Daily Archives: June 2, 2021

Pet Resource Centers Open

C.A.R.E.4Paws and Santa Barbara County Animal Services (SBCAS) joined forces with five other nonprofit partners to open two new Pet Resource Centers at the County Animal shelters in Lompoc and Santa Barbara. On May 26, Mayor Paula Perotte performed the ribbon cutting at the Santa Barbara shelter, 5473 Overpass Road (pictured). The additional five organizations include: Companion Animal Placement Assistance (CAPA), Animal Care Foundation of Santa Barbara County, ASAP Cats, K-9 PALS, and Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter (BUNS).

No pet owner should ever have to make the tough decision between paying a bill and buying pet food or providing medical treatment for a four-legged family member. But the pandemic has made it hard for a growing number of community members to care for their pets, leaving animals at greater risk of being relinquished to a shelter. The Pet Resource Centers are part of the shared community-based vision of C.A.R.E.4Paws and SBCAS to leverage partnerships to provide increased support services that prevent animals from ending up in shelters.

Pet Resource Centers are locations where community members can pick up dog and cat food and other supplies, as well as sign up for critical pet wellness services and veterinary care in C.A.R.E.4Paws’ mobile clinic and the SBCAS clinic at the Santa Maria Animal Center.

Beyond the joint Pet Resource Centers, during the pandemic, SBCAS and C.A.R.E.4Paws began collaborating even more closely to prevent animals from being relinquished at SBCAS’s three shelters. A joint staff member works with pet owners inquiring about relinquishing their animals to provide access to the services and support they need to prevent them from having to give up their pet. This includes assistance with spay and neuter surgeries, veterinary care and pet food.

Since the start of COVID-19, C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Companion Pet Assistance program has distributed more than 400,000 pounds of pet food to pet owners in need throughout Santa Barbara County. This amount of pet food is 100 times the total amount of pet food distributed during any year prior to the pandemic and reflects the tremendous need in the community. The uncertainty around the long-term economic impacts of the pandemic creates an imperative to bolster services and resources to keep families together.

The Green Room: City of Goleta’s Street Sweeping Program

City of Goleta’s Environmental Services Division would like to provide helpful information about our street sweeping program.

WHY STREET SWEEPING IS IMPORTANT

Not only does street sweeping keep our community looking great, but street sweeping helps remove trash and debris from the gutter and roadsides that would otherwise go into storm drains, causing water pollution in our creeks, wetlands, ocean, and beaches. The City’s street sweeping program is an important part of the solution to water pollution. Learn more about our other programs and what else you can do to help protect our watersheds.

OUR STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM

The City of Goleta is responsible for street sweeping the eastern portion of the City, and the western portion of the City is currently swept by the Goleta West Sanitary District (GWSD); view their calendar here. See the map and schedules below or click here.

Help us do a better job on street sweeping day:

  • Bookmark this page or print the schedules for easy reference. Memorizing your zone and schedule will also be helpful.
  • Move vehicles off the street on street sweeping day. Set a reminder if you need to!
  • Remove basketball backboards, trash cans, and any other obstructions.

The City hopes that these notices will encourage voluntary cooperation to avoid the need for enforcement. A clean sweep helps keep your street looking great and prevents debris from entering storm drains and causing creek and ocean pollution. If you have any questions, please contact the Environmental Services Division at environmentalservices@cityofgoleta.org


City of Goleta Street Sweeping Map

Let’s Read This Summer!

The 2021 Online Summer Reading Program kicks off June 5th at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries

The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries are excited to launch the 2021 Online Summer Reading Program! Community members of all ages are invited to participate in this eight-week program full of great reading, fantastic prizes, and fun livestreamed shows for the whole family.

The program, which will run through Saturday, July 31st, will be held completely online through Beanstack, a website and app where you can track your reading. Readers who have used Beanstack for previous reading programs at the library can simply log in to their existing Beanstack account and sign up for the Summer Reading Program, and new users can create a free account in just a few steps. Visit goletavalleylibrary.beanstack.org or download the free app for Apple and Android devices to start logging your books on June 5th.

To encourage participants to keep reading all summer long, many local businesses and organizations have generously donated prizes that readers can earn as they log books in their Beanstack accounts. Participants at Goleta Valley Library will receive their prizes in the mail, and participants at Buellton and Solvang Libraries will pick up their prizes in person during Sidewalk Service/Express Service hours Wednesdays – Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Fabulous online shows will be livestreamed through the libraries’ social media channels through the end of July, including special visits from children’s musicians, a magician, puppeteers, and even the zoo! Details about all of the performances this summer are available on the library Events Calendar.

Teens in search of volunteer opportunities can earn community service hours by submitting book reviews that will be posted on the library website and by volunteering through the Teen Graphic Novel Club, which meets once a month online to discuss all things illustrated. Details on Teen Volunteer Opportunities are available here.

The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries extend their heartfelt gratitude to each of this year’s Summer Reading partners: Albertson’s, Birkholm’s Bakery, The Book Loft, California Pizza Kitchen Casa Cassara Winery & Vineyard, Chipotle, The Clique, Coffee House by Chomp, Dana V. Wines, Ellen’s Pancake House, The Elverhoj Museum, The Friends of the Goleta Valley Library, The Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley, The Giving Ink, The Good Seed Coffee Boutique, Ingeborg’s Danish Chocolates, Islands Burgers, Kyle’s Kitchen, Los Arroyos, Mesaburger, Mother Hubbard’s, The Mystic Merchant, Nathalie’s Dollhouse, Natural Café, Nothing Bundt Cakes, New Frontiers Natural Marketplace, Old Town Coffee, Pattibakes, Santa Barbara Axxess, Solvang Bakery, Solvang Flavors, Space VR, Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA, Swedish Candy Factory, SYV Essential Oils, The SYV Historical Museum, and The Wildling Museum. We appreciate your support and we’re looking forward to a great summer!