“If you have a piece of truth, do not hide it like a treasure, but hang it on a shingle for the world to see.”

-Herbert Bayard Swope

Teams of volunteers will canvas assigned routes throughout the county and briefly document who is experiencing homelessness. This information is used to plan local homeless assistance systems, justify funding, and raise public awareness. Volunteers will be trained to help count on the survey day. To volunteer, please sign up at https://countyofsb.pointintime.info/.

COVID-19 Safety Measures for the 2022 Count

• Volunteers are encouraged to sign up in teams with people they already interact with (households, colleagues, friends).
• Individuals not part of a group will be matched in teams based on the comfort level indicated at sign up and must provide proof of vaccination.
• To avoid a large gathering, groups will be deployed as they arrive at their assigned logistics center.
• Appropriate face coverings and hand sanitizer are required (volunteers are encouraged to bring their own, but supplies will be provided) to keep teams and those being surveyed safe.

Our current case rate per 100K is 113.60, test positivity is 21.3% and there are 4,883 active cases, which is up 116% from the previous 2-week average. Santa Barbara County Public Health is urging people to get vaccinated, get their booster shot, wear good-fitting masks, and limit indoor gatherings. Public Health has also recently updated its COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Guidance, which can be found below.

In consideration of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Raising Our Light ceremony will take place virtually and be available to watch through multiple live-streaming platforms.

Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor will provide an invocation and firefighters will light 23 candles to honor the 23 lives lost in the Debris Flow, followed by a moment of silence. Bells will ring out 23 times from our local churches and schools. A searchlight will be illuminated at Montecito Union School as a beacon of community support and solidarity.

Live-streaming will be available on Westmont College’s Youtube Channel youtube.com/westmonttv & KEYT NewsChannel 3-12’s website www.keyt.com

Thanks to the Raising Our Light 2022 Event Sponsors: Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade, Montecito Association, Montecito Journal & Westmont College.

For more details, visit montecitofire.com.

Commercial and residential waste that is thrown into a trash cart or bin in Buellton, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Solvang, and the unincorporated areas of the Cuyama Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, and South Coast is processed at the County’s newly opened ReSource Center. Recyclable materials are recovered and sold and organics (including food waste) are separated from trash and transformed into compost and energy that powers up to 3,000 homes per year. With this new facility, approximately 60% of additional waste from our trash cans is diverted from the landfill, bringing our region’s diversion rate to above 85% while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This means that residents who live or work in these areas are following the new state law by continuing to throw their waste into the same bins as you are today.

In addition to the ReSource Center, the County offers other ways for the community to recover and recycle organics.

·      Yard waste collection: Yard waste collected in your green container is converted into mulch. The County produces over 40,000 tons of high-quality mulch every year, which goes back to the community and local agriculture. Please do not mix food scraps with your yard waste, as it interferes with the mulching process. Visit www.LessIsMore.org/mulch to learn more about the County’s Mulch Program.

·      Backyard composting: The County’s Backyard Composting Program makes it easy to compost where you live. Visit www.LessIsMore.org/compost to access a free “Composting ABC’s” booklet and learn about the discounted composting bin program. Within months, you can have finished compost for your garden.

·      Commercial food scraps collection and processing: The County’s Commercial Food Scraps Collection Program is available to large food scraps generators, such as schools, restaurants, and grocery stores. The collected food scraps are processed at the ReSource Center, increasing the overall quality of the finished compost.

As a reminder, for those living in the ReSource Center “wasteshed”, there’s no change in how you need to manage your waste. Residents should continue using their green waste, recycling, and trash containers in the same way they always have. Please contact the County Public Works Department with any questions at (805) 882-3600 or recycling@countyofsb.org.

This technology allows them to detect methane emissions from the air at a 500 foot altitude to ensure pipeline safety and proper maintenance (within normal FAA flight operations regulations.) SoCalGas will be utilizing a helicopter for the operation.

• The flights are expected to be Monday, January 10 and Thursday, January 13, 2022  weather permitting.

• The helicopter will be going back and forth in a “lawnmower” pattern at about 500 ft.

• Hours of operation will be from 8am to 5pm.

• There is no threat to the community. On the contrary, detection of methane emissions is another way of keeping communities safe. This is part of their SB 1371 emissions reduction program.

• These flights are part of a larger program to detect any emissions throughout the cities and counties served by SoCalGas.

If you have any questions regarding the helicopter activity, please contact the SoCalGas Customer Contact Center at 1-800-427-2200. Company representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A map in red of the expected flight area is below.