August 18 - August 31, 2020
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Chip Fenenga ends career with high honors CIF Hall of Fame to induct SYHS volleyball coach, teacher By Raiza Giorgi
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Photo contributed Volunteers prepare Saturday morning soup distribution through the St. Mark's Community Kitchen Food for Santa Ynez Valley program.
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he start of Chip Fenenga’s affiliation with volleyball started as just something fun to do when there weren’t any waves to surf. Growing up in San Clemente, Fenenga spent as much time in the water as he could and loved playing volleyball in the sand with his friends. “I enjoyed volleyball because it was like tennis in the sand. I wasn’t all that good at it, but I loved watching and being a part of it,” Fenenga said. “It’s the Yoder family who really let me be a part of their team, who are a big, big volleyball family. Bob (Yoder) was the coach at USC for a long time, and I got to luckily be their fourth player when needed.” Learning the game from the Yoder family, Fenenga played volleyball at San Clemente High School in 1976 and 1977, but laughs that he spent most of his time on the bench. “I think my perspective from the bench helped me in my coaching career, because I wasn’t a star athlete, but I saw what was necessary to get a kid to shine,” he said. Fenenga was pleasantly surprised when he learned that he will be inducted into the CIF Hall of Fame on Oct. 14, after being nominated by current SYHS Athletic Director Ashley Coelho. “I knew he would get it. I have known Chip for 10 years and he stood out to me as someone who was just a positive influence on anyone he’s around,” Coelho said. “Since I’ve taken over athletic director Chip has been a rock for me and a great mentor.” Fenenga retired from teaching this past year, and from coaching in 2019.
Valley Foundation given $250,000 COVID grant Photos contributed Santa Ynez Valley Union High School volleyball coach Chip Fenenga was pleasantly surprised when he learned that he will be inducted into the CIF Hall of Fame on Oct. 14.
Local winemakers' donation to help with pandemic support By Anne Christensen Contributing Writer
T Coach Chip Fenenga (second from left) is shown with SYHS graduates Aly Squires (who went to UC Irvine), Matt McKinney (UCLA) and JT Gilmour (USC) at their induction into the SYHS Hall of Fame.
Fenenga led his Santa Ynez boys volleyball teams to seven CIF-Southern Section titles and made the CIF-SS finals 10 times. The boys program qualified for the CIF-SS playoffs 29 years in a row and set CIF records with 19 consecutive league championships, 208 straight league wins and four straight CIF-SS titles. Combining boys and girls volleyball Los
Padres League titles, Fenenga holds the most league championships by any coach in Santa Ynez school history at 30. Under Fenenga, the boys volleyball teams won 75 percent of their games (476-160 career record) and were named mythical National High School champions by Volleyball Monthly. FENENGA CONTINUED TO PAGE 23
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he Santa Ynez Valley Foundation received a gift of $250,000 from the Bill Foley family, who are longtime winemakers and philanthropists in the region. The gift will ensure the Valley Foundation continues to provide much-needed support to local organizations responding to the effects of COVID-19 in the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos valleys. “We want to give back to this wonderful valley we call home, especially during this unprecedented time,” said Lindsey Foley on behalf of the family. “The Valley Foundation is uniquely positioned to distribute funds to local charities, across many different areas, that need donations the most.” “This is a truly transformative gift to the Valley Foundation,” said Hayley Firestone Jessup, president of the foundation’s Board of Directors. GRANT CONTINUED TO PAGE 23
2886 Mission Drive • Solvang • 805-688-4300 elranchomarket.com
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2 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H August 18 - August 31, 2020
Measure A committee application deadline extended North County residents have until Aug. 19 to apply for oversight panel Staff Report
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anta Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) has extended the deadline to Aug. 19 for North County residents to apply to serve on the Measure A Citizens’ Oversight Committee. The committee oversees the ongoing investment of Measure A sales tax funds for high-priority transportation projects and programs that address the current and future needs of Santa Barbara County. The committee is comprised of 11 members, including four from North County, four from South County and three at-large. Deadline for applications has been extended by three weeks for North County applicants who live in Buellton, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Solvang and all unincorporated areas including Orcutt, Vandenberg Village, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez and New Cuyama. The Measure A Citizens’ Oversight Committee is made up of a balance of transportation users who represent geographic, social, cultural and economic interests in the county. Appointed members serve four-year terms and can be reappointed for additional terms at the discretion of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments Board of Directors. As determined by the committee, they meet as needed or one to three times a year. The committee is responsible for annually submitting comments to the SBCAG Board of Directors on whether the provisions, requirements and voter mandates as outlined by Measure A’s Investment Plan and Ordinance have been properly carried out. Transportation improvement projects funded
in North County include widening the Highway 101 Santa Maria River Bridge; passing lanes on Highway 246 between Lompoc and Buellton; safety improvements on Highway 166; new freeway interchanges in Santa Maria and Orcutt; and circulation improvements for Buellton, Guadalupe and Solvang. Funding is also allocated for specialized transit for the elderly and disabled, improved transit service between communities, safe routes to school and bicycle and pedestrian improvements.
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website www.sbcag.org/news or by contacting Lauren Bianchi Klemann, government affairs and public information manager by email atlbianchiklemann@sbcag.org or telephone at 805-961-8900. Measure A was approved in Santa Barbara County on Nov. 4, 2008, with 79 percent voter support, a 0.5 percent sales tax for transportation projects and programs over 30 years. Measure A is administered by SBCAG and is estimated to provide more than $1 billion of local investment in transportation projects through 2040. SBCAG’s Board of Directors appointed a Measure A Citizens’ Oversight Committee to help ensure accountability to voters regarding the expenditure of funds. Find more information about Measure A at www.measurea.net.
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Dignity Health opens urgent care office in Solvang By Raiza Giorgi
Applications are available on the SBCAG
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Photo by Raiza Giorgi The new Dignity Health Urgent Care office opened July 27 in Solvang.
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ust a little over an hour after the doors were opened the morning of July 27, there were several people signing up to be seen at the new Urgent Care office for Dignity Health in Solvang. “As soon as the sign went up that we were coming soon, we had people knocking on the door asking when they could be seen,” said Kaleb Madrid, director of operations for the Solvang location. “We are so glad to be offering urgent care and primary care services in Solvang.” The health center offers both urgent care and primary care services, with a team of on-site board-certified physicians and advanced practice providers to meet the needs of the growing community. The new facility offers the convenience of X-ray on-site and accepts most health insurance plans. The center will care for patients of all ages, including children, and is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays with no appointment needed. Board-certified physicians Dr. Jason Morris and Dr. Bahija Saouf will be overseeing care for the needs of the community. “The Santa Ynez Valley is one of the gems of the Central Coast, and Dignity Health is pleased to expand our network into this area,” says Scott Robertson, MD, Dignity Health Division Chief Medical Officer and CEO of Pacific Central Coast Health Centers. “Santa Ynez Valley residents now have new options for their primary and urgent care needs. We hope providing these services will offer convenience and the peace of mind for those needing primary care or urgent medical attention for minor injuries and illnesses.” Dignity Health Central Coast is comprised of five award-winning hospitals that include Marian Regional Medical Center, Arroyo Grande Community Hospital French Hospital
Photos contributed Dr. Jason Morris
Dr. Bahija Saouf
Medical Center, St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital, all recognized for their quality of care, safety and service, primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically advanced imaging centers, outpatient services and comprehensive home health services. Hospitals in the Dignity Health Central Coast region are supported by an active philanthropic foundation to provide additional funding to support new programs and services, as well as to advance the community’s access to health care. For more information, visit dignityhealth. org/centralcoast.
August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 3
Hearing delayed for Buellton man charged with unlawful sex with teens By Janene Scully
Noozhawk North County Editor
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and Pathfinder projects. PDT has also help projects on the International Space Station, such as the AMS-02 Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer particle detector. “California has been at the forefront of the aerospace industry for more than a century,� said Chris Dombrowski, acting director of GO-Biz. “This MOU cements that leadership and serves as a critical investment in California’s innovative economy as we work to safely recover from the COVID-19 induced recession.� The region boasts several attributes that make it an ideal location for commercial space operations, a sector that is likely to lead high-quality job growth over the coming decades. Vandenberg already maintains active launch capabilities and favorable geography, and Cal Poly officials said their part of the partnership focuses on producing world-class engineering and science talent. “With its strong tradition of Learn by Doing, Cal Poly is pleased to work with other institutions in the region to play an instrumental role not only in developing the workforce of the future but also in spurring innovation and teaming with industry to foster growth and reach new milestones,� said Cal Poly President Jeff Armstrong. “We’re excited to play a key role in supporting the possibilities this landmark agreement holds.�
Santa Maria Superior Court preliminary hearing  has been delayed for a Buellton man accused of illegal sexual contact with several boys while working as a yearbook consultant. Gregory Scott Ray, 54, has been charged with multiple crimes alleging at least a dozen victims. Ray, who was described as a yearbook consultant and salesman based in Central California, was taken into custody in April 2019 after detectives served a search warrant. As part of his job, he traveled to many other counties within California while employed as an independent contractor and sales consultant for Friesens LLC, a yearbook publishing company. He assisted with yearbook consulting at many school campuses in the state, from San Jose to Los Angeles County, and may have attended yearbook camps and conferences. That led Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department investigators to suspect there were victims beyond the Santa Ynez Valley. The latest criminal complaint includes 34 charges alleging acts involving 12 victims. The preliminary hearing had been scheduled for later this month. However, attorneys vacated the July 29 date, and agreed to return Aug. 20 to discuss setting a new date for the preliminary hearing. Additionally, Ray has been assigned a new attorney, Michael Scott, since the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office recently declared a conflict in the case. Senior Deputy District Attorney Fabiana Fede is leading the prosecution team. In a related case, a Los Angeles man will make his first court appearance Aug. 26 for arraignment on oral copulation with a person under 16 years old and sodomy with a person under 16 years old, allegedly in 2015. Vicente Lopez Ceballos, 25, surrendered to law enforcement officers last month. The allegations against him arose while detectives investigated the case against Ray.
To learn more about the MOU and REACH visit www.reachcentralcoast.org.
Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com.
File photo Photo from the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Alliance aims to support Space Force mission at VAFB By Raiza Giorgi
publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com
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andenberg Air Force Base has been identified as the future location for a thriving spaceport that will be developing a masterplan looking at infrastructure and the future of the space industry from commercial to education advances with several local, state and federal partners. The memorandum of understanding was developed by leaders from the State of California, REACH, the 30th Space Wing, Cal Poly State University and Deloitte who will be identifying the required infrastructure, human capital development, governance and financing necessary to support the United States Space Force mission. “This is an exciting time in space for our country and just a year ago we set up Space Force command at Vandenberg and have been working diligently to craft a lean agile mission focusing to ensure our nation preservers in space,� said Colonel Anthony Mastalir, 30th Space Wing Commander at Vandenberg. The partnership objective is to create a vision for the future of Vandenberg that grows launch services activities from increasing capabilities and additional launch types; building an ecosystem that diversifies the space companies and associated value chains such as working with space data and service companies. The commercial space activities cen-
tered on the base could support a larger industry, and parties envision a robust cluster of space-related activities taking root in the region, with sustained presence of companies across the ecosystem from manufacturing and launch to maintenance and support and enabling human spaceflight for the first time in California. “The potential for the commercial space industry to provide significant jobs and economic impact to not only the Central Coast, but the entire state of California, makes it worth pursuing aggressively,� said Melissa James, CEO of REACH. “Through diverse partnerships and collaboration, we will ensure the Central Coast of California is the launchpad for the next frontier of commercial space.� James added that the space industry is predicted to increase eight-fold, soaring from $350 billion to $2.7 trillion annually over the next three decades and generating high- paying job opportunities in engineering, software, advanced manufacturing and other STEM fields. NASA’s reinvigorated space program and ambitious Mars plans could also prove a boon to Vandenberg, which launched its first planet-bound mission in 2018. Santa Ynez Valley resident Rich Fisher was a part of that mission as his company Pacific Design Technologies developed advanced cooling and pumping systems for space exploration. Its team of engineers, technicians and support staff worked on the past three Mars explorations of Curiosity Rover
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4 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H August 18 - August 31, 2020
Recall of Djernaes headed to ballot Voters to decide Solvang councilman's fate in November By Janene Scully
Noozhawk North County Editor
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olvang voters will decide this fall whether to remove Councilman Chris Djernaes from office after recall supporters gathered enough signatures on petitions for the effort to move to the next stage. The Santa Barbara County Elections Division confirmed July 24 that recall supporters had collected more than enough signatures to qualify for the Nov. 3 ballot. In a hurried effort, supporters spent two weeks collecting signatures from registered voters before submitting 1,342. County elections staff determined that 1,156 signatures were valid with another 186 ruled as invalid for various reasons. Organizers needed only 920 signatures to make the ballot. Most of the invalid signatures came from people who were not registered to vote, who do not live in the city of Solvang or who were registered at a different address than provided on the petition. Others were rejected because they signed more than once, names were illegible or did not provide an address. The item was slated to be on the agenda for the July 27 Solvang City Council meeting, with resolutions calling for the ballot to include the recall election and if it prevails asking voters to pick his replacement. Recall organizer Lammy Johnstone said she was “absolutely elated” after learning of the recall effort milestone Friday afternoon. “I feel extremely good, very good,” Johnstone said. “I think that this team has
Photo contributed Councilman Chris Djernaes
been incredible. Every single one of them deserves applause.” Organizers scrambled to complete the steps in hopes of making the ballot for the upcoming election and avoiding the costly expense, estimated at thousands of dollars, of a special election later. Djernaes, whose term expires in 2022, placed second in a field of six candidates in 2018, garnering 1,122 votes, fewer than those now seeking his removal. He has angered residents in recent months, sparking the effort to remove him from office. “Djernaes’ failures to be respectful and civil include, but are not limited to, his
obvious disdain of constituents; mockery of speakers at City Council meetings; blatant disregard for the wishes of the voters; disrespectful remarks directed toward both current and former City Council members; frequent defamation of organizations and individuals; and bullying and harassment of a number employees of the City of Solvang both inside and outside of City Council meetings,” the notice of recall states. During public meetings, Djernaes has frequently derided former council members along with previous city managers and city staff, despite a non-disparagement clause in at least one contract,
potentially leaving Solvang at risk of litigation over the matter. “I reject the specious accusations made against me,” according to Djernaes’ statement on the petition. “If they were legitimate complaints, the council or city attorney would have acted on them.” It’s not clear what he means since neither the council nor city attorney can remove a council member from office. However, the council was chastised after Djernaes attempted to find out who filed a Brown Act complaint with the District Attorney’s Office, with prosecutors warning against retaliation. “The recaller’s notorious political machine has relentlessly attacked my professional reputation, my livelihood and my associates,” Djernaes said. “They shamelessly intimidate anyone that opposes them simply for the sake of power.” Djernaes did not respond to a request for comment last month. Former Santa Barbara County Sheriff Jim Thomas already has pledged to run to complete the final two years on Djernaes’ term if the recall is successful. With the recall making the ballot, that means four seats on the council will be up for grabs this year. November’s ballot also will include a race for mayor, a two-year term held by Ryan Toussaint, along with a pair of four-year terms on the council. Those seats are now filled by Karen Waite and Daniel Johnson. Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com.
August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 5
Be balanced about COVID-19, or liberty dies through you
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Since April 5, I’ve been tracking daily deaths due to COVID-19 on the Centers for Disease Control website (https:// covidtracking.com/data/us-daily). Simultaneously, I’ve been tracking death projections on the COVID-19 page of the Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation (https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america). I’ve watched the uncertain swirl of the pandemic quickly turn into the perfect political playing field, and I have subsequently watched reporting on the pandemic crumble into predominantly one-sided fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD). Why not counter-balance the drama-laced FUD with widely available good news? By staying safely in the predominant narrative, you are actively contributing to the breakdown of American society. In March, the Imperial College of London said to expect up to 2.2 million Americans to die from COVID-19. Travel was being restricted, lockdowns were imminent, and it began with a goal to “flatten the curve.” Subsequently, we continue to have riots and political rallies that some ominously said were going to create a spike in infections and deaths. The spike in deaths never happened. From
April 15-30, the average daily death count was 1,940. From June 30 to July 14, the average daily death rate was 599. But we aren’t seeing much news about lower death rates anymore. Now media is fixated on infections, which in broad context is almost irrelevant. I did the math (https://www.census.gov/ popclock/). As of July 15, the United States had a population of about 329,956,600. If we believe the July death projections from the CDC, we should expect 224,089 deaths by Nov 1. The percentage of the population that may die is no more than 0.000679. This is about 1/16th of 1 percent. Note that almost half of this tiny fraction is comprised of seniors and the immune-compromised. Most infections occur indoors in close quarters. Rates are amplified by air recirculated via heating and air conditioning. Logically, densely populated areas are getting the worst of it. In Santa Barbara, most cases are in prisons and work crews living in close indoor quarters. Government and prestige-seeking experts tell us that we need more adult ICUs. Based on known facts, we have plenty of ICUs because most of the country won’t need them. Some less ambitious doctors than the ones
selected for TV refer to peer-reviewed results of oral hydroxychloroquine medication. It is highly effective. Other large studies prove its safety (https://www.newsweek.com/key-defeatingcovid-19-already-exists-we-need-start-using-itopinion-1519535). We know that COVID-19 doesn’t affect kids like adults. You don’t need a child-development degree to know that kids need to be around kids to be healthy and to develop emotionally and socially. Further, parents need school-age children engaging with other children not only for the kids, but for the emotional and social health of the parents. During the 2007-09 recession, the job market spiked suicide rates, claiming the lives of 10,00 more people than prior to the downturn (https:// www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/ health-coronavirus-usa-cost/). What will the government-inflicted downturn of 2020 do? Look for increases in murders, violence, suicides, alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, anxiety and more. Many small businesses are being forced into economic suicide for the greater good… of whom? Certainly not me, my sequestered elderly mom, my kids or my small businesses. The lockdown is taking down more
lives than COVID-19 ever will. The facts point to a plan that focuses resources on seniors and the immune-compromised and releases the rest of society to their productive lives. Elected leadership clearly needs critical thinking assistance. Their personal power, money and prestige are far more important than you, me, our businesses, our parents and our children. Powerful people are tearing society apart so they can rebuild it to better serve themselves and those who think like them. This is being justified on a wafer-thin foundation of 1/16th of 1 percent of the national population, narrowly constrained and demographically understood. Why aren’t you editors calling them to account? In the old days, editors and their intrepid reporters were watchdogs, broadly bringing all relevant sides of a topic to light. Why not do this today? If you don’t do better, our liberty will die under the crush of political exploitation at a level that we’ve never seen in America before, because we the people will have been narrowly informed… and broadly deceived. Ed Seaman Santa Barbara County Santa Ynez Valley
A big ‘Thank you!’ from the Buellton Senior Center
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ike many others, the Buellton Senior Center had to shut its doors last March due to COVID-19. But this did not mean it ceased operations. Far from it. A quick regroup, and the center focused more on providing food and other types of help to the community during the pandemic shutdown. However, with its thrift store shuttered, and daily lunches and monthly dinners prevented from happening, these being regular sources of income, this was not an easy
task. That’s when the community at large, including the cities of Buellton and Solvang, stepped up and donated funds to help. Our numerous donors, or angels as they should be called helped the Santa Ynez Valley and surrounding areas have food when they could not leave their homes or incomes were affected. The religious organizations in the valley stepped up with donations and volunteers. The Rotary clubs, Vikings,
SGF were there helping in every way. We really have to thank the Foodbank, Jamie Diggs, Jordano’s and Les the Berry Man for donating so much food to us that we could get out to the community. Steve at Valley Tool Rentals has made accepting all those donations possible with the refrigeration truck he made possible. Meals on Wheels of America made it possible for us to expand to areas we have never served before. Our private donations have been such gifts of kindness,
we are honored to pass those gifts to all the people in the community. On behalf of the recipients of the food and rides, the board of directors of the Center would like to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all the donors who helped us help those in need. Buellton Senior Center board of directors Buellton Letters to the editor should be no more than 300 words in length. Send letters to: Raiza Giorgi, PO Box 1594, Solvang, CA 93464 or email to: news@santaynezvalleystar.com Please include your name and address and phone number.
6 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H August 18 - August 31, 2020
Two local Atterdag Village women turn 100 By Raiza Giorgi
publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com
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wo local residents at Atterdag Village of Solvang turned 100 years young recently. The first was Thelma Gilbson (Nilson) who turned 100 on May 26, 2020. She had a great social distancing birthday and got to talk her her family who sent flowers and gifts. Thelma was born in Spokane, Wash., in 1920 and she worked as a legal secretary, and for the Army Corps of Engineers in San Diego during WWII. She met and married her husband Wilbur Gilbert in 1945 and moved to Los Angeles at the end of the war. They had two children Karen (Forbes) and Gail (Giorgi). Thelma came to the Santa Ynez Valley in 1980 with her second husband Patrick Gibson and they liked to go bowling and square dancing. She taught line dancing in her 80s in town and she was the president of the Santa Ynez Valley Women’s Club for two terms. She also worked for King Fredrick Inn in Solvang for several years and was a volunteer for the Auxiliary. Thelma and her friend Ann went on several cruises in their 70s and 80s. She is very loved by her friends and family including her children, three grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.
Photo contributed Thelma Gibson turned 100 years old in May. She is pictured at an earlier birthday with two of her great-grandchildren Reagan and Sloane.
Claire Zimmerman turned 100 years old on Tuesday, August 5, 2020. She had a wonderful, socially distant,
Birthday celebration at Atterdag Village of Solvang that also included several floral arrangements, balloons and birthday goodies delivered from friends. Claire was born in Switzerland in 1920 and later became a US citizen. She was a nurses aide for many years and enjoyed helping people. Prior to moving to Atterdag Village of Solvang in January of 2002, Claire lived with her husband in San Mateo. She loved to entertain, garden and was gifted at needle point and flower arrangement. Every year Claire and her husband would travel to Palm Springs from their home in San Mateo. On one of their trips they stopped in Solvang to visit a friend at Atterdag Village. Both Claire and her husband were impressed with the retirement community and planned to move to the community in the future. Since moving to Atterdag Village Claire has made lots of friends, enjoying many events and activities and loves the food. Claire attributes her longevity to a good outlook on life and keeping fit and still goes to exercise class several days a week. When asked what she would tell her younger self Claire replied “be happy!�. Happy 100th birthday to both Thelma and Claire!
Claire Zimmerman turned 100 years old in August. She attributes her longevity to a good outlook on life and keeping fit and still goes to exercise class.
August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 7
Cottage quality. Urgent care. Now Open in Santa Maria
Cottage Urgent Care Santa Maria Now Open at 1846 N. Broadway, Suite A Urgent Care – Buellton Coming This Fall 328 McMurray Rd.
Cottage clinical providers Goal of complete care in 45 minutes Walk-ins and online appointments X-ray and lab services Open 8 a.m.–8 p.m., 365 days a year
cottagehealth.org/urgentcare
8 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H August 18 - August 31, 2020
GENEALOGY TIPS
Immigration can complicate your family research By Sheila Benedict
tion Records 1790-1990,” written by John J.
Contributing Writer
Newman.
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ebinars, webinars, webinars! Sheltering-in-place definitely has its major minuses but there are always a few positives. If there is a topic genealogists wants to learn more about, there is probably a webinar given by a society or a subscription site that teaches that topic. For the balance of 2020 and into 2021, just about every conference and institute is online. I have presentations in the San Luis Obispo area in September that have been converted from live to Zoom. If you think about it, you are actually saving money: travel expenses, such as gasoline, airlines or trains, and hotels are not necessary. Of course, networking with friends and/or colleagues is not going to happen and even though there might be a virtual vendor’s hall in which to browse, it is not the same. One topic not discussed much in these columns is immigration and naturalization. Most of your ancestors, aside from any native ancestry from indigenous people who have been here thousands of years, have been here hundreds of years or less. Further, finding an immigrant ancestor and/or from where they came can often be difficult. As with all genealogy, it is best to start with what you know and work back. You,
There are texts that may be available online for laws and regulations for other countries and those will be needed as well. In the next column, we will discuss passenger lists and the ports where immigrants came to, such as New York, New Orleans and others. When I do immigration research, I start with the naturalization records because they tell the story you need starting with the port of embarkation to where they came to here. Like one of my grandfathers, some went to Canada first, then here. Be safe and stay well; follow all the guidelines for the more your parents, your grandparents, and further, which means first finding as much paperwork in this country as can be located to take the research back to wherever the family originated, i.e. England, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Scotland, Mexico, or wherever else. It is often not an easy search but even many here in America are not easy. The first thing I suggest is to talk to family members, know when ancestors came here. Sit down with them one at a time and take an oral history. There is a definite way
to ask questions and that topic will be covered in another column. Find out if they are first generation (your parents), second (your grandparents) or further back. I have stressed in many columns about knowing the laws, and immigration is no different. That means both countries – there and here. Federal naturalization laws were written on March 26, 1790. There are time periods in the laws: 1790-1906, 1906-1990 and others until now. The best book I can recommend to follow American naturalizations and the laws is “American Naturaliza-
of us who do, the quicker researching will return to the way it was. Sheila Benedict is a professional forensic and family genealogist. She is the author of Research in California, which she wrote in 2015 for the National Genealogical Societies Research in the States Series and writes articles in a variety of genealogical society newsletters and magazines.
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August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 9
Solvang Post Office has seen more than a century of mail By Elverhøj Museum Staff
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olvang residents were awakened around 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 4, 1926, by a series of explosions as four professional “cracksmen” blew open the post office safe. The robbers had broken in by crawling through a rear window. They then stole the postmaster’s strong box and rolled the small safe to a waiting automobile where it was tied to the running board with a large rope! Evidently the rope broke before they had gone far and the safe fell to the side of Lompoc Road just at the outskirts of Solvang (present day Mission Drive near Nykobing). Holes were drilled in the lock and the holes were loaded with nitroglycerin. It took three attempts before the door gave way in an explosion that carried the door 115 feet from the scene and destroyed the safe contents meaning the thieves got virtually nothing for all their efforts. Having a Post Office was an essential step in the official recognition of the town of Solvang. The town was founded in January 1911 and on March 17, 1912, the first Post Office officially opened. Like the Solvang Library, it started small and was initially located in a corner of the Solvang Hotel lobby where it served as a vital link with the outside world. The Post Office was eventually moved from the hotel into the new bank building on Main Street at First Street. It remained
Photos contributed The Solvang Post Office was moved from the Solvang Hotel into the new bank building on Main Street at First Street. It remained there until 1925 when the bank building was destroyed by a fire.
there until 1925 when the bank building was destroyed by a fire. The Post Office temporarily relocated into a residence south of Solvang Drug Store until a dedicated building was erected in 1925 (see photo). The current Post Office on Alisal Road opened in September 1962. Town delivery was inaugurated in July of 1963. It is the only Danish-style Post Office in the country. The Postal Service remains an essential link, transporting and delivering mail and critical goods on a daily basis during the COVID-19 outbreak. Postal workers are the eyes and ears in our neighborhoods, and a crucial factor in facilitating the national census, vote-by-mail efforts, and distributing information on protecting health. Photographs below are the second Post Office from 1925 that was robbed and the current “half-timber” design Solvang 93463 Post Office. Photographs copyright of #Elverhoj Museum of History & Art and are from our new book “The Spirit of Solvang” which is available from the museum for pick-up or shipping in the continental U.S. Want to learn more about the history of Solvang?
The current Post Office on Alisal Road opened in September 1962. Town delivery was inaugurated in July 1963.
The Spirit of Solvang book is available for shipping or curbside pick-up. Call 805-6861211 or email info@elverhoj.org to place an order.
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Groups offers resource guidance for Spanish-speaking community Staff Report
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ue to the current coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis, a number of people in the Spanish-speaking Latino community are not getting important information they may need for themselves and their families. For years, the Spanish-speaking community has struggled to receive timely, culturally appropriate information related to emerging needs. In April, Mi Vida, Mi Voz (My Life, My Voice), a collaboration of local Latino-serving organizations, pivoted to address this need. With the pandemic’s disproportionate health and economic impact in the Latino community, this information is critical. Mi Vida, Mi Voz (MVMV) has been collecting information about community resources in five basic categories: health; basic needs (food, financial support, housing, legal); mental health; children and families; and seniors. The initial emphasis has been on health and basic needs information during COVID-19. “Getting information to the Spanish-speaking Latino community is a challenge for many organizations and for our community as a whole,” said Adriana Marroquin, community initiatives manager at Hospice of Santa Barbara. “The primary strategy by which MVMV will help with the spread of information is by harnessing the collective power of our existing relationship network — people and organizations who we have built trusted relationships with over
the years.” Mi Vida Mi Voz is disseminating this information in Spanish and English by providing direct, user-friendly access to a resource website (mividamivoz.com) as a community gathering place for this vital information, and by sending out a short weekly newsletter with curated content about current or arising issues. Their partners/champions are comprised of trusted leaders with years of work in the Latino community, making them and their networks well-situated to get the information into the hands of the people who need it most. Together, these champions, their organizations, and their networks serve tens of thousands of Latino families. Networks include the Latino Elder Outreach Network (LEON), Family Resource Centers network, Promotores de Salud, LISTOS, Rincon Spanish-language radio stations, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, Latinx and Indigenous Migrant COVID-19 Response Taskforce, Community Wellness Team, and Adult & Aging Network. Resources for the Spanish-speaking community can be found at https://mividamivoz. com/. For more, contact Marroquin at amarroquin@hospiceofsb.org or 805-705-4846 For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call 805-563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.
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UCSB researchers develop model for forecasting COVID-19 Project inspired by AI techniques, using community data By Andrew Masuda for UCSB
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espite efforts throughout the United States last spring to suppress the spread of the novel coronavirus, states across the country have experienced spikes in the past several weeks. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the nation has climbed to more than 3.5 million since the start of the pandemic. Public officials in many states, including California, have now started to roll back the reopening process to help curb the spread of the virus. Eventually, state and local policymakers will be faced with deciding for a second time when and how to reopen their communities. A pair of researchers in UC Santa Barbara’s College of Engineering, Xifeng Yan and YuXiang Wang, have developed a novel forecasting model, inspired by artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, to provide timely information at a more localized level that officials and anyone in the public can use in their decision-making processes. “We are all overwhelmed by the data, most of which is provided at national and state levels,” said Yan, an associate professor who holds the Venkatesh Narayanamurti Chair in Computer Science. “Parents are more interested in what is happening in their school district and if it’s safe for their kids to go to school in the fall. However, there are very few websites providing that information. “We aim to provide forecasting and explanations at a localized level with data that is more useful for residents and decision makers.” The forecasting project, Interventional COVID-19 Response Forecasting in Local Communities Using Neural Domain Adaption Models, received a Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant for nearly $200,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF). “The challenges of making sense of messy data are precisely the type of problems that we deal with every day as computer scientists working in AI and machine learning,” said Wang, an assistant professor of computer science and holder of the Eugene Aas Chair. “We are compelled to lend our expertise to help communities make informed decisions.” Yan and Wang developed an innovative
forecasting algorithm based on a deep learning model called Transformer. The model is driven by an attention mechanism that intuitively learns how to forecast by learning what time period in the past to look at and what data is the most important and relevant. “If we are trying to forecast for a specific region, like Santa Barbara County, our algorithm compares the growth curves of COVID-19 cases across different regions over a period of time to determine the most-similar regions. It then weighs these regions to forecast cases in the target region,” explained Yan. In addition to COVID-19 data, the algorithm also draws information from the U.S. Census to factor in hyper-local details when calibrating the forecast for a local community. “The census data is very informative because it implicitly captures the culture, lifestyle, demographics and types of businesses in each local community,” said Wang. “When you combine that with COVID-19 data available by region, it helps us transfer the knowledge learned from one region to another, which will be useful for communities that want data on the effectiveness of interventions in order to make informed decisions.” The researchers’ models showed that, during the recent spike, Santa Barbara County experienced spread similar to what Mecklenburg, Wake and Durham counties in North Carolina saw in late March and early April. Using those counties to forecast future cases in Santa Barbara County, the researchers’ attention-based model outperformed the most commonly used epidemiological models: the SIR (susceptible, infected, recovered) model, which describes the flow of individuals through three mutually exclusive stages; and the autoregressive model, which makes predictions based solely on a series of data points displayed over time. The AI-based model had a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 0.030, compared with 0.11 for the SIR model and 0.072 with autoregression. The MAPE is a common measure of prediction accuracy in statistics. Yan and Wang say their model forecasts more accurately because it eliminates key weaknesses associated with current models. Census data provides fine-grained details missing in existing simulation models, while the attention mechanism leverages the substantial amounts of data now available publicly. “Humans, even trained professionals, are not RESEARCH CONTINUED TO PAGE 21
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Let’s get mad, and shout it from the peaks By Ray Ford
savor the memories of the years I’ve spent exploring this country and the hidden places I’ve been so lucky to experience.
Noozhawk Columnistf
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want you to get MAD! I don’t want you to protest. I don’t want you to riot. I don’t want you to write to your congressman, because I wouldn’t know what to tell you to write. ... You’ve gotta get mad! ... You’ve got to say, ‘I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore!’” — Howard Beale, “Network,” 1976 The push up the Cold Spring Trail is getting harder every year. I’m more or less keeping in the tradition of Ann Van Tyne, one of the early founders of the Santa Barbara Chapter of the Sierra Club, who would mark her birthday by climbing to the top of La Cumbre Peak. I’m almost up to the saddle that separates Montecito Peak from the Santa Ynez Mountain range, still a mile from the crest. My legs are getting wobbly. The sweat’s running into my eyes. I need a break. I’m obviously not as tough as Ann was when she made her final climb up the mountain wall on her 85th birthday. Sitting with my back against the hillside, I wonder: How many more birthdays do I have left before, like Ann, I’ll need to pack it in?
Need to get out
I’m finding the need to get out more, to get farther out more, to get far enough away — if only for an hour or two — from the COVID-19 world that is wreaking havoc on
Niggling little thoughts
Photo by Ray Ford Paul Cronshaw takes in the view from the top of Cathedral Peak on a foggy Santa Barbara morning.
our community. Based on the number of cars at the trailheads and the people I’ve seen on the trails, I’m not the only one trying to escape the horror of the virus and the emotional toll that it has taken on us. Rather than heading to the crest today, I scramble up to the top of Montecito Peak, following a gully filled with loose rock. The view from the top is breathtaking. As my heartbeat quiets down, the sounds begin to emerge: the quiet breeze, the bird chatter,
the rustle of the chaparral. What an absolutely beautiful place the top of this peak is. I’ve promised myself for decades that someday I would spend the night here, perhaps a full moon night, but I’ve yet to make that happen. Perhaps next trip. It is easy to relax up here. On another day, this might have been just another adventure. From my perch, the world seems endless. When the wind blows and the sky clears, the views are forever. I close my eyes and
But despite the height, the distance, the effort I’ve made to get up here, I can’t seem to escape what I’ve left behind. The niggling little thoughts begin to creep back into my mind. About the meaning of freedom in a COVID-19 world. The personal responsibility we have to ourselves and to others. The limits to personal rights. The responsibilities we have to our fellow Americans. This virus seems not to be killing us so much as is the decisions we make in dealing with it. I think of my dad, just fresh out of college in the early 1940s, joining the war effort without a thought to his personal safety. Our greatest generation. Seeing a larger vision of who we are and what defines us as a nation. I’m thinking of the contrast to this version of the “me” generation that seems determined to do whatever they can to protect their precious rights at the expense of their nation. I’m thinking of the way they speak of their rights, as if the proud way they pronounce to us that we cannot make them wear a mask somehow marks them as the real patriots. MAD CONTINUED TO PAGE 23
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Lindsey Leonard to lead Alzheimer’s SCI Research Association Central Coast Chapter Advancement Staff Report
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he Alzheimer’s Association has appointed Lindsey Leonard as executive director of the California Central Coast Chapter. She succeeds interim executive director Kathryn Croskrey, who has intermittently overseen the chapter since the retirement of former executive director Rhonda Spiegel in December. Formed in 1980, the Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, support and research. The Central Coast Chapter, with offices in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara and Ventura, provides free programs including education classes, support groups and care consultations, currently offered via online webinars or conference calls. In 2020, it is projected that 2,838 Central Coast families will be helped with the support of hundreds of volunteers. Access to free programs is crucial for the 690,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s in California, along with their 1.624 million caregivers. The 2020 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report projects a 21.7 percent increase in the state’s population of those living with Alzheimer’s within the next five years. “Alzheimer’s disease has become a national health crisis,” said Leigh Cashman, immediate past board chair. “Alzheimer’s and dementia is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, the third leading cause of death in California.” “In the United States, 16 million individuals are projected to be living with this disease by 2050,” Cashman said. “We need a global solution as it is a grave threat to our nations and world’s health and finances. “On our local level, an extensive search was conducted for our next executive director. It was vital that we selected a seasoned candidate familiar with the Central Coast communities, their leaders,
Photos contributed Lindsey Leonard
volunteers and medical field. “This area is very diverse and ever-changing, and we were looking for an executive director that could meet the many demands and challenges required to lead our large chapter as well as be a strong spokesperson for the cause. The organization is confident that Lindsey’s knowledge in fundraising and vast understanding of the needs of the Central Coast Region will take the organization to the next level.” Leonard has 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector within fundraising, program development and expansion, operations management and organizational development. She has served as executive director of Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation; vice-president of development and operations for Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Clara Valley; development director for Santa Barbara Channelkeeper; and branch director for United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County. “It is a privilege to lead, with the support of a talented and dedicated staff team, such a special organization,” Leonard said. “The Alzheimer’s Association supports a
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predominantly elderly population and their families. They are more vulnerable now more than ever during COVID-19. “It is essential that our visibility is elevated during this critical time, and that our programs are deepened to support the increasing needs of our service population.” The chapter is gearing up for its biggest annual fundraising event The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s to be held Sept. 26 in Oxnard; Oct. 3 in Santa Maria; Oct. 31 in San Luis Obispo and Westlake Village; and Nov. 7 in Santa Barbara. The walk has been modified due to COVID-19. Rather than walkers gathering on a pre-determined route to walk together, to ensure the safety of everyone involved, participants will not physically gather as a large group. Instead, on their local walk day, participants will walk on their own (on the street, trail or track) with family or with their team while others are doing the same. Walk participants will be given a purple T-shirt, the official color of Alzheimer’s awareness, that features sponsors of the walk. On walk day, the goal is to raise awareness about the disease and funds to support individuals with Alzheimer’s and their families. “Until there is a cure for this devastating disease, we are asking those that feel touched by our mission to join us in support of this imperative cause,” said Katina Zaninovich, board director and chair of the Alzheimer’s Women’s Initiative. “I am honored to lead the Alzheimer’s Women’s Initiative, a diverse group of women dedicated to championing the cause and raising funds to accelerate research and maximize quality care and support,” she said. To sign up to join this year’s walk as a sponsor, team captain, or a participant, contact lmleonard@alz.org or visit alz.org/ cacentralcoast.
New Many rafted C Handtems I
receives grant from Montecito Bank and Trust Award of $4,500 going toward spinal cord injury research By Pamela Dozois Contributing Writer
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o celebrate 45 years of serving the community, Montecito Bank and Trust selected 11 nonprofit organizations to receive special anniversary award grants. With the support of Monica Trouve-Sapp and the Solvang Montecito Bank and Trust branch, SCI Research Advancement was chosen to receive the $4,500 anniversary grant. Unfortunately, the normal awards ceremony was canceled, but with corporation and adaptation, the team at MBT was able to host a virtual awards ceremony in May to honor the 11 recipients. Each of the nonprofit foundations created a short video to say “Thank You” to Montecito Bank and Trust and share their individual stories. Visit the Montecito Bank and Trust web site to see videos of all the recipients at https:// montecito.bank/community/anniversary-grants “SCI Research Advancement will be using the anniversary grant to help fund the purchase of an exoskeleton we will be using for a medical research project,” said Will Ambler, founder of SCI Research Advancement. “The research project is focused on helping restore movement to people who have been paralyzed after a spinal cord injury.” Details and progress of SCI’s project can be found on their home web page at www.scicure. org and clicking the go fund me link to see the exoskeleton in action. For more information, call Ambler at 805688-7755. Pamela Dozois is a reporter for the Santa Ynez Valley Star and serves on the board of directors for SCI Research Advancement.
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August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 13
UCSB Summer Music Festival going online Staff Report
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Photo contributed According to media reports, Tom Cruise has been in talks with SpaceX's Elon Musk and NASA about a proposed actionadventure film that would be the first movie to be shot in outer space.
Tom Cruise’s next film to be shot in space, literally Actor could be working with NASA, going to ISS By Daniel Lahr
Executive Director for Central Coast Film Society
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he entertainment magazine Variety recently published an article talking about how Tom Cruise has a serious need for speed. NASA administrator Jim Bridentsine tweeted that “NASA is excited to work with @ TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_ Station!” Plot details have not been revealed, although the website Deadline Hollywood reports that it will not be an installment of Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible” franchise. It is also reported that Cruise has been working with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and they were in the early stages of teaming up with NASA for an action-adventure feature film. NASA confirmed this would be the first feature film to be shot in outer space. Cruise is known for doing all his own stunts and it is expected that he will make the journey to the International Space
Station for the film. No word on any other aspects of crew, equipment or other details that may hint to the production. Films have been made at the ISS in the past, but not a narrative feature film. However, Bridenstine sees this as a major plus hoping to “inspire a new generation.” The Central Coast has beautiful evening skies, which make our launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base all the more dramatic. But also, it’s a perfect place to spot the ISS orbiting overhead. So make sure to look up and watch the newest out-of-this-world filming location when cameras roll. Check out the schedule of flyovers at https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/ sightings/index.cfm.
What do you think about the news? Looking forward to real space movies? Cruise’s next film is “Top Gun: Maverick,” in which he reprises his role as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a test pilot and flight instructor. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Paramount has moved “Top Gun: Maverick” off its July 12 release date to Dec. 23.
he UC Santa Barbara Department of Music will present the fifth annual UCSB Summer Music Festival Aug. 22-23 as a virtual event. Sponsored by the UCSB Office of Summer Sessions, the festival will feature performances by the Los Angeles-based music piano duo HOCKET; multi-percussionist and vocalist Miguelito León; UC Santa Barbara Composition alumnus and pianist Marc Evanstein; the Nesta Steel Drum Band; university carillonist Wesley Arai; and Gamelan Sinar Surya, under the direction of UCSB faculty member Richard North. The festival will also feature a children’s concert led by León and a demonstration of a variety of medieval and renaissance instruments by UCSB graduate composition student Matthew Owensby. All events will be presented free of charge via the UCSB Department of Music’s YouTube channel. Founded in 2016 by UCSB Composition alumnus Federico Llach (‘17), the UCSB Summer Music Festival continues to thrive as a student-curated and managed event. This year’s event has been coordinated by UCSB graduate composition student Raphael Radna, who is serving as artistic director. “I am consistently impressed by the variety and quality of music at UCSB and in the Santa Barbara region,” said Radna. “Throughout its short history, the UCSB Summer Music Festival has been foremost a celebration of local artists, and an opportunity for our community to come together to appreciate live music in many forms. “Online for the first time, this year’s program is as eclectic as ever, representing styles spanning several musical traditions and centuries of development. It has been an undeniably difficult year for the world and for music, but it is my hope that the 2020 UCSB Summer Music Festival will bring some light to the height of a summer when so much feels uncertain.” As with previous years’ programs, the
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2020 UCSB Summer Music Festival boasts a diverse collection of artists from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, offering audience members the opportunity to experience music of various genres, cultures, and time periods in one weekend.
The weekend schedule is as follows: Saturday, Aug. 22 1:15 p.m. — Miguelito León 2:30 p.m. — Marc Evanstein 3:45 p.m. — Matthew Owensby 5 p.m. — HOCKET
Sunday, Aug. 23 10:45 a.m. — Children’s Concert featuring Miguelito León Noon — Wesley Arai 1:15 p.m. — Nesta Steel Drum Band 2:30 p.m. — Gamelan Sinar Surya Links to watch each performance will be available the week of the UCSB Summer Music Festival at music.ucsb.edu/summerfestival. All events can also be viewed on the UCSB Department of Music’s YouTube Channel, youtube.com/channel/ UC81mtdcwD9GkXUzEUfX6rxA.
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Higher 2019 rainfall yields bumper crop for county agriculture Strawberries again make up the majority of the revenue By Jade Martinez-Pogue Noozhawk Staff Writer
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anta Barbara County received 128 percent of normal rainfall in the 2019 crop year, leading to a surge in agricultural production that allowed for a 5.1 percent increase in revenue from 2018. “Santa Barbara County agriculture has an inspiring story of innovation and resiliency,” Agricultural Commissioner Cathleen Fisher said. “For our farmers and ranchers, innovation and resiliency are more than just words — it’s who they are.” The county grossed more than $1.6 billion in agricultural sales, about $78 million more than the gross production value in 2018. Following trends from previous years, strawberries made up the majority of agricultural revenue, totaling 36 percent of crop sales and bringing in more than $571 million of revenue. Wine grapes brought in $15 million less in 2019 than in 2018, but they still made up 7 percent of sales with $106 million. The top wine crops are pinot noir, chardonnay, syrah, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, grenache, merlot, pinot gris, viognier, cabernet franc and white riesling. Nursery products and cauliflower each accounted for 6 percent of sales. In 2018, cauliflower was only the sixth-biggest contributor to agricultural sales. Broccoli and head lettuce together brought
Janene Scully/Noozhawk photo Strawberries await pickers near The Berry Stop stand off Stowell Road near Highway 101. Strawberries maintained their reign as Santa Barbara County's top crop in 2019.
in more than $161 million in revenue compared with the combined $155 million in 2018. The commodities each accounted for 5 percent of sales. Celery contributed 4 percent to total sales after not being a top crop since 2016. It reeled in more than $56 million, compared with only $40 million in 2018. Leaf lettuce followed trends from previous years and made up 4 percent of revenue. After being in the top five commodities in 2018, cut flowers contributed only 3 percent to total sales in 2019.
Avocado sales plummeted from $52.5 million in 2018 to less than $35 million in 2019, and made up only 2 percent of sales. About 22 percent of sales were made up from other commodities, including livestock and animal products, raspberries, orchids, blackberries, field and seed, and cabbage. According to the 2019 agricultural production report, consumer demand for organic products has increased during the past decade. Because of this, the number of organic producers in the county has been increasing. As of 2019, 174 organic farms were registered in
Santa Maria Fairpark appoints interim CEO Staff Report
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he Santa Maria Fairpark recently appointed its deputy manager, Autumn Acquistapace as interim CEO, representatives announced July 20. She will take on the duties of Richard Persons, who retired on June 30 after serving five years as CEO. Prior to serving as the fair’s deputy manager, Acquistapace spent eight years as event coordinator for the Fairpark. In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing the day-today operations of the facility. “I’m excited to take on the challenge
and ready to work hard with everyone at the Fairpark toward saving the Fair for our community,” she said. Acquistapace has worked in various administrative capacities with the State of California for more than 20 years. She moved to Santa Maria after graduating from college in 2007 and then marrying her husband Bobby, with whom she has two young boys. Acquistapace is currently a member of Leading from Within — Katherine Harvey Fellows Class 2016-2017, the Minerva Club of Santa Maria, and is on the Board of Directors with the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum.
The change comes at a time when the Fairpark faces challenges after the cancellation of its two main events because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival and the Santa Barbara County Fair. Plans are in the works for a fall festival in October. For more information, visit www.santamariafairpark. com or Like us on Facebook.
Photo contributed The Santa Maria Fairpark recently appointed its deputy manager, Autumn Acquistapace, as interim CEO.
Chart contributed
Santa Barbara County. The county exported to 34 countries and shipped 39,535 tons of locally grown produce in 2019. The majority of crops were exported to Canada, which took in 31,383 tons of cucumbers, peppers and strawberries. “Our farmers and ranchers continue to produce an astonishing array of products and achieve the highest standards in quality,” Fisher said. Noozhawk staff writer Jade Martinez-Pogue can be reached at jmartinez-pogue@noozhawk.com.
August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 15
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16 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H August 18 - August 31, 2020
USDA launches Farmers.gov features to help with hiring Staff Report
U
.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced new features on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers.gov website designed to help facilitate the employment of H-2A workers. “My mission from the beginning of my time as secretary was to make USDA the most effective, most efficient, most customer-focused department in the entire federal government – these changes to Farmers.gov are doing just that,” Perdue said. “USDA’s goal is to help farmers navigate the complex
H-2A program that is administered by Department of Labor, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department so hiring a farm worker is an easier process. President Trump knows how essential these workers are to our farmers and America’s food supply chain. We will continue working to streamline these and other processes to better serve our customers across the country.” The primary new H-2A features on Farmers.gov include: n A real-time dashboard that enables farmers to track the status of their eligible employer application and visa applications
All information can be found at www. farmers.gov/manage/h2a. In 2018, Secretary Perdue unveiled Farmers.gov, a dynamic, mobile-friendly public website combined with an authenticated portal where customers can apply for programs, process transactions and manage accounts. With feedback from customers and field employees who serve those customers, Farmers.gov delivers farmer-focused features through an agile, iterative process to deliver the greatest immediate value to America’s agricultural producers — helping farmers and ranchers do right, and feed everyone.
for temporary nonimmigrant workers n Streamlining the login information so if a farmer has an existing login.gov account they can save multiple applications tracking numbers for quick look-up at any time n Enables easy access to the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) n Allows farmers to track time-sensitive actions taken in the course of Office of Foreign Labor Certification’s (OFLC) adjudication of temporary labor certification applications n Allowing for farmers to access all application forms online
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Local photojournalist has a A prolific, award-winning career
o
George Rose loves taking photos of Santa Ynez Valley landscapes like this Happy Canyon rainbow shot.
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ore than 100 people turned out for a recent community meeting organized by a group opposed to the “Camp 4” property in Santa Ynez becoming part of the Chumash reservation. Members of the Santa Ynez Valley Coalition, which was created to defeat legislation that would take the rural land “into trust” for the tribe, focused on land use and preserving the valley’s rural character. At the meeting on April 27 at the Solvang Veteran’s Memorial Hall, coalition members recounted the history of land-use master plans called the Valley Blueprint and the Valley Plan and said they would release more information in the coming weeks, organizers said. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians announced in January that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) had placed the tribe’s 1,390 acres known as “Camp 4” into federal trust. “Camp 4 is officially part of our reservation so we can begin the process of building homes on the property for tribal members and their families and revitalizing our tribal community,” Tribal Chairman Kenneth Kahn said in a prepared statement that was part of that announcement. The tribe bought the Camp 4 property in 2010 from late actor, vintner and hotelier Fess Parker, and they soon began the process of placing the land into federal trust, which makes it part of the tribe’s sovereign nation. Those efforts have been loudly opposed
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s Thanksg first-grad iving approach ers from ed, Mrs. School Ms. Hekhuis’ classes Wright and shar at thankful ed with the Star wha Solvang for t they are I am than this year. kful for… my brot my dad. her, my little sister, my mom, and
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my fam — Mig ily and uel my baby brother. my dad my fam — Bria for help na nice to ily because they ing me them. are nice to me. I am my class room — Jose fine
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2886 M o CAMP 4 CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 e ission Drive • Santa Yn ez Solvan g • 805- Valley elranc homar 688 43 ket.com 00 2886 Mission Drive • Solvang • 805-688-4300 o
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“Your voice is the instrument and I felt like we were in the 1930s,” Remak said. news@santaynezvalleystar.com Elizabeth, 12, a seventh-grader at Solvang Elementary School, ultimately didn’t win the competition but she definitely left an impression on the hundreds of people who came to see the performances. Nolan shley Carroll does everything she Montgomery can keep her concentration betweenof Dos Pueblos High School was crowned the winner. “Being and on stage was mind blowing and I had such a great time. rounds by wearing dark glasses Performing is about bringing a smile to people’s faces, and that’s what I listening to music as she pushes through each strive for when I perform,” Elizabeth said. trap-shooting match. She’s no stranger to the stage as she has performed in the valley for His career includes images of naturalHer disasprocess is definitely working, because Story by Raiza Giorgi various the national anthem at Fourth of July and porters, Super Bowls and Hollywood’s the biggest 22-year-old from Solvang won her functions-singing first Photos by George Rose traying Poppins in last year’s production with the Arts Outreach celebrities. World Cup gold medal in Acapulco onMary March Summer Theater. Rose started his professional journey 19. more This popular eorge Rose loves to post pictures of the than 40 years ago when he was in college, “I keep my pre-shooting routine going and event along with Teen Dance Star are now in their seventh to season of crowning hardworking students, and creator and executive Santa Ynez Valley landscape, especially studying art history. He fell into photography I’ve met with sports psychologists help me Photo contributed producer Lambert, a former valley resident, talks about his efforts. along Armour Ranch Road where new while he was a copy messenger for the withProgmy mental focus and staying calm.Joe It can Solvang native Ashley Carroll father, Charlie “I am to really and humbled bycredits their her hard work andCarroll, what’swith instilling in her the love of shooting clays and a blacktop paving contrasts starkly with the epic ress Bulletin, a small newspaper in Pomona. be hard when you have people talking you impressed sense of responsibility safety around really amazing is they set their goalsand to get into the firearms. show, or into the top landscape of meadows and mountains beyond it. “I used to hang out with the sportsbetween editors,matches, and I really try to pick a 10 and they keep pursuing their dreams,” Lambert However, his stunning landscapes are just and they helped me with my interestsong in phoand focus on it,” Carroll said. or participating in league events.said. My friends Union High School Carroll has been attending Star drew all around Santa “retirement photos” for Rose, who made an tography. I would make the plates on plastic, Carroll has been trap shooting This sinceyear’s she Teenwould wantcontestants me to go tofrom a party with them andBarbara the University of Colorado and working on at the Arlington Theatre. The finalists award-winning career in photojournalism that which would get transferred onto thewas printing in second grade. It was anCounty activityperforming that I their knewhearts if I didout I wouldn’t get enough rest or her general education. She believes this will were Jillian Garnett of San Marcos High School (12th Grade), Elizabeth spanned from the days of spending hours with equipment, and back then it was theshe cusp of her father, Charlie Carroll, did togeth- get in trouble and not be allowed to shoot,” and be a big year for her shooting. She moved to of SolvangCarroll Schoolsaid. (7th Grade), James McKernan of BishopColorado Springs to be close to the Olympic film in the darkroom to the more immediate the turning point of technology,” Rose said.is now the coach for thePadfield er. He Santa Ynez High School (12th Trujillo of Dos Pueblos High gratification of making and manipulating digital In the late 1970s and early 1980s Valley Rose Sportsman Association’sDiego Scholastic Trap Grade), shootingNicole has also allowed her to Training Center, which is also the headquarPhoto Daniel Dreifuss (11th Grade), Daniel Geiger of Pioneer Valley High School images. spent six years as a staff photographer forTarget the byProgram, Clay in whichSchool hundreds participate in a sport and travel all around the (11th ters for USA Shooting. She placed second Seventh-grader Padfield of Solvangtwice wowedfor theacrowd with her rendition of “Summertime” by Georgeprimarily Gershwin. The judges were stunned to HeElizabeth has been nominated Pulitzer Los Angeles Times, focused in the of kids from all around the Central Coast world for competitions. TEEN Recently went toON PAGE for the learn her age and said her vocal talents were astounding. STAR she CONTINUED 11 2016 Olympic team trials and is still Prize. entertainment industry. He has photographed participate. Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic east of deciding if she wants to go for the next Olym“Photojournalism is such an admirable profes- figures from Elizabeth Taylor, Zsa Zsa“He and wouldn’t let me shoot until I could Turkey. pic tryouts. sion because it can really capture the story for Eva Gabor to Meryl Streep, Sidney hold Poitier, the gun up on my own for a good “It was a beautiful country and one of the “A highlight for me was meeting Kim the reader. I was really lucky to have my career amount of time. We would set up boxes in the cleanest places I’ve been to. The streets were Rhode, who has been an inspiration to women GEORGE ROSE CONTINUEDliving ON PAGE 20 and I would practice for hours in the heyday of print journalism,” Rose said. room impeccable and the people were beyond hos- in shooting. After talking to her it became until I was ready,” Carroll said. pitable,” she said. really clear to me that I can achieve this as She she believes that more kids should take Carroll also won bronze in the HH Sheikha well,” Carroll said. lessons and learn their way around a gun. Fatia Bint Mubarak Women’s International Rhode became the first athlete to win an “Guns actually kept me out of trouble, beShooting Championship in the United Arab individual medal during six consecutive sumcause every Friday night and most weekends Emirates on April 13. SHOOTING CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 my dad and I were at the trap range practicing Since graduating from Santa Ynez Valley
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CREDIT CARD NO.: ___________________________________________________
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by Raiza Giorgi
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by Raiza Giorgi
TELEPHONE:_______________________EMAIL:____________________________
ary Eve
FIRST-GRA
SYV coalition says Camp 4 impacts larger than they seem
Ashley Carroll travels news@santaynezvalleystar.com een Star Santa Barbara judge Catherine Remak thought there the world to compete was a typo next to Elizabeth Padfield’s name because her maturity and depth of range were astounding during the competition in trap shooting on Feb. 25 at the Arlington Theatre.
Sunrise Armour Ranch Road photo by George Rose, photo graphic by Aimée Reinhart Avery
e Com pliment
SCHOOL
o THANKFUL
— Jose — Coli n — Jaxs on D ON PAGE 28
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August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 17
Alma Rosa’s Richard Sanford named 2020 Vintner of the Year
A live online tribute and tasting on Aug. 11 honored the living legend Staff Report
B
ob and Barb Zorich, proprietors of Alma Rosa Winery, are pleased to announce that winery founder Richard Sanford was named 2020 Vintner of the Year by the Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance. Wine author, expert and critic Matt Kettman led a live online tribute and tasting featuring conversations with Sanford and several surprise guests paying tribute to Richard’s lifetime dedication to the Sta. Rita Hills on Aug. 11. A living legend in the world of California wine and commonly referred to as the “Godfather of Central Coast Pinot Noir,” Sanford planted the first pinot noir vineyard on the Central Coast in 1971 at the Sanford & Benedict vineyard, and has lived and worked in the Sta. Rita Hills, a region he helped create, for nearly five decades. A geographer by trade, Sanford identified the unique transverse mountain range near Santa Barbara, where the valleys run east to west and open to the sea, as an optimal area to plant grapes. With the knowledge that the climate of coastal California is largely determined by proximity to the ocean, he surveyed these unique valleys very carefully. “When you drive to Santa Barbara from Los Angeles, you are actually driving west,” Sanford
Contributed photos Commonly referred to as the "Godfather of Central Coast Pinot Noir," Richard Sanford planted the first pinot noir vineyard on the Central Coast in 1971.
When you think of real estate,
think of me.
said. “Even though Santa Barbara sits on a similar latitude to Tunisia, it is the fog and ocean air that tempers the heat of the sun’s rays. It is ‘refrigerated sunlight.’ This, along with complex and well-drained soils, has proven the Sta. Rita Hills to be one of the greatest places to plant pinot noir and chardonnay in the world.” Richard made estate-grown pinot noirs at the Sanford & Benedict vineyard from 1976 through 1980. In 1981, he launched Sanford Winery with his wife Thekla, and there they produced category-defining wines of local and international acclaim for over 25 years. During this time, Richard established and planted many of the Sta. Rita Hills’ most revered sites, including La Rinconada, La Encantada and Alma Rosa’s current estate, El Jabali, which was originally planted in 1983. Sanford Winery became one of Santa Barbara County’s most iconic wineries, helping to establish the region as a wine country travel destination. In 2005 Richard and Thekla founded Alma Rosa, which they sold to Bob and Barb Zorich in 2014. Richard continues to live at the Alma Rosa estate, where he serves as a winery ambassador and continues to be active as one of the leading advocates for the Sta. Rita Hills AVA.
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18 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H August 18 - August 31, 2020
Trio of regional barbecue sauces can spice up your grilling By Vida Gustafson
Combine and mix all ingredients until smooth and taste to adjust the seasoning. I always add more garlic and horseradish! This white sauce is the absolute best on smoked chicken or turkey. It can also be used as a marinade to keep your meat moist and flavorful.
Contributing Writer
S
omehow making this nostalgic I’ve been having a blast exploring the history and origins of American barbecue and whether you’re grilling or smoking, these sauces will liven up your cookout! What I especially love is that not a one of them requires any cooking at all and they are made up entirely from pantry staples.
Vinegar and Pepper (Eastern North Carolina)
1 tbsp honey 2 tbsp black pepper 2 tsp crushed red pepper ( thai chillies, bird’s eye or whatever sppicy dried pepper you prefer) 1 C white vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1/2 tsp salt
Carolina Gold
n 1 C yellow mustard n 1/2 C vinegar (I like use apple cider vinegar here) n 1/4 C honey/maple syrup n 1/4 C packed brown sugar n 2 tbsp molasses n 1/2 tsp cayenne/ a couple shakes of hot sauce n 1 tbspn Worcestershire sauce Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for when you need it. Be sure to taste and adjust to your palate — I like a little more vinegar in this one myself. This sauce is tangy and sweet and goes great on grilled or smoked chicken, brats, lamb or pork chops. If you’re using it to cook with, be sure to put it on in the last minutes of cooking — due to the sugar content it will burn.
Photo by Vida Gustafson Whether you're grilling or smoking, these homemade barbecue sauces will liven up your cookout.
Alabama White
n 1 C mayonaise n 1/2 C vinegar (again apple cider works great here, but white distilled is fine) n 2 tsp black pepper
n n n n
2 tbsp hot horseradish 1 clove very finely chopped garlic 1/2 tsp salt cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste
This is the only one you might want to make a little ahead of time, the flavor is fully developed after a day in the fridge. As with the other, test for seasoning and heat level. I’ve found that purists add no sweetener whatsoever to this sauce, but some people go as far as a 3-to-1 sugar to vinegar ratio. It’s completely up to you, both are delicious. This sauce is amazing on pulled pork, brisket and wings. The zesty vinegar really compliments fattier meats. You can also use this one as a basting sauce (aka mop sauce) while cooking, to amp up the flavor.
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August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 19
High school sports pushed to a December start CIF makes plan to squeeze three seasons into two By Raiza Giorgi
publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com
H
igh school sports will be doing a modified schedule and a delayed opening, the CIF State office announced July 20. Because of COVID-19, CIF officials have taken three seasons of sports and condensed it to two seasons of sports. Fall teams will start practicing in December and spring teams will start practicing in March. “First I am happy we have dates to work with and a step in the right direction of getting sports to happen,” said Ashley Coelho, athletics director for Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District. “The county and state need to allow for it to happen. Official start and end dates are a hopeful sign, but scheduling will be a challenge for sure.” This is Coelho’s second year as athletic director for the district and said she was ready for a challenge, and this is definitely a challenge. Of the two schedules the spring season is looking more challenging to compile, as there are many kids who do two or more winter/
tion but to get through this year and get back to three seasons next year,” she added. The COVID situation put a damper on the end of last winter season and completely canceled spring. Coelho said her coaching staff has stepped up in ways she never dreamed they would, and is so proud of all her staff and players that are being good sports. “My coaches have been zooming with their athletes and checking on them,” she said. “They have also been giving them workouts at home and keeping track of mental health which is just as important right now.” Coelho said she had just completed a 30page business proposal and submitted it to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department so they could operate as a “gym” and then the second round of shutdowns happened. “When we are given the green light again we are ready to go and will be as productive and creative as possible so these kids can get in a great workout and get back to a sense of unity and bonding which they desperately need,” Coelho said. The school gym has one-use towels, sanitation wipes for all equipment, hand sanitizers and a fogging machine to use after every day. “If kids want to work out at home, I have SPORTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 21
EXPERIENCED BLENDED LEARNING AND HOME STUDY CHARTER SCHOOL ON THE CENTRAL o COAST Photo contributed The CIF State office has taken three seasons of sports and condensed to two seasons of sports. Fall will start practicing in December and Spring will start practicing in March.
spring sports. “Sharing gyms for volleyball or basketball won’t be a big issue, but I think water polo and swimming will,” Coelho said. “We will have to rotate and split everyone as evenly as possi-
ble, as I am already getting calls from parents whose kids do multiple sports.” The other challenge is coaching schedules as many coach two or three sports. “We will make the best of it, no perfect solu-
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20 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H August 18 - August 31, 2020
Photo contributed The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara is the nation's largest community-based provider of college scholarships, awarded nearly $130 million to more than 53,000 county students
Staff Report
Scholarship Foundation earns eighth consecutive 4-Star rating
T
he Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara has received its eighth consecutive four-star rating from nonprofit evaluator Charity Navigator. The rating – Charity Navigator’s highest – indicates superior financial efficiency and transparency in Scholarship Foundation operations. The foundation has received 17 four-star ratings in 18 years. “Attaining a four-star rating verifies that the Scholarship Foundation of
Santa Barbara exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work,” wrote Charity Navigator President and CEO Michael Thatcher. “Only 5 percent of the charities we evaluate have received at least eight consecutive four-star evaluations, indicating that the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara apart from its peers and demonstrates to the
public its trustworthiness.” The nation’s leading charity evaluator, Charity Navigator assesses organizations each year on the basis of financial health, governance, ethical practices and openness. “Since its founding, the Scholarship Foundation has rigorously adhered to the highest standards regarding fiscal responsibility and accountability,” said Foundation President and CEO Barbara Robertson. “We are pleased to receive recognition for our efforts in these important areas, and thank
Charity Navigator for this honor.” The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara is the nation’s largest community-based provider of college scholarships, having cumulatively awarded nearly $130 million to more than 53,000 county students since its founding in 1962. A nonprofit organization, the Scholarship Foundation also provides free financial aid advising services. For additional information, visit www. sbscholarship.org.
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August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 21
o RESEARCH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
Escobedo, Windmiller make Emerson College Dean's List Two Santa Ynez Valley students have been named to Emerson College’s Dean’s List for the Spring 2020 semester. The requirement to make Dean’s List is a grade point average of 3.7 or higher that semester. Isabella Escobedo of Santa Ynez, Media Arts Production, Class of 2022, and Ella Windmiller of Solvang, Media Arts Production, Class of 2020, made the list. Emerson College is based in Boston and also has campuses in Los Angeles and Washington, among other cities all over the world. The college has approximately 3,780 undergraduates and 670 graduate students from across the United States and 50 countries. Supported by state-of-the-art facilities and a renown faculty, Emerson students participate in more than 90 student organizations and support groups. The college has an active network of 39,000 alumni who hold leadership positions in communications and the arts. For more information, visit emerson.edu.
Vengel earns degree from Miami University Solvang native Olivia Vengel was among more than 3,800 students from Miami University, located in Oxford, Ohio, who received degrees during the virtual spring commencement experience May 16-17, 2020.
Vengel graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in English: Literature. Nationally recognized as one of the most outstanding undergraduate institutions, Miami University is a public university with a student body of nearly 19,000. It effectively combines a wide range of strong academic programs with faculty who love to teach and the personal attention ordinarily found at much smaller institutions.
Donner graduates from Fort Lewis College Los Olivos native Cameron Donner graduated from Fort Lewis College in May 2020. Donner graduated with a degree in Business Administration. About 450 students participated in the virtual commencement ceremony for the liberal arts college located in Durango, Colo. Erik Weihenmayer, adventurer and author, gave the commencement address As the Four Corner states’ stronghold of academic excellence, Fort Lewis College blends small class sizes, engaged faculty and unparalleled research opportunities to help students earn their degrees. The school has signature programs focused on environmental studies, education, health sciences, creative arts and business administration.
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able to process the massive data as effectively as computer algorithms,” said Wang. “Our research provides tools for automatically extracting useful information from the data to simplify the picture, rather than making it more complicated.” The project, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Richard Beswick and Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons from Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, will be presented later this month during the Computing Research Association (CRA) Virtual Conference. Formed in 1972 as a forum for department chairs of computer sciences departments across the country, the CRA’s membership has grown to include more than 200 organizations active in computing research. Yan and Wang’s research efforts will not stop
there. They plan to make their model and forecasts available to the public via a website and to collect enough data to forecast for communities across the country. “We hope to forecast for every community in the country because we believe that when people are well informed with local data, they will make well-informed decisions,” said Yan. They also hope their algorithm can be used to forecast what could happen if a particular intervention is implemented at a specific time. “Because our research focuses on more fundamental aspects, the developed tools can be applied to a variety of factors,” added Yan. “Hopefully, the next time we are in such a situation, we will be better equipped to make the right decisions at the right time.”
o SPORTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 equipment they can take with them and I will make sure they can get a good sweat,” Coelho said. In the state’s calendar, the fall season will be comprised of boys/girls cross country; field hockey; 11-man football; 8-man football; gymnastics; traditional competitive cheer; boys/girls volleyball; boys/girls water polo. For spring sports it will be badminton; baseball; boys/girls basketball; competitive cheer; boys/girls golf; boys/girls lacrosse; boys/girls soccer; softball; boys/girls swimming and diving; boys/girls tennis; boys/girls track and field and boys/girls wrestling.
“We are continuously monitoring the directives and guidelines released from the Governor’s office, the California Department of Education, the California Department of Public Health and local county health departments and agencies as these are followed by out member schools/districts with student health and safety at the forefront,” said CIF officials in their press release. This calendar change also has temporarily suspended Bylaws 600-605 (Outside Competition) in all sports for the 2020-21 school year.
To see the bylaws visit www.cifstate.org/governance/constitution/index.
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22 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H August 18 - August 31, 2020
NOW PR OVIDING
NEWS / TALK RADIO o n 10 6 . 3 F M t o t h e SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
August 18 - August 31, 2020 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 23
o FENENGA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
o GRANT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Photo contributed Coach Chip Fenenga (far right) with the boys volleyball team after winning the CIF title in 1999.
Fenenga’s boys volleyball program produced 18 NCAA Division I players, including four NCAA National Players of the Year, and three U.S. Olympians. In his 10 years as the girls volleyball coach, Fenenga went 199-86, with seven Los Padres League titles. He made the CIF-SS playoffs 10 years in a row, reaching the semifinals twice and the quarterfinals six times. The program produced six NCAA Division I players. Fenenga was also California Coach of the Year (as named by the California Coaches Association in 1998) and the Los Padres League Coach of the Year in volleyball 23 times for the boys program and seven times with the girls program. He now joins the honor of being in the Hall of Fame with former coaching and teaching colleague JoAnn Reck, who received her award back in 2018 for her basketball coaching career. Fenenga’s career started when he accepted a teaching position at Santa Ynez in 1989, and began coaching the next year when Kit Myers, the girls’ varsity coach at the time, invited him to coach the girls’ junior varsity team. “It was around 1992 when Bob Witt approached me about his incoming freshmen and expressed desire for me to coach a boys team,” Fenenga said. “We literally built the program from the ground up and I am so honored I got to teach all those kids. I also had fantastic assistant coaches like Mark Peterschick and we worked so well together.” The success his players found in volleyball continued beyond high school. Fenenga has seen 18 student-athletes move on to play at the NCAA Division I level, including George Roumain, Chris Peña, and Andy and Larry
Witt. The Witt brothers’ success also continued after college, as they played AVP Pro Beach Volleyball, and Andy Witt went on to the Olympic team, winning silver in the 1996 Olympic Games. Peña went on to play at UCLA as well as professionally in Europe. Peña won championships while playing in Spain and France. After being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer 14 years ago, a focus on winning that next point in volleyball helped Fenenga battle the disease. “That’s one of the great thing about sports. You forget about all the stuff, the needles, the surgery, the chemotherapy,” Fenenga said. “It just disappears and all you have is the game and the kids and a simple goal. It was positive and very affirming.” He has been cancer free for eight years. Even though there wasn’t much pomp and circumstance, he loved his time at SYHS and all the kids he got to coach and his fellow coaches and teaching staff. “I really appreciated the opportunity that I got to coach my own kids and connect with them in that way as well,” Fenenga said. “And of course my wife, who let me do this while she took care of all the things at home when I was away.” Fenenga said he hasn’t really had a chance to soak in retirement yet with all that is going on in the world. He also realized that his “Honey-Do” list is miles long and there’s always something needing to be fixed. “I am just so thankful and glad to have been able to coach all those kids and work with so many great people, but I am excited for the next chapter and to enjoy more time with my family,” Fenenga said.
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“As we pivot to a more long-term strategy, we are exploring avenues to best support the local educational, cultural, senior citizen and safety-net organizations on the front lines of response. “These funds will help support the rebuilding of these organizations post-coronavirus.” In March, as a local response to the global coronavirus pandemic, the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation launched the Coronavirus Relief Fund to expedite emergency grants to the most vulnerable in the local area. To date, the emergency relief fund has awarded some $75,000 to local organizations. In addition to providing grants to a variety of local nonprofits, the Valley Foundation continues to provide grants to organizations that are part of the Food for SYV coalition, created in response to the increased demand for food and necessities in the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos Valleys brought on by COVID-19. All donations to the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation’s support nonprofit organizations in the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos valleys. Funds donated to the Valley Foundation’s Coronavirus
Relief Fund will directly support local charities involved in relief efforts. All donations are tax deductible. All donations will be distributed to organizations in the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos valleys to meet basic needs during the pandemic including rent, food and medical care. Donations of cash may be made on the foundation’s website at syvalleyfoundation.org or by check and mailed to 485 Alisal Road, Ste. 272, Solvang, CA 93463. For more information about the relief fund or the foundation, contact Anne Christensen, executive director, at syvf@ verizon.net or 805-688-2991. For more about the Foley family, visit www. foleyfoodandwinesociety.com. Founded in 1991 by Stuart C. Gildred, the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations that deliver programs and services to residents in one of five focus areas: health and human services, senior programs, youth, education and cultural programs. Funds from the foundation’s endowment, and support from donations provide funding for these annual grants.
o MAD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 Every man (and woman) needs a place
I remember a quote from Ed Abbey, a favorite author of mine who introduced me to the beauty of the desert and the wild places they contain: “Every man needs a place where he can go to go crazy in peace.” For now, the top of this mountain appears to be mine. “Crazy?” I think. “Or just mad as hell?” How, I wonder, do you define a culture or the individuals within it that would destroy a country to preserve the right not to wear a mask? Or to party whenever they want?
Hidden tensions
Memories of a trip I made many, many years ago down to the Camarillo State Mental Hospital come back to me. It was the late 1960s. Gov. Ronald Reagan had declared war on the hospitals and was determined to strip them of their funding. I’d met a caseworker who worked at the hospital at a party one weekend. John ended up inviting me to visit the hospital to have a firsthand look at what the impact of closing the hospital would mean to the residents there. I invited fellow Dos Pueblos High teachers Dick Blair and Pete Van Duinwyk to join me. As we visited different parts of the hospital, the most disturbing part of the hospital was the area that housed the children. Many were victims of drug overdose, some catatonic; others suffered from a variety of mental problems. On the way, John motioned us over to a large open space area perhaps a hundred yards from the wing housing the kids. “We bring one of the young teen boys over here most every day,” he says. “This is where he does his therapy.” I wondered, why so far away and so far out in the open? “When he first got here, he was almost catatonic, but he’d make these humming sounds. It was something like he was mouthing ‘fu-fu-fu-fu-fu-fu’ over and over so fast
that it sounded like he was humming. “After a few weeks, I realized he was mouthing words but so fast that it sounded like one long string. So I decided to bring him out here and encourage him to shout it out. “At first he kept sounding out the fu-fu-fufu-fu-fu like a mantra, but then one morning, he shouted it out: ‘F…. You F…. You F…. You F…. You F…. You F…. You’ till his voice seemed to give out. Finally he was able to get the rage inside himself out in the open.” After that, John and the young teen came back every morning at 7. “Day by day, I could see the tension go away,” he added, “and eventually it dissipated to the point that therapy could begin.”
I'm mad as hell
I’m thinking that I may need some of that therapy and that perhaps a whole lot more of us do as well. So I stand up on the top of my tiny peak, and I shout it out: “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore! I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore!” Then I turn about toward the mountains and yell it out again. The sound echoes across the canyons, and then the silence envelops once again.
Heading home
As I make my way down the rocky path, I’m thinking that perhaps we all need to do a little shock therapy. To relieve all that tension. To strengthen our determination. Let’s get mad. Let’s make sure we do everything we can to make sure the world hears us loudly and clearly. “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore! I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore!” November can’t come soon enough. Noozhawk outdoors writer Ray Ford can be reached at rford@noozhawk.com.
24 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H August 18 - August 31, 2020
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