Knights Nip New Rival
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DA’s oce turns to books Program to promote school engagement Knights nip through literacy. CENTRAL COAST, A7 new rival Films to fall for St. Joseph beats Garces in final seconds. B1 Movies coming this autumn. D1 SOME LOW CLOUDS, THEN SUN 75 • 57 FORECAST, D4 | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 | santamariatimes.com County lands to open to oil drilling, fracking Areas: Santa Ynez Valley, Tepusquet, Purisima Hills, VAFB MIKE HODGSON [email protected] Members of the public have until Friday to comment on a Trump administration plan to open what an environmental or- ganization says is nearly 122,000 acres of federal land and mineral estate in Santa Barbara County to fracking and oil drilling. Sites are located near Nojo- qui Falls County Park, Cachuma Lake, Highway 154, Tepusquet Canyon, Purisima Hills, Van- denberg Air Force Base, Sisquoc River, the Cuyama Valley foot- hills and Carpinteria. Local nonprofi t watchdog orga- nization Los Padres ForestWatch LEN WOOD, STAFF said it based its claim about the Cars turn into Costco from Bradley Road on Friday afternoon. O cials hope to open up the median in front of the northern entrance to the amount of land that could be parking lot, to allow greater access. opened to leasing on Global Infor- mation System data provided by the Bureau of Land Management. “This plan is a direct attack on some of the most iconic land- Costco parking lot, Betteravia marks in Santa Barbara County,” said ForestWatch Executive Di- rector Je Kuyper. “Drilling and fracking would irreparably change these places that have highway access to get makeover been set aside for their outdoor recreation opportunities, wild- New entry points, Set to go out to bid within up as motorists entering Costco principal city engineer. life habitat and scenic views.” the next two weeks, the plan to slowed down before turning Community members have The Bureau of Land Manage- turn pockets and improve access to Costco’s lot down one of the lanes to park. had complaints about the ac- ment did not respond to a re- addresses an issue that has been The goal is to give motorists cess into Costco’s lot at the quest for comment by the end extended medians ongoing since the store’s 2017 driving south on Bradley Road Meehan Street tra c light since of the day Friday. opening. a way to enter Costco before it opened, and it was no di erent Areas slated for drilling are RAZI SYED The Costco store — a Meehan Street, as well as to Friday afternoon. part of a regional study launched [email protected] 156,000-square-foot building create a narrow tapered me- Santa Maria resident Rich in August evaluating the envi- Looking to clear up tra c on an 18.2-acre lot — was ap- dian that would create a side Winslow said creating a second ronmental and public health im- and vehicle congestion around proved by the Planning Com- pocket for cars waiting to make access point would likely help pacts of fracking on 1.6 million Costco, Santa Maria is moving mission in March 2016 with left turns. reduce congestion at the main acres across six Central Califor- forward with plans to create three entrances to its parking The city hopes to have a con- entrance but feels the parking nia counties. another point of access to the lot. The main entrance, which tractor selected by mid-October lot design is fl awed. parking lot and remove part of a utilizes a tra c light at Meehan and to start construction shortly Please see OIL, Page A6 median on Bradley Road. Street, routinely became backed thereafter, said Rodger Olds, Please see ROADS, Page A6 President, stars join in farewell to Queen of Soul SB County JEFF KAROUB leum at Wood- Associated Press lawn Cemetery in fire chief DETROIT — A president and Detroit, just over preachers joined a parade of two weeks after music stars and other speakers she died of pan- announces Friday in a singing, hip-sway- creatic cancer at ing, piano-pounding farewell to age 76. Aretha Franklin, remembering In a send-o retirement the Queen of Soul as a powerful both grand and Franklin force for musical and political personal, a ce- Eric Peterson change and a steadfast friend lebrity lineup of mourners fi lled and family member. the same Detroit church that will leave post “Aretha’s singing challenged hosted Rosa Parks’ funeral and the dangling discords of hate and o ered prayers, songs and doz- at end of October lies and racism and injustice,” the ens of tributes. Guests included pastor William J. Barber II said. former President Bill Clinton, MIKE HODGSON PAUL SANCYA, ASSOCIATED PRESS “Her singing was revelation and former fi rst lady Hillary Clin- [email protected] Louis Farrakhan, from left, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and was revolution.” ton, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Stevie Santa Barbara County Fire former President Bill Clinton attend the funeral service for Aretha On Friday evening, Franklin’s Chief Eric Peterson formally Franklin at Greater Grace Temple on Friday in Detroit. casket was interred in a mauso- Please see FRANKLIN, Page A6 announced Friday he will retire at the end of October. Although Pe- terson had dis- cussed his re- California police fight statewide marijuana deliveries tirement with friends and col- Opponents say rule largest pot market. States Council have set up a tion, California will lose these leagues in recent Police chiefs on Friday lined website that depicts wide-eyed safeguards,” council executive months, no o - would allow deliveries up against a proposed state rule children gesturing toward a pot director James Araby said in a cial announce- that critics say would allow un- delivery van outside a school. statement. ment was made Peterson in banned areas checked home marijuana deliv- They are asking opponents to The proposal has become a until Friday. eries anywhere in California — sign an online petition. major issue as the state considers Peterson has been with the MICHAEL R. BLOOD even in communities that have “Regulated marijuana dis- a series of changes to rules gov- department for 32 years, serving Associated Press banned cannabis sales. pensaries have tough security, erning the legal marketplace that as a fi refi ghter, engineer, captain, LOS ANGELES — A growing The California Police Chiefs checks for identity and legal age launched in January. The dispute training battalion chief, opera- dispute over where legal mari- Association, League of Califor- and strictly licensed workers. If could end up in court. tions battalion chief, fi re marshal juana can be delivered in Cali- nia Cities and United Food and marijuana can be delivered any- fornia is unsettling the nation’s Commercial Workers Western where with virtually no regula- Please see MARIJUANA, Page A6 Please see PETERSON, Page A6 DISCOVER Pioneer Valley students take part in unique fashion ASTROGRAPH C2 COMMUNITY C1 OPINION A5 show. See video CLASSIFIED D1 LOTTERY A2 PUZZLES C5 DIGITAL AT SANTAMARIATIMES.COM COMICS C4 OBITUARIES A8 SPORTS B1 00 1 $1.50 • D • Volume 137, Issue 114 • A Lee Enterprises Newspaper • Copyright 2018 Follow us online: facebook.com/santamariatimes twitter.com@santamariatimes instagram.com/santa_maria_times A2 | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 CALIFORNIA SANTA MARIA TIMES This week at santamariatimes.com Saturday Sunday Monday We are everywhere you are. Go to santamariatimes.com on Editorials, letters to the editor and all of our local colum- We know how important the puzzles, games and comics are your desktop, tablet or mobile device and stay connected to nists are online every day. Never miss a column, or share to our readers. But did you know that we have more of each your local news. Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook your opinion on some of the biggest issues in our area. on our website? Go online and print and play word games, page to join the conversation. or play right from your desktop, tablet or phone. MS-13 used farm town as a base for crime Utility union benefits More than two committed in other juris- dictions and to prepare to dozen gang commit crimes in states as far away as New York,” members, affiliates Fresno County District from wildfire measure Attorney Lisa Smittcamp charged in probe said at a news conference Workers would in Fresno with state and win protections for SUDHIN THANAWALA federal officials. Associated Press Mendota has a popula- jobs, salaries, and SAN FRANCISCO — tion of roughly 11,000 peo- More than two dozen ple and lies 35 miles west of pensions MS-13 gang members and Fresno in California’s agri- affiliates were arrestedculturally rich Central Val- JONATHAN J. COOPER and charged following a ley. Nearly the entire pop- Associated Press monthslong murder and ulation is Hispanic, with SACRAMENTO — Utility drug trafficking investi- many immigrants from El workers would get protec- gation centered on a rural Salvador. tions for their jobs, salaries, California farm city that MS-13 is linked to more benefits and pensions as the gang turned into a base than 12 murders in Men- part of a measure allowing for its operations, U.S. and dota and western Fresno California power compa- state prosecutors said Fri- County over the past two nies to raise electric bills to day. years, said McGregor Scott, cover the cost of lawsuits MS-13 took advantage the U.S. attorney in Sacra- from last year’s deadly of limited resources in mento. The federal charges wildfires. the city of Mendota and announced Friday include The job protections ben- used it and other areas of allegations that two MS-13 efit politically connected Fresno County to “con- gang members kidnapped unions that joined with KENT PORTER, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT VIA AP duct their crimes, to hide and murdered a Fresno utility management in lob- In this Oct.