Cover Story
With tight living spaces and work that’s not conducive to social distancing, H-2A farmworkers are at risk
Even before the days of stay-at-home orders and record-breaking numbers of unemployment applications, our nation struggled with domestic labor shortages in the agricultural sector. As American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall wrote during 2019’s mid-summer harvest season, “Farmers and ranchers in every state tell me that the shortage of labor is the greatest limiting factor…
Commission recommends more stringent permit process for cannabis cultivation
All cannabis cultivation projects in Santa Barbara County will face a more rigorous permitting process if supervisors back a recommendation the county Planning Commission made at a recent meeting. Last year, the county Board of Supervisors directed staff to work with the Planning Commission on potential changes to the county’s existing cannabis cultivation ordinances to…
Local grocery stores designate morning shopping hours for those most impacted or at risk as a result of COVID-19
Grocery stores across Santa Maria are rising to the coronavirus challenge by designating specific morning hours for people most affected by product shortages. It’s just one way that local businesses are stepping up to make sure that the most vulnerable populations are getting what they need in times of empty shelves and uncertainty. “Monday through…
Political Watch: April 2, 2020
• On March 27, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order prohibiting evictions for residential renters who are unable to pay rent due to a loss of wages or additional expenses because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The order stipulates that tenants are required to inform their landlord in writing at least no more than seven…
Cities and the county begin to weigh financial implications of COVID-19
As public health officials continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, cities in Northern Santa Barbara County are beginning to understand how closures related to the virus are affecting their budgets. With many businesses closing that are deemed nonessential under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order, local cities and the county are poised to lose millions…
Cities, county weigh tax relief amid COVID-19 pandemic
As many Santa Barbara County residents and businesses take on additional financial burdens related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the county and some local cities are offering some form of temporary tax relief. During the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting on March 24, county Treasurer-Tax Collector Harry Hagen said the county doesn’t have the…
Santa Barbara County firefighters released from quarantine after negative COVID-19 test
Four Santa Barbara County firefighters who were quarantined after a potential exposure to COVID-19 while responding to a call on March 24 were released from isolation, SBC Fire Department Public Information Officer Daniel Bertucelli told the Sun. Dr. Henning Ansorg, Santa Barbara County public health officer, confirmed in a March 30 teleconference that the patient…
Residents near Lompoc continue fight against wind project
Not wanting their home to be disturbed by the nearby development of 29 wind turbines in a largely undeveloped area about 5 miles south of Lompoc, George and Cheryl Bedford continue their fight against the project. The couple, who live on a ridgetop near the project’s location in San Miguelito Canyon, appealed the Santa Barbara…
Local organizations call on Santa Maria to pass eviction moratorium policies
A group of local organizations is calling on Santa Maria City Council members to pass policies that would make it easier for people who are struggling to pay rent as a result of COVID-19—but the limitations of the city’s jurisdiction might present hurdles to their demands. Angel Lopez, a youth organizer with Future Leaders of…
Central Coast local Robert Eringer revs up his upcoming road trip novel, ‘Book Drive’
Amid our current reality—or any reality for that matter—there are few better ways to spend time cooped up at home than with a good read, and better yet, with the knowledge you’re supporting a local writer in the process. The published works of Santa Barbara-based novelist and journalist Robert Eringer range back to the 1980s.…
The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature takes part in timely, meditative social media campaign, #MuseumMomentofZen
With galleries, museums, theaters, and other venues closed for the foreseeable future, the current state of the art world at large is almost exclusively online. The staff of the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature already had a strong handle (pun intended) on social media long before the COVID-19 outbreak (scroll through the museum’s Facebook,…
Riverbench Winery organizes live-stream Easter activities
Because of coronavirus cautions and social distancing mandates, a Santa Maria winery is putting a creative spin on its annual Easter egg hunt this year. Instead of hiding more than 2,000 candy- and prize-filled eggs in its garden for children to search and gather, the Riverbench Winery easter egg hunt will be held in a…
Gavin’s Books offers free delivery in Orcutt and Santa Maria
Gavin’s Books, a Santa Maria bookstore, is now accepting orders for free deliveries from Santa Maria and Orcutt residents. Locals who feel stuck at home and in need of a good read are encouraged to take advantage of the new delivery option. Patrons can also order book deliveries for friends and loved ones (in Santa…
Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department offers new at-home videos
The city of Santa Maria’s Recreation and Parks Department is producing an ongoing series of short, family-friendly “how to” videos focused on keeping good physical and mental health during the current COVID-19 quarantine. The videos are available on the city of Santa Maria’s YouTube channel and range from arts and crafts demonstrations to stay-at-home music…
Local growers are coping as restaurants close and social distancing is changing everything
It’s awfully quiet outside. But farmers have not stopped the plows. Checking in with our local food growers, many reported a huge increase in CSA boxes and farm stand sales. And local farmers’ markets are seeing increased visitors. Kathy McNay, who organizes farmers’ markets in Northern Santa Barbara County, said more people seem to be…
CANARY: Up to no good
Is there a communication breakdown or is it just me? Maybe I live in a little bubble—surrounded by COVID-19 press conferences, press releases, case numbers, articles, businesses adjusting, and on and on—but it seems like there are people who haven’t received the message. Like, at all. To help get the word out to those who…
Know the unknowns
Let’s say you have a koi pond with 100 fish, and one day you go out and you find one of the fish belly up. You test it and find out it died of a viral infection. At that point you have a 1 percent fatality rate. If there were 1,000 fish and that was…
Why our for-profit health care system is unprepared for this current crisis
Every family in America has a horror story to tell around our current health care system. You know what it is. The high cost. The inability to be seen. The denials. The long waits for appointments. The cost of the cure. Many, who have cancer, have gone bankrupt trying to save a life. We all…
