So often around this time of year, a familiar feeling can wash over you like a swig of spiked eggnog.
It can be a warm fuzzy feeling, like the love fest we saw at the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting on Dec. 11 (see page 6), when the supes and other representatives bid farewell to 2nd District Supervisor Janet Wolf. I spend a lot of time pecking at our local leaders, so when they show some emotion and humanity, it’s easy to get swept up in the moment.
I don’t blame them! Wolf served on the board for 12 years, not including her work on several other committees and organizations involved with county government, so it’s no wonder many are sad to see her go. First District Supervisor Das Williams teared up a bit during his remarks, and I could have sworn I saw Peter Adam get a bit glassy-eyed when thanking Wolf for being his “buddy” in South County.
Aw shucks, government isn’t all people yelling at and blaming each other. Sometimes they get along, and spend boatloads of money in the process.
Once all the honors and thanks were given, the supes still had plenty of business to attend to, including the prospect of dropping nearly $5 million on a Blackhawk helicopter for the county’s Fire Department (see page 5).
The Thomas Fire is still fresh in local memories, but fire season has hardly ended since that blaze was put out. Reminders like the Camp Fire and Woolsey Fire that fire season is practically year round now in California have agencies preparing for the worst.
Even the board’s staunchest budget hawks, North County’s 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino and 4th District Supervisor Adam, spoke approvingly of the possibility. Adam said he wished the county had the Blackhawk nearly a year ago during the Montecito debris flows to help with rescue operations.
The dread of fire season is palpable at these meetings, and spending now to be prepared later is a necessary decision. Problems can come and go, wax and wane, and it’s important to budget time and money for them when it’s actually there to spare.
Just take a look at the recent pair of homicides in Santa Maria (see page 5), which feel all too familiar. Reports of early-morning shots fired, unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate, and the candle-strewn roadside memorials remind of 2015 and 2016, when the city saw a dramatic spike in mostly gang-related homicides. The Santa Maria Police Department arrested several MS-13 gang members after the spate of killings, linking them to several, and not long after the city’s homicide rate dipped back down to normal.
At the time of the violence, plenty was done to make moves to protect the city’s youth and address the gang issue: task forces, community outreach, and roundtables. But poverty, violent crime, and gang activity aren’t problems that go away overnight, and despite the progress community organizers have made, it’s still an issue that can rear its ugly head.
I think I’m like most Santa Marians in wishing that reports of a homicide didn’t feel so familiar, but the truth goes down cold sometimes, no matter how you try to spike it.
The Canary is putting down the eggnog. Send your thoughts to canary@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 13-20, 2018.
