a statement. "When he first saw the suspects, they were walking out of the brush. He assumed they were poachers, and ordered them to stop." The unidentified rancher checked one of three bags left behind and observed it full of marijuana, Raney said, adding the total amount was 100 pounds. "All of the subjects fled in different directions, but some left there duffle bags behind." They were described as ranging in age from 18 to 35. Deputies searched but did not find the men, Raney said. - Tom Schultz
SUSPECTED HABITUAL SHOPLIFTER NABBEDSANTA BARBARA, July 10 -- After a monthslong investigation, police on Tuesday arrested a 40-year-old man on suspicion of being the culprit in a string of local shoplifting incidents.
James Edward Harris was taken into custody around 1 p.m. at his residence on Cottage Grove, police said. Harris allegedly pilfered from stores such as Sur la Table and Achor Blue – both on the 800 block of State Street – and Victoria’s Secret in the Paseo Nuevo Mall, said Santa Barbara Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey, a department spokesman.
The stolen items allegedly included French cooking pots, jeans, perfume and intimate apparel, McCaffrey said.
"He is also charged with violation of his parole terms, which stem from theft and narcotics convictions," McCaffrey said in a statement. "Anyone with additional information on James Harris’ activities is urged to contact Detective Mark Suarez at 897-2309."
- Rob Kuznia
STABBING IN SANTA MARIA PARK INJURES MAN
SANTA MARIA, July 10 -- A stabbing in Santa Maria left a 27-year-old man with a non-life-threatening slash wound to the neck, police said Tuesday. Authorities were searching for suspects. Fernando Ward told Santa Maria Police he was walking through Atkinson Park around 7 a.m. Tuesday when he was approached from behind by two people, whom he could not identify. The culprits reportedly grabbed Ward, searched him for valuables and sliced his neck. Police said they did not know whether the assailants used a knife.
- Rob Kuznia
COPS: BOY HIT BY CAR IN GANG FIGHT
SANTA MARIA, July 8, 2007 — A 15-year-old boy was intentionally hit by a small white car in an apparent gang fight late Saturday near the intersection of Bunny Avenue and McClelland Street, officials said. He was treated at the scene and transported to Marian Medical Center, where he remains in serious condition with major head injuries, according to the Santa Maria Police Department. Gang Detectives were called in and were working leads, according to police. — Tom Schultz TWO ARRESTED IN ALLEGED COUNTERFEIT CAPER SANTA BARBARA, July 6, 2007 — Two Los Angeles men have been arrested for allegedly attempting to sell counterfeit power tools in San Roque this week, police said Friday. Alerted by a call from the neighborhood, police found the two men in a 1997 Honda on Thursday, Santa Barbara Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey said.
The foreman at a construction site in the vicinity said that one of the men, Ever Argueta, 31, had offered to sell him a Hitachi demolition impact hammer for $350. The foreman said he knew the list price to be closer to $1,000, according to officials.
Upon questioning, McCaffrey said, Argueta denied that the tool had been stolen and showed the police three expensive power tools for sale — two Hitachi demolition hammers and a Bosch construction-grade drill that retails for $700. The driver of the Honda, Pablo Alfaro Munoz, 25, told police he had driven Arugeta and the tools up from Los Angeles for $60, McCaffrey said. The police then called in Robert Good, an employee of the Buena Tool Co., who identified the tools as counterfeits that had been manufactured in violation of copyright rules. Later, McCaffrey said, police contacted a Buellton businessman who last month reported buying two power tools from a man for $350, only to watch them break the next day. Those tools, too, are believed to be counterfeit, McCaffrey said. — Melinda Burns
SCHOLARS GATHER TO STUDY RELIGIOUS PLURALISM UCSB, July 6, 2007 — Eighteen scholars from around the world have gathered at UCSB this summer to study the religious diversity of the United States and learn first-hand how people with widely differing beliefs can get along, university officials said Friday. The program, now in its sixth year, was developed by the UCSB Department of Religious Studies and is funded by the U.S. State Department. This year’s participants come from universities in 18 countries, including Algeria, Botswana, Czech Republic, Egypt, Indonesia, Niger, Norway, Taiwan, Uganda and the West Bank. A key focus is the study of how people of different faiths can work toward common goals in a single society, organizers said. The student-scholars can compare the U.S. experience with pluralism in their own countries, said Wade Clark Roof, a UCSB professor of religious studies who heads the international program. As many as 2,000 different religions are practiced in the U.S., he said. “We also want to look at how religion can contribute to a civil society and democratic ideals, such as respect for others, human rights, freedom and equality, all of which have deep roots in religious traditions,” Roof said. — Melinda Burns ALL OPEN FIRES PROHIBITED
COUNTYWIDE, July 3, 2007 — The Santa Barbara County Fire Department, in conjunction with all other Fire Departments in the county, announced on Tuesday a total ban of open burning anywhere in Santa Barbara. This prohibition includes all cities within the county until further notice and comes amid high-fire alerts, officials said. All permit burning also was suspended, and campfires were restricted to established facilities within established campgrounds. — Tom Schultz
TRUCK DRIVER DIES ON HIGHWAY 101 GOLETA, July 3, 2007 — A truck driver from Lompoc was killed in a hit and run accident in Goleta in the early hours of Tuesday morning, authorities said. A Goleta man was later arrested in connection with his death. Miguel Angel Cabrera, 45, was standing next to a tractor-trailer rig that was stopped on the shoulder of Highway 101, just south of Los Carneros Road, when he was struck by a pickup truck, which also hit the rig, according to the CHP. The driver of the truck, who was later identified as 38-year-old Andrew Palmer Swanson of Goleta, did not stop after the accident, officials said. He reportedly was arrested at his home several hours later. Swanson was arrested early Tuesday morning on suspicion of felony DUI and felony hit and run, according to the CHP. Cabrera died from his injuries a short time later, meaning that Swanson may also face a charge of gross vehicular manslaughter. Witnesses told investigators that the hood of the tractor-trailer rig that Cabrera driving was up at the time of the accident, suggesting that it may have had mechanical difficulties, officials said. — Anna Davison ARRAIGNMENT POSTPONED IN TEACHER-STUDENT POT CASESANTA BARBARA, July 3, 2007 — The arraignment of a temporary Goleta Valley Junior High School teacher suspected of smoking marijuana with a 14-year-old student was postponed Tuesday until July 16, Prosecutor Joyce Dudley said. Melissa Dunning, 31, was recently charged by the District Attorney's Office with furnishing a student with marijuana and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, authorities said. Parents of the teenager suspected their son had been smoking marijuana with Dunning, who was tutoring him at her Santa Barbara home, and notified the Sheriff's Department in late May, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.
During the investigation, detectives learned Dunning allegedly smoked marijuana with the teen on three separate occassions, including one in which which another 14-year-old also allegedly participated, officials said.
In addition to working at the junior high, Dunning reportedly worked in various capacities throughout the Santa Barbara School District. — Tom Schultz BANK ROBBER ON THE LOOSE IN SANTA MARIASANTA MARIA, July 2, 2007 -- Police searched for a man who robbed a bank Monday afternoon in Santa Maria, officials said. Around 3 p.m., officers responded to a call at Mid-State Bank, located at 519 E. Main Street, where witnesses reported that a lone male had slipped the teller a note demanding cash. The teller complied, and the man made off with an undisclosed sum, authorities said. Witnesses described the man as white with a medium-to-heavy build and standing about 5-feet, 7-inches tall, Santa Maria Police officials said. Witnesses told police that the man appeared to be in his 20s or early 30s. He reportedly wore a bright yellow baseball cap, gray hooded jacket, light-colored blue jeans and gloves. The hair on his chin and sideburns appeared to be dark, but may not have been real, police said. Anyone with information can ccall 928-3781, ext. 165. -Rob Kuznia GANG SWEEP BRINGS 15 ARRESTS Numerous weapons were seized including eight rifles, two handguns a shotgun with pistol grip pump action, approximately 300 rounds of varying caliber ammunition and numerous hunting style knives. Photo by S.B. County Sheriff's Department GOLETA VALLEY, June 28, 2007 — A wide gang sweep Thursday resulted in 15 arrests for narcotics and weapons possession, probation and parole violations and other charges, authorities said. Numerous weapons were seized including eight rifles, two handguns a shotgun with pistol grip pump action, approximately 300 rounds of varying caliber ammunition and numerous hunting style knives, authorities said.
The operation against members of the "Goleta 13" gang follows an increase in violence among its members, said Santa Barbara Sheriff's Sgt. Erik Raney, a department spokesman.
The majority of 27 locations served with a "large-scale gang assocation" warrant by the department were in the city of Goleta, Raney said in a statement. Other locations were outside city limits and one was in Oxnard.
"Approximately 120 deputies and officers from agencies all over Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties as well as state and federal agencies assisted in the warrant service," the sergeant said. Five of the arrests were made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers for immigration violations, Raney said. — Tom Schultz MAN ARRESTED IN SEX ASSAULT ON GIRL Leobardo Alatorre GOLETA, June 28, 2007 — A man was arrested late Wednesday on suspicion of kidnapping, lewd acts upon a child and public intoxication after authorities called to the area of Girsh Park used a dog to track him to a drainage culvert near the railroad tracks at the Storke Road overpass at Highway 101, oficials said. Leobardo Alatorre, 38, allegedly attacked an 8-year-old girl, said Sgt. Erik Raney, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.
The girl told police she was riding her bicycle around the park while her father and brother played basketball at the nearby courts, Raney said.
"A man approached her as she was riding, and grabbed her handlebars," he said. "The suspect led the victim down a path toward a secluded area of the park where he allegedly kissed her on the mouth and ran his hand up her leg and under her shorts."
During the attack, the girl reportedly told the man to let her go, authorities said. The man released the girl and ran off when she said she would tell her father, authorities said.
Alatorre was found asleep, Raney said.
"While random assaults of this nature are rare in Santa Barbara County, this incident serves as a reminder to all parents and guardians of young children," the sergeant said. "Be aware of your surroundings and the location of your children at all times when in public places."
— Tom Schultz
MAN SPENDS NIGHT TRAPPED IN CAR
SANTA BARBARA, June 28, 2007 — A man was found Wednesday in a car that plunged down an embankment after he spent the previous night trapped in the vehicle, authorities said.
James Victor, 57, of Santa Barbara, was headed east on East Camino Cielo near Gibraltar Road, according to the CHP.
"Mr. Victor was traveling too fast and failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway, running off the road and traveling approximately 150 feet down an embankment," according to a statement from the agency. "Mr. Victor wears a prosthetic right leg which became detached during the collision and rendered him unable to extricate himself."
He was found after a U.S. Geologic Survey work crew heard calls for help, officials said, adding Victor suffered dehydration. He reportedly wore his seat belt during the crash.
— Tom Schultz
TEACHER ALLEGEDLY SMOKED POT WITH STUDENT
GOLETA VALLEY, June 28, 2007 — A temporary Goleta Valley Junior High School teacher on Wednesday was charged by the District Attorney's Office with furnishing a student with marijuana and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, authorities said.
Melissa Dunning, 31, allegedly smoked marijuana with the 14-year-old, according to a statement from Santa Barbara Sheriff's Sgt. Erik Raney, a department spokesman.
Parents of the teenager suspected their son had been smoking marijuana with Dunning, who was tutoring him at her Santa Barbara home, and notified the Sheriff's Department in late May, Raney said.
During the investigation, detectives learned Dunning allegedly smoked marijuana with the teen on three separate occassions, including one in which which another 14-year-old also allegedly participated, Raney said.
In addition to working at the junior high, Dunning reportedly worked in various capacities throughout the Santa Barbara School District.
- Tom Schultz
MOTHER ARRESTED IN CHILD ENDANGERMENT CASE
GOLETA, June 27, 2007 — A mother was arrested after she allegedly left her two toddlers in a locked vehicle on Tuesday in the hot afternoon sun at the Calle Real Shopping Center for at least 45 minutes, authorities said.
Pamela Dillman, 47, was taken into custody after Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a lunchtime call from the Calle Real Shopping Center, said Sgt. Erik Raney, a deparment spokesman.
"A passerby observed the children, then spent approximately 15 minutes trying to find the responsible parent or guardian before calling 911," Raney said in a statement.
Deputies found the twin boys, approximately two years old, sleeping in their car seats, Raney said.
"They appeared lethargic and were sweating," he said.
The twins were taken to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital for evaluation and later released to their father, Raney said.
Sheriff’s deputies were on scene for approximately 30 minutes when the mother of the toddlers came back to the car with her five-year-old daughter.
"Based on the temperature both inside and outside of the car, the apparent length of time the children were left alone, and the physical condition of the children, deputies determined that the mother placed the children in a situation that could have resulted in serious bodily injury or death, and took her into custody," Raney said.
Dillman was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail and held on $100,000 bail, officials said.
— Tom Schultz
COTTAGE GETS BIGGEST CORPORATE GIFT IN ITS HISTORY
SANTA BARBARA, June 27, 2007 — The Cottage Health System has received the largest donation in the history of the nonprofit hospital chain, announcing a $2.5 million pledge this week from SAGE Publications.
The contribution from the book and electronic media publishing house based in Thousand Oaks will go toward the ongoing reconstruction of Cottage Hospital at Bath and Pueblo streets, and brings total pledges and gifts raised in that campaign to more than $74 million. The overall project will cost more than $500 million and be paid for through a variety of revenue sources.
Cottage will name a new medical library in honor of SAGE, hospital spokeswoman Janet O'Neill said.
The publishing house led by Chairwoman Sara Miller McCune, who serves on several community boards, maintains offices in Califfornia, London, New Delhi and Singapore.
“We’re committed to remaining closely connected to libraries," company president and CEO Blaise R. Simqu said in a statement. "We are pleased to partner with Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in the quest to bring premier health services to the tri-counties and to support the new SAGE Medical Library.”
— Tom Schultz
BLAZE DESTROYS MOBILE HOME; 2 WOMEN ESCAPE
GOLETA, June 26, 2007 — Two women escaped from a mobile home fire early Tuesday that consumed their mobile home, authorities said.
The names of the women, one of whom suffered minor injuries, were withheld for "privacy reasons," said Capt. Eli Iskow, spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. The names may be released later, he added.
Around 1:20 a.m., firefighters responded to panicked calls from several residents who feared the women were trapped in the burning double-wide at 333 Old Mill Road, No. 134.
By the time the first of five engine companies arrived, the unit was completely engulfed in flames, threatening the structures on both sides, Capt. Iskow said.
One of the two women was treated for a minor injury by paramedics at the scene, he said in a statement. It took about 40 minutes to knock down the blaze, he said.
“Homes on both sides of the structure were damaged, one significantly, by the radiant heat,” he said. “The American Red Cross has been called for the possible need for assistance for the occupants and the resident of one of the adjoining damaged structures."
Authorities said the home was equipped with a working smoke detector. The damage was estimated at $150,000, and the cause of the fire is under investigation, Capt. Iskow said. No firefighters were injured, he said.
- Rob Kuznia
FEWER DRIVING ALONE TO WORK, SURVEY SAYS SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, June 21, 2007 — A recent survey of 3,000 residents in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties reveals that in every county the percentage of commuters driving alone has dropped slightly in the past five years, though driving alone is still by far the most popular way of getting to work. Of 1,000 people contacted by phone in Santa Barbara County, 70.7 percent said they drive alone to work, down from 77.5 percent in 2002, the survey found. At the same time, 14.4 percent said they are carpooling this year, up from 11.9 percent in 2002, and their carpools are larger than they were five years ago. According to the survey, which was conducted by the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, a regional transportation agency, these modest moves away from driving alone reflect an increase in the Latino population in Santa Barbara County. More Spanish-speaking people contacted for the survey said they regularly carpool to work, the survey said. In 2005, Latinos represented 37 percent of the county’s population, up from 34 percent in 2000. Commuting by bus was up this year, too, in all three counties, the survey found. In Santa Barbara County, bus riders increased from 2.6 percent of commuters in 2002 to 3.8 percent this year. The reason most often given for carpooling, walking, biking or riding the bus to work was not owning a car. The survey also found that workers at firms where the employer encouraged alternatives to commuting alone were less likely to do so. Extrapolating from the pool of participants, the survey estimated that more than 9,000 residents of Santa Barbara County commute to jobs in San Luis Obispo County and 3,000 commute to Ventura County. Commuters coming in to Santa Barbara County include 15,500 from Ventura, or about 450 fewer than in 2002; and 10,100 from San Luis Obispo, or nearly 1,000 more than in 2002. -- Melinda Burns
MAN INJURED IN WEEKEND ACCIDENT DIESSANTA BARBARA - June 21, 2007 - An elderly man who was a passenger in a car that crashed into a house on Cliff Drive on Saturday has died, authorities said. The passenger has been identified as 77-year-old Warren Fuller, authorities said Thursday. He had been in the Intensive Care Unit at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital since the accident, authorities said. The woman driving the car, Esther Argenal, 62, had minor injuries. According to police, she lost control of the Nissan Maxima she was driving about 12:15 p.m. Saturday and crashed through the bedroom wall of a house in the 1300 block of Cliff Drive. Fuller was the only passenger in the car.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident, which was the third on Cliff Drive in as many days.
- Anna Davison
BICYCLIST STRUCK BY SUV IN LOMPOC
LOMPOC - June 21, 2007 - A bicyclist was injured in Lompoc Thursday evening when he was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of E. Ocean Avenue and G Street shortly before 7 p.m.
The 55-year-old man was taken to Lompoc District Hospital with what police described as minor injuries.
He was traveling south on G Street on the west crosswalk across Ocean Avenue when he was struck by a GMC Denali that was making a left turn. After sideswiping the bicyclist, the SUV, which was being driven by a 15-year-old male, crashing into two traffic signals, knocking out power to the lights at the intersection.
The driver of the GMC and four passengers were taken to Lompoc District Hospital. A 13-year-old who sustained head injuries was the most seriously injured, according to the Lompoc Police Department. The 15-year-old driver did have a driver's permit and there was a licensed adult in the vehicle at the time of the accident, authorities said.
Anyone with information on the accident is asked to call the Lompoc Police Department at 736-2341. - Anna Davison
HWY. 101 ACCIDENT VICTIM IDENTIFIED
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, June 20, 2007 -- The woman killed Tuesday night on U.S. 101 near Refugio State Beach was identified as Carly Nichole Shelton, 25, of Canoga Park, Don Clotworthy of the California Highway Patrol said Wednesday.
According to CHP investigators, the pickup was traveling southbound just after 9:30 p.m. when the driver apparently lost control and it overturned into the center divider. Shelton was thrown out into the northbound traffic lanes where she was struck by a Nissan Altima driven by Wilward Edward Smith, 45, of Santa Maria. Smith, who was uninjured, stopped at the scene, Clotworthy said, adding that witnesses said more than one vehicle may have struck the victim. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Shelton's passenger, Kimberly Charleen Scott, 22, of Woodland Hills, was taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where she was treated for lacerations and contusions.
According to CHP investigators, Scott was wearing a seatbelt but Shelton was not. The collision remains under investigation.
--SBN
'SUPER STAR' ZOO PROGRAM
SANTA BARBARA, June 20, 2007 -- Corinne Santini of Santa Barbara Zoo won the first place "Super Star" award from the Santa Barbara Human Resources Association at its 10th annual Innovative Solutions Awards luncheon Wednesday.
Santini coordinates the zoo's Guest Experience Specialist Program, which provides training for the extra part-time workers needed in the summer tourist season. It's a professional development program for entry-level employees, many of whom are starting their first job. Judges mentioned the program as a standout because it enhances the experience of the employees, the organization and the entire community.
Kerry McCoy of HRxpress won the second place "Shining Star" award for her New Parent Kit which helps employers welcome employees' new babies and explain the rights, policies and other concerns of parenthood in the workplace.
The third place "Rising Star" award went to Christina Collier, of Clipper Windpower, for "Get Plugged In," a communication program for sharing information with employees in the growing company.
Honorable Mentions went to Four Seasons Biltmore and Inogen, Inc.
Judging criteria included innovation, application to other businesses, and measurable results of the program. Also considered was whether the program was aligned with the overall goals of the organization.
The Innovative Solutions program showcases local human resources best practices. Entries were submitted from businesses throughout the community. This year's judges were Alice Bourland, Sarah Sinclair, Marilyn Weixel and Das Williams. The award winners presented their entries at the lunch meeting in order to share them with their industry peers.
-- SBN
CAPPS CRITICIZES BUSH VETO WASHINGTON, D.C., June 20, 2007 -- Congresswoman Lois Capps, D-Calif., responded sharply Wednesday to President Bush's veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act -- legislation to support embryonic stem cell research.
"It is unfortunate that the President has once again denied the hopes of millions of Americans whose lives could benefit from embryonic stem cell research by vetoing this important legislation," Capps said. "For the second time in less than a year the President has chosen to reject the will of the vast majority of Americans and ignore the clear scientific consensus in support of this life-saving research. His executive order fails to adequately advance stem cell research, being more of a political gesture than anything else. The Democratic-led Congress will not give up its fight to expand embryonic stem cell research."
Capps said she hoped that other legislators would join her in voting to override the veto. -- SBN
ENTREPRENEURS HONORED SANTA BARBARA, June 20, 2007 – Five entrepreneurs have been honored as "Women of the Year" by Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV), the group announced Wednesday. Awards were in three categories: "Start-up: up to two years in business; "Up and Running," one to three years, and "Taking the Leap," four to 10 years in business.
The honorees are Martha Townsend, President of MarketReady Rx, and Glenda Lopez, owner of Glenda’s Cleaning Services, for "Start-up," Zdena Jiroutova, owner of Z Folio Gallery in Solvang, "Up and Running," and Barbara Lanz-Mateo and Christine LoMonaco, founders of Coastal Woman, "Taking the Leap."
WEV offers services to help women launch and build their own businesses, such as business counseling, training, networking, and loans. The organization lists more than 1,000 businesses in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties run by graduates of WEV’s Self-Employment Training program or recipients of WEV small business loans. Information: www.wevonline.org.
-- SBN
EMPLOYEE ARRESTED ON EMBEZZLEMENT CHARGES
SANTA BARBARA, June 19, 2007 — Authorities arrested a man on suspicion of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from his employer after he surrendered himself to detectives at the Santa Barbara Police Station, officials said Tuesday.
Patrick Joseph Roche, 33, allegedly stole $324,000 from Select Remedy, an employment agency located at 3820 State St., Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey said in a statement.
The investigation began in April, when a co-worker noticed irregularities in how the account books were managed, McCaffrey said. "When questioned, Roche told a co-worker that he embezzled $80,000. He was fired that day."
Roche had worked at the company since 1999, hired on as the collections and credit manager, McCaffrey said.
"This gave him the opportunity to control funds being returned to companies as overpayments," the lieutenant said. "Roche had established a dummy company named ‘California Consulting Group.’ He altered the company books to reflect that this dummy company was due large refunds from overpayments."
Police suspect that over a six-year period Roche allegedly funneled 38 checks ranging from $2,200 to $18,800 into the "dummy" company’s account.
"As the account holder," McCaffrey said, "he was able to withdraw the money at will."
So far, Detective Hansen determined that Roche allegedly spent large sums online at E-Trade, electronics and technology stores, a private gym membership, utilities and gasoline, and adult entertainment in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, McCaffrey said.
Roche was booked on suspicion of grand theft by embezzlement. He is being held in the County Jail in lieu of $324,000 bail, officials said.
In addition, the district attorney added charges of grand theft with a special allegation called “excessive taking” — defined as any amount over $100,000. If convicted, this can result in added time to Roche’s sentence, McCaffrey said.
— Tom Schultz
MAN ARRESTED IN MOLESTATION CASE
SANTA MARIA, June 19, 2007 — A man was arrested Monday on suspicion of long-term and continuous molestation of a girl under the age of 12, officials said.
Gary Townsend Boyd, 62, of Santa Maria, a registered sex offender, was arrested at his home on the 1700 block of N. Miller Street after a search warrant was served, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
Boyd was booked into the county jail with bail set at $500,000, officials said.
— Tom Schultz THREE CAR ACCIDENTS IN CLIFF DRIVE AREA SINCE SATURDAY; ONE FATAL
In one of three car crashes on or near Cliff Drive since Saturday, a 72-year-old woman died when she apparently pulled a Pontiac Grand-Am out of a driveway on the 1500 block of Cliff Drive and into the path of an oncoming Jeep Grand Cherokee, authorities said.
Shortly after the accident at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Juanita “Janie” Owens was pronounced dead at the scene from apparent head trauma, Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey said in a statement. The driver of the Jeep, 54-year-old Harry Atterbury, was listed in stable condition with head and leg injuries, he said.
“His Jeep squarely broadsided her driver’s side door,” McCaffrey said. “The posted speed limit is 40 mph; however the speed each vehicle was traveling remains under investigation.”
The first accident occurred around 12:15 p.m. Saturday. A Nissan Maxima driven by 62-year-old Esther Argenal drifted off the roadway and crashed into the residence at 1310 Cliff Drive, fully penetrating into a bedroom.
“Fortunately, no one was home,” McCaffrey said.
Argenal suffered minor injuries. Her passenger, 77-year-old Warren Fuller, was hospitalized in critical condition with major chest injuries. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, police said.
The third crash occurred around 1 p.m. on Monday, at Meigs Road near Cliff Drive. A motorcycle was struck by a small pickup entering Meigs from the business parking lot near McDonald’s restaurant. The motorcyclist was taken to Cottage Hospital with an apparent broken leg. Police did not release the names of the people involved on Monday.
- Rob Kuznia
ATTEMPTED MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED
LOMPOC, June 16, 2007 — A man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of attempted murder following an early morning fight and stabbing along the 400 block of West North Avenue, officials said.
Mark Anthony Adams Jr., 23, was held for alleged assault with a deadly weapon and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail with no bail, according to the Lompoc Police Department.
Authorities said the victim in the 1:49 a.m. stabbing was recovering from abdominal wounds. His name was not released.
Officials said the incident was not gang related.
— Tom Schultz
DRIVER PLOWS INTO S.B. HOME
SANTA BARBARA, June 16, 2007 — A woman was in stable condition and a man in critical condition Saturday after a car plowed into the interior of a home on the Mesa along Cliff Drive, officials said.
The eastbound driver, 62, lost control of the Nissan Maxima along the 1300 block of Cliff for unkown reasons, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
Both she and her passenger, a man in his 70s, were rushed to Cottage Hospital with injuries, officials said.
Nobody was home at the time, according to police.
— Tom Schultz
HOMELESS MAN IDENTIFIED IN SUSPECTED HOMICIDE
SANTA BARBARA, June 15, 2007 — Authorities on Friday said Charles Eugene Johnson, 49, was the homeless man found dead one day earlier in a suspected homicide.
Three men were arrested by Santa Barbara Sheriff's deputies in connection with the alleged beating-to-death of Johnson, whose body was found early Thursday near a transient encampment where Upper State Street crosses Highway 101, officials said. The suspects include Brian Rose, Russell Mell and Robert Sladek, according to a authorities.
— Tom Schultz
SUPERVISORS RENEW CONTRACT FOR CEO MIKE BROWN
SANTA BARBARA, June 15 -- The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors narrowly approved an additional two-year contract for County Executive Mike Brown, who earns roughly $220,000 per year as the jurisdiction’s top administrator, according to an announcement Friday. Supervisors Joe Centeno, Brooks Firestone and Joni Gray supported the renewal, with Supervisors Salud Carbajal and Janet Wolf voting no. Brown’s contract also extends his severance compensation to nine months from four. And it would create a special 401(a) retirement account for Brown to receive pension benefits. With Brown's contract set to expire in 2009, officials extended it to 2011. -Barney McManigal
CHILD'S PLAY STARTED GOLETA FIRE
GOLETA, June 15 -- A five-year-old child playing with fire caused the inferno that destroyed one apartment, damaged others and displaced 19 residents in a building on Linwood Avenue in Goleta, according to county fire officials. The fire, which took place Thursday at 499 Linwood Place, ignited after a child played with matches inside a storage closet. County Fire Department investigators reached that conclusion after interviewing witnesses and assessing available evidence. -Barney McManigal
COPS: A TOBACCO STING WITH NO OFFENDERSLOMPOC — June 15, 2007 — Authorities conducted a tobacco sting Friday, but no merchants succumbed to the operation, officials said.
In a three-hour period, 38 businesses were asked to sell tobacco to minors under the age of 18. No business sold to the decoy minor, according to the Lompoc Police Department.
"The Lompoc Police Department would like to congratulate the businesses that DID NOT sell to the minors and would like to remind businesses that we will be back out in the future," according to a statment.
— Tom Schultz
CARP STUDENT DETAINED IN ALLEGED THREAT
CARPINTERIA, June 15, 2007 — A Carpinteria Middle School student was arrested Thursday for allegedly threatening to "kill everyone" after he reportedly learned he was going to be held back a year, authorities said. The student, whose name authorities would not release because he is a minor, was booked into Santa Barbara County Juvenile Hall, officials said.
After searching the teenager's home, detectives determined he did not have access to any weapons, said Sheriff's Sgt. Erik Raney, a department spokesman.
Reports of threatening statements directed at counselor drew deputies to the campus at 10 a.m. Thursday, officials said.
The unidentified 14-year-old had just been informed that he may be held back in the 7th grade, officials said.
"The Sheriff’s Department and the schools take threats of any kind seriously," Raney said.
— Tom Schultz CARP STUDENT DETAINED IN ALLEGED THREAT
CARPINTERIA, June 15, 2007 — A Carpinteria Middle School student was arrested Thursday for allegedly threatening to "kill everyone" after he reportedly learned he was going to be held back a year, authorities said.
The student, whose name authorities would not release because he is a minor, was booked into Santa Barbara County Juvenile Hall, officials said.
After searching the teenager's home, detectives determined he did not have access to any weapons, said Sheriff's Sgt. Erik Raney, a department spokesman.
Reports of threatening statements directed at counselor drew deputies to the campus at 10 a.m. Thursday, officials said.
The unidentified 14-year-old had just been informed that he may be held back in the 7th grade, officials said.
"The Sheriff’s Department and the schools take threats of any kind seriously," Raney said.
— Tom Schultz
MAN STABBED AT BEACH-SIDE PIZZA PARLOR
SANTA BARBARA, June 13, 2007 — An alleged gang fight broke out at Rusty’s Pizza on Cabrillo Boulevard Tuesday night, sending one man to the hospital with stab wounds to his upper left arm and chest, police said.
Shortly after the melee, Robert Joseph Martinez, 20, walked into Cottage Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries and then released, authorities said.
The alleged gang fight is another in a flurry of ongoing violent disputes between Westside and Eastside gang members that began months ago with the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old boy on State Street.
The lastest brawl started around 8:25 p.m. outside the restaurant, located at 15 E. Cabrillo Blvd., before moving inside, authorities said. In the restaurant, witnesses reported seeing at least two people brandishing knives, and others throwing chairs, authorities said.
The suspects fled the restaurant after a couple of minutes, but the fight resumed minutes later near 200 Castillo St., Santa Barbara Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey said in a statement.
Police responded but did not make any arrests, he said. However, 15 minutes after the initial fight, Martinez arrived at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with three stab wounds to his upper left arm and chest, McCaffrey said, adding that Martinez was stitched up and released. "The wounds were described as 'slashing' type, and are not life threatening," he said. “Martinez is a known gang member. Martinez did not cooperate with the investigation; however, police believe his injuries were sustained in the fight.”
- Rob Kuznia
TORCH RUN RAISES $101,000
SANTA BARBARA, June 13, 2007 - The Law Enforcement Torch Run through southern Santa Barbara County raised $101,000 for the Special Olympics.
The torch arrived at the County Sheriff's Headquarters on Calle Real Wednesday afternoon where the check was presented to the organization by Sheriff Bill Brown and Santa Maria Police Lt. Ken George. Sheriff’s staff, Special Olympics athletes and staff attended the ceremony.
The Santa Barbara County Deputy Sheriff's Association also donated $2,500.
The athletes held the Special Olympics banner behind Sheriff Brown as he addressed the crowd. The athletes ended the ceremony by reciting the Special Olympics pledge.
This year's Southern California Law Enforcement Torch Run involved more that 3,500 officers who carried the Special Olympics Torch more than 1,500 miles and through more than 200 communities.
The officers, representing law enforcement agencies throughout the state, collected donations for their participation and were sponsored by civic groups, businesses and friends.
The local law enforcement agencies raised money through "Tip-a-Cop dinners" and other special events.
The officers volunteered their time, so all the funds they raised will be directed into program support and development, expenses for athlete participation in local, regional, state and international competition, as well as training workshops and conferences.
Nationally, in 2006, some 85,000 law enforcement personnel raised more than $25 million to support community-based sport programs for the Special Olympics. The Torch Run has become its largest grassroots fundraising event.
— SBN
'LOTTO SCAM' INVESTIGATED
CARPINTERIA, JUNE 13, 2007 - Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating a May 9 grand theft in which the victim was reportedly bilked of $3,000 cash by two men using the “Lotto Scam.” The victim and one of the men were caught on a video surveillance tape in a Carpinteria grocery store, authorities said.
The victim, a 70-year-old Hispanic male, was approached at 2:15 p.m. by two Hispanic men in the Casitas Pass Shopping Center, according to the sheriff's report.
They reportedly told the victim they were in possession of a winning lottery ticket, but could not collect the winnings because they were illegal aliens, authorities said.
They allegedly promised him a percentage of the winnings if he would help them by withdrawing $3,000 from the bank, and secure it in the glove box of his car with a portion of the suspects' own money as collateral, authorities said.
One of the men feigned an illness, and the victim and the second man went into the Albertsons store in Casitas Village to get water, authorities said.
While inside the store, the second man reportedly told the victim he was going to check on his friend. The victim came out of the store a few minutes later and found the two men and all of the cash in his glove box gone, authorities said.
The sheriff's report said that the robber caught on tape is about 5-foot-11-inches, weighing about 210 pounds, and was wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and a black hat and glasses. The second robber is described as 5-foot-11-inches, weighing about 170 pounds, and was wearing a red shirt, shorts, a hat and glasses.
Authorities ask that anyone with information about this crime call the Carpinteria Sheriff’s Station, 568-3399.
— SBN
BURGLARY SUSPECTS NABBED
SANTA MARIA, JUNE 13, 2007 - A possible vehicle burglary in progress in the 2200 block of North Diesel was reported by a caller after seeing a suspect in a neighbor's car, police said.
The witness allegedly saw the suspect leave in a black Ford T-Bird and followed him while calling the Santa Maria Police Department around 2 a.m. Wednesday, authorities said.
Officers located the suspect’s car in the 900 block of West Winston Drive. The driver, Jorge Mata, 20, of Santa Maria, fled on foot, police said. A passenger, Jose Alvarado-Linares, 19, also of Santa Maria, was detained. He reportedly had "brass knuckles" in his possession. Officers said they pursued Mata on foot and apprehended him near Kingston Drive and Western Avenue.
The suspects were allegedly attempting to steal the car stereo when the reporting person called the police, authorities said. Several tools found in the suspect's car had been reportedly stolen from various vehicles within the city, authorities added.
Both men were booked into jail. The investigation was continuing and the victims of the thefts have not yet been identified.
— SBN
CAPPS APPLAUDS ACTION ON GUN SAFETY
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 13, 2007 - Congresswoman Lois Capps Wednesday applauded passage of the McCarthy-Dingell National Instant Criminal Background Check Improvement Act (H.R. 2640) in the House of Representatives.
"This bill is a good step toward preventing future tragedies involving people who simply should not have guns," Capps said. "It is long past time to enact some smart gun safety legislation to keep our communities safer. No one wants to see another Virginia Tech type tragedy and this bill will help avert one."
The bill would ensure that the provisions of the 1968 Gun Control Act are enforced by the states and authorizes $375 million a year for three years to provide grants to states and their courts to import the records of those barred from purchasing a firearm under the 1968 Gun Control Act into the federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
The legislation enhances the national background check system in a way that protects the privacy of all records, including mental health records, by prohibiting the use of these records for any purpose outside of NICS.
Seung Hui Cho, the shooter in the Virginia Tech rampage, had been adjudicated mentally ill; however, the NICS did not have the appropriate records to keep him from buying the firearms he used.
— SBN
SHOT MAN FOUND IN LOMPOC ALLEY; COPS SEEK INFO
LOMPOC, June 12, 2007 -- A 25-year-old Lompoc man was rushed to the hospital after being shot multiple times late Monday night, police said.
Around 11 p.m., police found Michael Jason Spradling lying in an alley between North L and M streets, police said. Spradley was taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, and as of Tuesday was in critical condition, police said.
Police are asking that anyone with information contact the Lompoc Police Department at (805) 736-2341 or the Crime Stopper Hotline (877) 800-9100.
- Rob Kuznia
SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN WESTSIDE STABBINGSANTA BARBARA, June 12, 2007 — Police arrested two men Tuesday in connection with a stabbing and robbery that occurred Monday on the Westside.  Gonzalo Rojas Gonzalo Rojas, 27, was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and armed robbery; and Christian Botello, 26, was booked for alleged assault with a deadly weapon and burglary, according to Santa Barbara Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey. The stabbing victim, a 34-year-old painter who shares a bedroom with Rojas on the 1100 block of San Andres Street, suffered a "defensive slash wound" to one hand and a cut to his forehead, McCaffrey said in a statement. "The victim and Rojas have been feuding over Rojas’ propensity of frequently coming home late and making too much noise," McCaffrey said. "The victim is a working man who goes to bed and gets up early for work."
In an attempt to resolve their differences, the two agreed that Rojas would move out and find a new residence, McCaffrey said.
"Although he agreed to the move, Rojas grew upset about being the one to move out," McCaffrey said.
 Christian Botello Consequently, Rojas, with his friend Botello accompanying him, decided to confront the victim, he said. At 11:45 a.m. Monday, Rojas burst into the victim’s bedroom and threatened him with a knife, demanding cash.
"Meanwhile, Botello eyed small valuables in the room including a digital camera, an iPod, and Walkman stereo," McCaffrey said. "Botello bundled up several small items in a blanket. The victim struggled with Rojas, who responded by slashing at him with the knife."
Rojas and Botello ran from the residence with the stolen property, closely pursued by the victim, McCaffrey said.
"The suspects tried jumping into a waiting get-away pickup truck manned by a third party," McCaffrey said. "They couldn’t get in because the doors were locked. The victim charged at them so vehemently that the pickup driver took off, abandoning the two suspects. The angry victim chased the two suspects across the street. Rojas was still armed with the knife and Botello armed himself with a large screwdriver."
The commotion attracted the attention of several passersby, including a man and woman couple, McCaffrey said.
"The suspects split up, allowing the victim to focus solely on Rojas," he said. The victim shouted for assistance, and was joined by the man and woman witnesses.
"Together the three of them chased Rojas around the corner, across a parking lot, and to a dead-end behind the Carrillo Market at 626 W. Carrillo St. Although armed with the knife, Rojas was held at bay until police arrived to take him into custody."
Police recovered the knife Rojas allegedly tossed the knife just prior to his arrest. — Tom Schultz MAN DIES IN HIGHWAY CRASHNORTH COUNTY, June 12, 2007 — A man died early Tuesday when the car he was riding in entered a closed lane of Highway 101 north of Highway 154 and slammed into the front scoop of a back hoe, authorities said. The 77-year-old passenger, of Santa Maria, died en route to Cottage Hospital shortly after the 3:40 a.m. accident, according to CHP Officer Kurt Schmidt, a department spokesman. Authorities said they are not releasing the victim's name until his family is notified of his death. The driver of the 1994 Ford Tempo, Patrick Utitus Jr., 50, of Santa Maria, reportedly suffered minor injuries, authorities said. For unknown reasons, Utitus failed to see cones that marked off an area for roadwork in the left lane, Schmidt said. A Caltrans contract worker was grazed in the incident, and suffered minor injuries, Schmidt said. — Tom Schultz
BIG RIG CRASH BLOCKS EARLY MORNING TRAFFICGAVIOTA, June 12, 2007 — An overturned big rig that dumped a load of broccoli onto the southbound Highway 101 along the Gaviota Coast blocked traffic for several hours early Tuesday, officials said. The driver lost control at a curve and slid for 200 feet, according to the CHP. The agency reported no injuries. It is unclear what caused the wipe out. The left lane was blocked for more than an hour, and the right lane until 6:30 a.m. as crews cleaned up the vegetable debris, officials said. — Tom Schultz UCSB GRADS GET TOP AWARDSSANTA BARBARA, June 11, 2007 — UCSB announced three winners of top awards to graduates for academic achievement, community service and personal courage. Areo G. Saffarzadeh, of Sherman Oaks, is the winner of the Thomas More Storke Award, the campus's highest student honor, for outstanding scholarship and extraordinary service to the university, its students, and the community. David Benjamin Landes, of Redwood City, is the winner of the Jeremy D. Friedman Memorial Award for outstanding leadership, superior scholarship, and contributions to undergraduate life on campus. Brittany Lakeisha Logan, of Plasencia, is the winner of the Alyce Marita Whitted Memorial Award in recognition of endurance, persistence, and courage in the face of extraordinary challenges. These and other student-award winners will be honored at a reception from 3:30 p.m to 5:30 p.m. Friday at Corwin Pavilion. — Tom Schultz SHERIFF ISSUES WARNING TO COLLEGE COUCH BURNERS
ISLA VISTA, June 11 -- To those in Isla Vista keen on continuing a long end-of-the-year college tradition of setting their couches ablaze, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department has a warning: You will be punished. The last week of school – which is this week – has long been dubbed “couch burning week” in the college town, but the Sheriff’s Department is trying to put an end to it, Sgt. Erik Raney said in a statement. The department’s concerted effort began last year, when deputies arrested 19 people in connection with couch fires. The year before, they’d arrested only one, Raney said. Penalties include time in jail, restitution for response costs and “administrative sanctions” from UCSB, Raney said. “In the past, subjects have been injured by the fires and personal property not intended to be burned has been damaged,” he said. - Rob Kuznia
PLANE SKIDS AT SANTA YNEZ AIRPORT
SANTA YNEZ, June 10, 2006 — A small plane skidded 200 feet to a stop on its belly without injuring two men on board when its landing gear malfunctioned during takeoff Saturday morning at Santa Ynez Airport, officials said. Rescue crews were called to the scene at 9:26 a.m. to evacuate the 4-passenger Piper Comanche 250, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. - Tom Schultz
GANG FIGHT LEADS TO ARRESTSCARPINTERIA, June 8, 2007 — Five alleged gang members were arrested following a fight in Carpinteria in which a witness who called 911 suffered in retaliation internal bleeding, a broken rib and a sprained knee, officials said Friday. The altercation occurred at 9 p.m. Wednesday along Carpinteria Avenue at Eugenia Avenue, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department. Arrested shortly after the fight were: Lawrence Brennen, 19, of Carpinteria; David Jimenez, 20, of Carpinteria; and Daniel Jimenez, 23, of Carpinteria, according to Sheriff’s Sgt. Erik Raney, a department spokesman. All three suspects were reportedly booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of battery with a gang enhancement and held in lieu of $250,000 bail. On Thursday morning, Sheriff’s detectives arrested two additional suspects: Juan Alcala, 21, of Carpinteria and Anthony Garibay, 26, of Carpinteria, officials said. The pair was reportedly booked for robbery, battery with serious injury and dissuading a witness with a gang enhancement. Alcala was held in lieu of $250,000 bail and Garabay, who was recently released from prison, was held without bail, Raney said. Authorities said they continued searching for another suspect: Edward Galvez Jr., 28, of Carpinteria. — Tom Schultz
SEA SPONGE STUDY BRINGS EVOLUTION REVELATIONSSANTA BARBARA, June 8, 2007 — UCSB researchers say they’ve found clues to the evolutionary origin of the nervous system by studying sea sponges, some of the most ancient animals on the planet. Their work suggests that the genetic components of the nervous system evolved much earlier than scientists had previously thought. Although sponges don’t have nervous systems, the scientists found that they have some of the building blocks that make up the complex nervous systems that allow humans to read, write and play baseball. “We found a lot of genes to make a nervous system present in the sponge,” Ken Kosik, co-director of UCSB’s Neuroscience Research Institute, said in a statement on the research, which was published online (www.plosone.org/doi/pone.0000506) this week by the Public Library of Science. Several other UCSB scientists participated in the research: Todd Oakley, an assistant professor, Onur Sakarya, a graduate student and I-Fan Wang, a postdoctoral fellow. Former UCSB postdoctoral fellow Bernard Degnan was also involved. — Anna Davison FIREFIGHTERS RALLY FOR BURN VICTIMS
 A donation of $1,000 from Santa Barbara County firefighters Local No. 2046 is delivered from County Air Support Helicopter 309 by Firefighter and Paramedic Tim Gailey. Photo by Capt. Eli Iskow / S.B. County Fire Dept. COUNTYWIDE, June 7, 2007 — Firefighters traveled from station to station in an emergency vehicle motorcade with CHP escort Thursday, collecting more than $32,000 to aid burn victims and their families. Known as the Firefighter's Quest for Burn Survivors Rally, the event culled donations for burn survivors, burn centers, prevention programs and trips for children to a burn camp, said Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow, a department spokesman. The event was to begin in Santa Maria and end with a barbecue with Ventura County personnel in Fillmore. Burn injuries are devastating, officials said, adding many can take a lifetime to heal. In addition, they said, the physical and emotional pain the victims suffer is something firefighters see on a regular basis. — Tom Schultz
HEALTH CARE MARCH MOVES UP STATE STREETSANTA BARBARA, June 7, 2007 — A parade of demonstrators marched up State Street Thursday afternoon, campaigning for health care reform. Several of participants held signs for "OneCareNow.Org," an organization campaigning for universal health care up and down the state. "Teams in more than 365 California cities are conducting grassroots educational and public awareness 'action' events -- one event per day, in a different city, for one year -- to demand quality, affordable healthcare for all Californians," according to the group's Web site. In particular, the OneCareNow campaign backs SB 840. The bill creates one plan and a public trust fund to cover the health costs of citizens, according to the organization. — Tom Schultz WIND-DRIVEN SEARCH FOR MISSING PERSON AT SEA
SANTA BARBARA - June 6, 2007 - In high winds late yesterday afternoon, the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard were searching for a "possible kite- or sailboarder" reported missing offshore around 2 p.m., Harbor Patrol Officer Ryan Kelly reported.
The search, from the coastline to five miles out and from Butterfly Beach to Leadbetter Beach, was continuing, Kelly reported at 6 p.m.
- SB Newsroom
UCSB WINS $2.26 MILLION GRANT FOR STEM CELL RESEARCH FACILITIES
SANTA BARBARA, June 6, 2007 - The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is awarding $2.26 million over three years to UCSB to construct laboratory facilites for stem cell research.
UCSB is one of 17 institutions in the state to be awarded a total of $50 million in CIRM grants. Its grant will be used to support the design and development of a shared laboratory to expand existing stem cell studies and to stimulate new investigations of the biology and engineering of stems cells at UCSB and other nearby research institutions.
"The new shared stem cell lab will be a crucial cornerstone for stem cell research at UC Santa Barbara and at neighboring institutions on the Central Coast," said Dennis O. Clegg, a professor and chair of the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. "Over 20 researchers from UCSB, Sansum Diabetes Research Institute, and Cottage Hospital have
plans to use the facility, and it will allow us to use newer human embryonic stem cell lines that are federally restricted."
- SB Newsroom
CAPPS OPPOSES COURT'S DECISION
WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 6, 2007 - Congresswoman Lois Capps Wednesday spoke out against the recent Supreme Court decision, Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, that she said endorses pay discrimination.
"Women, on average, are paid less than their male counterparts," Rep. Capps said in her speech to the House of Representatives. "Unless you can look me in the eye and say that women are less intelligent and less capable than their male counterparts in the same fields, the most glaring explanation for this discrepancy is discrimination."
The court's decision to limit a worker's ability to sue for pay discrimination "is a setback to all our civil rights and reminds us of how much further we have to go," Rep. Capps said, urging her fellow members of congress to support legislation preserving workers' right to be compensated for discrimination.
The court's recent interpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, she said, "completely ignores the reality of the workplace and is based on the illogical conclusion that a victim of pay disparity will be able to document - despite the typical office secrecy over income - a discriminatory difference in the salaries within six months."
- SB Newsroom
400 COMPLETE DARE PROGRAM
SANTA BARBARA - June 7, 2007 CA – More than 400 fifth and sixth grade students from eight schools completed the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program and were recognized in a special event Wednesday at the Arlington Theater.
The students wrote essays about what they learned in the program. Eight were honored as their school's essay winner: Luke Ming, Roosevelt Elementary School; Dana Sloan, Washington Elementary School; Jair Alexis Herrara, McKinley Elementary School; Diana Tapia, Monroe Elementary School; Rocio Pacheco, Harding Elementary School, Erika Cortes, Adams Elementary School; Kaitlin Neer, Notre Dame School, and Libby Sestak, El Montecito Upper School.
The Santa Barbara High School Jazz Band provided music for the event. The students are among 16,600 who have graduated from DARE since the Santa Barbara Police Department began the program in 1987.
- SB Newsroom
SANTA MARIA MAIL CARRIER SURVIVES PIT BULL ATTACK
SANTA MARIA, May 24, 2007 — Three pit bulls attacked a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Thursday shortly after noon as he was working his route along the 1700 block of North Lincoln Avenue, officials said.
"The carrier attempted to use his pepper spray and mailbag as the first dog attacked, but the other two dogs joined in and overtook him," said Lt. Kendall Greene, of the Santa Maria Police Department. "Fortunately for the carrier, an S.M.P.D. patrol unit was in the neighborhood and intervened," Lt. Greene said. "The officer drove his vehicle into the yard where the attack was occurring and used his vehicle to shield the carrier from the dogs." The officer was able to keep the dogs at bay until animal control could respond, Lt. Greene said. All three dogs were impounded. The carrier sustained several dog bites to his arms and legs. He was transported to Marian hospital, where he was treated for the injuries and released, according to police.
— Tom Schultz
UCSB GETS LARGE GIFT
SANTA BARBARA, May 24, 2007 — A gift to UCSB of nearly a million dollars will go toward developing treatments and working toward a cure for Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism that's characterized by difficulties in social communication.
The $940,000 comes from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and will establish a research center in their name at the university's Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, home to the Koegel Autism Center. Drs. Robert and Dr. Lynn Koegel will head the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Center for Asperger Research, the first of its kind in the country.
It's estimated that about one in every 500 children has Asperger's Syndrome or High Functioning Autism. People with Asperger's have difficulty sharing emotions with others and find it hard to make friends, which can lead to severe depression and problems in education and in the workplace. However they are very intelligent and often
exceptionally gifted in music, math or art.
“We are encouraged by the work underway at UCSB, and we look forward to advancing the research and knowledge that will someday lead to a cure of this disorder," Eli Broad said in a statement, "and in the interim, will enable those affected to lead more productive lives.”
— Anna Davison COPS ISSUE REMINDER: DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE THIS WEEKEND
COUNTYWIDE, May 24, 2007 — Officers from "Avoid the 12," Santa Barbara County's law enforcement crackdown on DUI suspects, plan a multi-jurisdictional saturation patrol at recreational areas along the coast from Santa Barbara to Gaviota this Memorial Day weekend, the Sheriff's Department announced Thursday.
Officers from California state parks, the Sheriff's Department, the Guadalupe Police Deparment, UCSB Police and Allan Hancock College Police will look for DUIs from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday, officials said
“These beaches are remote, so people have to drive to get there,” Sheriff's Deputy Win Smith, campaign coordinator, said. “We've noticed that people go and drink, then have to drive home. It's an area of concern.”
Sobriety and driver's license checkpoints are set for Saturday night in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara. Police in Lompoc plan saturation patrols as well.
Avoid the 12 is named after the number of law enforcement agencies in the county, and funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
— Tom Schultz
CAPPS BILL WOULD ALTER MEDICARE PAYMENT RATES
SANTA BARBARA, May 24, 2007 — Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) has co-authored legislation that would adjust Medicare reimbursement rates for counties such as Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, so that they more accurately reflect the actual cost of practicing medicine in those counties, she said Thursday.
Health officials across the South Coast have criticized the current reimbursement system for years, stating it makes it hard to recruit new talent to the region.
Capps, a former school nurse, wrote the bill with Rep. Sam Farr (D-Salinas) with backing from other California representatives.
"Our health care system on the Central Coast is facing a serious crisis due in part to the inadequate Medicare reimbursement rate currently being paid to our health care providers," Capps said in a statement. "The outdated and deeply flawed geographic adjustment formula applied to Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties fails to adequately reimburse our health care providers, jeopardizing their ability to maintain their practices and making it increasingly difficult for patients to find health care providers willing to accept Medicare."
Capps added that this has created "an unacceptable situation in which some of the most vulnerable in our society, the elderly and the disabled, have limited local access to quality health care covered by Medicare." This legislation, Capps claimed, would fix this reimbursement problem, and do so in a "fiscally responsible manner."
— Tom Schultz
GET PAID TO DISPOSE OF YOUR FRIDGE IN S.B. THIS WEEKEND
SANTA BARBARA, May 24, 2007 — Local residents and businesses will have an opportunity this weekend to easily dispose of old refrigerators – and get paid in the process.
On Saturday, Southern California Edison and a partnership of local governments are hosting a free refrigerator pick-up day, for those who want to either get rid of a spare one or replace their “energy hog” refrigerator with one that is more environmentally friendly.
Edison also is paying up to $85 -- $50 for freezers and $35 for refrigerators – as well as providing a $50 rebate on the purchase of a new Energy Star rated refrigerator.
The pick-up day is one of several programs organized in the last several months by the South Coast Energy Efficiency Partnership to help the region shift toward more energy-efficient technologies.
The partnership includes Edison, the Santa Barbara County and the cities of Carpinteria, Goleta and Santa Barbara, with implementation support from the Community Environmental Council. It is funded by California rate payers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission.
To participate in the Saturday pick-up, residents and businesses must schedule an appointment by going online to www.sce.com/pickup or by calling 1-800-234-9722. (Pick-ups during the week are also available).
To qualify, residents and businesses must be an Edison customer, and the appliance must be located at an Edison customer address.
Appliances should be in working condition, plugged in and cooling for 24 hours prior to pick up so that the unit can be verified that it is still working. For more information visit www.SouthCoastEnergyWise.org or call 1-800-865-6483.
- SBN Staff SMALL VICTORY FOR SHERIFF'S PLAN TO RELIEVE JAIL OVERCROWDING
COUNTYWIDE, May 24, 2007 — New Sheriff Bill Brown’s plan to relieve chronic overcrowding at the Santa Barbara County Jail took a step toward fruition this week.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to earmark $25,000 to jumpstart the process of retrofitting the holding cells in Santa Maria so that inmates can stay there for long periods of time.
This would allow the County Sheriff’s Department to send some of the inmates from the overcrowded facility in Santa Barbara up north.
The main jail on Calle Real is built for about 650 inhabitants, but currently holds around 700, meaning many inmates must sleep on the floor.
As it is, inmates who are booked in Santa Maria can stay for no longer than 96 hours, because staffing levels are low and the kitchen and yard areas are small.
If the North County facility is properly upgraded, the department could send as many as 40 inmates to the jail on Foster Road in Santa Maria, across the street from the Santa Maria Airport, said Sgt. Erik Raney, spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Ultimately, the system needs to about $188,000 more to finish the project, Raney said. He said the department will ask the supervisors for that money when the board discusses its budget in June.
County jails typically hold inmates who have been given sentences of less than a year, Raney said. Those with longer sentences usually go to state prison, he said.
- Rob Kuznia
VEGETATION FIRE CONTAINED; NO INJURIES
 Firefighters used a bulldozer and a water-dropping helicopter plus other equipment. Photo by Capt. Eli Iskow, S.B. County Fire Dept.
"The first arriving brush engine company found a fire burning in grass and brush along the highway, being pushed by the wind downhill into oak trees and towards an agricultural area," Santa Barbara County Fire Capt Eli Iskow, a department spokesman, said in a statement.
Firefighters used a bulldozer, water-dropping helicopter and other equipment, he said. Personnel from Los Padres National Forest helped the effort, he added. "Containment of the fire was declared at 3:30 p.m. There are some ranch structures about a quarter-mile from the fire that were not immediately threatened and there was no structure damage. No injuries occurred and the cause of the fire is under investigation."
— Tom Schultz
YARDI DROPS HOUSING BID
GOLETA, May 23, 2007 — Company officials at Yardi Systems Inc. have abandoned a proposal for worker housing as part of an Old Town commercial construction project.
In April, Yardi officials approached the City Council about building up to 50 new homes, including perhaps 10 rental units, along South Fairview Avenue near Ekwill Street.
But the site sits in a flood plain, the company said this week, making residential construction impossible.
The commercial project to add a 73,000-square-foot office building to properties that already hold a 60,800-square-foot workplace and a 108,000 square-foot office building was still in the works.
— Tom Schultz
DRUGGED DRIVER IN HEAD-ON CRASH NEAR I.V.
ISLA VISTA -- Two people were rushed to the hospital late Tuesday night after a van with a drug-addled driver veered across the yellow line and slammed head-on into a car on Los Carneros Road, authorities said.
Just before midnight, a 1998 Chevrolet van driven by 20-year-old Dane Brian Johnston, of Goleta, swerved into a 2004 Toyota Corolla traveling south on Los Carneros, just north of El Colegio Road, said Officer Don Clotworthy, spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.
The collision left a passenger of the Corolla, 21-year-old Candy Yang of Goleta, with a fractured skull, facial fractures and a laceration above her left ear, Clotworthy said. Johnston suffered a laceration to his nose and complained of chest pain.
Both were taken by ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where it was determined that Johnston was under the influence of drugs, Clotworthy said. He was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI, and booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail.
Yang’s injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, authorities said.The driver and another passenger of the Corolla were uninjured.
Witnesses reported seeing the van swerving “all over the road” before the crash, Clotworthy said.
-Rob Kuznia
CHP TO BE OUT IN FORCE THIS WEEKEND
COUNTYWIDE, May 22, 2007 —With Memorial Day to kick off the start of summer, the CHP will join with law enforcement agencies throughout the country in a two-week effort known as the “2007 Click It or Ticket Mobilization, Seat Belt Tickets Save Lives “
“This is the time of year when thousands of families begin to pack up their vehicles and head out on vacation,” CHP Commissioner Mike Brown said in a statement. “For most, it will be filled with happy memories; however, some road trips will end in tragedy.”
Last year, 36 people were killed on California roads over the Memorial Day weekend. Captain Jeff Sgobba, commander of the CHP’s Santa Barbara office indicated that of those killed statewide, two individuals died in crashes within the CHP’s Coastal Division.
The holiday weekend is a "maximum enforcement period" for the CHP. All available officers will be on duty from 6 p.m. Friday through midnight Monday, according to the agency.
— Tom Schultz
SB CHAMBER TO AIR TV SHOW
SANTA BARBARA, May 22, 2007 — The Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce announced the debut of "Commerce," a new half-hour television show to air weekly on Channel 17.
The program was scheduled to debut Tuesday, and will air Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Fridays at 7:30 a.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.
Steve Cushman, president of the chamber, hosts the show along with co-hosts Rob Egenolf of Amherst Exchange Corporation and Frank Goss of Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery.
The show "is a celebration of free enterprise in our local community," Cushman said in a statement. "The program will feature success stories of local entrepreneurs; their strategies, their challenges and their contributions to our culture."
— Tom Schultz
JUVENILE SHOT IN LOMPOC LOMPOC, May 20, 2007 — Lompoc Police were investigating an attempted murder, after a male juvenile was shot twice early Sunday in the area of College Avenue and F Street, officials said.
The unidentified victim, whose name was not released because of his age, underwent surgery Sunday morning for his injuries, according to the Lompoc Police Department. His condition and age were not available.
Witnesses reportedly told authorities the victim was walking home from an unknown location when he was confronted by the suspects. The gunman fled the scene in an unknown direction, police said.
Officials said the motive for the shooting, which occurred at 1:50 a.m., was also unknown.
Anyone with information can contact the Lompoc Police Department at 736-2341 or the Crime Stopper Hotline at (877) 800-9100. — Melissa Evans
SB COTTAGE HOSPITAL WINS AWARD
SANTA BARBARA, May 19, 2007 — Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital’s Critical Care Unit and Intensive Care Unit have been recognized with a Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), the hospital announced Friday.
Cottage’s CCU and ICU were among the first 78 critical care units in the country to receive the award, and only the fourth in the State of California.
CCU and ICU house among the most critically ill patients in a hospital, and they can de demanding and stressful places to work, according to Herb Geary, Cottage Health System vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer.
“Patients in these environments are often unconscious or not able to interact directly with staff regarding their conditions,” he said in a statement. “It takes a nurse with a special blend of assessment and critical thinking skills to evaluate these patients and their medical situations and to know exactly what the next steps for care need to be.”
— Tom Schultz
DETECTIVES NEED MORE INFO ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE
 Patrick Michael Kennedy
Patrick Michael Kennedy, also known as "Guy," on Wednesday appeared in court for a preliminary hearing pertaining to his arrest in March on suspicion of attempted homicide. Sheriff deputies are putting out a call for any historical information on Kennedy, said Sgt. Erik Raney, spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Around 3 a.m. on March 28, deputies were dispatched to a home in Lompoc in response to a 9-1-1 call regarding domestic violence, authorities said. The 24-year-old victim said that her boyfriend – Kennedy – “beat her, strangled her to the point of unconsciousness, raped and threatend her with a shotgun at his home located at 3171 Manley Drive in Lompoc,” Raney said in a statement.
He was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of attempted homicide.
The victim was reportedly three months pregnant with Kennedy’s child, and suffered facial bruises, as well as injuries to her neck and collarbone, authorities said.
“The victim also reported that Kennedy forced her to make a false police report several hours earlier, saying that she had been attacked by three unknown black youths,” Raney said.
Kennedy has been investigated on domestic violence charges against two other victims, Raney said. The Sheriff's Department is asking any additional victims to come forth.
At Thursday's hearing, Kennedy was held to answer on charges of forcible rape with special allegations of kidnap, personal use of a firearm, and infliction of great bodily injury, Raney said. "He was also held to answer on charges of torture, criminal threats and witness intimidation," he said. Kennedy is currently in custody at the Santa Barbara County Jail with his bail set at $1 million.
Anyone with information should contact Detective O’Grady of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, Lompoc Station at (805) 737-7948.
- Rob Kuznia
BOMB SQUAD: PIPES WITH WIRE NOT A THREAT
SANTA MARIA, May 16, 2007 — Using a bomb squad robot, authorities on Wednesday determined that two pipes wired together didn't constitute a bomb, police said.
At 9:26 a.m., officials received a call of a suspicious device on the sidewalk in the 800 block of E. Boone, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
Police told residents about the device and "some residents left and others chose to stay inside their homes," police said in a statement. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department Bomb Squad was notified and "with the use of their robotic equipment, deputies were able to see that the suspicious device did not appear to be a destructive device," according to police. "Deputies moved closer and were able to determine that the pipe and wires were in fact not a danger of any type. There were no threats or any other reason to support this item as any type of a threat. . . The device was turned over to the Santa Maria Police Department and will be destroyed."
— Tom Schultz
COLLISION CAUSES MODERATE INJURIES
GOLETA, May 16, 2007 — Two cars collided Monday, causing moderate injuries to a male driver, at Hollister Avenue and Puente Drive, officials said.
The unidentified motorist was taken by ambulance to Cottage Hospital, said Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow.
In addition, the wreck affected the function of the traffic signal system at the intersection, according to authorities.
— Tom Schultz
WESTMONT GIVES OUT AWARDS FOR LEADERSHIP
MONTECITO, May 16, 2007 — Westmont’s Student Life office has given 12 students awards for their involvement in leadership roles, the school announced Wednesday.
The David K. Winter Character Through Servant Leadership Award is given each spring to honor students who show exemplary service as leaders at Westmont and in the community.
Junior winners were: Greg Wright, Timothy Knittel, Geriece Jenkins, Jayne Gee, Jay Ofori, Arielle Pittluck, Benjamin Lindquist, Barret Sale, Janelle Houston, and Dallas Ray Lopez Jr. Sophomores Jesse Borden, and Rebecca Gist also received the award.
Each will receives $2,000 toward tuition during the next school year. In addition, each junior award winner receives an extra $250 to contribute to a charity of their choice.
— Tom Schultz
SB COUNCIL APPROVES NEW WORK SCHEDULE
SANTA BARBARA, May 16, 2007 -- Hoping to reduce the amount of traffic and air pollution city workers cause by their commute, the Santa Barbara City Council approved a new work schedule that will result in city offices being closed every other Friday.
The new schedule -- praised Tuesday by city staff members and elected leaders -- means city offices will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, and closed every other Friday beginning July 13.
The Public Works and Community Development offices at 630 Garden St. will keep the same hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but will remain open during lunch. City fire and police departments won't be affected by the schedule change.
Recognizing that a number of city employees commute from outside the South Coast region, the Council established a goal of getting 75 percent of its worker on "flexible" schedules to reduce the amount of traffic the city generates.
Other benefits include longer service hours during the peak workdays, reduction in air pollution by 26 fewer round trips per employee per year, enhanced recruitment and retention of employees and possible energy savings.
Residents who need to pay bills on the closed Fridays can drop them in a mail box at the city office. By the end of 2007, the city hopes it will have the capability to allow residents to pay bills online.
-- Melissa Evans
WESTMONT PROFESSOR AWARDED FELLOWSHIP
MONTECITO, May 16, 2007 -- The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board has selected Susan Penksa, a Westmont College associate professor of political science, as a Fulbright Scholar grantee to study in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Penksa has built an extensive consulting practice with national governments, the European Union, NATO and the United Nations over the last 10 years as a consultant. She is a specialist in international management and crisis response and other areas of international interest.
She has taught at Westmont for the last decade. This fall, as part of the fellowship, she will conduct research and lecture in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She will evaluate the process of post-conflict police restructuring in these countries with a focus on the role of the European Union.
-- Melissa Evans
SB ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
SANTA BARBARA, May 16, 2007 -- The City of Santa Barbara is seeking applications for 32 advisory groups that help leaders make decisions.
There are currently 31 vacancies on various commissions and boards, ranging from the Architectural Board of Review to the Water Commission. The city also has vacancies on a newly-established commission, the Single Family Design Board, that will implement standards in the Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance.
A complete list of vacancies and descriptions of the positions can be found at www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov.
The deadline for submitting applications is 5 p.m. June 1. The City Council will conduct interviews and make appointments later that month.
-- Melissa Evans
A NEAR MISS  An SUV runs the curb at Carrillo and Anacapa streets. Photo by Michael Long / SBN
The gray Ford Expedition missed the brick structure, but ran into an electrical unit, knocking out power to the intersection. Nobody was hurt, according to Santa Barbara police.
— Tom Schultz
FIRE SEASON BEGINS
COUNTYWIDE, May 14, 2007 — The start of fire season officially arrived in Santa Barbara County Monday, kicking off with announcements from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and other Southern California public safety agencies. "In the past ten days . . . Santa Barbara County Fire has responded to nine vegetation fires," County Fire Capt Eli Iskow, a department spokesman, said in a statement. "Please keep this early period of fire season in high visibility to help the public understand the need for their care in handling burning materials (BBQs, smoking materials, operating vehicles in grassy areas including road shoulders, work and recreational activities in grassy areas) and compliance with state laws regarding “defensible space” around their homes.
For more information, go online at www.sbcfire.com
— Tom Schultz
POLICE CATCH MOTORIST IN CHASE
SANTA MARIA, May 14, 2007 — A motorist led police on a chase through town Sunday night, failing to stop at traffic lights and stop signs before being arrested at his home, authorities said.
Randy James Benton, 49, of Orcutt, was spotted by officers with an expired license plate along the 900 block of E. Stowell Road, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
"The officers observed that the license plate of the vehicle was expired, and they attempted to conduct a vehicle stop to contact Benton about the violation," police said in a statement. "Benton failed to stop for the officers and a vehicle pursuit was initiated.
"Benton led officers on a lengthy pursuit through Santa Maria at speeds ranging from 20 to 60 mph," police said. "Benton was seen throwing items from his vehicle during the pursuit. Officers pursued Benton to his residence in Orcutt where he was taken into custody. Upon his arrest, he was found in possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia for the use of narcotics. It was also determined that Benton has a suspended license."
— Tom Schultz
TWO ARRESTED IN AUTO THEFTS
LOMPOC, May 14, 2007 — Police concluded an investigation of vehicle break-ins in which convertible tops were cut and items stolen, officials said Monday.
One suspect attempted to cash a stolen check, according to the Lompoc Police Department.
Michelle Vela, 31, of Lompoc, was arrested and booked into County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail. Also arrested was Thomas Michael Perez, 19, of Lompoc, who was booked into County Jail in lieu of $60,000 bail.
"The suspects also obtained the victim’s vehicle keys and stole their other vehicle," according to a police statement. "Suspects also crashed the victim’s stolen vehicle into a motorist at Central & V Street and then ran from the scene. The stolen vehicle was later found abandoned in the northwest portion of the City of Lompoc."
A total of three vehicles were broken into, with one vehicle stolen, officials said, adding that the break-ins occurred in the southwest portion of the city.
— Tom Schultz
HOUSING PROVIDER WINS GOLETA AWARD
GOLETA, May 14, 2007 — Peoples’ Self-Help Housing announced Monday that its Ellwood Apartments project has won the 2007 Goleta Valley Beautiful Award in the Residential/Apartments category. The organization will be honored at the 33rd Annual Goleta Valley Beautiful Awards Banquet on Saturday May 19 at the Goleta Holiday Inn from 6 to 9 pm.
“Not only are the Ellwood Beach Apartments attractive and well-landscaped, but they’re also a great example of sustainable affordable housing,” Ken Knight, Executive Director said in a statement. “The Goleta Valley Beautiful awards committee chose Ellwood Apartments as the winner in their category because they feel that the apartments are an asset to the community in the area of affordable housing and will continue to be for many years in the future.”
Peoples’ Self-Help Housing owns and manages over 600 rental units from Carpinteria through Goleta, with a current construction of 12 one-unit apartments next to the Granada Garage in Santa Barbara.
— Tom Schultz
CO-FOUNDER OF MOTEL 6 DIES
SANTA BARBARA, May 11, 2007 -- William Becker, a longtime former Santa Barbara resident and co-founder of the Motel 6 – which grew into a nationwide chain after the first two were built in Santa Barbara -- has died. He was 85.
After graduating from Santa Barbara High School in 1939, Becker joined the Navy and fought in World War II. Then he returned to Santa Barbara, where he worked for the family paint contracting business.
Becker Painting had many out-of-town clients, such as Camp Cook, now named Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc.
 William Becker and his wife, Joan, who passed away a year and a half ago. Courtesy photo While traveling to those out-of-town jobs in the 50s and early 60s, Becker, who died of heart failure at his home in Arizona on April 2, noticed that there were few inexpensive hotels, said his brother, 77-year-old Don Becker, who still lives in Santa Barbara. “The idea was to get a reasonably priced room for families to comfortably spend the night,” he said. That meant no frills – which back then meant no TV, and no phone.
With his partner, the late Paul Greene – whose widow still lives in Santa Barbara – Becker built the first Motel 6 in 1962, on East Beach. They built a second one on upper State Street. Both are still in existence.
They eventually gave in to putting TVs in the rooms, but the customers had to drop a quarter in the slot to get an hour’s worth of brain candy. The one feature on which Becker splurged was the commodity he found most important in a hotel: the bed.
“He bought the best mattresses,” Don Becker said. And “every one had a swimming pool. He felt families liked to enjoy themselves around the pool. … Little things like that make it more pleasant for people.”
After a corporate investor from New York purchased what had become a small motel chain in the early 70s, Becker bought a 114-acre ranch in Kingman, Ariz. There, he started another successful business: the Stockmen’s Bank for cattle ranchers, which eventually grew to 40 branches.
He was preceded in death a year and a half ago by his longtime wife Joan, and is survived by one son, Todd Becker.
-- Rob Kuznia
CAPPS ANNOUNCES $11 MILLION FOR SB AIRPORT SANTA BARBARA, May 11, 2007 -- Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) on Friday announced that the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport has received $10.8 million in federal grants for transportation and safety projects.
The grants would help extend the airport’s runway and fund various safety enhancements, Capps said in a statement.
“These federal resources will help our airport safely maintain its current high quality of service while providing an important opportunity for future growth,” Capps said in a statement.
-Barney McManigal
TEEN STABBING SUSPECT SURRENDERS
SANTA BARBARA, May 11, 2007 -- The 14-year-old suspect in the Westside stabbing of another teen is in custody after turning himself in, authorities announced Friday.
Both the suspect and victim of the Thursday afternoon stabbing are eighth-grade students – the suspect at La Colina Junior High, and the victim at La Cumbre Junior High. Both were recently suspended from school, authorities said. Police said they are not releasing their names because they are minors.
The victim of the stabbing, which occurred in the 500 block of Pascual Street, was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where he is in good condition, authorities said.
Both boys are associated with gangs, but this particular incident seemed to be triggered more by a falling out between former friends, said Sgt. Paul McCaffrey, spokesman for the Santa Barbara Police Department.
“However, gang influences may have prompted the suspect to arm himself with the knife,” McCaffrey said in a statement.
The suspect believed the victim had stolen money from him – a charge the victim denied, authorities said.
The day before the assault, the suspect warned the victim to “watch your back,” McCaffrey said. Just prior to the stabbing, the suspect threatened the victim with a small sledgehammer, he said. Eventually, the victim agreed to fight without weapons, the lieutenant said.
When the victim was getting the better part of the fight, the suspect pulled a knife and stabbed him twice in the back, McCaffrey said.
“The victim staggered to a friend’s house for assistance and the suspect fled,” McCaffrey said.
Around 3:35 p.m. on Thursday, police responded to a residence in the 500 block of San Pascual Street, where the bleeding victim was being cared for by teenage friends and acquaintances, McCaffrey said.
Investigators followed a trail of blood to the apparent scene of the crime, across the street and down a driveway on the same block, authorities said. Police sealed off the block for a few hours as they combed the neighborhood for witnesses and evidence.
-- Rob Kuznia
DUI BLAMED IN TRAFFIC DEATH
SANTA BARBARA, May 9, 2007 — A motorist who died April 26 in a collision on Highway 154 was driving under the influence of alcohol, officials said Wednesday.
Victor Garcia Trejo also was under the influence of marijuana and methamphetamine, according to the CHP.
"The toxicological examination has been completed," CHP Officer Don Clotworthy, a department spokesman, said in a statement. "His blood alcohol contect registered at .13 percent."
— Tom Schultz
CHUMASH GIVE COTTAGE $1 MILLION NORTH COUNTY, May 9, 2007 — The fundraising campaign to retrofit and expand the Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital received a significant boost with the announcement Wednesday of a $1 million gift from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
Hospital officials plan to use the money to comply with statewide seismic safety laws.
Gifts to the Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation help to fund the $10 million retrofit and expansion project. The hospital plans to break ground later this summer and complete construction within two years, well ahead of the state deadline of 2013, according to Cottage.
It is one of three seismic projects being undertaken simultaneously by Cottage Health System, including efforts at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital.
— Tom Schultz
FATAL FIRE VICTIM IDENTIFIED
CASMALIA, May 9, 2007 -- Authorities on Wednesday released the name of the woman who died in the fatal mobile home fire the day before in Casmalia.
Loretta Moore, 54, apparently died of smoke inhalation early Tuesday morning at 3648 Point Sal Road, the Santa Barbara County Coroner’s office reported.
Santa Barbara County Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire, which gave off a column of black smoke that was visible throughout most of the Santa Maria Valley.
Foul play is not suspected, authorities said.
-- Rob Kuznia
COPS: SUSPECTED GRAFFITI VANDAL SOUGHT
SANTA BARBARA, May 9, 2007 — Authorities sought a male suspected of vandalizing large display windows west of State Street.
 A surveillance camera recorded an image of the graffiti suspect. Courtesy photo The suspect vandalized the large display windows to Home Furnace Company, "during the hours of darkness," according to Santa Barbara Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey. "The windows were permanently etched with large script writing, possibly the suspect's assumed tagging identity. The damage is estimated at $700. " The business is at 800 De la Vina St. "In most cases, unless witnessed by someone willing to get involved,
graffiti crimes are difficult to solve," McCaffrey said in a statement. "However, in this era of high-tech crime fighting, many citizens are arming themselves with video surveillance to solve crimes and even prevent them from occurring.
"Fortunately for society, and unfortunately for the suspect, a well-placed surveillance camera recorded the suspect committing this crime in-progress," he said.
Anyone with information can call 897-2339.
— Tom Schultz
CRIME RING BUSTED AFTER ROBBING STAPLES
SANTA BARBARA, May 8, 2007 -- Santa Barbara police arrested three men Tuesday in connection with a crime that ended at the Staples Store on State Street.
Police did not release their names, because they said they suspected all three possessed counterfeit identification.
Around 2:15 p.m., an employee at Staples, 410 State St., saw a man push a shopping cart with merchandise out the door without paying, authorities said. The employee gave chase and saw the man get into a 2007 Dodge Caravan with two other people inside.
The van peeled away and the employee called police. Dispatchers ran a check on the vehicle, which reportedly was involved with two recent burglaries out of Hawthorne, Calif. Minutes later police pulled over the van on the 300 block of East Gutierrez Street. Inside the vehicle were two brand-new computers and a printer, police said.
The three suspects were booked without incident. Detectives said they suspect the computers were stolen earlier today from Office Max, located at 219 E. Gutierrez St.
The case remains under investigation; however, all three suspects have been arrested on suspicion of burglary, criminal conspiracy, and auto theft.
-- Rob Kuznia
FULL PLANE CRASH DRILL TO OCCUR FRIDAYSANTA MARIA, May 8, 200 — A full emergency drill will be held Friday at the Santa Maria Airport, drawing the participation of 23 public safety agencies, officials said. Announced Tuesday, the objective is to test response plans, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow described the practice scenario: "A commercial aircraft lines up for takeoff on RWY (runway) 30. During the takeoff roll the captain sees an unauthorized vehicle approaching." "The aircraft attempts takeoff and strikes the vehicle in the left wingtip causing the aircraft to abort and continues out of control until it comes to rest on taxiway Echo," Iskow said in a statement. "The aircraft landing gear has collapsed and the left wing is in flames and leaking fuel." — Tom Schultz
NORTH COUNTY SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATION FACILITY OPENING
SANTA MARIA, May 8, 2007 — A new location for authorities and counselors to conduct sexual assault and abuse investigations will open and be dedicated on May 14 at Marian Medical Center, officials say.
The Santa Barbara County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) is a coalition of agencies designed to offer services to victim survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
Recently the coalition began a campaign to raise funds to furnish and equip the new SART facility. Assistance was provided by several service clubs, private donations and local contractors, as well as the Marian administration and maintenance staff, officials say.
In the North County, the coalition members include the county District Attorney and Victim Witness offices, the Santa Maria and Lompoc police departments, North County Rape Crisis, Child Welfare Services, Marian Medical Center and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Other than to say the facility is located at Marian, "the coalition is asking to keep the specific location of the SART office confidential," according to a Santa Maria Police announcement. "This is primarily to insure some confidentiality to the victims of sexual assault and abuse." — Tom Schultz S.B. FIREFIGHTERS HEAD SOUTH TO GRIFFITH BLAZE
COUNTYWIDE, May 9, 2007 — Firefighters from the local area headed south Wednesday help battle a large wildfire in Griffith Park in Los Angeles. Several fire departments from the region dispatched a wildland strike team to assist in battling the “Griffith Incident," officials said. The Strike team consists of a total of 19 firefighters working on two county engines, one Santa Barbara city engine, one Carpinteria engine and one Montecito engine. The fire, which began yesterday, had burned approximately 800 acres. It was 50% contained with full containment expected Thursday. Structures were threatened and at least one suffered some damage, according to County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow. Officials took the opportunity to warn area residents about high fire danger. "This is an excellent time for property owners throughout the county to recognize the weather pattern that we have been experiencing so far this year and take action now to prepare for the fire season," Iskow said in a statement. "Action by private property owners is required to protect their homes and land through the fire season. Now is when weed abatement and fuel reduction should be nearing completion, along with building the 'defensible space' around homes. Whether or not we are in a declared 'Red Flag Condition' as we are currently, the threat of wildfire is always a possibility in this county." A response of firefighters outside of the county is part of the State Master Mutual Aid Agreement. "This benefits our communities in times when the situation is reversed and the need for firefighting resources is in our area and assistance is available from across the state," Iskow said. — Tom Schultz TIPSTERS TO COPS: LAY SOME CASH ON THEM KIDSGOLETA, May 8, 2007 — A law enforcement event to aid the Santa Barbara County Special Olympics raised more than $3,000 Monday, officials said. The Tip-A-Cop luncheon and dinner at Chili's Restaurant was sponsored by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department. The public will get another chance to tip cops working as waiters when the Sheriff's Department sponsors a dinner at the Elephant Bar in Goleta from 5 p.m to 8 p.m. May 22. — Tom Schultz
RV FIRE KILLS OCCUPANT
CASMALIA, May 8 --A fire that ravaged a recreational vehicle in Casmalia early Tuesday morning killed a person inside, authorities said.
Authorities are trying to identify the victim by using fingerprints, but aren’t releasing the name or age of the person until Wednesday, so relatives can be notified, said Sgt. Erik Raney, spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Around 7:30 a.m., five engine companies from Orutt, the Vandenberg Air Force Base and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department rushed to the blaze, at 3648 Point Sal Road. The burning RV gave off a column of black smoke that was visible throughout most of the Santa Maria valley, said Capt. Eli Iskow, spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The flames were doused within three minutes by firefighters, who discovered the body inside of the RV. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire, and the Santa Barbara County Coroner’s office is investigating the cause of death. There were no other injuries.
-Rob Kuznia
$1 MILLION BAIL FOR CAR-JACKING, ASSAULT SUSPECT  Jose Morales Leon SANTA BARBARA, May 7 – A 19-year-old man from Santa Ynez was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, armed robbery and sexual assault after allegedly commandeering a woman’s vehicle in Oxnard on Saturday and driving her to Santa Barbara, police said Monday. The string of events started in mid-day when Jose Morales Leon allegedly abandoned his vehicle in a Carl’s Jr. parking lot in Oxnard after experiencing car trouble. Officers say he then used a handgun to force a 25-year-old woman into the passenger seat of her 2003 Toyota Matrix. <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> Driving to Santa Barbara, Leon allegedly forced the woman to withdraw money from a Westside ATM, and drove to a secluded part of Miramonte Drive, where he sexually assaulted her. The woman was later able to escape, but Leon drove off, authorities said. <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> A county Sheriff’s deputy later spotted the stolen car in Buellton on Saturday night, and chased the suspect at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Leon lost control of the car, totaling it in a flame-filled crash in a Lompoc field, authorities said. Leon was booked into County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail. - Barney McManigal LOMPOC POLICE LOOK FOR SUSPECTS IN STABBING
LOMPOC, May 7, 2007 -- Police searched Monday for two suspects wanted in connection with stabbing a man twice Sunday in the “rear portion of his upper legs," officials said.
Around 9:45 p.m. Sunday, authorities responded to an alley near the 400 block intersection of North I and J streets and found the man lying on the ground bleeding, according to the Lompoc Police Department.
The victim, whose name was being withheld by police, was taken by ambulance to Lompoc Hospital and later transferred to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, and it was believed the victim was in stable condition, said Lompoc Police Sgt. Deanna Clement, a department spokeswoman.
The man told authortities he was confronted by two suspects. An altercation ensued and the victim fled, prompting the suspects to give chase and stab him with a knife, Sgt. Clement said. She said police do not know if the attack was gang-related.
Both suspects reportedly appeared to be in their mid twenties. They were bald and Latino, police said. One was about 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, and wore blue pants and a red shirt while the other was about 6 feet tall, 200 pounds and wore dark pants and a white T-shirt, police said.
Anyone with information can contact Lompoc Police Department at 736-2341 or Crime Stoppers at (877) 800-9100.
- Rob Kuznia
DUMPSTER FIRE DOUSED AT GOLETA HOTEL
GOLETA, May 7, 2007 -- Santa Barbara County firefighters doused a blaze in a roll-off trash container Monday at the Goleta Holiday Inn that gave off a highly visible plume of smoke, officials said.
Around 9:20 a.m., six fire engines and one truck responded to the call at 5650 Calle Real. Firefighters said they discovered that a 40-foot Dumpster with its entire contents of construction waste lumber in flames.
The crew from the first engine to arrive quickly snuffed it out, limiting the damage to the hotel. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire was under investigation, officials said.
- Rob Kuznia TWO ARRESTED IN HOMELESS MELEE <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> SANTA BARBARA, May 4 -- The Santa Barbara Police Department on Friday announced the arrests of two homeless men suspected of beating two other transients and robbing one during a fight at a popular encampment near Milpas and Carpinteria Streets. According to a statement, Daniel Nathan Katz, 28, Jonathan Slyck, 20, arrived at the campsite and started arguing with each other, and then with other inhabitants. When Randolph “Rambo” Foster, 42, and William Hunt, 23, criticized the two men, they received successive beatings, officials said. According to a police report, Katz attempted to stab Foster with a knife, and later slashed him several times on the face and back with a box cutter. Then he forced Foster to turn over rings he was wearing, according to the report. Hunt sustained a broken collar bone, and was admitted to Cottage hospital, as were Foster and Katz, who was discharged after fighting with hospital staff, refusing treatment, and chewing through his EKG wires, police said. -Barney McManigal <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--> FIRE SEASON STARTS MAY 14 SANTA BARBARA, May 4 -- The Santa Barbara County Fire Department announced Friday that the region’s fire season would begin on May 14. Fire season is a period of heightened alert that varies each year depending on weather conditions. During this time, officials suspend all permits for controlled burns and educate residents in high-risk areas about prevention and safety strategies. -Barney McManigal <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> WESTMONT GRADUATION TO LAUD LOCAL JEWELER MONTECITO, May 4 -- Santa Barbara jeweler Robert Bryant will receive the Westmont Medal at the Montecito college’s annual commencement ceremony today. Bryant, owner of Bryant and Sons Ltd. Jewelers, is being recognized for his contributions to local non-profits. Past recipients include Larry Crandell, Paul and Leslie Ridley-Tree and Ardis Higgins. Menlo Park pastor John Orthberg will deliver the commencement address to 356 graduates at a ceremony slated to begin at 10 a.m. on the Russell Carr Athletic field. The event is open to the public, but parking is limited. <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> -Barney McManigal <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> CAPPS PRAISES AMERICORPS TEACHERS SANTA BARBARA, May 4 -- Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) joined local members of AmeriCorps Friday at an event celebrating their efforts to teach children how to read and speak English. AmeriCorps is a national service initiative that directs thousands of people each year to programs relating to education, public safety, health and the environment. The Friday event, held at Santa Barbara City College, recognized AmeriCorps teachers organized by the Santa Barbara County Education Office. Officials said in a statement: “Their work to promote reading, literacy and fluency in our young people provides a vital service for our community and helps get our kids off to a good start in school and in life as we encourage them to become lifelong readers.” -Barney McManigal FEDERAL AGENCY TO INVESTIGATE RECENT WHALE STRANDINGS SANTA BARBARA, MAY 4, 2007 — The strandings and deaths of 21 whales and dolphins in Southern California during the past four weeks have been designated as an “Unusual Mortality Event” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, authorities said Thursday. The designation means that the recent strandings and deaths of marine mammals — including a sperm whale that washed up on the coast near Goleta Beach — are much more numerous than is customary in the region, warranting a comprehensive investigation, said Michelle Berman, assistant curator of vertebrate zoology at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. The unusually high statistics may serve as a barometer for the health of the ocean, Berman said. An investigation, she said, will help determine whether the causes are natural or are related to humans. Organizations assisting with the study include the Santa Barbara museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur, Pacific Marine Mammal Center and Southwest Fisheries Science Center. — Melinda Burns PLANE LANDS SAFELY AFTER PILOT COMPLAINS OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS
SANTA BARBARA, May 3, 2007 -- Santa Barbara County firefighters were put on high alert this afternoon when the pilot of a Santa Barbara-bound jet carrying 71 passengers issued a call warning of a mechanical problem, possibly with the steering.
After reporting the problem from 12 miles away, the pilot safely landed the Skyway plane at 1:25 p.m., said Santa Barbara airport spokeswoman Terri Gibson. Flight 6762 from Denver landed about 20 minutes later than scheduled, she said.
-Rob Kuznia
SEAT BELT ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN TO LAUNCH
LOMPOC, May 3, 2007 — The Lompoc Police Department is preparing for the local launch of the state's annual "Click It or Ticket" seat belt enforcement campaign.
This comes as law enforcement agencies from throughout California step up enforcement of the state's seat belt law from May 14 through June 3.
The campaign is an annual effort to increase seat belt use through heavy enforcement, advertising and public awareness.
“Our department will be putting forth tremendous resources to make sure we have officers on the roads looking for drivers and passengers who are not buckling up," Lompoc Police Chief Tim Dabney said. “The intent of the Click It or Ticket campaign is simple – to save lives and prevent injuries.”
HELP SOUGHT IDENTIFYING BURGLARY SUSPECTS  Courtesy photo. SANTA BARBARA, May 2, 2007 -- Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Detectives asked for the public's help identifying two men caught on camera allegedly burglarizing Milpas Rentals at 4321 State St., authorities said.
The burglary reportedly occurred between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on March 28. Two suspects were caught by surveillance camera taking construction equipment, said Santa Barbara Sheriff's Sgt. Eric Raney, department spokesman. The stolen equipment included soil compactors, concrete saw and pressure washers, valued at over $7,000, he said in a statement.
 Courtesy photo. The surveillance photos show two Latino men, both around 18 to 25 years old. The photos also show a white minivan that might have been used in the burglary. The suspects gained entry into the yard by cutting a chain link fence, Raney said. Sheriff’s Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the men in the photos. Anyone with information can call 681-4150. - Rob Kuznia
BUSINESS TO DONATE TO CASH-STRAPPED SCHOOL DISTRICT
SANTA BARBARA, May 2, 2007 -- The local photo lab Specialty Color Services is offering to donate half of its online proceeds from the month of May to the cash-strapped K-12 Santa Barbara school system, which recently cut $2.5 million from its budget.
Located at 230 East Cota St., Specialty Color Services is a traditional photo lab but also specializes in turning images taken by digital cameras into prints. In January, it started taking orders for this service online at www.colorservices.com. The 50-percent donation to the schools pertains only to online orders.
This will be the fifth year the business has given the schools a donation, which typically amounts to “several thousand dollars,” said Linda Wright, the company’s customer service representative.
-Rob Kuznia
SUMMERLAND CRASH VICTIMS IDENTIFIED; ONE ARRESTED FOR DUI SUMMERLAND, May 1, 2007 -- The two men injured when the car they were in plunged off a 200-foot cliff off southbound Highway 101 near Summerland were identified as Domingo Reyes, 36, of Santa Paula and Ildefonso Santiago-Bautista, 39, of Ojai.
Reyes, the driver, was under the influence of alcohol, California High Patrol officials said. He was arrested on suspicion of causing an injury while driving under the influence – a felony, CHP officials said.
Both men reportedly suffered multiple lacerations, abrasions and contusions and were admitted to Cottage Hospital for overnight observation and further evaluation. Due to his injuries, Mr. Reyes will not be booked on the felony DUI charge until he medically cleared to be released from Cottage Hospital, officials said.
Authorities initially said it was a 400-foot embankment, but later said it was 200 feet.
-Rob Kuznia CAR PLUNGES OFF 200-FOOT CLIFF
SUMMERLAND, May 1, 2007 -- Two men were transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital early Tuesday after the car in which they were riding plunged down a 200-foot cliff on southbound Highway 101 near Ortega Hill.
California Highway Patrol officials did not release their names or the extent of their injuries, but said both are expected to survive.
Around 4:45 a.m., the gold Saturn drifted to the right and ran off the road, plummeting off the cliff between Sheffield Drive and Evans Road and landing near the Union Pacific Railroad tracks below, CHP spokesman Don Clotworthy said.
The accident stalled trains traveling in both directions. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, whose cause is under investigation, authorities said.
-- Rob Kuznia CAPPS ON BUSH VETO: 'ANOTHER MISTAKE'
SANTA BARBARA, May 1, 2007 — Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, on Monday criticized President George Bush for vetoing a military spending bill that set a timetable for troop withdrawl from Iraq.
"President Bush has made yet another mistake in his conduct of the Iraq war," Capps said in a statement. "The bill he vetoed today would change the direction of the war but the president just can't see any way other than his own. Unfortunately, his failed strategy has resulted in the tragedy we see today: thousands of our bravest Americans dead and injured, hundreds of billions dollars spent, and Iraq in unending chaos. The American people have made it clear that the open-ended commitment in Iraq must end and I will continue to work to achieve that goal."
Backers of the $124 billion bill say a timetable would embolden the enemy, and troop withdrawl would trigger more chaos.
-- Tom Schultz
BRUSH FIRE SCORCHES FIVE ACRES
NORTH COUNTY, May 2, 2007 — A fire burned more than 5 acres of brush south of Figueroa Mountain Road at Tunnel Road Tuesday, officials said.
Santa Barbara County, Los Padres National Forest, Vandenberg Air Force Base and state firefighters battled the 11:09 a.m. blaze, which was contained by 12:34 p.m., according to County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow, a department spokesman.
No injuries were reported, and aircraft helped to battle the blaze at Alter Ranch, started by a permitted burn pile that grew out of control, Iskow said.
-- Tom Schultz SUPERVISOR WOLF TO DISCUSS HEART DISEASE ON CAPITOL HILL
SANTA BARBARA, April 30, 2007 — County Supervisor Janet Wolf is expected to testify before members of the U.S. House today in support of legislation to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and other cardiovascular ailments in women, according to her office.
Wolf, who will appear before a health-related panel of the Energy and Commerce Committee, battled heart disease several years ago and has taken an active role in raising awareness about the issue. H.R. 1014, also known as the Heart for Women Act, was sponsored by Congresswomen Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, and Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo.
“I am very honored to have the opportunity to share my story in the hope that through increased funding for research, health care professionals will have a greater understanding of the risks of heart disease in women and will pass that information on to women at risk,” Wolf said in a statement.
Wolf also plans to visit Congressman Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, to “discuss the importance of the County receiving adequate reimbursement from the federal government” for providing Medicare services at its seven clinics, the statement said.
-- Barney McManigal
MONTECITO RESIDENT SEEKS PERMIT FOR HOME ANIMAL SHELTER
MONTECITO, April 30, 2007 -- A Montecito resident who wants to run a small veterinary clinic from the den of her home will ask the county Board of Supervisors today to reverse two previous decisions to deny the request.
Planning and Development staff and the Montecito Planning Commission last fall denied Bonnie Franklin the permit to operate an animal clinic in her single family home located at 1396 Greenworth Place, near San Ysidro Road. According to reports, staff and commissioners said it could create unwanted noise and disrupt the residential neighborhood’s semi-rural character.
The hearing begins at 9 a.m. in the county administration building, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara.
-- Barney McManigal HOME NEAR HOSPITAL TAKES HEAVY FIRE DAMAGE
SANTA BARBARA, April 28, 2007 — Flames ripped through a second-story apartment late Saturday, sending smoke spilling from the walls and attic while causing an undetermined amount of damage. Called to the blaze at 9:15 p.m., Santa Barbara City firefighters were still investigating the cause of the blaze, which damaged at least one of several units located at 2301 De La Vina Street at West Pueblo Street near Cottage Hospital. Nobody was hurt, officials said, adding the cause was still under investigation. — Tom Schultz POWER GOES OUT AT PATTERSON AND HOLLISTER GOLETA VALLEY, April 28, 2007 — Crews worked to restore electrical power Saturday to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital and the surrounding area.
The hospital resorted to backup generators, and no injuries were reported in the outage caused by a faulty high voltage power vault, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The outage affected an area approximately one square mile in size, affecting homes and traffic signals, authorities said. — Tom Schultz
S.B. AUTO THIEF NABBED IN L.A.
SANTA BARBARA, April 27, 2007 – The Santa Barbara Police Department announced Friday that a suspect accused of stealing 18 cars on the Lower Eastside was arrested in the Los Angeles area, where authorities believe he stole an additional nine automobiles.
A police statement said the suspect, 31-year-old Antonio Moreno of Inglewood, allegedly stole the cars while visiting his girlfriend in Santa Barbara, and then used them to return home. Moreno, who reportedly doesn’t have a license or own a car, also stole vehicles in L.A. in order to visit the woman 90 miles to the north.
A majority of the stolen vehicles were Toyota Camry models between 1987 and 1991. Three were Nissan Sentra editions built between 1989 and 1992. In a statement, officers urged the public to safeguard their vehicles, especially those popular with thieves.
“In addition to factory door and ignition locks, consider the use of an alarm or secondary theft deterrent such as steering wheel locks,” the statement said. “Experience has proven that, like water, auto thieves seek the path of least resistance and will usually bypass hardened targets.”
-- Barney McManigal
POLICE NAME HIGHWAY 154 ACCIDENT VICTIM
SANTA BARBARA, April 27, 2007 – California Highway Patrol officers released the name of the driver killed early Friday in a collision on San Marcos pass that authorities said may have been fueled by alcohol.
Victor Trejo, 22, of Oceano, died after the 2005 Honda he was driving barreled off the highway and down a 100-foot embankment near Kinevan Road. Trejo, who was partially ejected and suffered massive trauma wounds, may have been intoxicated, according to a police statement.
Initially, authorities had accused Trejo’s passenger, Francisco Javier Vega, 23, of driving the vehicle. After police determined Vega was under the influence of alcohol, officers arrested him on felony DUI and manslaughter charges. They have since dropped the charges.
Vega, who didn’t wear a seat-belt, was fully ejected from the vehicle.
-- Barney McManigal
CAR CRASHES INTO POST OFFICE; MINOR INJURIES
 An 80-year-old man drove his car into the side of the Post Office building on Milpas Street Thursday. Photo by Melissa Evans / SBN SANTA BARBARA, April 26, 2007 -- An 80-year-old man drove his car into the side of the Post Office building on Milpas Street Thursday morning after hitting the gas instead of the brake, authorities said. Damage to the building was minimal. However, the man's car was severly damaged from the impact of hitting the brick building and a row of newspaper racks on the sidewalk, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department. A 22-year-old woman who was driving north on Milpas Street also was hit by the man's vehicle and transported to Cottage Hospital with minor head injuries, police said. The man was not seriously injured. The 10:30 a.m. accident occurred as the man tried to make a left-hand turn heading south on Milpas Street from the Carl's Jr. driveway near Trader Joe's market, police said. After striking the woman's car, he hit the wrong peddle and slammed into the Post Office at 18 S. Milpas St., authorities said. -- Melissa Evans LOMPOC SCHOOL SHUT DOWN AFTER REPORTS OF MEN WITH RIFLES
LOMPOC, April 26, 2007 -- Arthur Hapgood Elementary School was shut down for about an hour Thursday morning for precautionary reasons while police investigated reports of two men walking around with rifles slung over their shoulders. Police received calls that the two men were near the 200 block of South A Street at about 11:45 a.m. Police checked a nearby home at Hickory Avenue and A Street, but found no one. Due to the nature of the information provided by residents, officers advised school staff to keep students inside during the investigation. The campus was reopened about an hour later, officials said. Anyone with information can contact the Lompoc Police Department at 736-2341. -- Melissa Evans SHERIFF MEETS WITH GROUP THAT WILL INVESTIGATE JAIL CROWDING
SANTA BARBARA, April 26, 2007 -- Sheriff Bill Brown on Thursday met with two dozen community leaders charged with investigating severe overcrowding at the Santa Barbara County Jail. The participants -- including a psychiatrist, a probation officer, consultants, a district attorney, a public defender and employees of the Sheriff's department -- took a tour of the jail and heard presentations about the issue. They will be asked to reserach the current overcrowding, look for strategies and solutions to solve it and stand with the sheriff to present their findings to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. The committee is being asked to complete the bulk of the work in the next six months. -- Melissa Evans
SANTA BARBARA HIGH PRINCIPAL TO MOVE ON UP
SANTA BARBARA, April 25, 2007 — Santa Barbara High School Principal Paul Turnbull will leave his post in July for one of the highest administrative positions in the school district.
Turnbull, 38, will fill the seat to be vacated on June 30 by the retiring Jan Zettel, one of three assistant superintendents in Santa Barbara's K-12 school system.
The move, announced Wednesday, means the district’s flagship high school will be looking for a leader for the third time in four years. At his new job, Turnbull, who currently earns around $105,000 a year, will bring home between $117,000 and $129,000 annually, district officials said.
Zettel, the assistant superintendent of secondary education, has been with the district since 2004. One of his duties is supervising the principals at the district's three high schools. The search for a new principal at Santa Barbara High is underway, officials said.
Turnbull joined the district in 2001, when he became assistant principal at Goleta Valley Junior High. In 2003, he was promoted to principal. In July of 2005, he took the helm at Santa Barbara High School.
A Canadian, Turnbull has a master’s degree in education from the University of Victoria, British Columbia. As an undergraduate, he earned three bachelor’s degrees: in education, from the University of Manitoba; and in English literature and physical and health education, both from Queens’ University in Ontario. He also played football for the University of Manitoba.
-- Rob Kuznia
CASE GOES TO JURY IN DEATH OF 12-YEAR-OLD BICYCLIST
SANTA BARBARA, April 25, 2007 — The prosecution and defense rested Wednesday in the trial of a man charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.
Ernesto Botello, 24, could be sentenced to up to a year in prison in connection with the collision that killed Jake Boysel, 12, who was riding his bicycle to school when struck from behind on eastbound Calle Real near Highway 154.
At issue in this trial is whether the motorist was blinded by the sun and, if so, whether he should have been driving more carefully.
Jury deliberations were expected to continue Thursday.
— Tom Schultz
COPS TO GET MEDALS FOR DUI CRACKDOWN
COUNTYWIDE, April 25, 2007 — Thirty five law encorcement officers from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties will be honored on Thursday for getting drunk drivers off the roads during a cooperative law enforcement winter holiday campaign, officials said.
Departments reported 410 arrests during the 18-day effort, said Deputy Win Smith, Avoid the 12 coordinator for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.
Santa Barbara Police Officer Bryan Jensen is the top officer for Santa Barbara County's Avoid the 12 campaign with 11 arrests, while Moorpark CHP Officers Wayne Goral and Sam Clarkson tied for the top honors in Avoid the 14 in Ventura County with nine arrests each, officials said.
Officers will receive small uniform medals showing the campaign name and year.
Avoid the 12 and Avoid the 14 are planning additional DUI crackdowns over the long Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends and will hit the roads again at the end of the year, according to Senior Officer Humberto Jimenez of the Oxnard Police Department.
Other officers to receive awards are from the CHP area commands covering Buellton, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Moorpark along with a staff sergeant from the Vandenberg Air Force Base and police officers from, Guadalupe, Santa Barbara and Oxnard.
— Tom Schultz
WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY NAMES NEW LEADER
SANTA BARBARA, April 25, 2007 -- Washington Elementary soon will have a new principal: Demian Barnett, currently the director of instructional services with the San Luis Obispo school district.
Barnett, who starts the job on July 1, will succeed longtime Washington principal Beatrice Cordeiro, who died of cancer this school year. He will earn between $91,000 and $101,000.
-Rob Kuznia
ROOFERS START ACCIDENTAL HOUSE FIRE
SANTA BARBARA, April 24, 2007 — A roofing operation accidentally set fire to a home at 1727 San Andres St. on Tuesday afternoon, causing damage estimated at more than $100,000, authorities said. The fire started in the attic at 3:45 p.m. and was extinguished by firefighters within 30 minutes, the city Fire Department said. Heavy smoke and water damage occurred throughout the house, but firefighters were able to prevent worse damage by spreading tarps inside. No one was at home during the blaze, and no firefighters were injured. — Melinda Burns
FOUR ARRESTED IN DUI CRACKDOWN DURING VINTNERS FESTIVAL NORTH COUNTY, April 24, 2007 — Four drivers were arrested during a crackdown timed over the weekend with the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival, authorities said Tuesday. None of those arrested were patrons of the event, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Sgt. Erik Raney. Thousands of people attended the wine festival at River Park in Lompoc and packed into wineries throughout the Lompoc and Santa Ynez valleys. Officers from police departments in Lompoc, Santa Maria, Guadalupe were on hand as well as officers from Allan Hancock College, California State Parks and the Sheriff’s Department. Together, they stopped 77 cars and conducted 16 investigations as part of the California Avoid campaign against drunk-driving, Raney said. Two people were arrested Saturday on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol — one after leaving a winemaker’s party and one after leaving a restaurant, Raney said. On Sunday, plainclothes deputies saw a driver park, get out of the car and throw an open bottle of beer to the passenger in the back, who turned out to be his 19-year-old daughter, Raney said. The man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, obstructing a police officer and endangering the welfare of a six-year-old child who was in the car. The final arrest of the weekend was made from a citizen report. Officers stopped the driver in the parking lot of a liquor store and arrested him on suspicion of driving drunk and having no license, Raney said. Authorities say their campaign against drunk driving will continue with a four-day crackdown over the long Memorial Day weekend. — Melinda Burns OFFICER TESTIFIES IN DEATH OF 12-YEAR-OLD BICYCLIST
SANTA BARBARA, April 24, 2007 — A police officer testified Tuesday that a man charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter should have slowed down if conditions were unsafe the day a 12-year-old bicyclist was fatally struck on his way to school.
Ernesto Botello, 24, faces up to a year in jail if he is convicted in the death of Jake Boysel. At issue is whether Botello was blinded by the sun when he struck the boy from behind with his SUV on Sept. 6 — and whether he made an unsafe lane change across the bike lane at the scene of the collision, near Highway 154 on eastbound Calle Real.
Santa Barbara Police Officer Todd Stoney, the lead investigator in the case, told the court Tuesday morning that drivers must pay attention to driving conditions.
"You might be going one mile per hour and that's an unsafe speed if you hit someone from behind," he said.
Botello was not on a cell phone, smoking, reading or fiddling with the radio at the time of the collision, Stoney testified.
Defense attorney Neil Levinson has attempted to poke holes in the investigation, questioning why officials failed to interview an eyewitness to the collision. Last week, that person testified that Botello raised his right arm toward the sun right before the collision.
— Tom Schultz
STABBING IN LOMPOC
LOMPOC, April 23, 2007 -- Police arrested a juvenile male Monday morning in connection with the stabbing of another adolescent near Lompoc High School.
About 8:20 a.m., police responded to a call about a stabbing in the area of College Avenue and O Street. When they arrived, they learned someone had already transported the injured youngster to the Lompoc Hospital, said Sgt. Deanna Clement, the department spokeswoman. She said the victim was not a student at Lompoc High School, but declined to say whether the alleged stabber was a student at the school.
Around 10 a.m., the suspect was found and arrested across town, in the area of College Avenue and Fourth Street, Sgt. Clement said. The suspect was booked into juvenile hall on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, she said. Because the involved parties are juveniles, authorities declined to release their names. Sgt. Clement also declined to release their ages.
She said police have not found any gang ties to the incident, and that the stabbing appeared to be unrelated to the slaying of a 21-year-old man a week ago.
-- Rob Kuznia
FATAL SANTA YNEZ CAR CRASH VICTIM IDENTIFIED SANTA YNEZ, April 20, 2007 -- The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department on Saturday released the name of a woman who died in a single-vehicle crash near Highway 246. Kathleen Frances Morrelli, 50, of Solvang, died Thursday when the Toyota Celica she was driving swerved off a transition road to Highway 154, officials said. Around 9:45 a.m., Morrelli was traveling eastbound on Highway 246 at about 55 mph when her left tire missed the road and she over-corrected, veering off the right side of the roadway and into a ditch, said Officer Kurt Schmidt, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol. Her car overturned in the ditch, throwing her out of the vehicle, Officer Schmidt said, adding that she was not wearing a seatbelt. -- Rob Kuznia GIRL REPORTS CONFRONTATION WITH TWO MENLOMPOC, April 20, 2007 — An eight-year-old girl reported to her mother that she was confronted by two Latino males in a vehicle Friday as she left Los Berros School, officials said. The girl told her mother this was the second time she was confronted by the same men, the previous occasion being two days earlier, according to Erik Raney, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department. On Both occasions the girl was leaving school at approximately 3 p.m. when the men asked her to get into their van. The girl told her mother that she hid, and then walked home quickly after each of the incidents, he said. She described the vehicle as a white van, similar to a Dodge Caravan, with a sticker on the rear of the vehicle similar to a skull. The girl described the men to her mother as older Hispanic males with dark hair and one with a tattoo located on his shoulder. No other information about the vehicle or suspects was provided, Raney said. Anyone with information can call 737-7737. — Tom Schultz WESTMONT TO INTRODUCE NEW PRESIDENT AT COMMENCEMENT
MONTECITO, April 20 -- Westmont College incoming president Gayle Beebe will be introduced publicly at the Christian college's commencement ceremony on May 5. He will officially take over the top post at Westmont on July 1. Commencement this year will include 356 graduates, including 170 honorees. John Ortberg Jr. , pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, will be this year's commencement speaker. The Westmont Medal, which recognizes individuals in the community whose lives embody the principles of integrity, service, compassion, responsibility, faithfulness, discipline and generosity will be given to Robert S. Bryant, owner of Bryant and Sons Ltd. Jewelers. For more information, visit www.westmont.edu. -- Melissa Evans NINE LOCAL VOLUNTEERS DEPLOYED TO HELP EAST COAST
SANTA BARBARA, April 20 -- Nine South County and two North County volunteers with the American Red Cross of Santa Barbara County will travel to the East Coast to help the region recover from devastating storms last weekend. Five trained disaster volunteers have already left the county for Somerset and Fairfield, N.J., and a city in New Hampshire. Six more will be deployed over the next few days. Their work will includ client case work, providing disaster mental health services, sheltering, community relations and material support logistics. The Nor'easter dropped up to eight inches of rain in several states on the East Coast, leading to flooding and shoreline erosion. -- Melissa Evans FOUR ARRESTS IN HEROIN, METH CASESSANTA BARBARA, April 20 -- Four people were arrested earlier this week in separate drug busts in Goleta and Buellton, according to the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department. Officers reportedly seized 15 grams of heroin from a residence in the 200 block of Matilda Street in Goleta. Deputies said Sara Ornelas, 48, and Barbara Romero, 43, were arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance for sale and narcotics paraphernalia. In a separate raid, officials said they seized five grams of methamphetamine and equipment from a residence located in the 300 block of Calor Drive, arresting David Bennett, 45, and Joanne Martinez, 30. -Barney McManigal CITY SEEKS NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERSANTA BARBARA, April 20, 2007 — The City of Santa Barbara Park and Recreation Commission seeks interested individuals willing to fill one horticulturist position on the Franceschi Park Advisory Committee. The term of service is three years The city committee provides advice to the Parks and Recreation Department and Commission regarding ongoing park operations, education, maintenance and other related matters. The Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. quarterly on the third Wednesday of the month. Special meetings may also be scheduled. Meetings are held at the Parks and Recreation Administration Conference Room at 620 Laguna St. Applications for the position may be obtained at the 620 Laguna Street office or by calling Terri Yamada at 564-5484. — Tom Schultz
STRING OF SEXUAL BATTERIES PROMPTS INVESTIGATIONCARPINTERIA, April 19, 2007 -- A spate of complaints about a predator on a bicycle making physically aggressive sexual advances on women has law enforcement officials searching for the individual repsonsible, authorities said Thursday.
In the past several months there have been six reports in all, five of sexual battery and one of indecent exposure, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.
In the sexual battery incidents, the man rode up behind the victim on a bicycle and squeezed or slapped the victim’s buttocks then continued riding past the victim. In the indecent exposure incident, he lifted the victims skirt then exposed himself to her, officials said.
The incidents happened in the southern portion of town, north of Highway 101, in the area of Casitas Pass Road, as well as on the bike path between the 5600 block of Carpinteria Avenue and Via Real, according to investigators.
The unknown Spanish-speaking Latino is in his early to late 20s, according to investigators who described him as 5-feet, 6-inches tall with brown eyes, a small to medium build and a new-growth mustache.
The man has been reported wearing dark, black or khaki pants; a black or gray hooded sweatshirt; a red or black faded baseball cap; and black tennis shoes. In three of the incidents he was reportedly wearing a small red backpack.
The suspect's bicycle has been described as either a dark-colored mountain bike, a red bicycle, or a small BMX-type bike.
Anyone with information can call Detective Alvarez at 895-9021. Anyone who sees the man can call Sheriff’s dispatch at 692-5743 or 911.
-- Rob Kuznia
FATAL CRASH NEAR HIGHWAY 154
BUELLTON, April 19, 2007 -- A 50-year-old woman died this morning near Buellton when the Toyota Celica she was driving swerved off Highway 246 on the transition road to Highway 154, CHP authorities said.
Authorities said they are witholding the deceased woman’s name until they can notify her family of her death. Around 9:45 a.m., the woman was traveling eastbound on Highway 246 at about 55 mph when her left tire missed the road and she over-corrected, veering off the right side of the roadway and into a ditch, said Officer Kurt Schmidt, spokesman for the California Highway Patrol officials. Her car overturned in the ditch, throwing her out of the vehicle, Officer Schmidt said, adding that she was not wearing a seatbelt.
-- Rob Kuznia THREE MORE ARRESTED IN LOMPOC SLAYING
LOMPOC, April 19, 2007 -- Police on Wednesday arrested three more suspects – one juvenile and two women -- in connection with the slaying of an Oceano man last weekend, authorities said. This brings the total number arrested in this case to five. All suspects are from Lompoc.
One of the new arrests was a 15-year-old juvenile who, like the two other 17-year-old suspects, is being charged with murder in Sunday’s stabbing death of 21-year-old Chad Stefancich, Lompoc police said.
The women, who are being charged as accessories to murder, are Alexandria Sanchez, 21, and Anna Luisa Recio, 22, both relatives of the newest juvenile suspect, authorities said. On Wednesday, police said they nabbed the three suspects at a shopping center on the 2100 block of South Bradley Road in Santa Maria.
It hasn’t been determined if the three juveniles will be charged as adults, said Sgt. Deanna Clement, spokeswoman for the Lompoc Police Department. They are all being held at a juvenile hall facility in Santa Maria. Detectives are still trying to determine if the killing was gang-related, Sgt. Clement said.
On Sunday, Stefancich was found lying on the roadway in the 700 block of North F Street, bleeding of multiple stab wounds, police said. He died that evening in the hospital.
One of the five suspects was the same person sought by police in connection with a non-fatal stabbing on April 8 in Lompoc, Sgt. Clement said. In that case, a minor was found stabbed in the abdomen in the area of Pine Avenue and F Street. Police said the Easter Sunday stabbing appeared to be gang-related.
The injured teenager underwent surgery for his stab wounds, and as of Thursday was still in the hospital, Sgt. Clement said.
-- Rob Kuznia PRINT SHOP FIRE DISPLACES 3 PEOPLE, KILLS 3 CATS
SANTA BARBARA, April 19, 2007 — Flames and smoke damaged several business and two residences — and killed three cats — early Wednesday, officials said.
More than 25 firefighters battled the 4:14 a.m. blaze at Santa Barbara and East De La Guerra streets that started in a print shop and spread smoke through several properties owned by the state and managed by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, according to the Santa Barbara Fire Department.
"We had a lot of black smoke," Santa Barbara Battalion Chief Andrew DiMizio said, adding the fire was containd by 6:30 a.m.
No people were injured, but the fire reportedly took the life of a popular neighborhood feline named "Danny De La Guera," DiMizio said. "Apparently, he was quite the character. People are mourning."
American Red Cross officials responded to assist three individuals displaced from their homes, he said.
Businesses that suffered damage include Mailboxes Etc., The Frameworks, Beads and The Bridal Gallery, DiMizio said.
The cause was still under investigation, and the cost of the damage was not available.
— Tom Schultz FATAL FIRE VICTIM IDENTIFIEDORCUTT, April 19, 2007 --The Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner’s office on Wednesday identified the victim of a mobile home fire earlier this week. Using dental records, the coroner determined the victim to be 81-year-old Doris Kurtze, who apparently died of asphyxia by inhalation of smoke and carbon monoxide in the fire at 1600 E. Clark Ave., unit 12. Authorities said the death appeared accidental. Authorities said they believe the fire started with a burning candle near a couch, where the victim was found.
-- Rob Kuznia STUDENTS, COUNTY LAUNCH IV RECYCLING PUSH UCSB, April 19 – Students on UCSB’s Environmental Affairs Board teamed with the county Wednesday to launch a new recycling and clean-up program in Isla Vista called Blue IV, according to Supervisor Brooks Firestone. The program, which replaces beige recycling carts with blue ones, aims to boost the area’s recycling rates, which have fallen in recent years as students increasingly co-mingle trash with recyclables. The $6,000 cost of distributing 118 blue carts came from the Associated Students of UCSB and the county Public Works Department, according to a statement. Members of the EAB attended the kick-off with Firestone. -- Barney McManigal
ADVOCATES FOR MENTALLY ILL PROTEST CLOSURESANTA BARBARA, April 17, 2007 -- Advocates for the mentally ill descended on the county Board of Supervisors to protest any plan to shutter Casa del Mural, a 12-bed residence and treatment center for adults located on the county campus, off Calle Real. Bob Quinn, spokesman for an organization called Prop 63 For Me, said the county should look elsewhere to close a reported $6 million gap in next year’s Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services Department budget. Quinn called the residence an ideal setting for mentally ill patients to adjust to communal living. Supervisors will likely vote on the matter during their annual budget deliberations in June. -- Barney McManigal DENTAL RECORDS TO IDENTIFY FIRE VICTIM ORCUTT, April 17, 2007 — The identity of the person who died in a mobile home fire in Orcutt on Monday will not be confirmed for about a week, authorities say. Sgt. Erik Raney of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday that the county coroner will have to use dental records to identify the victim. The blaze broke out on Monday morning in a mobile home at 1600 E. Clark Ave. No information was available Tuesday on the cause of the fire. — Anna Davison CITY PANEL CLEARS NEIGHBORHOOD GROWTH LAWSANTA BARBARA, April 17, 2007 -- A key Santa Barbara City Council panel agreed to send revisions to the controversial Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance to the full council for consideration. The ordinance, which details what homeowners can and can’t do to their properties, is expected to come up for a vote on May 1. -- Barney McManigal COUNTY TIGHTENS RULES FOR HOUSING PANELSANTA BARBARA, April 17, 2007 -- The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a plan to block developers and some housing advocates from voting on a panel that distributes millions in government money. The plan, which would allow builders and housing advocates to serve as non-voting members of the Affordable Housing Loan Committee, sought to remove the potential for a conflict of interest, said Housing and Community Development Director John Torrell. -- Barney McManigal TWO ARRESTED IN LOMPOC SLAYINGLOMPOC, April 17 -- Police on Monday released the name of a man who was apparently slain in broad daylight in the middle of a Lompoc residential street over the weekend. Around 3:45 p.m. Sunday, Chad Michael Stefancich, 21, of Oceano, was found lying on the roadway in the 700 block of North F Street, bleeding of multiple stab wounds. He died that evening in the hospital. Police have arrested two 17-year-old males in connection with the stabbing, and said they want to hear from witnesses who may have seen or heard the confrontation. They haven’t released the names of the suspects because they are minors, but did say they are Lompoc residents. Both are being charged with murder, authorities said. Lompoc police said more suspects could be on the loose. It hasn’t been determined if they'll be charged as adults, said Sgt. Deanna Clement, spokeswoman for the Lompoc Police Department. They are being held at a juvenile hall facility in Santa Maria, and police are trying to determine if the killing was gang-related, she said. One of the suspects is the same person sought by police in connection with another recent stabbing, Sgt. Clement said. On Easter Sunday, a minor was found stabbed in the abdomen in the area of Pine Avenue and F Street. The injured teenager underwent surgery for his stab wounds, and as of Tuesday was still in the hospital, Sgt. Clement said. She declined to divulge his condition – such as whether his injuries appear to be life-threatening -- citing privacy laws. In connection with the April 8 stabbing, the teen is being charged with assault with a deadly weapon and for participation in a criminal street gang, authorities said. The homicide case is the first of the year in Lompoc. Last year, the city had one homicide, Sgt. Clement said. Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Lompoc Police Department at (805) 736-2341 or Crime Stoppers hotline at (877) 800-9100. -- Rob Kuznia LEMURS ARE NEWEST ARRIVALS AT S.B. ZOO  Two black and white ruffed lemurs have been born at Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo courtesy of Santa Barbara Zoo (click to enlarge)
A female and a male of the endangered species were born last week, each weighing in at a dainty 5 ounces. Alan Varsik, the zoo’s director of animal care and conservation, said the babies are now sometimes venturing out into the public part of the exhibit with their mother, although there’s no way to predict when they might be visible to visitors. Child care will be the mother’s responsibility until she allows her mate to interact with the babies. They will be weaned after about 3 months. Lemurs are native to the island of Madagascar, but their numbers have dwindled due to hunting and the destruction of the country’s rainforests. Black and white ruffed lemurs — the largest living lemurs — are bred at the Santa Barbara Zoo as part of a coordinated plan to conserve the species, officials say. -- Anna Davison DESIGN REVIEW BOARD TO SHRINK — FOR A WHILE
GOLETA, April 16, 2007 — A panel of appointees who review construction proposals for the city will run on a skeleton crew in May and perhaps longer, the City Council decided Monday.
The terms of four Design Review Board members expire this month, amid efforts by the council to amend the bylaws and guidelines that govern that nine-member panel.
Those amendments are expected to return to the council for consideration in late May, with new appointments to the board to follow.
Terms will not be extended for Barbara Massey, Jaime Herman Pierce, Gary Vandeman and Ed Easton. This means the board will have five remaining members after April 30. All must be present at meetings for the panel to reach a quorum.
— Tom Schultz
COUNCIL MAKES TIME FOR SUMMER FUN
GOLETA, April 16, 2007 — The Goleta City Council chamber will go dark two days this summer, with meetings cancelled, officials decided Monday.
In a 5-0 vote, council members cancelled their July 2 and Aug. 28 meetings to ease workloads around the Fourth of July holiday and to take personal trips.
— Tom Schultz
COMMISSIONERS TO GET $100 PER MEETING
GOLETA, April 16, 2007 — The city;s first Planning Commission was sworn in Monday night.
Taking the oath of office were Doris Cavanaugh, Julie Kessler Solomon, Brent Daniels, Ed Easton and Ken Knight. Each will receive a $100 stipend per meeting, the City Council unanimously decided Monday.
— Tom Schultz MAN ARRESTED IN BURGLARY SPREE
SANTA MARIA, April 16, 2007 — A homeless man was arrested late Saturday on suspicion of residential burglary, auto burglary, receiving stolen property and drug-related allegations, police said.
Alejandro Rivera Villanueva, 31, described by officials as a transient from Santa Maria, allegedly committed numerous residential daytime burglaries during the past six weeks in the West Gate neighborhood, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
Firearms, cash, jewelry, electronic equipment and at least one vehicle were among the items stolen in the spree, authorities said.
Contacted by police about 11 p.m. Saturday while sitting in the passenger seat of a parked car along the 1100 block of S. Blosser Rd., the suspect possessed a pipe allegedly used for smoking illegal drugs, police said.
He was booked into County Jail on seven counts of first degree residential burglary, auto burglary, possession of drug paraphernalia, receiving stolen property and an oustanding warrant for a narcotics violation, authorities said.
— Tom Schultz
LEMON RIG CRASH STOPS HIGHWAY 101NORTH COUNTY, April 15, 2007 — Southbound traffic snarled along Highway 101 about two miles north of the Gaviota rest stop after an 18-wheeler full of lemons overturned, officials said. Both southbound lanes were closed following the 9:47 a.m. accident, which resulted in no injuries, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Deparment. By noon, traffic was moving with one lane open, officials said. — Tom Schultz FIREFIGHTERS CONTAIN 22-ACRE BLAZE GOLETA, April 13, 2007 – Santa Barbara County firefighters contained a raging fire in the hills north of Goleta Friday morning, after the blaze burned through 22 acres along North Glen Annie Road but caused no major injuries or structural damage, officials said. With the fire still smoldering in places, clean-up crews spent most of Friday extinguishing lingering traces of the inferno. The blaze started late Thursday night due to an unknown cause. It drew up to 70 firefighters to the scene, with crews guarding homes along Ellwood Ridge Road and in Ellwood Canyon, said county Fire Department spokesman Mike Held. “We would like to remind the public that conditions around the county are unusually dry this year,” he said in a statement. “We all need to be really careful with our burning materials and act as if we are in the middle of fire season.” Fire season, the period of heightened alert due to existing ground and weather conditions, will likely begin in mid-May, Held said. -- Barney McManigal COTTAGE GETS $1 MILLION PLEDGE  From left to right: Steven Fellows, Cottage executive vice president and chief operating officer; Ron Werft, Cottage president and CEO; Andrew F. Puzder, CKE president and CEO; Brad R. Haley, CKE executive vice president for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s; and Dr. Peter McDougall, fund drive chairman. Courtesy photo SANTA BARBARA, April 13, 2007 — The Cottage Health System has received a $1 million pledge toward the ongoing Cottage Hospital reconstruction, bringing the total raised to more than $71 million, hospital officials said Friday. The gift from CKE Restaurants Inc., headquartered in Carpinteria, is the largest corporate pledge of the campaign, according to Cottage, which has a goal of $100 million. The chain operates Carl's Jr. and La Salsa restaurants. “An undertaking as huge as building a new hospital takes the support of the entire community, including individuals, foundations and businesses," Ron Werft, Cottage president and chief executive, said in a statement. “CKE Restaurants has a long-standing tradition of investing back in the communities in which they do business. This generous gift to Cottage is a long-term investment in the provision of quality health care for residents on the South Coast and for future generations to come.” Cottage will name the new hospital first floor Pedestrian Concourse in honor of CKE, according to the hospital. Located just off the main lobby, the 600-foot concourse will enhance patient care privacy by offering family members and visitors a public “footpath” to hospital amenities, including the restaurant, cafeteria and the adjacent outdoor dining area. It also will be the walkway to the hospital gift shop, historical displays and retail shopping as well as the gateway to the new conference center, meeting rooms and state-of-the-art auditorium. Fully glassed along one side, the concourse will look out to a landscaped interior courtyard, hospital officials say. — Tom Schultz SUSPECT ARRESTED IN ISLA VISTA HEROIN BUST ISLA VISTA, April 12, 2007 -- County sheriff’s detectives arrested a 41-year-old Isla Vista man on suspicion of heroin possession Thursday, seizing half an ounce of what they suspect was the illegal narcotic from the man’s apartment, authorities said. Adan Perez was arrested after detectives served a search warrant at his home in the 6700 block of Abrego Road, said Sgt. Erik Raney, a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department spokesman. Detectives also seized a scale and other paraphernalia allegedly associated with narcotics sales. Following a month-long investigation, detectives described Perez as a likely “street-dealer” who allegedly sells heroin to local users. Perez was booked into county jail, and held there in lieu of $30,000 bail. -- Barney McManigal DRUG BUSTS ON LABOR LINE SANTA BARBARA, April 12, 2007 — A seven-week effort to combat drugs along the East Yanonali Street labor line has resulted in 56 arrests, authorities said Thursday. Forty-four people were taken into custody on felony charges and 14 for misdemeanors, including 15 for sales of cocaine, 14 for possession of cocaine, 11 for possession of drug paraphernalia, 10 for loitering in an area for the purpose of engaging in drug activity, five for parole violations and four for probation violations, authorities said. "For years, the 400 to 600 blocks of East Yanonali Street has been designated as the Labor Line, a place where workers seeking casual labor could wait for an opportunity to work," Santa Barbara Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey said in a statement. "SBPD has long known that drug dealers mingled with the workers, hoping to make money; not by the sweat of their brow, but by engaging in street level drug dealing," according to McCaffrey. "In turn, the dealers attract a seedy cadre of drug users plying the neighborhood looking to make quick hand-to-hand drug deals." Efforts since February to confront the problem included the use of undercover officers, surveillance, and directed patrol operations, McCaffrey said. "With surprising ease, officers watched hand-to-hand drug transactions and arrested the dealers and customers alike," the lieutenant said. Detectives discovered that the area had become more of an "open-air drug bazaar than a de facto Labor Line," he added. Most of the drug charges involved crack cocaine, cocaine powder, with a little crystal meth thrown in, authorities said. Several of the drug dealers were criminally deported felons who were not supposed to have returned to the U.S., McCaffrey said, adding about half of the buyers listed their address as homeless. The operation resulted in several spin-off investigations including the recent closure of a prostitution ring operating on the Eastside. — Tom Schultz TREE FALLS ON THREE, INJURES TWO IN I.V. UCSB, April 12, 2007 — A tree fell on three students, sending two to Cottage Hospital with minor to moderate injuries Thursday. The more than 30-foot-tall cypress was blown over, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Authorities said they cut down another nearby tree that was threatening to fall. — Tom Schultz RECRUIT CLASS LARGEST IN 30-PLUS YEARS  New recruits at the S.B. County Fire Department Training Academy. Courtesy photo, Capt. Eli Iskow. SANTA BARBARA, April 12, 2007 — With 16 recruits, the 2007 Santa Barbara County Fire Department Recruit Training Academy is the largest in more than 30 years, officials announced Thursday. The recruits will learn techniques for urban search and rescue, water rescue, confined space rescue, wildland firefighting, hazardous materials management, emergency medical training, high-rise firefighting tactics, firefighter safety and self-rescue techniques, high- and low-angle rope rescue, hose and ladder training, the Jaws-of-Life and forcible entry. The 12-week academy runs 12 weeks. Graduation is June 29. — Tom Schultz WILD ART: RANCH BLAZE STOPPED EARLY Courtesy S.B. County Fire Dept., Capt. Eli Iskow  S.B. County Fire Dept., Capt. Eli Iskow NORTH COUNTY,April 11, 2007 — Firefighters doused a half-acre fire Tuesday north of Buellton caused, officials said, by two burn piles escaping the control of a ranch hand. Personnel from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service Los Padres Ranger Unit repsond to the vegetation blaze. — Tom Schultz
TEEN SEEKS ROOMIE, FINDS WEB HUCKSTER
SANTA BARBARA, April 11, 2007 — A 19-year-old woman from Isla Vista who fell prey to Internet fraudsters from Africa lost $3,120, officials said.
The unidentified woman needed a roommate and posted an ad on Craigslist, a popular Web site allowing people to buy, sell and trade just about anything.
Her ad was answered by a person who claimed to be a
25-year-old British woman named Casey Brown who was living in the Republic of Benin, Africa. The local woman and the other person agreed to share the apartment in Isla Vista, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
The other person put the 19-year-old in touch with a third individual, who sent four checks — each for $950 – the amount for the first months’ rent and a deposit. The victim was then told that she was mistakenly given four checks, police said.
The victim was instructed to deposit the checks, withhold a month’s rent -- $680 -- and wire the balance by means of Western Union to the city of Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
The victim obliged, depositing the checks and wiring $3,120 out of her own account to the address in Benin, according to police.
A few days later, the victim’s bank notified her that the money orders were counterfeit, police said.
Santa Barbara Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey said the moral of the story is people should never wire money to people they don’t know.
“You don’t know who’s going to get it,” he said. “You don’t even know where they are going to get it.”
He added that victims of such theft don’t have much recourse.
“I’m not going to send someone to Africa to investigate this theft,” he said, adding that “she’s young, and I’m sure she’s struggling to get by. She needs a roommate because she’s not loaded.”
— Rob Kuznia
MAN ARRESTED IN KIDNAP-MURDERSANTA MARIA, April 10, 2007 — A man wanted for a 2003 murder of one man and attempted murder of another was arrested in Florida on Tuesday, authorities said.  Jesse Deleon Murder victim Christopher Stoner and survivor Dustin Garnett were abducted in Santa Maria and taken to Bakersfield in October 2003. Jesse Deleon, 25, was one of four male suspects identified by Garnett, who survived a single gunshot wound to the head, authorities said. Deleon was arrested Tuesday in a Fort Walton Beach, Fla., apartment by Bakersfield Police working with the FBI and local law enforcement, officials said. One suspect remains at large. Julian Santiago, 29, is still considered armed and dangerous, according the Santa Maria Police Department. — Tom Schultz UCSB SOCCER PLAYER PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN RAPE CASESANTA BARBARA, April 10, 2007 — A UCSB soccer player on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to the charge of rape of one student and the sexual battery of another. Eric Frimpong, 21, allegedly raped a woman who met him on her way to a Feb. 17 party in Isla Vista, authorities said. The two talked and eventually walked to the beach below the 6600 block of Del Playa Drive, where he allegedly struck her in the face, held her throat and raped her before fleeing, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.  Eric Frimpong In another allegation, Frimpong committed sexual battery against a different female student on or between Jan. 27 and Jan. 28, according to a two-count March 27 complaint filed in Santa Barbara Superior Court. Following Tuesday's arraignment, Frimpong's attorney said DNA samples taken from the defendant, who is from Ghana, do not match those collected from the rape victim. "I will confirm the story," attorney Bob Sanger said, pointing out that he does not usually speak to the media in pending cases. However, the defense lawyer said he wanted to address the issue of DNA because he felt Sheriff's authorities misrepresented the matter when they stated at an earlier press conference that they had DNA evidence on the suspect. However, Deputy Distrist Attorney Mary Barron said testing of the DNA was not complete and that "we're looking at everything in totality." Frimpong, who has been free on bail, appeared before Superior Court Judge Brian Hill Tuesday morning. Despite objections from the defense, the judge allowed the prosecution's list of special allegations to remain on the amended complaint. Those include that the crime involved a high degree of violence and cruelty; the victim was particularly vulnerable; the crime involved planning; and the defendant poses a serious danger to society. If convicted he could face additional jail time due to these special allegations. A case status conference was set for May 3. — Tom Schultz JACKNIFED BIG RIG SHUTS DOWN TWO LANES OF HIGHWAY 101SANTA BARBARA, April 10, 2007 — A big rig that jacknifed along the northbound Highway 101 spilled 20 gallons of diesel fuel and shut down two freeway lanes for more than two hours Tuesday, officials said. At approximately 5:45 p.m., Ramon Pena, 44, of Piru, was driving a Peterbuilt tractor-flatbed trailer rig near Highway 154, according to Officer Don Clotworthy, spokesman for the California Highway Patrol. For an undetermined reason, Pena lost control and struck a metal guard rail and a pole, officials said, adding that the truck driver was not injured and alcohol was not a factor. The Hope Street onramp and Highway 154 offramp also were closed. The Santa Barbara City Fire Department and CalTrans cleaned the fuel up, according to the CHP. — Tom Schultz NEIGHBORHOOD ORDINANCE TO COUNCIL POSSIBLE BY MAY 1SANTA BARBARA, April 10, 2007 -- The city's Ordinance Committee approved nine aspects of the long-debated Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance Tuesday, including regulations that will guide hillside design, balcony encroachments and basement square footage. The Ordinance Committee will hold one more hearing on the matter, which has undergone nearly three years of contentious scrutiny by residents and developers. The meeting is scheduled to begin at noon April 17 in City Council Chambers. The City Council will then dissect the entire ordinance, likely at its May 1 meeting. The new rules will set limits on how big homes can be built relative to their lot size, and possibly create a new Neighborhood Preservation Board to implement these new standards. For more information, visit www.santabarbara.ca.gov. -- Melissa Evans AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION APPROVED; WORK TO BEGIN IN LATE APRILSANTA BARBARA, April 10, 2007 -- The City Council on Tuesday approved nearly $14 million worth of construction work to realign a taxiway and lengthen the main runway at the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport. The bulk of the work will be done by Granite Construction. The Federation Aviation Administration is footing the majority of the bill through grants; the city will contribute just 5 percent of the cost. Beginning May 7, the airport will close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to accomodate construction crews. The project is expected to be complete in October. -- Melissa Evans NIGHT OF MUSIC TO FIGHT DUI SANTA BARBARA, April 10, 2007 — A group of musicians is holding a benefit Friday night at SoHo music club to raise awareness about drinking and driving.  Alex Baer Called “Another Way Home,” the group formed in memory of Alex Baer, who died in August after the drunk driver of the car in which he was riding slammed head-on into another vehicle on Highway 154 near Calle Real. The event at 1221 State St. will be from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Among the musicians playing will be Spencer Barnitz of the band “Spencer the Gardener,” who had reconstructive surgery after the band’s vehicle was hit by a drunk driver. Also playing will be Instant Love Mix, Matthew McAvene, Reid Spencer and Gabe Lackner. In keeping with the spirit of the event, party-goers will be offered half-price cab rides home from companies such as Rockstar, Blue Dolphin and Lucky. The cover charge is $15. For tickets: www.sohosb.com or 962-7776.
-- Rob Kuznia
OFFSHORE TERMINAL REJECTED, MORE TESTS AHEAD
 The proposed terminal. Image by BHP Billiton LLC OXNARD, April 10, 2007 — Voting 2-1 late Monday in Oxnard, the State Lands Commission turned down a request by BHP Billiton LLC to lease state waters for the $1 billion Cabrillo Port liquefied natural gas project, saying it was not needed and would pollute the air. Lt. Governor John Garamendi, who chairs the commission, and state Controller John Chiang, a commissioner, both voted against the project. Commissioner Anne Sheehan, who was sitting in for state Finance Director Michael Genest, an appointee of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, voted in favor. Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, is proposing to bring in liquefied natural gas by tanker from Australia and store it on a giant floating terminal 14 miles off the coast of Southern California, between Oxnard and Malibu. On board the terminal, the liquefied gas would be converted back into gaseous form and shipped to shore through underwater pipelines. Several thousand people, most of them project opponents, attended Monday’s hearing at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. An large overflow crowd listened to the proceedings by loudspeaker outside the hearing room. Monday’s vote casts doubt on the viability of the Cabrillo Port project, which is scheduled to be heard on Thursday by the state Coastal Commission in Santa Barbara. The commission is set to weigh in on whether the project conforms with California’s coastal policies. Thursday’s hearing will begin at 9 a.m. at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort Hotel. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has the final say on Cabrillo Port, and he must make up his mind by May 21. In a statement today, he said he had not yet made a decision, reiterating his belief that liquefied natural gas “should be a part of California’s energy portfolio.” — Melinda Burns FIREFIGHTERS HONORED FOR DECADES OF SERVICE City Fire Engineer Danny Paulin, left, and Fire Capt. Bill Taff. Courtesy S.B. City Fire Dept.
SANTA BARBARA, April 10, 2007 — The City of Santa Barbara has honored Fire Engineer Danny Paulin or 30 years of service and Fire Capt. Bill Taff for 35 years of service. Capt. Taff works at fire station No. 1 on Carrillo Street, and Paulin at the the airport fire station. — Tom Schultz
SWIMMER RESCUED AT GOLETA BEACH Firefighters gather Monday after the Goleta Beach rescue. Courtesy of S.B. County Fire Department GOLETA, April 10, 2007 — A disoriented swimmer suffering from hypothermia was rescued Monday a quarter-mile off the west end of Goleta Beach County Park, officials said. The unidentified man was hauled ashore at 5:13 p.m. by a team of 10 Santa Barbara County firefighters who used a rescue watercraft, according to authorities. The man was taken by ambulance to Cottage Hospital. The UCSB Police Department assisted in the rescue. -- Tom Schultz SCAM SUSPECTED IN SAN ROQUE SANTA BARBARA, April 10, 2007 — The Santa Barbara Police Department on Monday advised residents to be on the lookout for three people, who, working together, allegedly stole a diamond ring from a 90-year-old San Roque woman. The victim told police that an unfamiliar car pulled into her driveway last Thursday afternoon and a man and woman got out and greeted her warmly. They were accompanied by a heavyset boy who appeared to be about 12 years old. The victim did not know who her visitors were but thought age might be playing tricks on her, so she began talking to them. After a few minutes, police said, the man told the elderly woman that he wasn’t feeling well and asked if he could use the bathroom. The victim said yes and was going to follow him in, but the man’s companion guided her away and distracted her with conversation. When the man finally came back outside, he produced a $100 bill and asked the victim if she could make change. She said she couldn’t, and the three mysterious visitors quickly drove away. The victim then discovered that a platinum and diamond ring was missing from her home, police said. The suspects are described as a heavyset white woman with blond hair and black teeth. She was about five feet tall and wore several gold chains. The man was about 5’11” tall and wore a black cap, a jacket and pants. They were driving a black sedan. Anyone with information on the suspects is urged to contact Detective Mark Suarez or the Watch Commander at 897-2355. — Melinda Burns NOBODY HOME FOR SMALL HOUSE FIRE  Santa Barbara County Fire Dept. Photo by Capt. Eli Iskow GOLETA, April 7, 2007 — Firefighters forced their way in and quickly doused a fire in an unoccupied single family home Saturday, officials said. Authorities called at 7:47 a.m. to the blaze at 5525 Capellina Way reported smoke pouring from both ends of the attic and flames in an interior wall. They said it was contained by 8:03 a.m.
Damage was estimated at $40,000 and the cause of the fire was unknown, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
-- Tom Schultz
PLEA IN GANG BRAWL MURDER POSTPONED
SANTA BARBARA, April 6, 2007 — The arraignment of a 14-year-old boy accused of stabbing and bludgeoning to death another young teenager last month was postponed Friday to April 27.
Ricardo Juarez will be tried as an adult in the March 14 death of Luis Linares, 15, during a State Street brawl.
— Tom Schultz FIRESTONE, WOLF TO COMPETE IN IV BIKE RACE
ISLA VISTA, April 6, 2007 — County Supervisors Brooks Firestone and Janet Wolf will face off in a community bicycle race Saturday as part of the 2nd annual Towbes Island View Classic, officials announced. The normally collegial members of the Board of Supervisors will compete with other athletes in the Firestone/Walker Cruiser Criterium race, at 3:45 p.m. The day-long event, which includes a community street fair, will close several streets in Isla Vista. Morning races will feature professional riders from across the country, and afternoon races will feature intercollegiate competition, officials said.
Street closures for the course begin around 7 a.m. and last until 7 p.m. The course will include Cordoba, Embarcadero Del Mar, Embarcadero Del Norte and the El Embarcadero “loop." Vehicles parked on those roadways will be towed beginning at 3 a.m.
The fair includes a bicycle rodeo sponsored by the CHP, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department and UCSB Police Department. Participating children will be taught bicycle safety, the rules of the road and how to manage a bicycle obstacle course. A Sheriff’s crime prevention specialist will be on hand with tips.
— Tom Schultz EASTSIDE PROSTITUTION STING  Rocio Guevara SANTA BARBARA — April, 5, 2007 — Authorities shut down a suspected Eastside prostitution operation in a residential neighborhood Wednesday, arresting a man and a woman after a detective negotiated a sex act, officials said Thursday. Rocio Guevara, 25, who apparently travels between Chicago, San Francisco and Santa Barbara, was arrested for prostitution and held on $2,500 bail, according to Santa Barbara Police Lt. Paul McCaffrey. Abel Garcia Salazar, 34, of Santa Barbara, was arrested for pimping and held on $25,000 bail, officials said.  Abel Garcia Salazar "Beginning a few weeks ago, narcotics detectives who pull double-duty as vice detectives in the occasional prostitution case learned of a man openly soliciting customers for paid prostitution services," according to statement from Lt. McCaffrey. "An undercover detective contacted the suspect and managed to gain his confidence. "The detective was guided to 1322 Pitos St., where he paid $50 to be introduced to a woman. A sex act was quickly negotiated for a price. . . Detectives believe the prostitution operation had been operating for several months with different women being rotated every month." — Tom Schultz
DAILY SOUND PARTNERS WITH WEB TV NETWORK
SANTA BARBARA, April 5, 2007 — A collaboration between the Santa Barbara Daily Sound newspaper and SBiTV, an Internet television network, was announced Thursday. Offering a weekly re-cap of local news, the production will feature a two- to three-minute video that can be found at www.SBiTV.com. Overall, the site features more than 80 "webisodes" and videos related to local lifestyles, according to its creators. "In this busy, fast-paced world, now you can catch up on the local headline news in just a few minutes a week," Pam Brandon, managing partner of SBiTV, said in a statement. — Tom Schultz UCSB MAKES THE GRADE WITH U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORTUCSB, April 5, 2007 — Two departments, the College of Engineering and the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, were ranked among the nation’s top 50 academic departments by U.S. News and World Report. The rankings, which are in the publication’s April 9 edition, list the College of Engineering in 19th place, up from 21st place a year ago. Also faring well were two of the college’s specialized programs: materials, which tied for fourth, and chemical engineering, which ranked 9th. The Gevirtz School was ranked 49th overall, and 35th among schools at public universities. Two of UCSB’s PhD programs also achieved high marks: biological sciences tied for 58th; chemistry tied for 26th. The rankings generally are based on quality assessment by peers as well as student selectivity and research activity, among other factors. -- Rob Kuznia SOLVANG FIRE TO JOIN COUNTY DEPARTMENT SOLVANG, April 5, 2007 -- The Solvang Volunteer Fire Department will be folded into the Santa Barbara County Fire Department on Monday, with details of the consolidation to be discussed at that time, officials said Friday. "The brand new fire engine for County Fire Station #30 will arrive," according to an announement. "There will be a ceremonial lowering of the existing American flag, and raising of the new American flag. The Paid-Call firefighters that have served the City of Solvang will be recognized." In addition, 3rd District County Supervisor Brooks Firestone or his representative will speak, along with Solvang elected officials. — Tom Schultz TOOLS STOLEN FROM SKYTT MESA CONSTRUCTION SITE SOLVANG, April 5, 2007 — Commercial burglaries of tools and equipment worth thousands of dollars, items owned by several contractors and individuals, had authorities searching for a suspect or band of thieves Thursday. A truck-mounted welder, saws, drills, generators, air compressors, nail guns and hand tools were stolen from several storage containers at the Skytt Mesa construction site, according to the Santa Barbara County Department. Anyone with information can call 686-9000 or 686-5031. -- Tom Schultz WESTMONT YEARBOOK WINS AWARD MONTECITO, April 5, 2007 -- Westmont College's yearbook, "The Citadel," won a prestigious award at the 29th annual College Media Convention from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for its 2005-06 volume. The Christian college won the Gold Crown Award among a pool of 1,860 entrants. The Citadel also won the Associated Collegiate Press award for Best in Show last October. Publications for the Gold Crown Award were judged on writing and editing, design, concept, photography, art and graphics. The theme of the winning yearbook was "You Are Here," which showed students and how they connected to the world outside of Westmont. For more information, visit www.westmont.edu. -- Melissa Evans MOTORCYCLE OFFICER AVOIDS SPILL IN COLLISION SUMMERLAND, April 4, 2007 – A CHP motorcycle officer struck by a car Wednesday suffered pain to his right knee but no serious injuries, officials said.
Officer Jim Gasch rode his 2003 BMW motorcycle westbound on Lillie Avenue in Summerland at approximately 25 mph. On the north side of Lillie adjacent to the westbound lane, a parked 2003 Volkswagen Jetta faced north in front of the Café Luna restaurant, according to Officer Don Clotworthy, a department spokesman.
The Volkswagen driver, David Francis Laughlin, 35, of Ventura, began to back up onto Lillie and failed to see the approaching motorcycle. The car’s right rear corner struck the right-side rear saddlebag and crash bar of the passing bike, Officer Clotworthy said.
Officer Gasch was able to maintain control, and was later transported by a CHP patrol car to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. He was treated and released, according to the CHP.
Laughlin was not injured, and a decision on whether he will face any charges had not been made, officials said.
-- Tom Schultz AFTERNOON RAZOR DUEL SANTA BARBARA, April 3, 2007 – An argument over a cell phone resulted in one man behind bars and another in the hospital Tuesday.
Valente Eusevio Zamora, 36, was held overnight under guard at Cottage Hospital for treatment of a razor-inflicted wound that cut to his left arm bone, said Santa Barbara Police Sgt. Dave Gonzales.
Zamora will head to Santa Barbara County Jail once he is released from the hospital Wednesday, where he will be booked on suspected assault with a deadly weapon and alleged possession of methamphetamine for sale, authorities said.
Freddy Lopez, 22, was treated at Cottage and booked into County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, officials said.
Prior to the 3:10 p.m. melee, Zamora and Lopez had been drinking at a residence along the 700 block of East Haley Street. That’s when Zamora accused Lopez of stealing his cell phone, according to authorities.
“Zamora apparently takes out a razor and then tries to slash up Lopez’s face,” Sgt. Gonzales said. “Lopez then apparently has his own razor and cuts up Zamora’s face and severely damages his left arm – cutting him so bad that it hits down to the bone.” Severely wounded, Zamora headed across Haley Street where he bought a 40-ounce beer at the Via Real Market, authorities said. It was the market's employees who then called 9-1-1 to report a man covered in blood had just left the store. That's when Santa Barbara police arrived on scene and found Zamora, who was still bleeding profusely as he walked along Haley Street, near Quarantino Street, authorities said. Zamora allegedly told inquiring officers about the razor blade duel with Lopez, authorities said. Police then found Lopez in the back yard of the Haley Street residence where the two had been previously drinking and then called for ambulances to take each of them to the hospital. -- Tom Schultz GRAFFITI ARREST IN MONTECITO MONTECITO, April 3, 2007 -- Front page photos in the Santa Barbara News-Press -- ATM surveillance pictures of an individual wanted for questioning in connection with graffiti -- gave tipsters enough information to provide his name, officials said Tuesday. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives contacted the 15-year-old at his Pimiento Lane home. “There they found evidence that linked the suspect to the recent vandalisms in the area,” according to a statement from Sheriff’s Sgt. Erik Raney. “Records revealed the suspect was previously arrested for vandalism by the Santa Barbara Police Department in 2005.” The unidentified minor was arrested and booked into juvenile hall on charges of felony vandalism, officials said, adding a search warrant was being served at the residence. -- Tom Schultz MOTORCYCLIST SERIOUSLY INJURED SANTA BARBARA, April 2, 2007 -- A motorcyclist was in critical condition Monday after barreling into a small SUV at twice the speed limit on the Mesa over the weekend, Santa Barbara police said. Summerland resident Salahi Maziar, 41, was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital on Saturday with numerous broken bones and severe internal trauma after the 6 p.m. accident on West Carrillo Street near Mountain View Road. Witnesses said the Ninja motorcycle was traveling at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour -- twice the speed limit – while zooming past cars up Carrillo Hill when it hit the Ford Escape, said Lt. Paul McCaffrey, department spokesman. The Escape, driven by 46-year-old Jonathan Weiland, was making a left turn onto West Carrillo from Mountain View. The motorcycle slammed into the left side of the SUV, “exploding” the Ninja “into hundreds of pieces,” Lt. McCaffrey said in a statement. Maziar’s life was probably saved by his helmet, Lt. McCaffrey said, “which, too, sustained major impact damage.” He is in critical, but stable condition. Lt. McCaffrey said the high-performing motorcycle is known as a “Superbike” for its throttle power. “It’s designed to be driven around race tracks at extremely high speeds,” he said, adding that the bikes are street legal in the city. -- Rob Kuznia CLUES SOUGHT IN GRAFFITI CASE MONTECITO, April 2, 2007 -- A rash of graffiti has the Santa Barbara County Sheriff 's Department asking for help finding an individual whose image was captured in ATM surveillance footage outside the Santa Barbara Bank & Trust branch on East Valley Road. The pictures were taken moments before the property was vandalized on March 26, officials said Monday. Since that day, several locations have been tagged with a large permanent ink marker and spray paint, authorities said. The suspect is tagging "BS 53", "BS 5", "No Toy", and "AYOK", according to a statement from Sgt. Erik Raney, department spokesman. "These monikers are not associated with any known local gangs or tagging crews." Other sites vandalized include: The Presbyterian Church on East Valley Road, the Santa Barbara Bank and Trust on East Valley Road, a parking structure near the bank, and Manning Park on San Ysidro Road, officials said. Anyone with information about this case can contact Detective Rod Forney, of the Sheriff’s Carpinteria Station, at 568-3399. -- Tom Schultz MEASURE D PROJECTS APPROVED SANTA BARBARA, April 2, 2007 -- A list of public works projects to be funded by Measure D for the next three years was approved by the City Council on Tuesday -- even though the money generated by the half-percent sales tax will dry up in 2010. The roughly $5 million the city receives from Measure D each year will be used to pay a portion of capital improvement projects for roads and other areas, bus and shuttle service and operational costs associated with transportation. City officials had tried to look at ways to save some of the money in case voters do not extend the tax beyond 2010, but "we just can't afford to cut anywhere," said City Councilman Roger Horton, who chairs the city's Finance Committee. A ballot measure to extend the tax failed to receive a two-thirds majority in the November 2006 election; another measure to extend the tax will be placed before voters on the 2008 ballot. -- Melissa Evans AFFORDABLE HOUSING DONATION SANTA BARBARA, April 2, 2007 -- The Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County has awarded a $200,000 low-cost loan to Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County for acquisition of an affordable housing site. Habitat for Humanity will construct four to five new homeownership units for low-income working families on a San Pascual Street property located on the lower Westside. For more information, call 685-1949. -- Tom Schultz
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