Santa Barbara Teen killed in Second Fatal Stabbing of the Year, Condor Protection Bill on its Way to Approval, Pedro Nava Encourages and Shows his Appreciation for Firefighters, Santa Ynez Valley Residents get Informed about Zaca Fire, Public Hearing Scheduled for Santa Ynez Valley Environmental Impact Report
Santa Barbara Teen killed in Second
Fatal Stabbing of the Year
Another
According to a
statement released by the Santa Barbara Police Department, the victims were
walking on San Pascual Street near Ortega Street on the Westside of State
Street, when they were confronted
by a group of young men armed with clubs and knives and were yelling gang
slogans at them. The victims were then chased down and attacked. All the
victims sustained stab wounds and were taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital,
where one of them was hospitalized and the other treated and released.
Carachure’s death
is the second of this nature to occur in
Police are still
investigating the incident and homicide but said that all three victims were
either known gang members or associates. No arrests have been made.
Lieutenant Paul
McCaffrey gave some assurance to residents who may be concerned that the gang
violence in
“
A memorial has been
set up for Carachure at the site of the incident.
Condor Protection Bill on its Way to
Approval
Assembly Member
Pedro Nava’s bill to protect the survival of the endangered California
condor is one step closer to being approved after passing the Senate
Appropriations Committee July 16. The bill received a 9-7 vote.
“Yesterday the
fight to save the condor took a huge step forward by passing out of the Senate
Appropriations Committee, but we can’t let up,” Nava said in a
statement released to the public July 17. “The California condor is a
national treasure and I am pleased with the support my bill received to protect
this incredible bird.”
A.B. 821, better
known as the Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act would require all hunters to replace
their lead ammunition with non-lead ammunition when hunting big game or coyotes
in areas inhabited by condors. To date approximately 140 condors are flying
wild.
The bill has however
experienced some opposition by various organizations. “This is the
resurrection of the bill to ban lead ammunition, same as 2006's A.B. 2123 by
Assemblyman Pedro Nava,” reads a statement on the Gun Owners of
California’s Web site. “In
2005, Assemblyman Nava carried the same bill, A.B. 1002 and received intense
GOC opposition. The bill failed. We will be working to make sure it fails again
this year.”
The next step for
A.B. 821 is for it to go before the Senate for approval then to Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger. All legislative bills must be passed by September 14, 2007 and
signed or vetoed by the Governor by October 14, 2007. For more information
about A.B. 821 visit www.legislature.ca.gov.
Pedro Nava Encourages and Shows his
Appreciation for Firefighters
Local Assembly
Member Pedro Nava congratulated fire fighters from local jurisdictions, Cal
Fire and
“My hats off
to the firefighters,” Nava said at the end of the visit. “I’m
out here because I’m the Chair of Joint Committee on Emergency Services
and Homeland Security and we are having a hearing in Sacramento [on July 18] to
talk about fire suppression and fire coordinates and how to make sure that the
state of California supports the men and women who are out here fighting fires
and protecting lives. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to learn from the
people who are actually doing it.”
The two-hour visit
included an in depth tour of the camp including the portable kitchens, med
centers and operational offices.
“I am very
humbled by the dedication and professionalism of the people who have dedicated
their lives. They are truly professionals. They are using cutting edge
technology. They conduct models with computers, they have people who are
trained in fire science and how fires behave, so it is a scientific application
to protecting lives and property,” Nava added. “I could not be more
proud of the men and women who are doing this work.”
The visit came
almost a week before Nava appeared at a July 18 hearing to discuss emergency
response as well as A.B. 38, which would reform
Santa Ynez Valley Residents get Informed about Zaca Fire
With the Zaca Fire raging
on, more than 180 Valley community members showed up to the county sponsored
community meeting for residents affected by the fire on July 17. The meeting,
which was held at the Solvang Veteran’s Hall, gave the community the
chance to hear first-hand information about the facts of the Zaca Fire, they received evacuation information and a chance to
view maps that depicted where the fire was still burning.
“I think it
was very helpful to inform the community and all who live here,” said Oak
Trail Estate resident Natalie Blanca, who attended the meeting. “The Fire
Department did a good job with the information it provided.”
Information about
reverse 911 was shared as well as where animal owners could take large animals
if needed. The Red Cross opened a shelter for residents at the Santa Ynez
Valley Union High School. The Red Cross has also made an on-site shelter for
small and medium sized pets at the school as well. Large animals can be stored
at the Elks Rodeo Grounds in
Public Hearing Scheduled for Santa Ynez
Valley Environmental Impact Report
The