Three large transport vehicles will use various state highways next week to deliver wind turbine blades to the Lompoc area beginning Wednesday, August 25.

The transports will leave the Port of Stockton via Interstate 5 on Wednesday, August 25 and arrive in San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara Counties using Highway 46 East to southbound US 101,  Union Valley Parkway, State Route 135 and Highway 1 during the overnight hours. These trips are expected to occur intermittently over the next three months.

Upon delivery and transfer of these blades onto Blade Lifter Trucks, the transport vehicles will collapse in size and return along the same route back to Stockton, originating on Highway 1 and State Route 246 through Lompoc on Thursday, August 26 between 9 am and 4 pm with the preferred time from 9 am to 11 am.

These vehicles will be escorted by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).  Electronic Message Boards have will inform travelers about this project which managed by Baywa r.e. of Sacramento, under permit from Caltrans.

For traffic updates on state highways on the Central Coast, travelers may contact Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 805-549-3318 or can visit the District 5 website at:https//dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5  

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After 12 successful blood drives and enough blood donated to save 1,485 lives, Dignity Health Central Coast hospitals have again partnered with Vitalant to encourage community members to donate blood. In order to bolster local and national blood supplies, Vitalant is calling on the community to come forward and give blood. The process takes only 45 minutes but can save up to three lives.

The drive is scheduled for each hospital on the following dates:

French Hospital Medical Center – Tuesday, July 20, 2021, 9am – 1pm at the Copeland Health Education Pavilion, 1911 South Johnson Ave., San Luis Obispo

Arroyo Grande Community Hospital – Tuesday, August 24, 2021, 9am – 2pm in the Annex Conference Room, 345 South Halcyon Road, Arroyo Grande

Marian Regional Medical Center – Friday, August 27, 2021, 10am-2pm at the Conference Center at the corner of Palisades and Church Street on the Marian campus, 1400 East Church Street, Santa Maria 

There is currently a critical shortage of blood, and all community members are asked to take the short amount of time to donate. Community members wishing to donate are urged to sign up at www.blood4life.org. Do not donate if you are feeling ill. 

In the wake of COVID-19 responses, Vitalant is urging groups to continue organizing blood drives and individuals to continue donating blood, unless local public health officials specifically direct otherwise. Blood drives at schools, churches, community groups, and religious institutions – which represent more than 60% of the nation’s blood supply – have been all but cancelled, and are critical to health care in our country.

Despite the ongoing need, it is now especially challenging to recruit donors, which affects Vitalant’s blood supply. Donations from O-negative donors, the universal blood type, are especially important. The current O-negative blood supply sits at an approximate two-day supply, which is half of the ideal quantity needed to support patient needs. Additionally, platelet donations, which have a shelf-life of only five days, are always in high demand. However, donors of all types are needed.

About Dignity Health Central Coast 

Dignity Health Central Coast is comprised of five award-winning hospitals, all recognized for their quality of care, safety and service, primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically advanced imaging centers, outpatient services, and comprehensive home health services. Hospitals are supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to provide additional funding to support new programs and services, as well as to advance the community’s access to health care.  For more information, visit dignityhealth.org/central-coast.

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Sales of pink-colored desserts, snacks, treats and drinks at the Chumash Casino Resort generated $6,483 toward the annual Project Pink campaign, which raises funds throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. This year’s campaign beneficiary, Mission Hope Cancer Center, which is supported by the Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation, also received a matching grant from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, bringing the total donation to $12,966.

Photo contributed
Chumash Casino Resort’s eateries will be a big part of the resort’s Project Pink campaign, which kicked off Oct. 1 in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The resort’s Food and Beverage Department, which drives the annual Project Pink campaign, eclipsed last year’s donation total despite operating under a limited guest capacity and with closed food outlets due to the Safe + Well measures that have been in place since the Chumash Casino Resort reopened in June.

“Our Food and Beverage team members showed their true dedication to this cause by bringing the same amount of creativity and motivation they’ve had in past campaigns to this challenging year,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “In the face of this global pandemic, they maintained their goal of raising awareness for this important cause and generating valuable funds for Mission Hope Cancer Center, which plays such a critical role in our community.”

The Mission Hope Cancer Center, located in Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande, features state-of-the art technologies and treatments for cancer care, supportive services, education and preventative care. Its current slate of events and support groups are occurring online or over the phone in order to maintain its resources for patients during the pandemic.

“On behalf of Mission Hope Cancer Center, Marian Regional Medical Center, and the Marian Foundation, I extend heartfelt gratitude to the Chumash Casino Resort for their Pink Project Campaign’s meaningful donation of $12,966,” said Jessa Brooks, Vice President of Philanthropy, Marian Regional Medical Center. “Our organization remains tremendously grateful for the outpouring of support for local cancer patients shown by the generosity of the employees of the Chumash Casino Resort and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation.”

Robert Dichmann, MD, Medical Director, Marian Cancer Care, noted that the global pandemic has added more layers of concern to patients during their ongoing battles against cancer.

“Now, more than ever, local cancer patients need support as so many are not only dealing with a cancer diagnosis, but they are also encountering the stress of emotional and economic uncertainty,” Dr. Dichmann said. “Fortunately, for cancer patients at Mission Hope Cancer Center, 100 percent of generous community proceeds, like the recent donation from the Chumash Casino Resort, directly support cancer patients and their families in need of financial assistance, in addition to supporting the cancer center’s programs and services, and the acquisition of advanced equipment and technology.”

For more information on the Mission Hope Cancer Center, including how to donate, please visit missionhopecancercenter.com.

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has donated more than $25 million to hundreds of groups, organizations and schools in the community and across the nation as part of the tribe’s long-standing tradition of giving. To find out more about the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation and its giving programs, visit www.santaynezchumash.org.

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Chick-fil-A at Enos Ranch established a new scholarship for Allan Hancock College with a $10,000 donation to the Allan Hancock College Foundation Dec.7. The scholarship will be available to students who work for the local branch of the restaurant starting in fall 2021.

Chick-fil-A owner/operator Joey Hickox presented Allan Hancock College Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. with a ceremonial check to mark the occasion.

“At any one time, we have about 30 Chick-fil-A employees who are also Hancock students, and many more who will probably become Hancock students,” said Hickox, who opened the franchised location on Betteravia Rd. in 2018. “Partnering with the college on this scholarship is a great way to support my employees while benefitting the community.”

Walthers said financial support from local businesses like Hickox is critical to building up the local economy.

“Scholarships at Hancock can help change the odds for hard working folks in our city,” said Walthers. “Over 90 percent of Hancock students are from Northern Santa Barbara County, so contributions toward their success is a direct investment in improving our community. Thanks to Mr. Hickox and the Chick-fil-A team, more students will be able to continue their education.”

The Allan Hancock College Foundation was established in 1977 to raise private donations for the support of Allan Hancock College students, faculty, and programs. The foundation awards more than $500,000 in scholarship funds each year and is raising funds to support the Hancock Promise program, which guarantees the first year at AHC tuition and fee-free for all students in northern Santa Barbara County.

To make a contribution of any amount to the Allan Hancock College Foundation, visit www.hancockcollege.edu/foundation/give.php.

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Coming off October, which was National Breast Cancer Awareness 

Month, Mission Hope Cancer Center is also spreading awareness about an advanced new treatment for patients with breast cancer, a population that makes up approximately 40 percent of the patients at the center. 

The new technology enhances the preciseness of treatment provided to breast cancer patients by more accurately targeting the lymph nodes at risk, and also preventing radiation from reaching vital organs, such as the heart and lungs. In addition, active breathing control is used to create more distance between the heart and area being treated. A patient takes a deep breath, lifting the chest wall up and away from the heart. This technique can decrease the risk of long-term effects on the heart by decreasing the amount of radiation it is receives.

In addition to this new radiation oncology technology, Dr. Ben Wilkinson, radiation oncologist at Mission Hope Cancer Center, has introduced 3-D surface mapping, a technology that ensures patients are positioned in the same manner for each radiation treatment. 

These state-of-the-art enhancements to the breast program at Mission Hope Cancer Center provide for more targeted treatment, and also add quality of life patients that have undergone radiation for breast cancer.  

“This advanced equipment was acquired to offer our breast cancer patients the best treatment possible, as well as prolonged health to free of heart disease and issues with the lungs as a result of radiation therapy, said Wilkinson. “Mission Hope Cancer Center provides patients with the most advanced care possible, right in their own community. With this new treatment, the level of cure is high, and patients can live long healthy lives, free of disease.” 

Diagnosing and treating cancer is complex. Mission Hope Cancer Center uses a multidisciplinary approach, which consists of collaboration between specialized oncologists and physicians to determine the best course of treatment. Every patient receives an individualized treatment plan.

Marian Cancer Care at Mission Hope Cancer Center is accredited as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer. To find out more, go to missionhopecancercenter.com.

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As Santa Barbara California Highway Patrol officers were responding to a vehicle theft in the Goleta area on Friday afternoon, when the suspect took off in the vehicle identified as a beige Honda on Highway 101 northbound and ended up in the Buellton area. The suspect, Daniel Emilio Ruiz Medina, 26, of Santa Maria left the Honda in the center divider and ran into a residence on Jonata Park Road. 

Rusty Dusty Fusty Phil the cat.
Photo contributed

The suspect then allegedly stole a white flatbed Chevrolet truck in which the keys were in the ignition. Medina then proceeded and ran over the truck owners cat, which perished, and went through their fencing to re-enter Highway 101 northbound, according to the CHP report. 

Medina hit speeds upwards of 100 miles per hour, where CHP officers backed off and the helicopter pursued. CHP officers set up a spike strip at Cat Canyon in Los Alamos, but Medina drove in the dirt center median and continued into the southbound lanes traveling the wrong direction. Medina crossed over to the northbound lanes again, almost hitting several vehicles in front of him.

Medina then exited Union Valley Parkway in Orcutt and turned on Skyway Drive and again onto Industrial Parkway where he exited the truck and fled on foot. Medina entered the Westside Building Materials building where officers followed and located the suspect, who put on a reflective vest and head set to appear to be an employee. He was taken into custody and booking into Santa Barbara County Jail on felony charges. Medina is currently on probation in Santa Barbara County, according to CHP officials. 

More information will be provided later. 

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Allan Hancock College is working to ensure new and returning students will have the support, services and technology they need to successfully navigate the fall semester that begins Aug. 17.

This fall, Hancock will continue to offer most of its classes remotely and will also continue to provide a wide array of student support services both virtually and in person to make certain students can continue to pursue their education goals.

“Our goal is to make sure our students have every chance to be successful as they embark on their academic career in a manner that is safe for them, our staff and the community,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “There is no doubt this will be a challenging fall at Hancock. However, our community should rest assured that our faculty and staff are committed to keeping students on track to graduate, transfer or pursue a career even in these demanding times.”

This fall, the college will continue to offer student services virtually, including financial aid, tutoring, college admission, academic counseling, among other key support services. For students unable to access student services virtually, in-person services are available at the Santa Maria campus and Lompoc Valley Center as of Aug. 3. The college has asked students who need to use these in-person services to contact the department they wish to visit ahead of time to make an appointment.

To facilitate any in-person interaction, the college has installed safety barriers at student service windows and placed signage throughout our buildings to ensure social distancing. Face masks are mandatory in public spaces on each of Hancock’s campuses.

“With a student body largely comprised of first-generation college students, it’s imperative that our professionals provide students with in-person services in a manner that is consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and our local health agencies,” said Walthers.

For students struggling technology and connectivity issues, the college will continue to operate its laptop and Wi-Fi hotspot lending program. In addition, students can also access free Wi-Fi in the parking lots outside the Joe White Memorial Gymnasium (building N) and the Humanities building (building C), as well as the patio between the library and the Student Center on the Santa Maria campus. The college will also allow students to access its computer lab on an appointment-only basis Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

A full list and additional information about student support services and resources is available on the college’s website at www.hancockcollege.edu/covid.

Registration for fall classes at Hancock is still open. The college is offering more than 1,100 classes across a wide range of academic and career programs of study. Financial aid is available, and classes begin Aug. 17. To view and list of available classes and register for fall at AHC, visit www.hancockcollege.edu/fall.

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PCPA is expanding its free virtual programming summer sessions of PCPA Plays On! for youth and adults; programs that are educational, engaging, fun, and theatre focused.

Youth Enrichment sessions are offered in two 60-minute segments, the first for ages 8 – 12 and the second for ages 13 – 18. They include a Virtual Tour on July 9 – a behind the scenes look into PCPA’s shops and studios where stage magic is created. On July 14 and 16, Meet the Prop Master with Tim Hogan who leads the sessions that describe what goes into making theatre props and will guide participants through the steps of making a prop for themselves.  Resident Artist Katie Fuchs-Wackowski will explain the importance of listening as an actor on July 21 and 23 in two sessions called Between the Lines: Active Listening Onstage. Casting Director Erik Stein leads two 2-part sessions on Video Your Audition beginning July 28.

Resident Artist Yusef Seevers is teaching There is No “I” in T.E.A.M. beginning August 4 which guides students through ways to connect with classmates through creative play. Mid-August is a series of Make-up Workshops that explore the transformative effect of stage make-up.

The new Community Enrichment programming gives community members the opportunity to engage with PCPA’s resident company.

On July 8, The Need to Speak with Resident Artist Andrew Philpot will explore Shakespeare’s heightened language. Whenever Shakespeare goes from down-to-earth language to poetic flights of fancy, he is telling us something is afoot! On July 15, Resident George Walker will present an introduction on swords and swordplay and how characters are defined by their fighting style. What’s in a Season? with Artistic Director Mark Booher answers the often-asked question, “How do you select the plays for PCPA?” There’s fun for all ages when Costume Shop Manager Robin Newell leads a hands-on crafting workshop, Crown Makingas inspired by The Three Musketeers’ King Louis XIII and Queen Anne, and Education and Outreach Director Leo Cortez leads a Virtual Tour behind the scenes at PCPA. Other Community Enrichment sessions will include The Artistry of Costuming, Painting Floors the PCPA Way, and a four-part series on Black Theatre with Yusef Seevers.

On-going programs include Erik Steins Talkback Thursdays as he speaks with theatre artists from across the country who have graced the hallways of PCPA. Two upcoming interviews include alumni Christian Arteaga (7/9) who directed last season’s Outreach Tour production of The Circuit and Alex Stewart (7/23) who was on the national tour of Elf The Musical. All programs are at 3:30pm on Facebook Live: July 9, 23, 30, August 6, 13, 20, 27, and Sept 3.

The Rediscovery Reading Club with Emily Trask will next explore the text of The Three Musketeers. Sign-up is underway and the live discussions are slated for July 27 at 4 & 7pm. The reading club will also be reading Pedro Calderón’s Sueño, Life is a Dream. Sign-up begins August 10 with discussion on August 31. In September, the club will be discussing John Ford, Dekker, and Rowley’sThe Witch of Edmonton. Each club discussion session includes a performance element utilizing PCPA’s Resident Artists to illuminate the text in a whole new way.

Visit https://www.pcpa.org/PCPAPlaysOn/ for a complete list of programming along with details, links to all the activities, and dates. PCPA will be adding virtual programs throughout the summer. Don’t miss a single moment to participate with PCPA like never before.

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Five residents in a Santa Maria skilled nursing facility have died of COVID-19, and dozens of others have tested positive in the outbreak, Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso said Tuesday.

Two of the deaths had previously been reported, without mentioning the care center, and Do-Reynoso told the Board of Supervisors that three additional residents at Country Oaks Care Center died on Monday.

There have been 37 total cases reported at the facility, including 13 staff members and 24 residents, Do-Reynoso said.

“This facility is at a critical point, as they have been met with significant staffing challenges,” she said.

She added that state medical teams and county medical corps volunteers have been assigned to work at the 57-bed Country Oaks Care Center, which is located at 830 E. Chapel St. 

“We are closely monitoring with the state agencies and working in close partnership with the facility, as well as the goal of making sure this becomes a safer environment and staff feels safe working there, as well as residents who are there.”

COVID-19 deaths have been reported in two other local skilled nursing facilities, according to a California Department of Public Health database.

At least one resident death has been reported at the Lompoc Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and at least one resident death and one healthcare worker death has been reported at the Marian Regional Medical Center’s Marian Extended Care Center.

For numbers under 11, the state database does not disclose the exact number, so “less than 11” is the indicator of at least one.

Positive cases have been reported among residents and/or healthcare workers at multiple other local facilities, including Buena Vista Care Center, Casa Dorinda, Lompoc Valley Medical Center Comprehensive Care Center, Santa Maria Care Center, and Valle Verde Health Facility.

Active cases are reported at Buena Vista Care Center, Country Oaks Care Center, Marian Extended Care Center, and Valle Verde Health Facility, as of Tuesday.

Country Oaks reports 18 active cases among patients, and 28 total, and 20 total healthcare worker positive cases, according to the state database, which is a higher number than what Do-Reynoso reported to the Board of Supervisors. 

(Additional COVID-19 cases and deaths have been reported at local senior living communities, but skilled nursing facilities are licensed differently and are the only ones included in this database.)

Santa Maria COVID-19 Cases 

Do-Reynoso reported the Country Oaks Care Center deaths during her presentation on Santa Maria COVID-19 cases, breaking down demographics and explaining engagement plans to address the disproportionate number of people testing positive and being hospitalized in the North County. 

Scroll down to read the full presentation from Tuesday’s meeting.

The county’s North County and South Coast areas have similar populations, but 55 percent of local community cases have been reported in the city of Santa Maria. Geographical case information is based on where COVID-19-positive people live.   

Latino and Hispanic residents are overrepresented in confirmed COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 deaths in the Santa Maria area, said Joy Kane, a senior epidemiologist with the Public Health Department. 

Ninety percent of Santa Maria COVID-19 cases have been in Latino and Hispanic residents, she said.

“When hospitalized, the acuity as well as the length of stay is higher among Latinos than other groups,” she said.

Santa Barbara County, and California, has seen a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Latino and black communities, according to public health officials.   (Santa Barbara County Public Health Department photo)

Public Health staff surveyed 344 people who tested positive for COVID-19 through the end of May, including 134 in Santa Maria. The survey results are not representative of all cases, since about 600 cases have been reported in Santa Maria to date. 

Residents in Santa Maria who tested positive for COVID-19 have tended to be younger than other areas, identify Spanish as the primary language more than other areas, and have lower education levels than other areas, according to the survey results.

Public Health officials also asked about work environments, since they were worried places of employment could be drivers of infection, Do-Reynoso said.

Of those 134 people, 20 percent work in agriculture; 11 percent work in healthcare (including 7 percent with direct patient care); 8 percent work at the Lompoc federal correctional complex, where there has been a huge COVID-19 outbreak with multiple inmate deaths; 7 percent work in sales, retail, salons or massage parlors; 11 percent are unemployed or disabled; and additional cases were reported in restaurant and bar workers, retired residents, housekeeping and landscaping workers, government workers, and other industries.  

“What this tells us is a good amount of Santa Maria cases were essential-services workers,” Do-Reynoso said.

Disease control investigators talk to most people who have tested positive, and their surveys show only 52 percent of people say they are able to practice social distancing at work.

“Like other jurisdictions, we are seeing that communities that have to work, who are out and about on their way to work, with lots of exposures, either taking public transportation or at workplaces interacting with the public, populations of those communities do have a higher incidence of positivity,” she said.

Many COVID-19 cases reported in Santa Maria, as of late May, are among essential services workers, according to the Public Health Department, which surveyed 344 people countywide in late May.  (Santa Barbara County Public Health Department photo)

 

Many COVID-19 cases reported in Santa Maria, as of late May, are among essential services workers, according to the Public Health Department, which surveyed 344 people countywide in late May.  (Santa Barbara County Public Health Department photo)

 

The supervisors asked about other explanations for the higher rate in Santa Maria, and she said there is no study showing whether face covering implementation is lower compared to other areas of the county, and that North County communities do have a higher prevalence of chronic disease, such as diabetes and heart disease.

The county has not provided any demographic information for local residents hospitalized with COVID-19, including age groups or where they live.

With the report of three deaths Tuesday, there have been 22 COVID-19 deaths reported in Santa Barbara County, including eight in Santa Maria residents, four in Lompoc, four among Lompoc federal correctional complex inmates, one in unincorporated North County, two in Santa Barbara, two in Goleta, and one reported in the unincorporated Goleta Valley and Gaviota Coast. 

Surveys show 87 percent of people had heard of the novel coronavirus and had a good understanding of handwashing and social distancing, so more public education may not be the answer, said Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, whose district includes Santa Maria.

“I think they all know what to do. It’s whether they are able to do that in the job that they have is the problem, and how to get to the job, a lot of people ride together here,” he said.

“I’m not sure more education is the answer. It doesn’t hurt, but I’m just not sure how effective that’s going to be as a strategy.”

Local COVID-19 cases among Santa Maria residents tend to be in younger people than other areas of the county, according to the Public Health Department.  (Santa Barbara County Public Health Department photo)

Public Health Department staff plan to work with employers to create safer work environments, partner with the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office to reach agriculture industry employers, and do more public outreach in affected communities, Do-Reynoso said.

Click here to read COVID-19 status reports from the Public Health Department. 

Public Health Department COVID-19 Update on Santa Maria 

— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com.

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Noozhawk Managing Editor

Fifty new COVID-19 cases were reported Friday as well as an increase in community member hospitalizations, according to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. 

The county also announced the death of a Lompoc resident in their 60s. 

Public Health officials have not yet acknowledged the May 25 death of Lompoc prison inmate Mohamed Yusuf, 37, which was reported by the Bureau of Prisons. 

They are waiting on an autopsy to “ensure it was a death in a person that still had COVID-19,” spokeswoman Jackie Ruiz said earlier this week. “Our reporting only reflects persons that still had COVID-19 at the time of their death.” 

As of Friday, there have been 16 COVID-19 deaths in Santa Barbara County, including Yusuf, and 1,787 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. 

Of the 50 newly-reported cases, 45 were in Santa Maria, two were in unincorporated North County, two were in Santa Barbara, and one was in the Lompoc federal correctional complex. 

The county’s total number of hospitalizations was decreasing last week, due to the declining number of Lompoc federal correctional complex inmates in local hospitals.

The Bureau of Prisons set up a 20-person facility to care for ill inmates, but is not disclosing how many are patients there.  

However, community member hospitalizations have been increasing this week, with 39 reported on Friday, including 10 people in intensive care units.

It was 28 people last Friday.  

The Public Health Department reports a different number of hospitalizations to the state than on its community dashboard, omitting inmates on the latter.

Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg said the county expects to see the impact of local reopening next week. If there is not an exponential growth in new cases and hospitalizations, the county will evaluate what industries can safely open their doors with modifications, he said.

Community COVID-19 testing is still available in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara and Solvang, and appointments can be made online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting and by calling 888.634.1123.

Public Health officials encourage people to get tested, even if they don’t have symptoms, so epidemiologists can get a better idea of the coronavirus’ spread within the community.

County Supervisor Gregg Hart said he was recently tested even though he has never experienced symptoms, and was negative.

“I wanted to walk my talk,” he said, adding that the whole process at Earl Warren Showgrounds took five minutes and he was back in his car even before his appointment time.

Lompoc Mayor Jenelle Osborne went to get a COVID-19 test this week and videotaped her experience, to show constituents it was “simple, quick and painless.”

— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com.

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