publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

The economic impact of the Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flows reached far beyond the South Coast when mud and water shut down Highway 101 for several weeks.

For Santa Ynez farmer Marcie Jimenez of Jimenez Family Farms, it was impossible for her to get to Los Angeles to sell sells her produce and meats.

“Most of our income is based on us being able to get to those markets, selling directly to the customer. Since we weren’t able to get there, it was really stressful, and I am so thankful to Women’s Economic Ventures for selecting us as a grant recipient,” Jimenez said.

With a contribution from Wells Fargo, Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) recently awarded 38 business-recovery grants, totaling $238,500, to small businesses including Jimenez Family Farms, that were harmed by the Thomas, Hill and Woolsey fires in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

Jimenez took the business plan course offered by WEV more than 10 years ago, and she said that she is reviewing her business model since the fires and mudslides to adapt in case this situation ever happens again.

“A huge factor that has come into play since my WEV course is social media, which is a huge source for us. I am looking at getting more tech savvy to help keep our farm operations going. People love seeing where their food comes from, and back stories on the farming operations,” Jimenez said.

All 38 grant recipients are listed at www.wevonline.org/2018-business-recovery-grant-recipients/.

Recovery grants were awarded for businesses that lost revenue, contracts, services, equipment, operations or inventory as a result of the fires. Of the 38 business owners who received the recovery grants, 21 suffered significant or total loss.

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A web-based map to help residents after the Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flow has won the top award for innovation from the California State Association of Counties (CSAC).

The organization’s annual Challenge Awards spotlight the most innovative programs developed and implemented by California counties. Yuba County also received a top award.

Santa Barbara County’s Planning and Development Department consolidated site-specific information in a web-based geographical information systems (GIS) map to help in the rebuilding process after the disastrous fire and mudslides.

The GIS map enables property owners to see the same information that staff members can see without the need for staff to print out or assemble physical case files. It is considered a critical rebuilding tool for architects, agents, property owners and county departments.

The web-based GIS map and parcel information replaces paper case files, reduces staff time, and could be saving the department $105,000-$110,000, a spokesman said.

The layers on the map can switch on and off to see such things as zoning designations, 100-year flood hazard areas, and pre- and post-disaster aerial imagery. The map contains project-specific information that previously was not available in one location.

“I appreciate CSAC recognizing our staff’s hard work, dedication and perseverance to innovate in the wake of an unprecedented disaster,” said Supervisor Das Williams.

“The interactive GIS mapping technology they developed to assist constituents in evacuating, evaluating damage, and moving forward in rebuilding has proven to be an invaluable tool in the days and months since the Jan. 9 debris flow. I’m so grateful for county staff’s leadership on this.”

The debris flow resulted in 23 deaths, 477 destroyed or damaged properties, and drastically different topography.

CSAC also awarded a Merit Award to Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties for their program Co-creating Youth Advocacy for Healthy Communities, which integrated nutrition and health education for low-income communities.

More than 70 youth leaders from the 4-H programs in the two counties provided this training to 4,100 elementary school-age children at five schools.

“Thanks to CSAC for recognizing the innovation and creativity of our employees to meet the needs of residents,” said Mona Miyasato, county executive officer.

“It is particularly satisfying that our awards highlight the efforts of our departments to work together and, in the case of the Merit Award, for neighboring counties to work together to improve the quality of life for our residents,” she said.

This year, CSAC received 267 entries. An independent panel of judges with expertise in county programs selected the award recipients.

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Noozhawk North County Editor

A growing number of valley fever cases in Santa Barbara County does not appear to be related to the Thomas Fire or Montecito debris flows, according to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

But the reason for the increase, especially in the North County, remains a mystery, and may be related to the heavy rains following the drought since similar increases have been seen throughout the state.

“We don’t really know the cause of the increase, but the increase matches an increase in California, which leads us to believe that this is not related to the disasters that we’ve recently had,” Susan Klein-Rothschild, deputy director of the Public Health Department, said in May.

Valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis or “cocci”, is caused by inhaling spores of a fungus known to exist in soil in the southwestern United States, particularly California and Arizona.

People breathe in spores present in dust that gets into the air when it is windy or when soil is disturbed, such as during dirt moving associated with construction.

Most infected people do not show signs of illness. Those who do become ill may have symptoms similar to other illnesses, including influenza or pneumonia, so valley fever is not always recognized.

In rare cases, people can develop more severe disease such as infection of the brain, joints, bone, skin, or other organs.

County public health investigators reviewed data from 56 patients, none of whom were firefighters. One did work on the Thomas Fire as a first responder.

Most of the patients live in North County, which saw 47, or 85 percent, of the cases in the 27-month period reviewed.

The central section of the county logged five cases, or 9 percent, with only four cases, or 7 percent, living on the South Coast.

Two of the South Coast cases involve residents who had traveled to areas where valley fever commonly occurs.

A boost in the disease appears on par with statewide increases since 2015, a hike state health officials say is not completely understood but likely related to heavy rains that fell after the California drought.

In California, from January through April this year, the state recorded 2,948 cases compared to 1,105 in 2017 and 897 a year earlier, according to a tally of suspect, probable, and confirmed cases.

“With an increase in reported valley fever cases, it is important that people living, working, and travelling in California are aware of its symptoms, especially in the southern San Joaquin Valley and the Central Coast, where it is most common,” Dr. Karen Smith, California Department of Public Health director and state public health officer, said last fall.

“In these areas, anyone who develops flu-like symptoms, such as cough, fever, or difficulty breathing, lasting two weeks or more, should ask their health care provider about Valley Fever.”

For Santa Barbara County during the first four months of 2018, 47 cases were identified compared to eight and six for the same time in two previous years, the state website said.

In San Luis Obispo County, 132 cases for the first four months of the year were more than the 33 and 25 seen in 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Ventura County saw 107 through April 30, compared to 24 and 5 in prior years.

The state’s top county for valley fever was Kern with 1,009 cases, compared to 264 and 253.

In February, the county Public Health Department became aware of concerns within the local health-care community of a potential link between increases in valley fever cases and the Thomas Fire and Jan. 9 debris flows.

Data was reviewed from January 2016 through March 2018 on the numbers of valley fever cases reported in the county and statewide.

“That’s really kind of a core public health function,” Klein-Rothschild said. “That’s exactly what we do. People go to their individual doctors to get their treatment.”

Public health workers look at trends of diseases and what might be causing increases, she added.

“Our ultimate goal is prevention — preventing people from getting ill.”

Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com.

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A bill by two state legislators from Santa Barbara has been signed by Gov. Jerry Brown to restore access to acute mental-health care at a Ventura County psychiatric hospital that was closed by the Thomas Fire.

Assembly Bill 417 was authored by Assembly member Monique Limón and co-authored by state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson.

The new law will allow outpatient behavioral health services to resume immediately while the hospital’s inpatient services remain suspended because of fire damage. Normally the licenses are connected and both services must be provided at a facility simultaneously.

The Thomas Fire was the largest fire in California history. Among the 1,063 structures destroyed and 280 damaged were two buildings at Aurora Vista del Mar, an acute-care psychiatric hospital in Ventura County.

Vista Del Mar was one of the largest private psychiatric hospitals in the region. Its closure resulted in the loss of 75 percent of all available psychiatric beds in the county and 100 percent of the adolescent beds on the Central Coast.

“Vista Del Mar is a critically important provider of both inpatient and outpatient mental health services in the region. … As one of the only providers of adolescent services, it is critical these services come back online as quickly as possible. I am happy the legislature was able to help expedite this process,” Limón said.

“The impact of restoring these services in our community will provide a life-saving resource for our friends and neighbors who are going through mental health challenges and seeking treatment in an area that can no longer provide this care in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire,” said Vista del Mar Hospital CEO Jenifer Nyhuis.

AB 417 passed off the Assembly and Senate Floors with bipartisan support and no opposition. It has an urgency clause that allowed it to go into effect immediately after being signed by the governor.

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The Board of Supervisors will hold budget workshops on April 16, 18, and 20, beginning at 9 a.m. each day in the County Administration Building, Fourth Floor Hearing Room, 105 East Anapamu, Santa Barbara. Remote testimony and public comment will be available at the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Administration Building at 511 East Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria.

At the workshops, the Board will hear from County departments on their major initiatives and draft 2018-19 budgets. The workshops provide an early opportunity for input prior to completion of the Recommended FY 2018-19 Budget to be released in May. The public is encouraged to attend the workshops and provide input regarding the ideas being developed by staff to restructure operations and address how to fund vital services – and to offer their own suggestions.

Final budget decisions will not be made at the April workshops, but on June 11, 13 and 15 when the Board holds budget adoption hearings. The three-day April workshops provide earlier and greater opportunity for the Board of Supervisors to provide input to the budget process prior to the June hearings.

“Adopting a balanced budget in each of the next several years will be complex and challenging,” said First District Supervisor Das Williams, Chair of the Board. “It will require collaboration, coordination and cooperation at every level of our organization to adapt and continue to meet the needs of our constituents. I’m thankful to our hard working County executive and budget teams, and all County departments for putting together informative and thorough presentations on the key initiatives and work plans they are presenting for the Board’s consideration. I look forward to thoughtful dialogue and public participation.”

“As we plan for fiscal year 2018-19, two primary themes emerge: renewal and resilience,” said County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato. “We are continuing with Renew ’22, a multi-year initiative that began last year to drive greater fiscal sustainability, efficiency, high performance and responsive service so we can better withstand and recover from uncertain challenges and threats, like what we just experienced. This effort is more important than ever as we face impacts of, and recovery from, the Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow. The disasters will affect our community as well as our revenue base for several years, as Montecito constitutes approximately 17 percent of the property tax base and 62 percent of the hotel bed tax to the County’s General Fund, which funds services to residents throughout the county.”

As of early March, the total estimated cost of responding to and recovering from the Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow was projected to exceed $55 million in County government costs, with the County’s share totaling approximately $12.3 million.  Potential revenue losses are estimated at $2.9 million in FY 2017-18 and $3.6 in FY 2018-19, largely due to disaster impacts, according to Jeff Frapwell, Assistant County Executive Officer who serves as Budget Director.

Even with these disaster impacts, the County’s overall spending and revenue for next year is relatively flat, and proposed service level reductions are much lower than last fall’s projected budget shortfall.

“The projected gap, estimated in October at $17 to $23 million or about 2 percent of the total $1 billion County budget, was addressed through a variety of measures,” said Frapwell. “These included efficiencies, department restructuring, limited use of one-time funding, revenue increases, and refinement of revenue and expenditure estimates, resulting in proposed service level reductions of $5.2 million, which includes 10 currently unfilled positions,” said Frapwell.

Miyasato added, “While recovery from the Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow will continue to be a top priority, other key objectives next year include cannabis program implementation, developing more mental health beds, and continuing with organizational improvements.

“Key challenges continue from last year, such as addressing state and federal mandates, adjusting to growing technology demands, retention and succession planning, serving the mentally ill in and out of the criminal justice system, and funding prior Board commitments like the Northern Branch Jail and maintenance needs,” said Miyasato.

More than 70 percent of County revenue is restricted for specified services, leaving less than 30 percent of the budget for discretionary spending on Board priorities.

“There will be challenges in the coming months and years for the County as we recover from the disaster and prepare for future threats,” added Miyasato, “but we will continue to focus on decisions that allow balancing of short-term needs with long-term impacts, strategic realigning of services, and opportunities for new ways of doing business. We will continue to focus on doing the most essential and important things well to best serve our community.”

The recommended budget is scheduled to be released in May and presented to the Board on June 11, 13, and 15. To review documents for next week’s budget workshops, go to http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/budget/bw2018.sbc. For information about Santa Barbara County government, go to www.CountyofSB.org.

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The 10th Annual Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation biennial dinner and auction raised more than $1 million for Direct Relief, organizers have announced.

The evening, dedicated to Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flow relief efforts, took place Feb. 17 at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Goleta and attracted many Santa Barbara County winemakers, donors, wine aficionados and celebrities, including actress Jane Lynch.

Several first responders from the region were honored for their work and received a standing ovation.

Since 2000, the Vintners Foundation, the charitable arm of Santa Barbara Vintners, has donated more than $4.5 million to Direct Relief.

Money raised from the dinner and auction in prior years helped launch Direct Relief USA, the largest U.S. pharmaceuticals program and one that operates in all 50 states.

In the wake of the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides, the Goleta-based nonprofit group has been focused on local relief efforts, but it also plays a key role in the wake of national and global disasters.

Los Olivos viticulturist and winemaker Fred Brander of Brander Wines was recognized as Vintner of the Year for his four decades in winemaking.

In addition, Frank Ostini, owner of the Hitching Post II restaurant in Buellton and co-owner of Hitching Post Wines with Gray Hartley, was commended for his dedication to the wine auction “and support of Direct Relief for 20 years,” said Sherrill O’Neill of the Vintners Foundation.

One of the live auction’s lots was a collection of 100 bottles of wine donated by honorees of prior years’ events; that lot alone fetched $26,000, O’Neill noted.

Guests and Vintners Foundation members also paid tribute to longtime restaurateur and winemaker Seth Kunin, who died of a heart attack in late October at age 50.

His wife and daughter, Magan and Phoebe Kunin, were present for the honor, O’Neill said.

Laurie Jervis blogs about wine at www.centralcoastwinepress.com, tweets at @lauriejervis and can be reached at winecountrywriter@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are her own.

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Southern California Gas Co. and Sempra Energy have pledged $60,000 to six nonprofit organizations that have provided disaster relief and support services to the communities affected by the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides.

Donations were pledged to American Red Cross of Central California, Montecito Now, Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation, Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance, and Santa Barbara Rescue Mission.

“SoCalGas crews were on the ground working alongside first responders since the first hours of this disaster, and we want to do our part to continue supporting the rebuilding efforts,” said Trisha Muse, director of community relations at SoCalGas.

“SoCalGas and Sempra Energy have always demonstrated their commitment to our community during a crisis, and their donation will be directly earmarked for the purchase of technical equipment for our local firefighters and first responders,” said Paul Cashman, president of the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance.

“We were able to offer SoCalGas a location for their staging operations during natural gas service restoration efforts,” said Scott Reed, president and CEO of the Music Academy of the West.

“Helping our neighbors get their heat and hot water back on as quickly as possible after the disaster was important to us, and we were pleased to work with SoCalGas to make that happen,” Reed said.

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Noozhawk Managing Editor

The Board of Supervisors received a report March 13 on the cost of debris removal and recovery efforts for the Jan. 9 Montecito debris flows, on the same day many South Coast communities were under a mandatory evacuation order for a rainstorm that ultimately weakened as it hit Santa Barbara County.

Santa Barbara County’s latest cost estimates total $55.4 million, with most of that expected to be reimbursable from the federal and state governments.

The Board of Supervisors voted last month to use $6.25 million from the strategic reserve fund to help cover costs until the county is reimbursed for some of its emergency expenses.

In the latest report, the county’s share of expenses was estimated at $12.3 million.

“The 1/9 Debris Flow impacted approximately 50 miles of county roads, 200 culverts, and 20 bridges. Following the event, approximately 30,000 cubic yards of material was removed from roads and cleared from bridges,” according to a staff report written by Cost Recovery Manager Andrew Myung.

Removing debris from roads, culverts and bridges “will be an ongoing activity for the next three to five years,” according to the report.

County recovery priorities include restoring utilities, flood control assets, bridges and roads; removing debris from public property and facilitating cost-effective debris removal from private property; helping property owners through the rebuilding permitting process; and mitigating traffic impacts to Montecito due to road and bridge closures.

Supervisors also approved the Santa Barbara Bowl’s request to allow additional events during its season to benefit Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslide recovery and relief efforts.

A recent Jack Johnson benefit concert was sold out, and a May 19 benefit concert by Santa Barbara native Katy Perry, “Witness: Coming Home,” has also been announced.

The Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation is “close to confirming with a few other artists about hosting similar shows,” according to a county staff report.

The venue at 1122 N. Milpas St. has an agreement to hold no more than 37 commercial event performances each year, and the supervisors’ vote allows up to four more events to host Montecito benefit concerts.

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The Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides affected much of southern Santa Barbara County, taking lives, causing injuries, destroying homes and businesses, and shutting down Highway 101 for two weeks as crews worked tirelessly to clean up the mud.

The disasters have also brought out the good in the community, however, with groups including the Santa Ynez High School girls basketball team coming forward to help their neighbors.

“I live in Santa Barbra and so the fire directly affected me, and it affected a lot of friends of mine,” said Coach Ashley Coelho.

The Thomas Fire broke out on the evening of Dec. 4 and charred 281,893 acres, destroying 1,063 structures, damaging 280 others and leaving the landscape open for mudslides and debris flows.

The disastrous rain storm on Jan. 9 dumped half an inch of rain in less than five minutes in the mountains above Montecito, which was the catalyst for the mudslide and debris flows that killed 21 people, with two children still listed as missing.

Coelho had been overhearing parents talk about the tragedies and the kids in the bus talk about it and thought they should help the community. The team immediately set to action and was excited to host a donation drive.

The team along with Coelho and assistant coach Jani Lindberg donated two school vans full of clothes, toys and canned food, which they recently delivered to Goodwill in Santa Barbara.

“We are all very proud of our varsity and JV teams for representing our girls basketball program and SYHS. In addition to donating to those in need, our drive brought awareness and compassion to our campus,” Lindberg said.

“It’s important to give back to the community and teach the younger generation about supporting it,” added team captain Lita Wrigh

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Matt Udkow grabbed his night vision goggles and looked toward the Santa Ynez Mountains to get a look at the weather conditions as the first calls for the Montecito mudslide were coming in at 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 9.

Udkow is a pilot for Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit Copter 308, and this was his first call after being hired six months earlier.

The crew of Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit Copter 308 consists of pilot Matt Udkow, Bryce Wible and Glen Dupont.
Photo contributed

“The clouds were hanging low, which to me meant there would be no visibility, and I suggested we contact our friends at the Coast Guard out of Point Magu to see if they could get in first, as there were so many calls coming in and the victim count was going up. They were actually able to get the first two burn victims out from the fires that started,” Udkow said.

Udkow had been training for this situation the day before, doing water hoist rescue drills with his crewmates Glen Dupont and Bryce Wible.

Before joining the county crew, Udkow spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard flying rescue operations. He was on duty when Hurricane Katrina hit and said the local situation was reminiscent of that hurricane.

Copter 308’s first call Jan. 9 was to rescue an injured woman and take her to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Photo contributed

“I felt the gravity of the situation in Montecito but I had to wait until daylight, as I couldn’t put my crew at risk. We opted to take the path through Gaviota (from Santa Ynez Airport), flying very low and slow until we got to the coast. Our first call was for a caving chest wound that we hoisted from a baseball field and took the patient to Cottage (Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital),” Udkow said.

His crew is a joint effort of the Santa Barbara County fire and sheriff’s departments with a fleet that includes three Huey helicopters and two OH-58 helicopters typically used for law enforcement operations. Both crews worked in coordination with crews from Ventura County and the Coast Guard, spread out over the Montecito area. That day the crews combined to rescue 131 people, 42 dogs, 11 cats and three birds.

“It was an honor to do it, and by far the hardest rescue I’ve done,” Udkow said.

“At some points the only way I could distinguish where we were was using the fires as landmarks,” said Copter 308 pilot Matt Udkow.
Photo contributed

After their first rescue, Udkow said, the rain was coming down so hard that they had to wait 10 minutes to take off again. Their next call was a woman frantically waving from her rooftop. After she was hoisted she told the crew her neighbor had broken his leg. Her daughter was also missing, but ultimately was found and reunited with her mother, Udkow added.

As they unloaded and refueled at Santa Barbara Airport, the husband of mudslide victim Rebecca Riskin was being unloaded on a stretcher. Udkow remembers Riskin taking his hand, with a far-away look in his eyes, and telling Udkow that his wife had been swept away.

“He said it so matter of fact, and that really took me by surprise. Then a paramedic friend pulled me aside and said it was a sign of shock,” Udkow added.

As the crew got back into the air, another call came in of an elderly woman and two firefighters stuck in the mud.

“As we hovered above them there was rain like I have never seen. It was leaking in the top of the helicopter, and … our radios died. I couldn’t see 100 feet in front of me. The firefighters were from Montecito Fire Department and stuck up to their waists in mud,” Udkow said.

Once they unloaded those passengers, they were grounded again because the water had damaged the helicopter so badly. However, they were able to dry out and take off again after a frustrating hour.

“At this point there was a strange smell, and doing hoists are risky enough as it is. We ended up flying to Van Nuys, where our helicopter is now being repaired. I just thank my crew for getting us through it and all the joint operations coming together to get the job done,” Udkow said.

The crew is now using another helicopter to fly geologists, hydrologists and county inspectors over the disaster area to survey what is left and what needs to be done.

“There is still a lot of debris and boulders and the potential for another event,” Udkow said.

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