Runner defeats addiction Cruzin’ to beat cancer Hancock student juggles motherhood, Car show raises money to help Mission Hope. CENTRAL COAST, A3 school, cross country. SPORTS, B1 PLENTY OF SUN 85 • 53 FORECAST, A12 | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 | santamariatimes.com STORIES OF HONOR Iran’s Guard ready for ‘any scenario’ AMIR VAHDAT Associated Press TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s power- ful Revolutionary Guard is ready for combat and “any scenario,” its chief commander said Satur- day, as the country’s nuclear deal with world powers collapses and the U.S. alleged Iran was behind a weekend attack on major oil sites in Saudi Arabia that shook global energy markets. Iran has denied involvement in the Sept. 14 attack that was ini- tially claimed by Yemen’s Irani- an-backed Houthi rebels. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Ja- vad Zarif, who is in New York for the U.N. meetings, warned that any retaliatory strike on Iran by the U.S. or Saudi Arabia will re- sult in “an all-out war.” On Saturday, Gen. Hossein Salami, at a ceremony display- ing pieces of an American drone LEN WOOD, STAFF Iran shot down in June, said that Orcutt resident Roger Welt was an Army combat correspondent in Vietnam in 1968. his forces have carried out “war exercises and are ready for any scenario.” He added: “If anyone crosses our borders, we will hit them.” Zarif claimed in a tweet that Saudi Arabia does not believe its own allegations that Iran was re- sponsible for the attack on Saudi Documenting oil sites. “It is clear that even the Sau- dis themselves don’t believe the fi ction of Iranian involvement”, Zarif said, pointing to what he described as a Saudi retaliatory attack on Houthi forces in south- western Yemen. war in Vietnam Saudi Arabia has been at war with the Houthi rebels since Roger Welt carried weapon, camera as U.S. Army correspondent March 2015. The U.N., Gulf Arab nations and the U.S. accuse Iran DAVID MINSKY At the age of 73 and living wasn’t making the cut so they Stories of Honor of supplying arms to the Houthis, Contributing Writer the life of a retired community said come on son, we need you.” something Tehran denies. In 1968, Roger Welt was an college administrator in Orcutt, Welt reported to boot camp ‘Stories of Honor’ is a series The Houthis announced Friday Army combat correspondent Welt refl ects on his purpose in at Fort Lewis, Washington in spotlighting veterans on the they halted drone and ballistic during what would be the height an unpopular war that sparked 1967, after which he attended Central Coast, their lives, missile attacks on Saudi Arabia of the U.S. military’s involve- a period of signifi cant social advanced infantry training. He and their contributions to — a move welcomed Saturday by ment in the Vietnam War with change in America. spent four months in Washing- our country. Profi les will run Special Envoy for Yemen Martin more than half a million troops Welt was in college study- ton before going to Fort Wolt- weekly through November and Gri ths. in the country. ing for what he called medical ers, Texas where he learned to be featured in a special news- Welt’s job was to document school “fantasy,” but received fl y helicopters, but it wasn’t for paper insert on Veterans Day. Please see IRAN, Page A11 warfare under the auspices of horrible grades and was also de- him. Know someone? the U.S. Army. It sounds an fi cient in credits. So Welt joined Welt took his chances as an awful lot like Matthew Modine’s the Army out of Modesto. It infantryman in Vietnam. There If you know someone who character in the movie Full wasn’t really a choice. Welt was was only one place for those is deserving of being fea- Metal Jacket, but Welt said he drafted. troops and it was in a combat tured in ‘Stories of Honor’, 4 die after bus always felt like the disillusioned “Before the service,” Welt zone. please email Marga Cooley at college dropout that was Char- said, “I really wasn’t focused. mcooley@leecentralcoast lie Sheen’s character in Platoon. But the Army changed that. I Please see HONOR, Page A9 news, or call 805-739-2143. with Chinese tourists Police assess rise in threat tips after 3 mass killings crashes in Utah LISA MARIE PANE AND STEFANIE DAZIO that they hoped to one-up pre- LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press vious mass shootings by killing AND MORGAN SMITH LOS ANGELES — It had all more people. Associated Press the makings of a massacre. Six The reasons for the increase in PANGUITCH, Utah — Four guns, including a Colt AR-15 ri- tips and heightened awareness of people died after a tour bus fl e. About 1,000 rounds of am- thwarted mass shootings vary, carrying them and other visi- munition. A bulletproof vest. law enforcement o cials said. tors from China crashed, roll- And an angry Southern Califor- In some cases, it’s the so- ing onto a guard rail and leaving nia man who threatened to kill called “contagion e ect” in carnage and debris in its wake on his co-workers at a hotel and its which intense media coverage a highway running through the guests. of mass shootings leads to more red-rock landscape of southern But a concerned colleague people seeking to become copy- Utah. intervened, alerting authorities cat killers. In other cases, it’s a To Robert Driedonks, who who arrested Rodolfo Montoya, refl ection of the public being heard the crash from the wild- 37, a cook at the Long Beach more aware of warning signs life museum he owns nearby, it Marriott hotel, the next day and when a friend or relative or co- sounded like “a bomb going o .” discovered the arsenal where he worker is in an emotional cri- He ran to the scene Friday, rush- lived in a rundown motor home sis — and more willing to tip o ing to check pulses and help the parked near industrial buildings. police. terrifi ed people as best he could, In the weeks after three On average, the Federal Bu- LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT VIA AP though they were far from home high-profi le shootings in three reau of Investigation receives This undated fi le photo released by the Long Beach, Calif., Police and couldn’t understand his states took the lives of more than about 22,000 tips about poten- Department shows weapons and ammunition seized from a cook at words. two dozen people in one week in tial threats of violence weekly. a Los Angeles-area hotel who allegedly threatened a mass shooting. “All I could do is see which August, law enforcement au- That volume increased by about Experts say media coverage of shootings makes the public more prone people needed help the most,” thorities nationwide reported 15,000 after the high-profi le to inform on worrisome relatives or neighbors in an attempt to thwart he said Saturday. One devas- a spike in tips from concerned shootings during the fi rst week more shootings. tated man was cradling his dead relatives, friends and co-workers of August in Gilroy, Califor- wife, and Driedonks wrapped about people who appear bent nia; El Paso, Texas; and Dayton, idea in potential mass shooters, State University in St. Paul, Min- his arms around them both, on carrying out the next mass Ohio that killed 34 people and each seeking notoriety or striv- nesota, who studies mass shoot- trying to bring him a little shooting. wounded nearly 70. ing to “out-do” others with ings and the people who perpe- comfort until paramedics ar- Some of those would-be Mass shootings tend to plant higher death tolls, said sociol- trate them. rived. shooters sent text messages to the idea of carrying out a ram- ogist James Densley, a criminal friends or posted on social media page or at least encourage the justice professor at Metropolitan Please see KILLINGS, Page A9 Please see TOURISTS, Page A9 News+ o ers exclusive digital content for our members, LOTTERY A2 WEATHER A12 COMICS B8 such as the “Sunday Extra,” a weekly special edition. OBITUARIES A4 SPORTS B1 ASTROGRAPH B12 AT SANTAMARIATIMES.COM OPINION A6 PUZZLES B6 CLASSIFIED C1 00 1 $3.00 • S • Volume 138, Issue 132 • A Lee Enterprises Newspaper • Copyright 2019 Follow us online: facebook.com/santamariatimes twitter.com@santamariatimes instagram.com/santa_maria_times A2 | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 ELECTION 2020 SANTA MARIA TIMES Take us with you Free online calendar News+ Membership Download our app and get news sent Upload your event to our FREE online calendar and get News+ is here! Support the work of all our straight to your phone. Breaking news more people out to your concert, meeting or gathering. local journalists by choosing your level of AT SANTAMARIATIMES.COM headlines and alerts at your fingertips. Stay on top of Central Coast happenings! membership online now. Dems on shaky political ground with fracking NICHOLAS RICCARDI 3200 Skyway Drive , P.O. Box 400, Santa Maria, CA 93456-0400 Associated Press © Santa Maria Times Inc. 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