County 9-25

Santa Barbara County on 9/18 was awarded a $56.3 million grant by the Correction Standards Authority (CSA) to build a new jail in North County, with the proviso that it must commit to partnering with San Luis Obispo and San Benito counties in building a re-entry facility in Paso Robles. The grant-the largest the county has ever received from the state-means plans can now move ahead on how to raise the estimated $15 million annual cost of running the jail. (/jail925)

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In the early morning hours of 9/24, Vandenberg Air Force Base conducted a launch operation in support of a Missile Defense Agency experiment. The Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) analyzed the plume of a modified Minuteman missile to help determine the boost phase characteristics of intercontinental ballistic missiles, with the goal of helping defense missiles shoot down hostile missiles within minutes of launch.