Category: Health

Bilingual report — Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura counties request removal from Southern California Region Stay Home Order

The Board of Supervisors from San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties on Dec. 8 issued a letter to state health officials and California Governor Gavin Newsom to request a separate Central Coast Region composed of the three counties. The letter requests that the Central Coast Region be allowed to exit the regional stay home order as a region after three weeks if the ICU capacity in the three counties exceeds 15 percent.

“The letter being sent to state officials is an accurate measure of our regional distinction through both geography and demographics,” stated Gregg Hart, Chair of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. “We are best positioned to understand the critical needs within our region and have existing partnerships to promote the health and economic well-being of our communities.”

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Dec. 8

Good Evening, There are 308 new cases for today (7 (2.3%) of which have a lab collection from 12/1 or earlier) 1,936 additional people tested and 6 additional deaths (5 males and 1 female between the ages of 51-93, all but one with comorbidities). Current doubling time is 47.9. Current hospitalizations are 142 and current ICU is 40.

The State’s Stay Home Order is in effect. Learn more about the order by clicking here.

Please continue to wear a mask, social distance, wash hands frequently and avoid gatherings to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

A press conference will take place on 12/9/20 at 1pm. It will be streamed at www.venturacountyrecovers.org and Facebook @CountyofVentura.

A testing location update will be sent to update on any closures for tomorrow. Today, there were closures due to adverse weather.

The First Year of Latino COVID-19 Deaths: Why Should Anyone Care?

During its first year, the coronavirus has ravaged Latino families and communities in California and other states far more seriously than it has non-Latino populations.

How much worse? For example, Latinos make up 39.3% of California’s population (15.5 million people), yet they constitute a far larger percentage (48.5%) of all COVID-19?related deaths in the state. In contrast, non-Hispanic whites make up 36.6% of California’s population (14.5 million people), but have accounted for only 30.4% of all the state’s COVID-19 deaths.

Ventura County Fire Receives Federal Grant to Provide Dual Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms, Fire Prevention Education to High Risk Communities

The Ventura County Fire Department has been awarded a $205,000 FEMA grant to support a county-wide campaign for the installation of dual smoke and carbon monoxide alarms while expanding fire prevention education. The department’s goal is to improve health and safety in our communities and reduce home damage.

Bilingual report — Director of Ventura County Health Care Agency Announces Retirement

Bill Foley, Director of the Ventura County Health Care Agency, has announced his retirement effective March 6, 2021. He plans to stay on in an advisory role. “Under his leadership, the Ventura County Medical System is on a path towards financial stability. He led the revitalization efforts for Santa Paula Hospital and the preliminary planning for an integrated healthcare campus at the Harvest site in Eastern Santa Paula,” said County Executive Officer Mike Powers. “Additionally, he has led efforts to explore meaningful strategic partnerships with other health care systems in the market. Bill has worked hard during his tenure to position our healthcare system to continue to be an essential provider of health care services for our community members. After his retirement, I am very pleased that Bill has agreed to serve in an advisory capacity to me and Health Care Agency leadership regarding several critical projects and issues.”

CSUCI alumnus attracts national attention with longevity study on Black versus white population 

Black men in Washington D.C. tend to die 17 years sooner than white men according to a nationally-recognized study conducted by 2015 CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Sociology graduate Max Roberts, who is now pursuing a Ph.D. at Utah State University (USU). 

Overall, the gap in life expectancy between Black and white Americans has been shrinking in the U.S., but Roberts pointed out that those statistics conceal ongoing disparities, with the most alarming results coming out of Washington D.C., where, in 2016, the longevity gap between Black and white men was more than 400% greater than the national gap, with white men living over 17 more years than Black men.   

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Potential PSPS and Stay Home Order in Effect

Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) notification issued by Southern California Edison for several parts of southern Santa Barbara County, including Santa Barbara, Mission Canyon, Montecito, and Carpinteria; PSPS Outages May Occur as Soon as 9PM Tonight (Monday, December 7)

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update — The State’s Stay Home Order is in effect

The State’s Stay Home Order is in effect. Learn more about the order by clicking here.

Please continue to wear a mask, social distance, wash hands frequently and avoid gatherings to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

An update will be provided to the Board of Supervisors on 12/8/20. View the meeting beginning at 8:30 am by clicking here.

Counties of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Seek to Exit State’s Large Southern California Region Under the Stay Home Order to Create Smaller Central Coast Region

The County of Ventura, Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County will be seeking State approval to separate from the large Southern California Region under the State’s Stay Home Order to create a smaller tri-county Central Coast Region. The Counties will be submitting a unified request for the smaller regional approach if the tri-county ICU capacity exceeds 15% in the next three weeks. At that time the Counties will request to be assessed based on the tri-county ICU capacity and not the Southern California Regional ICU capacity.

Gold Coast Health Plan — Medi-Cal Pharmacy Program Implementation Extended by Three Months

The timeline for Gold Coast Health Plan’s pharmacy program transition has been extended to April 1, 2021.

The new program by the state Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), known as Medi-Cal Rx, will carve-out all prescription benefits from managed care plans like GCHP. Upon implementation, all pharmacy claims will be submitted directly to the state via its pharmacy benefit manager, Magellan Medicaid Administration, Inc. DHCS announced the new implantation date last month, citing “the ongoing uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency” for its decision to extend the timeline.

Ventura County Board of Supervisors to hold Special meeting on Dec. 8

IN RESPONSE TO THE DECLARED STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCIES DUE TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S RECENT ORDER TO LIMIT INDOOR OPERATIONS AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE TO HELP SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19, THE HALL OF ADMINISTRATION IS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. TO FIND OUT HOW YOU MAY ELECTRONICALLY ATTEND THE BOARD MEETING AND PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE REFER TO PAGE 2 OF THIS AGENDA

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update – Stay Home Order Issued

The State of California’s Stay Home Order will go into effect on Sunday, December 6 at midnight in Ventura County and in all Counties in Southern California, after the Southern California Region’s hospital ICU capacity dropped below 15%. The order closes many businesses and activities and urges people to stay at home whenever possible.

The California Department of Public Health reported on Friday evening that Southern California’s ICU capacity dropped to 13.1%, triggering the Stay Home Order.

State’s Stay Home Order Triggered in Southern California Region, Effective December 6, Midnight

The State of California’s Stay Home Order will go into effect on Sunday, December 6 at midnight in Ventura County and in all Counties in Southern California, after the Southern California Region’s hospital ICU capacity dropped below 15%. The order closes many businesses and activities and urges people to stay at home whenever possible.

The California Department of Public Health reported on Friday evening that Southern California’s ICU capacity dropped to 13.1%, triggering the Stay Home Order.

Santa Barbara County Food Action Network Holiday Newsletter

We are collaborating with Santa Barbara County farmers markets, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and Edible Santa Barbara to celebrate this season, while supporting our local farmers, ranchers, fisherfolk, and food artisans during the pandemic. Together, we have created a “Stay Home (and Eat Local) for the Holidays” Shopping Guide, which includes in-season recipes by Edible Santa Barbara to plan your fresh, beautiful and nutritious holiday meal. The guide also features suggested budgets based on the size of your small gathering; sample menus with basic preparations; and a shopping list with an easy to follow market map to use at your local farmers market!

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — COVID-19 Regional Stay Home Order

It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to clarify what you are likely hearing in the news. The Regional Stay Home Order, announced December 3, will go into effect within 24 hours in regions with less than 15% ICU availability. It prohibits private gatherings of any size, closes sector operations except for critical infrastructure and retail, and requires 100% masking and physical distancing in all others.

The order will remain in effect for at least 3 weeks and, after that period, will be lifted when a region’s projected ICU capacity meets or exceeds 15%. This will be assessed on a weekly basis after the initial 3 week period. Learn more about this order.

EDC Business Alert- COVID-19 Updates & Small Business Resources

Governor Newsom addressed the State of California yesterday, Thursday December 3rd regarding the new Regional Stay Home Order. This affects regions with less than 15% ICU availability. Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles Counties are in the Southern California Region, which is at 20.6% ICU capacity remaining as of December 3, 2020. It is anticipated this Region will reach the metrics by early December. All three counties remain in the Purple Tier at the time being, but each have their own protocol regarding this new order. Please refer to your specific county’s communications in regards to business operations. For more information CLICK HERE.

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation Launches Season of Hope to Help Families Facing Pediatric Cancer during the Holidays

The holidays can be tough on families, especially this year during the pandemic and it has been even tougher for families in the Tri-Counties who have a child facing pediatric cancer. In light of this, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) has launched “Season of Hope,” a campaign that will run now through the holidays to help give these families a joyful holiday season and support them with basic needs going into 2021.

During this challenging year, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) has been providing even more services for families, including money for rent assistance, grocery gift cards, additional emotional support groups with licensed therapists, virtual and in-person tutoring, meals and care package delivery, and virtual family fun events to keep their kids engaged. Community support has made it possible for TBCF to provide additional financial assistance to families severely affected by the pandemic.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Dec. 3 — Regional Stay Home Order

Today the Governor announced a Regional Stay Home Order, it will go into effect within 48 hours in regions with less than 15% ICU availability. It prohibits private gatherings of any size, closes sector operations except for critical infrastructure and retail, and requires 100% masking and physical distancing in all others.

The order will remain in effect for at least 3 weeks and, after that period, will be lifted when a region’s projected ICU capacity meets or exceeds 15%. This will be assessed on a weekly basis after the initial 3-week period. Learn more about this order.

The State projects the Southern California Region, including Ventura County, to fall below 15% capacity as soon as tomorrow, and likely within a week.
When a region is placed under an order, these sectors will be closed:

EDC Partner News- CSUCI Entrepreneur Survey

In collaboration with a group of international researchers, CSU Channel Islands Entrepreneurship & Small Business Institute is studying how entrepreneurs deal with the consequences of COVID-19 during this most unusual year.

This research focuses on the impact of emotional intelligence and resiliency on entrepreneurial well-being world-wide during a black swan event. Upon taking an 8-minute survey you can see your scores for emotional intelligence and resilience. You can opt in to receive information via email to learn more about what your scores mean and to explore the range of results from the study.

Pioneer Valley High School Senior AVID student, Evelyn Letona Robles, won the prestigious QuestBridge Match Scholarship which entitles her to a full-ride scholarship to Yale University

A PVHS AVID student who achieved high school greatness despite many challenges has been rewarded with a full-ride scholarship to Yale University.

Evelyn Letona Robles, ranked first in the Class of 2021 with a weighted GPA of 4.83, won the prestigious QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship. The program connects high-achieving seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to the nation’s top educational institutions.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Dec. 1

Good Evening, There are 127 new cases today, 2,111 additional people have been tested and there have been 2 additional deaths (98 year old male and 85 year old female). Our thoughts are with the families of those who have passed away. Current doubling time is 48.4 days. There are 103 people in the hospital and 29 in the ICU.

Santa Barbara County Food Action Network — Support local food system resilience by donating to SBCFAN

Local is always in season! We work year-round to support efforts that strengthen our local food system.

Give back this holiday season by donating to our ongoing work of connecting, aligning and activating a network of food system actors to develop a robust local food economy, a healthy and just community, and a well-stewarded, resilient foodshed.

Friendship Center — December Newsletter – Holiday Hacks for Happiness

“We are very thankful for the caring wonderful people that work at Friendship Center who have brought many great moments to my life. Your Staff are always willing to go beyond what is expected and that is what Makes Friendship Center!”
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“We want to thank all the staff and everyone that worked so hard to put together and deliver such a wonderful lunch. There was enough food to serve not only Jon and myself but also for my frail 86 year old mom and my step-dad Jay, who is on hospice at home. Jay loved the lunch and was able to eat all of his. For Jay, the pecan pie brought back happy memories of his mom who had a pecan tree in the front yard and made delicious pecan pies. It was a story we never heard before and it made him happy to share it with us.

Bilingual report — Community Health Centers of the Central Coast Receives Quality of Care Awards

CenCal Health, the publicly-sponsored health plan for Medi-Cal in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, annually recognizes the work of local network physicians and healthcare centers through its Primary Care Providers (PCP) Incentive Top Performer Awards. The awards acknowledge PCPs across both counties who provide high-quality healthcare and control utilization costs for assigned patients from the health plan’s membership. There are four award categories: pediatrics, family practice, internal medicine, and federally-qualified health centers. The awards are based on 2019 performance scores with the results announced to providers in 2020.

Casa De Vida’s Year-End Update

As you all know, this year has been a year like no other, and it has been no exception for Casa De Vida. Yet, the Casa De Vida Board, Staff and myself have been left in awe as we have seen how God has continued to keep His hand upon this ministry.

This year marks our 15th anniversary, and we are truly grateful for God’s keeping power and the support and love from all our friends, families and business associates who have supported Casa De Vida in one way or another.

With Covid-19 we have had to make adjustments to the home’s daily schedule for precautionary measures. Family visits have been altered to shorter time periods and confined to one area of the house for the safety of everyone’s health. Church attendance, inside and outside AA/NA meetings turned into Zoom meetings. The zoom meetings have been great for the men because it has allowed them to interact with others throughout the United States who also struggle with addiction.

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice to present virtual 36th annual ‘Light Up A Life’ celebration on Dec. 3

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice will present a virtual 36th annual “Light Up A Life — Remember & Celebrate the Life of Someone Special,” from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3

An important part of our Light Up a Life season has always been the four memorial programs we hold throughout Ventura County.

Out of an abundance of caution and respect for the safety of the families who attend, Livingston will hold a virtual program this year. Although we cannot gather in person, we can still honor those we hold close to our hearts and feel gratitude for the beautiful ways they enriched our lives.

Port of Hueneme – Thanksgiving Greetings

During this Thanksgiving holiday we reflect on the adversities many of us have faced during this unprecedented year. Through it all, we have seen first-hand the strength in unity with all our Port partners and with you, our amazing community! We are thankful for our customers, our community partners and our amazing Port team! Together, our #CommittedToCommunity Drive has helped provide food and resources to 26,000 families and over 760,000 pounds of produce. We intend to continue and stand alongside our community during these challenging times. Together, we will overcome and conquer this challenge together.
 
The Port crew wishes all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update — Wishing our community a safe Holiday! Please wear a mask, social distance and only gather with members of your household

Wishing our community a safe Holiday! Please wear a mask, social distance and only gather with members of your household. Your actions are saving lives and keeping businesses open.

Today, volunteers helped deliver special Holiday meals for the most vulnerable populations in Ventura County. More than 150 volunteers from across the community and from County agencies helped with this effort.

Nearly 1,000 deliveries and a total of 3,000 meals were provided. Along with the meals each recipient received a homemade holiday greeting card. The cards were received as part of the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging Holiday Greetings Campaign. Nearly 1,000 cards were received from children and adults alike from throughout the County.

CSUCI now offers master’s in Nursing

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) welcomed its inaugural class to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in the fall of 2020. Within the program, students can choose between two different concentrations: Nurse Educator and Family Nurse Practitioner. Nurses who already have a master’s degree in nursing may choose to complete post-master’s certificates in Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Educator.

CSUCI is the only university in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties to offer an MSN program or a Post-Master’s Certificate program.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Thanksgiving Reflections, COVID Update, Racial Equity Hearing, and More!

Happy Thanksgiving.

What do you feel seeing those words? Angry? Sad? Hopeful? Or a combination of all three? I thought it would be good to go back to when the national holiday was established – back in a time when Americans were grappling with political divisions greater than any before, the legacy of racism, and experiencing death and economic hardship unlike any time in our history.

United Way of Santa Barbara County Partners with Albertsons to Deliver 40 Thanksgiving Meals

Every year, Albertsons stores collects donations to help buy local families a Thanksgiving meal. This year, United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) has partnered with Albertsons in Goleta onCalle Real, for their annual Turkey Bucks fundraising project. 

Turkey Bucks is an annual campaign where local grocery stores collect donations and use the money raised to buy turkey dinners for families who cannot afford to buy their own for the holidays. 

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 24

Good Evening , There are 140 new cases today, 1,971 additional people tested and 0 additional deaths. Current doubling time is 68.2 days. There are 82 people in the hospital and 17 in the ICU. Thank you Ventura County for following the public health guidance of wearing a mask, social distancing and not gathering. You also answered the call to action with increased testing. More than 40k people have been tested over the last two weeks! Increased testing has allowed for a rate adjustment from the state and has also helped to slow the spread of COVID-19. Once someone tests positive they isolate which prevents further spread. We appreciate your efforts in helping to save lives and keep businesses open.

View today’s special press conference message:

Outdoor Fitness Center Opens at Simi YMCA

With Ventura County shifting back into the purple tier, which prohibits gyms from operating indoors, the Simi Valley Family YMCA is opening a new outdoor fitness center in the parking lot behind the facilities.

The approximately 3,000 square foot outdoor center is partially covered to protect from the elements and contains cardio and strength training equipment.

Bilingual report — Oxnard Secures $2.8 Million FEMA Grant For New Backup Generator at City’s Wastewater Treatment Facility

The City of Oxnard applied for and won a $2.8 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which helps local communities significantly reduce or eliminate future risk to lives and property from natural hazards such as flooding, tsunamis, and earthquakes.

The grant money will fund the Oxnard Wastewater Treatment Plant Generator Project, which will improve the reliability and resiliency for continued plant operations during power outages. The project will replace the City’s aging, 54-year old backup generators with a modern, single emergency generator.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 23

Good Evening , There are 610 new cases today (includes information from Friday, Saturday and Sunday), 6,715 additional people tested and 1 additional death of a 66 year old man with comorbidities. Current doubling time is 62 days. There are 75 people in the hospital and 18 in the ICU.

Tune in at 10 am (Tuesday, Nov. 24) for the weekly press conference update. View the press conference at www.venturacountyrecovers.org.

Santa Maria High School students take park in Catholic Charities Canned Food Drive

About 55 Santa Maria High School needy families received generous food donations from Catholic Charities Friday.

The distribution took place from 11 a.m. to noon at the campus where students and their families picked up grocery bags packed with rice, beans, cereal, pasta, vegetables, snacks and other nutritious necessities.

Saint School Community Liaison Patricia Lopez Barriga began contacting non-profit agencies in town after the families reached out to her for help.

State issues Limited Stay At Home Order

The State has issued a limited Stay at Home Order generally requiring that non-essential work, movement and gatherings stop between 10 pm and 5 am in counties in the Purple Tier per the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The order will take effect at 10 p.m. Saturday, November 21 and remain in effect until 5 a.m., December 21, although it may be extended or revised as needed by the State.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 20

November 20, 2020 COVID-19 Update Today, you can get tested for COVID-19 at the following locations: Ventura County Fairgrounds, 9-6, enter on Shoreline Drive in Ventura (Walk up site in San Miguel Hall) Oxnard College, 10-7, 4000 S. Rose. Ave.…

Community Environmental Council Chosen as a 2020 Nonprofit of the Year

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year by District 37 Assemblywoman Monique Limón.

“For 50 years, CEC has stood out as an environmental leader, both in Santa Barbara County and across California. They understand that issues like the climate crisis are too complex and too big to be solved by a single organization and work collaboratively to treat a healthy environment as both a human right and the foundation for a thriving world,” said Assemblywoman Monique Limón. “We need the leadership of CEC to build momentum to reverse the threat of the climate crisis and safeguard our communities. Their work today is critical.”

Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation Provides $40,000 Challenge Grant to United Way’s Homelessness Efforts

The Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation (VCMRF) has presented a $40,000 challenge grant to United Way of Ventura County’s Landlord Engagement Program. The goal of the program is to increase housing stock and utilize existing housing vouchers and housing subsidies provided by local jurisdictions and community partners to prevent and end homelessness.

Bilingual report — Beware COVID-19 spreads at gatherings

This is a special update from the County of Ventura. We will send you today’s stats when they become available. This message is an urgent message to let you know that COVID-19 spreads at gatherings. Please do not host large gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday. Keep it virtual or keep it small with three households or less. Keep it outside, socially distanced with a mask on. These simple steps can help to keep the numbers down, save lives and keep businesses open.

Today, you can get tested at the following locations:

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 19 — State of California has issued a limited Stay At Home Order effective 11/21 to 12/21

The State of California has issued a limited Stay At Home Order effective 11/21 to 12/21 to stop all non-essential activities from 10 pm to 5 am.

Read more here.

MVC Re-Closure + Exclusive Online Content + More

Dear Community Member,

For the health and safety of the community, all Museum programs have been moved online. The Museum of Ventura County, the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula, the Research Library & Archives, and the Albinger Archaeology Museum will be closed until further notice.

We will continue to offer a variety of diverse online programming, including Virtual Learning Modules, Zoom Conversations, family activities, and more! You are encouraged to explore below or visit our website.

Be safe, be well, and stay healthy. We look forward to welcoming you back at MVC when we reopen!

Bilingual report — City Restarts Retail Cannabis Program for Opening of Dispensaries in Oxnard

The City of Oxnard is restarting its retail cannabis program, and will issue 16 dispensaries permits throughout the City. The process is being restarted due to inconsistencies that were discovered in its City Code regarding the appeal process for applicants who were denied a retail permit. 

In fairness to all 50 applicants, the City has terminated the current program and will start a new accelerated retail cannabis and local equity retail cannabis program that will issue 16 permits (instead of 10 permits) by March 2021. No new fees will be required for previous applicants to apply to the new program. 

Clean Air Grants Reduce Smog and Focus on Environmental Justice

On November 10, 2020, the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) approved $3.7 million in emission reduction grants for Ventura County businesses. This year’s grants will help pay for new, lower-emission equipment to replace 63 older, higher-pollution diesel engines in agricultural equipment and commercial fishing boats. In addition, this year’s grants will help fund the installation of 14 publicly-accessible electric vehicle charging ports. The total investment in 2020 air quality projects, including the cost-share contributed by grant recipients, will be over $5.6 million. Since 1999, VCAPCD has awarded over $48 million to help businesses operating in Ventura County replace older equipment with cleaner, low-emission equipment.

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s “Project Turkey” Extends to Thanksgiving to Continue to Help Families in Need

Every year, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s (TBCF) “Project Turkey” helps food-insecure families who have a child facing pediatric cancer in the Tri-County areas with grocery gift cards and food baskets.  

Just in time for Thanksgiving, TBCF plans on donating items to hospitals, clinics and homes and are hoping to help 50 families or more with Project Turkey food and grocery gift card donations this season.