The Vikings of Solvang have donated an $8,000 LiteGait to a medical therapy program for young patients in Buellton and Lompoc. 

The LiteGait is specialized equipment to help children and young adults improve their mobility. It is a large frame with a suspended harness that partially bears the patient’s weight. Without it, therapists have a difficult time working safely with people who are heavier than 100 pounds.

The California Children’s Services Medical Therapy Program provides physical therapy and occupational therapy services for local residents from birth to 21 years of age who have eligible physical disabilities. The program is a joint effort of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the California Department of Health Care Services. It has medical therapy units in Santa Barbara, Lompoc and Santa Maria.

A spokeswoman said the program has no budget for capital expenses this large, and the LiteGait equipment “creates an ideal environment to treat a wide range of impairments and functional levels.”

“Since the Vikings were founded in 1974, we have contributed more than $3 million to help fulfill the medically related needs of qualified people and organizations in Santa Barbara County, and this year we had $90,000 available to carry on that mission,” said Vikings Chief Richard Kline. “Especially during a pandemic, we’re grateful that we can help.”

The Vikings of Solvang are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that works solely on the strength of tax-deductible donations from Vikings members and others in the community. About $1 million of the group’s philanthropy has been given to individuals. The other $2 million has been donated to organizations such as local senior centers or spent on the Vikings’ annual Christmas party for special-needs children and their teachers in northern Santa Barbara County.

Members pay for all the group’s operating costs, so every penny donated goes directly to helping someone. Each donation is invested in a carefully managed endowment fund, which has allowed the group to maximize each dollar donated by earning interest on it. Only a portion of the interest from the endowment, not the principal, can be spent each year, so donations to the fund help in perpetuity.

Vikings grants have helped local people build wheelchair ramps, get prosthetic limbs, buy disabled-accessible vehicles, pay their insurance deductibles and fulfill many other needs.

To apply for a grant from the Vikings, donate to the group’s endowment fund, or get other information, go to www.vikingcharitiesinc.com or contact Chief Richard Kline at rskcom@aol.com or 213-716-1111. 

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The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is pleased to announce that Angela Walters Yates has been hired as the animal services director for Santa Barbara County. Yates has over 30 years of leadership experience and comes with extensive animal sheltering knowledge and community relationships to make a positive difference in the lives of animals and the people who care about them. 

Angela Walters Yates

Most recently, Yates served as the executive director, and previously a board member, for the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP) over the past eight years. Yates was responsible for the oversight, program development and accountability for best practices over all operational areas of the full-service cat shelter, including intakes, behavior, retention, animal care, foster care, adoptions, veterinary care, in-house spay/neuter clinic, community cats, outreach and partnerships with other animal welfare organizations. 

“We are enthusiastically looking forward to the talent, expertise and leadership that Angela will bring to our Animal Services division,” said Paige Batson, deputy director for community health at the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. “Her years of experience in the animal welfare industry and strong collaborations with community partners are key elements that will contribute greatly to our efforts of achieving innovation and best practices.” 

Yates successfully managed an organization of eight staff members and 250 volunteers to provide the highest level of shelter and foster care for 1,000 felines annually. Yates has been a successful agent of change both within ASAP and in the broader Santa Barbara County community to raise the standards of care and best practices for animal welfare organizations and agencies. 

“I’m honored and excited to join Santa Barbara County Animal Services, especially during a time of such innovation and change in animal welfare, not only in California, but across the nation,” Yates said. “Santa Barbara County has been my home for the past 17 years, and I’ve built strong relationships in our community and have a deep commitment to working collaboratively. I find inspiration in our community’s passion and advocacy for the welfare of animals, and I’m looking forward to working together to meet the needs of animals and humans alike.” 

Yates officially joined the Santa Barbara County Animal Services team on Monday, Oct. 5. 

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Two Santa Ynez Valley residents in their 60’s tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, according to Santa Barbara County Public Health officials.

During their press briefing this afternoon Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg said there are six new cases since yesterday and the new patients are in their 30s to 60s. Along with the two from the valley, two are in Santa Maria, one is in Lompoc, and one is in Santa Barbara.

Ansorg added 21 of the 32 patients are recovering at home while three are in the hospital, including one in critical condition in the ICU.

Eight of the 32 patients have recovered.

For more information on the county’s COVID-19 response by calling (833) 688-5551 or visiting publichealthsbc.org.

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The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has launched a digital and social media-based public education campaign to warn teens and pregnant and breastfeeding women against using cannabis.

The Cannabis Education Program uses scientific research as the basis for a series of videos from the California Department of Public Health’s statewide campaign “Let’s Talk Cannabis,” along with LA County’s “Bigger Choices” campaign.

Santa Barbara County’s campaign includes a rap music video, open conversations between parents and their children, and up-to-date information from credible sources about the dangers of using cannabis for youth, young adults, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. 

 “Our vision is that this campaign will create space for teens to have conversations about cannabis with trusted adults, and for soon-to-be moms or new moms to discuss the impacts of cannabis use with their healthcare providers,” said Van Do-Reynoso, the county’s public health director.

To learn more about health effects of cannabis, the educational campaign or other local efforts, visit www.LetsTalkCannabisSBC.org and www.MJFactCheck.org.

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Solvang has banned smoking in most public places citywide, and the rules prohibiting e-cigarettes, tobacco and marijuana went into effect Dec. 13.

The Solvang City Council recently approved the second reading of an ordinance prohibiting smoking in all recreational areas, dining areas, sidewalks, service areas and at public gatherings such as festivals, special events, or the farmers’ market.

The city defines service areas as “any publicly or privately owned area, including streets and sidewalks, that is designed to be used or is regularly used by one or more persons to receive a service, wait to receive a service, or to make a transaction, whether or not such service or transaction includes the exchange of money … It includes, but is not limited to, areas including or adjacent to information kiosks, automatic teller machines, ticket lines, bus stops or shelters, mobile vendor lines, or cab stands.”

No designated smoking areas have been set up in Solvang, City Clerk Lisa Martin said.

Under the new law, smoking will be permitted in parking lots anywhere in the city, Martin said, and several new ash cans will be installed for the disposal of cigarette-related litter.

“We are placing ash cans at exit points of all parking lots with signage indicating that they are entering a smoke-free zone, in an effort to raise awareness of the new law,” Martin said.

As part of the city’s municipal code, the no-smoking rules “could be enforced by the Sheriff’s Department as a citation,” according to Martin.
Smokers could be fined $100 for the first offense and up to $200 for a second violation within a year. People could be hit with penalties up to $500 for each additional violation within a year.

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department will be installing new smoke-free-zone signs to promote compliance with the law.
Some new signs will be posted on the effective date of the ordinance in December, and additional signs will go up within 30 days, Martin said.
Small no-smoking decals will be placed in business windows, and signs will also be posted at city parks.

Santa Barbara passed a citywide smoking ban last year for outdoor public places including beaches, parks, sidewalks and more.

— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com.

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Santa Barbara County public health staff worked quickly in response to the confirmation of a case of measles on Dec. 29.

Because of the highly contagious nature of this air-borne virus, and the fact that the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine must be given within 72 hours of exposure to prevent disease in vulnerable contacts, the Public Health Department activated their Department Operations Center (DOC) on Friday, Dec. 30 with more than 20 employees working to identify the individuals that had made contact with the infected person and administer the MMR vaccine within the 72 hour deadline. A total of 45 contacts to the patient were identified and assessed for their immunization and health status. 10 MMR vaccines were administered at the DOC and one person was placed in quarantine.

Because the incubation period for the measles virus is 21 days, all 45 contacts will continue to be monitored by Disease Control until Jan. 17. The DOC will remain functional until that date and plans are in place should a second measles case develop. “We train for situations like this and move quickly when they happen,” said Dr. Charity Dean, Health Officer. “Protecting the vulnerable in our community is top priority.”

Measles is a serious disease and can cause encephalitis, pneumonia, and even death. The outcomes are particularly serious for young children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems. In the decade before 1963 when a vaccine became available, it is estimated three to four million people in the United States were infected annually. Each year an estimated 400 to 500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 4,000 suffered encephalitis (swelling of the brain) from measles.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms of measles generally appear about seven to 14 days after a person is infected and typically begins with two to three days of a high fever, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis-like symptoms in the eyes. “Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth.Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots. The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body. When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit.”

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