Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Join Us for Coastal Cleanup Day on September 18!

Are you looking for a fun and easy way to give back to Goleta? Join us for Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 18th from 9:00 a.m. – noon. Watch our video in English or Spanish to see why our team captains hope to see you and what you need to know before you go! Please bring a face covering – they are required at check in and check out. Don’t wait, sign up here to participate! Also, you don’t have to wait until September 18th to participate, you can help clean up our beaches anytime throughout September and have the trash you pick up tracked on the Clean Swell app. 

 

New Goleta Valley Library Book Van Drives into Isla Vista!

The Goleta Valley Library is excited to launch a new book van for service in Isla Vista beginning October 4! The book van will include a collection of physical books and other materials, as well as allow patrons to place holds for delivery from the Library’s entire collection utilizing the online system Black Gold. The book van is being detailed now and we can’t wait for you to see it when it’s finished! A schedule will soon be available at each stop and on the Library’s Calendar of Events.

The Goleta Valley Library was extremely fortunate to receive a $200,000 California State Library grant to provide library services to the Isla Vista area, courtesy of Senator Monique Limón. After conversations with the community, research, and much deliberation, the decision was made to purchase a Sprinter van with the goal of turning it into a book van that would make regular visits to a wide variety of sites in Isla Vista including IVCSD Community Center, Friendship Manor, UCSB, Isla Vista Elementary School, the St. George Teen Center, several parks, and more.

Community members can sign up for a library card directly with the book van when it begins service in order to begin checking out books and other materials. The library’s website www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org has a lot of great offerings for patrons as well, including many available for download. Learn about all of the great online options available from the Goleta Valley Library website with our show and tell video. Library Director Allison Gray shows you how easy it is to find everything you could possibly need. Watch now in English or Spanish.

Goleta Valley Art Association Presents Summer’s End

The Goleta Valley Art Association is moving ahead with celebrating its vision of ‘Bringing Art to the Community’ virtually. Be sure and check out “Summer’s End,” happening now online through November. “Summer’s End” features a collection of paintings from local award-winning artists. View the online show here to  look for something for yourself or a friend. You can even get a jump on your holiday shopping! #GoodLandGoodShopping

On August 21 the Goleta Valley Art Association hosted an all-day outdoor art show at La Cumbre Plaza in cooperation with the three galleries of the La Cumbre Center for Creative Arts (LCAAA). Several of the LCCCA artists also are members of GVAA. For the 15 years prior to 2020, the organization held its summer show at Stow House in Goleta. With no show in 2020 due to the pandemic, it gave the association pause to reconsider a new vision for the show. 

As the community cautiously begins to see schools back in session, GVAA is also looking forward to the day when members can continue a long-established after-school program for Goleta Union School District students. The program, still on hiatus, features GVAA members who go into the schools and teach art projects so children have the opportunity to develop and share their creative talents with the guidance of our members.

Click here to learn more about the Goleta Valley Art Association.

Pictured: Artwork by GVAA member Holly Hungett, “Breathe with the Earth” (above) and the GVAA Team right-to-left (below): Elizabeth Flanagan (President), Pat Heller (Events Coordinator), Terre Sanitate (Vice President), and Jan Smith (New Members Chair)

 

#VaccinateGoleta COVID-19 Update

As of August 30, 2021, 64.5% of eligible (12 years and older) Santa Barbara County residents are fully vaccinated. There is still a lot of work to do. Please help #VaccinateGoleta by getting vaccinated yourself if you haven’t already, and encourage your friends and family to do so. Mayor Paula Perotte and all of the Goleta City Council members share the importance of getting vaccinated in our #VaccinateGoleta video message available in English and Spanish.

Recent studies confirm that the Delta variant is spreading more quickly in those not fully vaccinated. Of the COVID-related hospitalizations between May and July, 88 percent are people who are unvaccinated people. Approximately one in three eligible community members is unvaccinated. An increase is being seen in children under the age of 12. The best way for families to keep young children safe is to ensure that everyone in the household who can gets vaccinated. View the Santa Barbara County Community Data Dashboard for more information and learn more about COVID-19 variants here.

For information on the vaccine, including walk-in Community Vaccination Clinics, or how to make an appointment at a local pharmacy, please visit https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine/.

CA Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program Rounds 8 & 9

Round 8 for nonprofit cultural institutions is currently open; Round 9 for new and waitlisted applications opens September 9

California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), previously announced additional rounds for the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program.

Round 8: Nonprofit cultural institutions only
  • Application window: Friday, August 27 through Wednesday, September 8 
  • Eligible applicants: Only nonprofit cultural institutions of any revenue size that meet eligibility criteria found at CAReliefGrant.com.
  • Eligible grant award: $5,000 – $25,000
  • Details: Approximately $16 million remain under the Nonprofit Cultural Institutions Program. Eligible nonprofit cultural institutions must complete a new application even if they already applied in Rounds 1, 2, 5 or 6; nonprofit cultural institutions that applied in Round 4 do not need to reapply.  Grants will only be available to nonprofit cultural institutions that did not receive funding in any previous rounds. Grants will be prioritized based on the documented percentage revenue declines based on a reporting period comparing Q2 and Q3 of 2020 versus Q2 and Q3 of 2019.
Round 9: New Applicants and Waitlisted applicants from certain previous rounds
  • Application window: Thursday, September 9 through Thursday, September 30
  • Eligible applicants: Current waitlisted applicants from certain previous rounds and new applicants that meet eligibility criteria found at CAReliefGrant.com.
  • Eligible grant award: $5,000 – $25,000
  • Details: Applicants not selected to move forward in the review process in Rounds 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, or 7 do not need to re-apply and will be automatically moved into Round 9. New applicants will need to apply at CAReliefGrant.com.

Cox Offers Programs to Help Access Affordable Internet

Need affordable internet access? Cox Communications is participating in the FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) program to help you get connected.

The Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) is a federal program to provide internet connectivity to students, school staff and library patrons while they are not on a school or library campus. Cox is offering a special ECF connectivity solution called Cox Home Connectivity for Education. Qualified customers can begin registering today on Cox.com/ECF.

For those receiving program approval, Cox’s ECF offering will equip customers with internet service with speeds of 50 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload and a wifi modem. The ECF program will subsidize costs for internet and equipment that the FCC determines are reasonable. Cox’s ECF offering will cost (per household) a one-time $20 equipment charge and $30 per month for internet service, with no term agreement, no deposit, and access to 3m+ Cox Hotspots nationwide until June 30, 2022.

For more information on the FCC’s ECF program, visit cox.com/ecf.

Additional Support Offerings to Improve At-Home Learning Experience

To further assist qualified families in need, Cox offers Connect2Compete (C2C), which is the company’s low-cost internet solution for families with school-aged children who are enrolled in government financial assistance programs. C2C is designed to create digital equity for students and families that may have previously lacked internet access in their homes. The program now provides download speeds of 50 Mbps to support families who qualify. Learn more and check if you qualify at cox.com/c2c.

Cox also participates in the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. Open to eligible Americans for a limited time, EBB is available to provide temporary financial assistance for internet service. Eligible families may qualify to receive up to $50 off their monthly bill based on their current internet service and equipment rental, or up to $75 if they live in a tribal area, for as long as government funds remain available. For more information on the FCC’s EBB program, visit cox.com/ebb.

To view a comparison of all three of the programs available, click here.

California Gubernatorial Recall Election on September 14

All Registered Voters in California Will Automatically Receive a Ballot in the Mail by September 7 

The California Gubernatorial Recall Election is on September 14, and all registered voters in Santa Barbara County should have received their Sample Ballot. If you are a registered voter and have not received your ballot, contact the Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters office at (805) 568-2200. 

Voters can verify the accuracy of their voter registration, including residential and mailing addresses, at sos.ca.gov/elections/registration-status or sbcvote.com. To make address and other updates to your registration, or for eligible citizens to register to vote, go to registertovote.ca.gov.

Voters are encouraged to complete their ballot and return it through one of the secure drop boxes located throughout the county. Drop boxes are available 24 hours per day until 8 p.m. on Election Day. To avoid concerns about postal delivery delays, voters are encouraged to utilize a drop box to return their ballot. A list of all drop box locations in Santa Barbara County are included with the vote ballot and posted at SBCVote.com.

Voters may mail their ballot with no postage required, postmarked by Election Day, September 14 and received by the county elections officials on or before September 21. The preprinted return address is the Santa Barbara County Elections Office.

Voters must remember to sign the ballot envelope. The signature on every returned voted ballot envelope will be compared to the signature on the voter’s registration record before it is counted.  If a voter thinks that their signature has changed over time, they should contact Santa Barbara Registrar of Voters at (805) 568-2200 or re-register online at registertovote.ca.gov. The Department of Motor Vehicles signature may be utilized with online voter registration. 

Santa Barbara County Elections is staffing polling place locations on Election Day for those voters requiring language assistance or who want to vote in person.  Voters must surrender their vote by mail ballot in order to vote at their polling place location. These sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, September 14. Facial coverings will be required. Voters have been assigned to polling place locations that will be listed on the back cover of the voter’s County Voter Information Guide. Voters can also use the Sample Ballot and Polling Place Look-up tool at SBCVote.com.

For information about becoming a poll worker at one of these sites, please call
(805) 568-2200 or go to countyofsb.org/care/elections/officers/information.sbc.

The three county election offices listed below are open for voting, voter registration and voter questions through Election Day, September 14. 

Santa Barbara, 4440-A Calle Real
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, except holidays

Lompoc, 401 E. Cypress St, Room 102
8:30 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday, except holidays

Santa Maria, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Suite 134
8 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, except holidays

The Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters Office wants to help make the voting process as easy as possible. For questions or assistance, please call (805) 568-2200.

Our Water Our World: Controlling Rats and Mice in your Home

There are plenty of reasons why it’s important to keep rodents out of and away from your home. Rats and mice can bring fleas, ticks, and germs that carry diseases. Rodents and their droppings can make allergies and asthma worse. Rats and mice will eat and contaminate your food, damage property, and can even cause fires by chewing on electrical wires in your walls or attic.

Prevention is key – keep rodents from getting into your home
  • Seal holes and cracks: Since a mouse can squeeze through a hole as thin as a pencil, and both rats and mice can chew a small hole into a larger one, be sure to seal or close off all cracks and crevices.
    • Close off large holes with sheet metal flashing, 1/4″ hardware cloth, plaster, or mortar.
    • Seal smaller holes with caulk, spackle, or cement.
    • Make sure there are no gaps around windows and doors. Use weather stripping and door sweeps if needed, and repair thresholds and windowsills. Keep outside doors and screen doors closed, especially at night.
  • Don’t give rodents a place to hide:
    • Throw away materials that rodents could use to make nests, like shredded paper, cotton or polyester batting, foam rubber, insulation, rags, and string—or keep in pest-proof containers.
    • Remove woodpiles, rock piles, and other debris piles. Store firewood and lumber at least 18″ above the ground and 18″ away from all structures.
    • Thin dense bushes and shrubs and remove heavy vine growth. Make sure tree and shrub branches are at least three feet away from buildings.
    • Get rid of ivy. Ivy provides shelter and food for rats. If you can’t remove it, cut it close to the ground.
    • Use rodent-proof compost bins and never put meat in the compost.
    • Standing water attracts thirsty rodents (and breeds mosquitoes). Turn over empty flowerpots, and remove tires stored outdoors or drill holes in them so water can drain.

How do you know whether you have a rodent problem? You may see a mouse or rat, smell them, or hear them chewing and scampering at night in walls and ceilings. Look for droppings, signs of gnawing, and the nests rats and mice make from shredded paper, cloth, or insulation. You may find rat burrows in the ground outside.

Get rid of rodents
  • Remove or clean up food that attracted the rodents. Remove clutter.
  • Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink—either wash or keep them in the dishwasher with the door closed.
  • Keep food (for people and pets) in the refrigerator or in containers made of glass, metal, or heavy plastic with tight-fitting lids. Store birdseed, and grass seed in pest-proof containers.
  • Remove and clean pet dishes after pets have eaten. Do not leave pet food out overnight, especially outside.
  • Empty garbage often. Outside, keep trash and recycling in rodent-proof cans with closed, tight-fitting lids.
  • Fix leaking faucets and pipes—rats and mice get thirsty too.
  • Set traps. Use snap traps or battery-operated electrocution traps instead of glue boards. Glue-trapped animals don’t die immediately; the glue boards may catch other animals (such as cats) that try to eat the trapped rodents.
If you need to call a professional

Call a pest management professional (PMP) that offers less-toxic solutions to all pest problems (integrated pest management, or IPM).

  • Ask for a thorough inspection to find out where rodents are getting in and what they are eating.
  • Ask the PMP to try trapping rodents before using poisons that are bad for people, pets, and the environment.
  • Whatever method they use, make sure the company will return to remove dead rodents.
  • Insist on pest-proofing services, such as blocking rodent entry points.

For a listing of pest control companies providing IPM services, go to www.ecowisecertified.org or greenshieldcertified.org.

Find more information on controlling rats and mice with eco-friendly products in our OWOW brochures in English and Spanish. 

The City of Goleta along with the Cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and the County of Santa Barbara have partnered with the OWOW organization to promote the use of less-toxic products in an effort to reduce pesticide pollution in our communities. By reducing pesticide use and the use of less-toxic products around the home, you can help reduce pesticides and other pollutants such as herbicides and fertilizers from being picked up while watering or when it rains and transported to the nearest storm drain inlet and into our waterways. The OWOW website is user-friendly and a great resource for finding less-toxic products to use around your home or garden.

Participate in Goleta EZ Bike Demo Days in September and October

Electric bikes make it easier to include biking as part of your everyday life; they are fun to ride, they get you where you are going quickly and sweat-free (no special clothes!), you get easy and free parking, and they are a great way to fight climate change by reducing traffic and pollution.

Goleta Valley residents and employers are invited to take advantage of Goleta EZ Bike Demo Days in September and October, featuring special e-bike activities and free 5 day-loans from the EZ Bike Project. The EZ Bike Project, (a program of SBCAG Traffic Solutions), normally operates in downtown Santa Barbara, which makes Goleta EZ Bike Demo Days a unique opportunity for locals to access the activities without having to leave Goleta.

Goleta e-bike demo activities include Variety Hours, 5-Day E-Bike Loans, and Taco Tuesday Demo Rides. And all of them are free!

Can you make an e-bike your daily driver? What about your commute to work or the school drop-off with the kids? Can you take it to the market? EZ Bike will help you answer these questions and more.

Register at www.EZBike.org or email info@TrafficSolutions.org for more information. The EZ Bike Project is limited to residents and employees in Santa Barbara County ages 14+.

Photo: Trek Verve+ 3 overlooking the Santa Barbara Airport/Goleta Slough courtesy of Steve Miley

Receive Earthquake Warnings with the MyShake App

This summer, don’t let an earthquake catch you off guard! The California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) launched the first ever statewide public earthquake warning system, Earthquake Warning California. Californians can receive earthquake warnings with the state’s free MyShake App, which can be downloaded on the Apple App Store or Google Play on smartphones or tablets. The MyShake App is currently available in English and Spanish, with other languages in the works. The technology links mobile devices with ground sensors to send warnings to those in the nearby area when significant shaking is detected so that individuals have a few extra moments to take protective actions, such as to drop, cover, and hold on.

Earthquake Warning California also includes Android Earthquake Alerts that are built into new and updated Android devices and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) for WEA-capable mobile devices. Cal OES encourages individuals with WEA-capable mobile devices to still download the MyShake App, since the MyShake App and Android Earthquake Alerts are issued when a magnitude 4.5 earthquake is anticipated, while WEAs will alert users when a 5.0 magnitude earthquake is expected.

How does it work?

The MyShake App uses technology that includes seismic sensors located deep in the ground. When shaking is detected, the system issues a warning to nearby mobile devices. For this reason, MyShake App and Android Earthquake Alert users must set their app location settings to “always on” to ensure they receive an earthquake warning even if the app isn’t open.

The MyShake App and Android Earthquake Alerts issue warnings when a 4.5 magnitude earthquake is anticipated, while WEAs are sent when a 5.0 magnitude earthquake is expected. The length of warning depends on a number of factors, including how big the earthquake is, how deep it started in the earth, how close the seismic sensors are to each other, and how quickly the data can move from the seismic sensors to MyShake users.

There may be times where an alert is issued and no shaking is felt. Cal OES reminds Californians to always react with the assumption that shaking is about to occur when they receive an alert. Do not take shelter in a doorway, near glass windows, or large structures that can be compromised in an earthquake, such as freeway overpasses.

When you receive an earthquake warning alert or start to feel shaking, be sure to drop, cover, and hold on until shaking stops. When seeking cover, make sure your entire body is underneath a sturdy table or desk, or get down near an interior wall or low-lying furniture that will not topple over. If driving, safely pull over to the side of the road and pull the parking brake. With appropriate planning and preparation, you can be one step ahead of an earthquake, prevent injuries, and help build a resilient community.

To learn more about Earthquake Warning California, the MyShake App, or the other earthquake warning resources, visit earthquake.ca.gov.