Spring Arts! As the Pandemic Surge Lulls, Both Virtual and In-Person Arts Activities Are Ready to Bring You Joy [11] by CALEB WISEBLOOD
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NORTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY’S NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY > MARCH 4 - MARCH 11, 2021 > VOL. 22 NO. 1 > WWW.SANTAMARIASUN.COM VISIT US ONLINE @santamariasun.com. AT THE MOVIES SIGN UP for E-Newsletter(s) LIKE US on Facebook FOLLOW US on Instagram FOLLOW US on Twitter I Care A Lot: Dark fun [22] 1 Spring arts! As the pandemic surge lulls, both virtual and in-person arts activities are ready to bring you joy [11] BY CALEB WISEBLOOD Trying new things to A connection Homemade pasta, NEWS house the homeless [6] ARTS to home [20] EATS delivered [23] MARCH 4 - MARCH 11, 2021 VOL. 22 NO. 1 he Sun’s annual Spring Arts issue brings you arts, music, and craft events from across the Central Coast. With the pandemic going but possibly waning, arts Ready Tevents are still mostly virtual, but some in-person events are happening too! Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood compiled all the creativity Northern Santa Barbara and San for Luis Obispo counties can muster just so you can say hello to WHALE OF A TIME: Fallbrook-based 2 a new spring with style [11]. artist Skye Wright is showcasing her fine art digital paintings at the Gallery You can also read about the creative ways Santa at Marina Square in Morro Bay through Summer? Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties have tried to tackle Monday, March 29. Call (805) 772-1068 homelessness during the pandemic [6]; Cal Poly’s virtual or visit galleryatmarinasquare.com for showcases that are close to home [20]; and handmade pastas more info. We are! delivered to your door [23]. Camillia Lanham Apply today for Summer 2021! editor April 20th Application Deadline Cover courtesy image by Skye Wright > Cover design by Alex Zuniga NEWS ARTS slolaw.org News Briefs ........................................................4 Arts Briefs ........................................................20 Political Watch ...................................................4 Spotlight .............................................................8 MOVIES Reviews ............................................................22 OPINION Web Poll .............................................................9 Mayfield .............................................................9 CLASSIFIEDS, HOME, AND Canary ..............................................................10 REAL ESTATE .......................................25 Your community. Your law school. Your future. EVENTS CALENDAR Hot Stuff ..........................................................17 SINCE 2000 Cottage quality. Urgent care. HELP SUPPORT OUR MISSION Now Open in Santa Maria Informative, accurate, and independent journalism takes time and costs money. Help us keep our community aware and connected by donating today. www.santamariasun.com What’s Your Take? This week’s online poll We know you’ve got an opinion. 3/4–3/11 NOW OPEN Cottage clinical providers Everybody’s got one! Cottage Urgent Care Goal of complete care in 45 minutes Where should Santa Barbara County be focusing its efforts to Santa Maria Walk-ins and online appointments help the local homeless community? Located at 1846 X-ray and lab services N. Broadway, Suite A m Open 8 a.m.–8 p.m., 365 days a year Secure federal funding to get more relief projects off the ground. m Provide temporary housing in hotels. m Revamp the once-successful safe parking program. m Strengthen partnerships with existing organizations and shelters. cottagehealth.org/urgentcare Enter your choice online at: SantaMariaSun.com 2 • Sun • March 4 - March 11, 2021 • www.santamariasun.com 3 www.santamariasun.com • March 4 - March 11, 2021 • Sun • 3 SPOTLIGHT 8 BRIEFS FILE PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM Political Watch • On Feb. 27, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) voted with 218 House colleagues to pass the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 4 relief package. The funds will “help facilitate students’ safe return to the classroom, distribute more vaccines, support workers and hard-hit small businesses, and deliver another round of direct stimulus payments to assist families and boost our economy,” according to a statement from Carbajal’s office. “The need for another round of COVID-19 relief resources has been apparent for months. Central Coast businesses have shuttered, workers have been laid off, and our children are falling behind in school,” Carbajal said in the statement. “More families face eviction and food insecurity with each passing day. State and local government representatives have told me they need more federal assistance to provide essential services and roll out vaccines. Today, I’m pleased to say more help is on the way.” Gov. Gavin Newsom released a statement commending the act’s passage. “I applaud President Biden and Speaker Pelosi on the passage of the American Rescue Plan, … a measure that complements the state’s immediate stimulus package I signed this week,” Newsom said in the statement. “I urge the Senate to now do its part and quickly approve this measure. … The path to recovery for all Americans remains uncertain, and now isn’t the time to slow down the support that people need.” STILL VIRTUAL: Santa Maria-Bonita School District isn’t ready to return to in-person instruction yet, school officials say, but may be required to do so by mid-April. • Gov. Gavin Newsom recently outlined a plan to dedicate at least 10 percent of the vaccine supply to a Feb. 24 special meeting, school board members vaccinated. While Santa Barbara County opened education workers beginning March 1. “The education Some North County schools and district leadership met virtually to discuss up its first vaccine clinics for educators during the professionals who nurture and support our children return to in-person, why the district isn’t ready yet. week of March 1, availability remains limited. deserve to be and have been prioritized for vaccines, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional “I am concerned about going back to school and I am proud to accelerate those efforts in all 58 Santa Maria-Bonita isn’t yet Services Melissa Dutra said that SMBSD is opting without being vaccinated,” El Camino Junior counties,” Newsom said in a Feb. 25 statement. “Our High teacher Elizabeth Martinez said in a While Orcutt Union School District and to watch and learn from other large districts that top priority is getting students back in the classroom as written public comment. “Being of Native Lompoc Unified School District are set to are outside of Santa Barbara County. safely and quickly as possible, and the expanded access American heritage, I’ve had five members of my reopen for elementary grade level in-person “We are a big district,” Dutra said. “We can’t to vaccines will build on the momentum and confidence instruction early next week, Santa Maria-Bonita look at our local districts and say, ‘Let’s do what family lose their battle with COVID over the that we can do so with urgency.” While counties have School District (SMBSD) will remain at a they’re doing,’ because we’re different.” past year. … The district needs to take steps to been authorized to vaccinate education workers in distance for the time being. However, new state legislation may force the make sure their staff has a fighting chance to California since January, according to the statement, not According to state guidelines, once a county district to move more quickly on a return to the survive this virus.” all counties have had enough vaccine supply to do so. “To brings its adjusted case rate per 100,000 classroom. Assembly Bill 86 and Senate Bill 86 are —Malea Martin ensure communities throughout the state are prioritizing population to under 25 for five consecutive days, companion bills in California that passed in mid- education workers, the state will true-up local efforts transitional kindergarten (TK) through sixth January and require all schools to offer optional Santa Barbara County to the 10 percent minimum through dedicated access grades can reopen for in-person instruction. As in-person instruction to certain vulnerable groups of students across all grade levels by April to myturn.ca.gov,” the statement said. My Turn is a of March 2, Santa Barbara County’s case rate sat successfully vaccinated 15, SMBSD Superintendent Luke Ontiveros said website where Californians can find out if they’re eligible at 13, giving elementary schools the green light to return to in-person. at the meeting. The bills also require all schools in nearly 500 farmworkers for COVID-19 vaccination, schedule appointments, and red, orange, and yellow tier counties to reopen K Before reopening, districts are required The Santa Barbara County Public Health sign up for notifications. “Vaccines will be directed to through 6 instruction by April 15. to have their school safety plans approved Department launched its first trilingual, tri- counties and school communities weighted by equity, “It’s likely in another six weeks, we may, if by the Santa Barbara County Public Health cultural COVID-19 vaccine pilot program on including the proportion of students from low-income this trend continues, we may be in the red tier,” Department, county Superintendent of Schools Feb. 28, providing vaccinations to nearly 500 families, English learners, and homeless youth,” the Ontiveros said. “And at that point, we will be Dr. Susan Salcido wrote in a Feb. 18 letter. farmworkers in Santa Maria. statement added. “In turn, education workers will qualify required at a K [through] 6 level to open.” Both the Lompoc and Orcutt school districts Public Health Department spokesperson for vaccine prioritization based on