Salud O. Carbajal

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sonia Behrman as one of California's 24th Congressional District's Women of the Year. Each year, I have the privilege of honoring women on the Central Coast who have made a meaningful difference in our community through the Women of the Year Award. This year, it is my pleasure to recognize Sonia Behrman of Carpinteria, California, for her strength, compassion, and commitment to helping others.

Born and raised in Carpinteria, Sonia is the daughter of Aurora, a first-generation immigrant from Mexico City, and John, whose family is from Jalisco. Sonia learned from an early age the importance of family, hard work, and perseverance. As a young mother, she faced difficult circumstances and made the decision to build a new future for herself and her family. With the support of Domestic Violence Solutions and Transition House, she found the strength to move forward and create a life centered around caring for others.

As a single mother, Sonia earned her RN from Santa Barbara City College and built a career in nursing, working in chemical dependency care, neonatal intensive care, and the operating room. Her commitment to caring for others later led her to foster care, where she and her current husband opened their home to medically fragile infants and adopted a baby girl.

Sonia has become a strong advocate for foster youth. She organizes a major annual fundraiser for Angel's Foster Care in Santa Barbara, bringing together more than 200 guests each year. She also supports the nonprofit Foster Love and travels to Disneyland to chaperone foster youth for a day in the park. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Westmont College Foundation and has participated in a medical mission in Guatemala with Helps International.

Each Christmas, Sonia prepares backpacks filled with essentials and personally distributes them to people experiencing homelessness. She has built her life around caring for others, whether through nursing, foster care, community service, or simply being there for a friend. She exemplifies service as a way of life.

It is with great pride that I honor Sonia Behrman as Woman of the Year. Her strength, generosity, and commitment to service have made a lasting difference in the lives of so many people. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Sonia for all she does for the community and for the compassion she continues to bring to the Central Coast of California.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Myra Paige as one of California's 24th Congressional District's Women of the Year. Each year, I have the honor of recognizing women on the Central Coast whose leadership, service, and dedication have left a lasting impact on our community through the Women of the Year Award. This year, it is my pleasure to recognize Myra Paige for her advocacy, public service, and commitment to defending Democratic values across the Central Coast and nationwide.

Myra has devoted ten years of service to Indivisible Santa Barbara (ISB), a local non-profit committed to defending our democracy against further democratic backsliding and dismantling the influence of oligarchs in our community. She currently serves as the President of ISB and co-leads Commit to Democracy Santa Barbara (CTD), one of the most highly regarded postcard-writing campaigns in our nation. Under Myra's leadership, 500 volunteers send up to 10,000 postcards monthly to support critical Congressional and Senatorial campaigns nationwide.

Myra joined Indivisible Santa Barbara after a profoundly moving event: the 2016 election night. As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, she felt a deep-seated recognition that history can repeat itself. Instead of surrendering to despair and despondency, Myra converted that fear into concrete action. Through ISB, Myra mobilized the community against authoritarianism by spearheading a pivotal town hall with Congressman Carbajal, California State Senator Pro Tem Monique Limon, and Assemblymember Gregg Hart, organized the ``No Kings'' rallies, and led weekly demonstrations focused on protecting one another and fortifying our local safety net.

To scale this impact, Myra built lasting local coalitions, notably ``The Summit,'' uniting the Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County, the Fund for Santa Barbara, Planned Parenthood Central Coast, and Commit to Democracy SB to align political strategy and amplify collective action. Myra also strengthened partnerships with 805 UndocuFund and the Immigrant Legal Defense Center (ILDC), fortifying defenses for the local immigrant community against persistent attacks. Among her most notable achievements, Myra successfully advocated against ICE activity on the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) campus. Her direct engagement with the SBCC Board of Trustees led to a unanimous vote in January 2026 prohibiting ICE from entering campus grounds.

Beyond her leadership with ISB and CTD, Myra serves as a Board Member of Planned Parenthood Central Coast and was previously honored as the Democratic Woman of the Year by the Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County. I am proud to recognize Myra Paige for her extraordinary record of leadership, advocacy, and service advancing Democratic change in our Central Coast community and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lieutenant Ugo ``Butch'' Arnoldi of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office as he concludes an extraordinary 50-year career dedicated to protecting and serving the people of Santa Barbara County.

On August 19, 1974, Lieutenant Arnoldi was sworn in as a Deputy Sheriff. On October 1, 2026, he will officially retire, bringing to a close one of the longest and most distinguished careers in the department's history.

Throughout his career, Lieutenant Arnoldi has served in numerous roles, including Countywide Watch Commander, Chief of Police for the City of Carpinteria, Sheriff's Assistant, Commander of the Isla Vista Foot Patrol, Chaplain, Explorer Advisor, and member of the Canine and Mountain Patrols. A proud UCSB graduate, he earned a master's degree in public administration while working full-time and has continued to share his knowledge through guest lectures at local community colleges.

Lieutenant Arnoldi has answered the call during some of the Central Coast's most significant moments, including the Painted Cave Fire, the 2014 Isla Vista shooting, the 2016 Santa Barbara Post Office shooting, and the Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flow. His commitment to community extends beyond emergency response. Since 1982, he has organized Santa Barbara's Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run, and since 1978, he has coordinated law enforcement support for Old Spanish Days Fiesta.

His distinguished career has earned him numerous honors, including the T. Guerry Award for Overall Outstanding Performance, the H. Thomas Gueny Award for Superior Performance, the Special Olympics Community Service Award, and international recognition as a 2021 John Carion Unsung Hero Award recipient. In 2022, he was inducted into the Law Enforcement Torch Run Hall of Fame by Special Olympics Southern California.

Lieutenant Arnoldi has worked under five different Santa Barbara County Sheriffs and has taken on extraordinary assignments, including overseeing security during the Michael Jackson trial in Santa Maria and leading a motorcade escorting Queen Elizabeth to President Ronald Reagan's ranch. His career is a testament to the trust and respect he has earned throughout the Central Coast.

His commitment to service is also a family tradition. He and his wife, Marla, have two children, Giuseppi and Francesca, both of whom followed in their father's footsteps and served with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. Giuseppi is now the third ``Deputy Arnoldi'' in the department.

After five decades of service, Lieutenant Arnoldi leaves an enduring legacy of leadership, professionalism, and dedication to his community. As he retires on October 1, I extend my deepest gratitude and congratulations to Lieutenant Ugo ``Butch'' Arnoldi for 50 years of exceptional service. I wish him and his family all the best in this well-earned next chapter.