Both COVID-19 metrics and the weekly vaccine allocation are improving in Santa Barbara County, opening up vaccination eligibility to additional community members. Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso presented COVID-19 data from the last half of February at a March 2 Board of Supervisors meeting. Over the two-week period, active cases decreased […]
MALEA MARTIN
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Some North County schools return to in-person, Santa Maria-Bonita isn’t yet
While Orcutt Union School District and Lompoc Unified School District are set to reopen for elementary grade level in-person instruction early next week, Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD) will remain at a distance for the time being. According to state guidelines, once a county brings its adjusted case rate per 100,000 population to under 25 […]
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Farmworkers receive payment as part of settlement agreement
Months after a farmworker strike ended in alleged employer retaliation and an ensuing investigation by the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB), more than 200 farmworkers received compensation on Feb. 21 as part of an informal settlement agreement with their employer, Rancho Laguna Farms. The dispute started in May 2020, when Rancho Laguna farmworkers went […]
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New state guidelines allow for youth sports return
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released new guidance on returning to competition for youth and recreational adult sports, but Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham believes it should have happened a lot sooner. The guidelines, which take effect beginning Feb. 26, categorize sports based on the level of contact between participants. Low contact sports are those […]
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Cardiologist Dr. Alex Harrison encourages community members to stay on top of their heart health, even during the pandemic
Valentine’s Day may be over, but Dignity Health is celebrating hearts for the entire month of February in recognition of American Heart Month. The health care company wants to empower people to take preventive heart care seriously, as heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women in the U.S. and worldwide, according […]
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Santa Barbara County opens up vaccine to those 65 and older
Santa Barbara County is now in phase 1B of its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, meaning those aged 65 and older can register to get their shots. But others included in that phase—agricultural workers, teachers, child care providers, and emergency services personnel—will have to keep waiting. “This expanded eligibility means that the local health providers, pharmacies, hospitals, […]
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North County jail to open later this year
The long-awaited Northern Branch Jail Project is close to completion and is expected to open in mid-2021—nearly two years after the original target date for occupancy. John Green, senior project manager for the new jail, told the Sun via email that the jail is estimated to reach substantial completion by April 2021 and be ready […]
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Lompoc wants to bring back a new and improved version of the weekly swap meet that ended in 2014
Local vendors will soon have a new opportunity to sell their wares in Lompoc, and the city wants to hear from the business community about the best way to bring the vision to life. The Lompoc Outdoor Community Market would revamp the city’s weekly swap meet tradition (which ended in 2014) to create a community […]
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County Jail battles COVID-19 outbreak that started in an area a recent lawsuit settlement will shut down for good
A settlement reached six months ago in Murray v. County of Santa Barbara—a class action lawsuit addressing conditions for inmates at the county jail—is official after the court issued an order granting final approval on Feb. 1. But lawyers on the case say the work to implement the settlement is only just beginning. Meanwhile, the […]
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Racial justice groups collaborate to host community dialogue
How does the justice system work? Who does it work for? Does the justice system treat all Americans equally? These are among the questions posed at the start of a Feb. 4 virtual community dialogue on the justice system, hosted by Showing up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Santa Maria in partnership with the Racial Justice […]
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Santa Barbara County needs to be in red tier for schools to reopen
As Santa Barbara County recovers from its third and highest-yet peak in COVID-19 cases, health officials say the region still has a long journey ahead to reach the next tier in the state’s reopening system. “Our COVID metrics, indeed, have significantly decreased since peaking mid-January. We’re seeing about a 60.5 [percent] reduction in our case […]
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At least 10 percent of unemployment benefits paid since the start of the pandemic were fraudulent; including some in Santa Barbara County
After months of struggling to keep up with unemployment insurance claims—which shot up by more than 1,000 percent at the start of the pandemic according to state officials—California’s Employment Development Department now faces a monumental repercussion: widespread fraud. Meanwhile, the number of Californians who legitimately qualify for unemployment insurance isn’t showing signs of abatement: The […]