Tag: Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — ¡Viva La Fiesta…Safely!

by Community Contributor • August 7, 2020 • Comments Off

Last week I was talking with a constituent who was worried about the mask wearing habits of tourists while walking outside. I acknowledged it is important to promote people planning on wearing a mask even as part of an outdoor excursion (such as where there are bottlenecks and the inability to keep physical distance from others) even if there are times when it is not necessary (certain types of exercise do not require a mask, especially outdoors and if there are no other people around). Then I pointed out the vented mask she had been wearing around town for the past two months does not work to protect anyone around you and has been banned in some jurisdictions, such as our County, because it only filters air coming in and not the air you breathe out.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Let’s Get Out of this Together

by Community Contributor • July 27, 2020 • Comments Off

America, and even our community, is very divided on how to respond to the strange times we are in. However, we must be united in concern about the futures of our children and grandchildren, preserving lives, and saving as many jobs and people from poverty.

How can we do all that?

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Protect. Respect. Wear your mask! And more closures

by Community Contributor • July 15, 2020 • Comments Off

(On Monday,) July 13, Governor Gavin Newsom ordered statewide closures of some indoor business operations and additional closures for those counties that have remained on the state’s County Monitoring List for 3 consecutive days. Santa Barbara County is included on this list, found here.

The Governor’s order is effective immediately. Santa Barbara County has issued a Health Officer Order which provides more details and guidance. I’ve listed out a summary of the changes below.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Testing Update & Racial Justice

by Community Contributor • July 10, 2020 • Comments Off

In early May, Santa Barbara County began community testing in partnership with the California Department of Public Health. The testing being conducted is intended to identify if an individual currently has the COVID-19 virus. Over the course of the past two months the testing sites’ utilization has increased significantly. While we continue to support members of our community getting tested, the current volume of asymptomatic, low/no-risk individuals getting tested has reduced the capacity of these state-run sites to test essential and healthcare workers, symptomatic individuals, those who have had an exposure or individuals at risk. Community members unable to schedule an appointment at the state-run sites should contact their primary care provider or local urgent care centers.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Not Out of the Woods Yet & Preparation for Fire Season

by Community Contributor • June 25, 2020 • Comments Off

We continue to see increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in some regions of the County. I urge you not to panic, but to remember that jobs, businesses, and lives depend on continued use of precautions. These include:

Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.
Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick, and staying away from large gatherings and crowds.
Putting distance between yourself and other people (at least 6 feet).
Wearing face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Face coverings may act as additional protection, but are not a substitute for physical distancing, which is the most effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces daily.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — State-Wide Face Covering Mandate & Some Detail on Recent Covid Cases

by Community Contributor • June 19, 2020 • Comments Off

Governor Newsom (on June 18) announced that face coverings are required to be worn State-wide in the circumstances outlined in the State guidance. It does not substitute for existing guidance about social distancing and handwashing.

Additionally, our Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer has put a pause on further reopening of personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlors, businesses offering facials, electrolysis, and waxing, etc.

Despite these significant acts of warranted precaution, we are seeing that the majority of active cases in Santa Barbara County are regional in nature. During the Public Health Department presentation to the Board of Supervisors this week, we learned more about why so many of our cases have been in North County, versus a much smaller amount of cases in South County (34 cases total).

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Black Lives Matter

by Community Contributor • June 10, 2020 • Comments Off

This has been an especially difficult last couple of weeks as we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic while being forced to confront the reality of systemic racism with the murders of several Black lives over the last few months – George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade. This isn’t the first time there have been protests in the streets over the taking of Black lives and a lot of the anger and pain you see is because of the reality for Black Americans knowing this won’t be the last time they have to protest in the streets to get justice and make change – and knowing that the next time the protest might be for them. We must take this time where we are already being forced out of the norm and out of our routine to look within our collective soul as a country and address the pain and discomfort of racism that has existed since the founding of our country.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Significant Testing Capacity Available & Business Reopening Webinar

by Community Contributor • June 3, 2020 • Comments Off

Yesterday, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department provided an update to the Board of Supervisors on COVID-19. Despite the reopening of more businesses and people out and about at the beach and downtown, our indicators have remained well within the guidelines set by the State. In fact, we have seen a 27% reduction of active cases. However, we need more people to take advantage of our increased testing capability. Many of you emailed me about procuring a greater amount of testing and now we ask that you please use it! I know many of you were not utilizing our local testing sites because you wanted to make sure they were available for healthcare workers, and other essential workers, but now there seems to be testing capacity for everyone who is interested. Please see more information on testing below:

Online appointment registration: https://lhi.care/covidtesting

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — State Action on Salons, Religious Services, and Graduations – With Restrictions

by Community Contributor • May 27, 2020 • Comments Off

Yesterday, in response to Governor Newsom’s announcement, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued a revised Health Officer Order which provides updated guidance for places of worship and providers of religious services and cultural ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, hair salons, and barbershops.The Order states that:

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Late Stage 2 Businesses Can Now Open; State Just Approved Our County Attestation

by Community Contributor • May 21, 2020 • Comments Off

I am very pleased to announce the State Department of Public Health approved Santa Barbara County’s attestation to move further into Stage 2, which allows in-dining restaurants and retail stores to open as long as they follow safety guidance provided by the state and complete a self-certification of safe practices. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued this Health Officer Order, which provides local guidance.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Expedited Reopening for Certain Businesses Coming Soon

by Community Contributor • May 19, 2020 • Comments Off

Yesterday, Governor Newsom announced changes to his criteria for counties to be able to move more quickly through Stage 2 of his reopening plan (although no counties can move past Stage 2 into Stage 3 until the Governor authorizes that action) and today, our Public Health Director is sending in our attestation that Santa Barbara County meets the criteria.

The new criteria is as follows:

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — More Testing and a Guide for Reopening

by Community Contributor • May 15, 2020 • Comments Off

Despite a large increase in the amount of testing, COVID-19 infections continue to be modest. During Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors hearing, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department Director presented the above graph, which indicates that new cases have continued to decline if you exclude the cases from the Lompoc Federal Correctional Institution. At the Board of Supervisors meeting this coming Tuesday, the Board will receive a presentation on the Reopening In Safe Environment (RISE) Guide, which builds off of the guidance from the Governor’s Resilience Roadmap but also provides local guidance and best practices for industry sectors as developed by an expert panel.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Good news, expanded testing begins next week

by Community Contributor • April 29, 2020 • Comments Off

Good news, expanded testing begins next week, see below for details. Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom outlined the State’s plan to reopen the economy in four stages:

Stage 1: Improving testing and tracing, procuring personal protective equipment and ensuring hospital surge capacity.

Stage 2: Opening, with adaptations, school and child care facilities and lower-risk workplaces like retail stores, manufacturers and offices. Park and trail restrictions will also be loosened.

Stage 3: Opening higher-risk workplaces, like gyms, nail and hair salons, movie theaters, sports without live audiences and churches.

Stage 4: End of the stay-at-home order; reopen highest-risk workplaces, like concerts, convention centers and live-audience sports.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Downward Trend

by Community Contributor • April 21, 2020 • Comments Off

At today’s Board of Supervisors hearing, the Board received updated information on the outbreak at the Federal Prison in Lompoc, graphical presentation of Santa Barbara County COVID-19 By the Numbers, and a look ahead regarding Economic Reopening Plan development. As you can see from the graph above, although there is variability day-to-day, we are seeing a downward trend in the increase in total cases per day. The goal is to see some consistency in the downward trend and it seems we are headed down that path.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Planning for the Future of COVID-19 & More Governmental Resources

by Community Contributor • April 17, 2020 • Comments Off

As the State evaluates ways to safely modify the statewide stay-at-home order, they have developed six key indicators that will be considered before such modification would take place: Expand our testing capabilities, contact tracing, and support for Californians who contract…

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Now for Good News – The Curve Is Flattening

by Community Contributor • April 14, 2020 • Comments Off

The good news is that physical distancing is working. Our County Public Health Department and the hospitals have worked to increase hospital bed capacity to about 590 countywide, yet our hospitalizations are at 40 (confirmed patients). Lives have been saved by our combined efforts, so please keep it up as the State wrestles with how long the “Shelter in Place” order will last and we wrestle with what we will do if the order is lifted or modified.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Holiday Celebrations During COVID-19

by Community Contributor • April 10, 2020 • Comments Off

As we enter the weekend, many are feeling the disappointment of not being able to celebrate religiously significant holidays in close physical proximity to friends and loved ones. However, virtual hugs, decorated homes, recipe swaps, special meals and your best holiday attire can make Passover, Easter, and Ramadan feel special while practicing physical distancing. Here are some ways you can practice physical distancing during the Holidays:

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — County by County Covid Stats & Resources for Businesses Impacted by the Crisis

by Community Contributor • April 6, 2020 • Comments Off

Governor Newsom announced new help for small businesses & workers displaced by COVID-19. $50 million in loan guarantees is available for small businesses that may not be eligible for federal relief and the State is also allowing small businesses to…

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — A Call to Take Responsibility & Updated Numbers

by Community Contributor • April 2, 2020 • Comments Off

We are together facing yet another time of crisis, and how we behave in it will define and test our community and our humanity. Many have lost jobs or income, seen their products rot without customers, their businesses close, and some are even now seeing their loved ones sick. We must be a community where individuals take it upon themselves to shorten the economic crisis and save lives, by practicing social distancing without the need for Big Brother government or well-meaning neighbors to tell you how to behave.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Staying Strong and Resilient in the Face of COVID-19

by Community Contributor • March 30, 2020 • Comments Off

As we head into a new week, we have increasingly detailed information to share and resources we hope will aid you during this time of continued uncertainty and stress, whether you are looking for ways to help, want to support…

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — COVID-19 Updates and Community Safeguards

by Community Contributor • March 26, 2020 • Comments Off

As we conclude the first week of Governor Newsom’s “shelter in place” order, I am encouraged by our community’s resilience and determination to “flatten the curve” while also rapidly enacting safeguards for our vulnerable community members. At the County, we…

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Keep Calm in the Face of a Deepening Crisis

by Community Contributor • March 23, 2020 • Comments Off

These are not the times for either panic or complacency. Please practice social distancing and respect Governor Newsome’s “shelter in place” order but also have compassion and understanding that many of our neighbors are still working and are required work for…

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Governor Newsom Orders Shelter in Place

by Community Contributor • March 19, 2020 • Comments Off

California Governor Gavin Newsom just announced a statewide order for all California residents to shelter in place. The order goes into effect this evening. The following services will remain open through the order: Gas stations Pharmacies Food: Grocery stores, farmers…

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Deliverance and Danger (COVID-19)

by Community Contributor • March 18, 2020 • Comments Off

I know that many of you have fear, anxiety, and additional, very real burdens from the Coronavirus outbreak. Some of you have lost work, some of you are in danger of losing your business and your dream, and some of you…

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams: Evacuation Warning issued for Friday evening

by Community Contributor • January 31, 2019 • Comments Off

Greetings! , The weather advisory issued for FRIDAY night through SATURDAY morning has been upgraded to an evacuation warning. A storm is coming in that is expected to be exceed thresholds to require evacuation. This means that we are in the…

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