Back inside
Engineering marvel
Goleta Valley Library system opens doors for express service - B1
Gypsy pot was made for cooking over an open fire - B2
Our 166th Year
M O N D A Y , J U N E 7, 2 0 2 1
Back to business Santa Barbara store owners hopeful as traffic increases
75¢
Royal baby born at SB hospital Prince Harry and Meghan welcome daughter Lilibet By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcomed a baby girl into their family at 11:40 a.m.
Friday at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The famous Montecito couple announced the birth and their daughter’s name, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, Please see BABY on A4
ANNELISE HANSHAW / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Eric Kelley, owner of Book Den at 15 E Anapamu Street, stands behind the register Sunday afternoon. Signs remind customers to wear masks and maintain six feet of distance.
By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Marlene Taylor, owner of Desert Rose Hat Co., hears a lot of sarcastic comments about her decision to open a business during the pandemic. “What a great time to open,” people laugh. But to her, it hasn’t been that difficult — despite opening her doors in La Arcada Plaza just as the state locked down in
December. She enjoyed that time, she told the News-Press, because almost all of her customers were local. She noticed that many seemed to be rediscovering small business after months without shopping in person. Since then, she’s seen business increase and is excited for more sales ahead. Optimism was a theme Sunday, as the News-Press asked business
owners and sales associates how sales are trending. Those who had been open prior to the pandemic said sales are behind prepandemic levels but getting close to historic trends. Eric Kelley, owner of Book Den at 15 E Anapamu Street, has noticed an influx of Californians from Los Angeles and San Francisco since vaccinations became widely available. He attributes his recent revenue,
though, to locals. “We came out of the pandemic okay because Santa Barbarans are really loyal to their local stores,” he told the News-Press. He offered curbside pickup and free shipping to get books to people as they isolated themselves at home. “We spent a fortune on postage during that time, which to me means that it worked,” he said. Please see BUSINESS on A2
Kealey’s Corner is a new addition at Renaissance Consignment, at 1118 State Street. The section is dedicated to kids’ clothes and dog accessories.
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
A Santa Barbara bottled water and water system company OPHORA Water won gold in the “Best Purified Drinking Water” category at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting on Friday. OPHORA won the same title in 2018. “The consistency in winners from year to year with different panels of judges validates the choices,” seasoned water critic and News-Press co-publisher Arthur von Wiesenberger said. “It also speaks to the impressively high caliber of the waters entered.” Berkeley Springs claims to be the “world’s most prestigious” water tasting event and is lauded as the “world’s largest” by news articles and industry professionals. The competition is held in West Virginia and pulls entries from all over the world. Nine judges tasted water from five continents, 14 countries and 19 states. “Our total of countries over the life of the event is 57 including waters from Tasmania, Turkey, Bosnia, Greece and Australia,”
3
Jill Klein Rone, event producer, said in a news release. This year’s competition was the 31st and had to be rescheduled for COVID-19 precautions. The judging looks like a wine tasting. The judges, who were selected from various media organizations, are trained by Mr. von Wiesenberger and awarded a diploma, certifying their tasting abilities. Judges look at the water’s appearance, favoring clear water or slightly opaque glacial waters. They even smell the water, hoping for a scent-free drink. They look for a clean taste and a light feel with an aftertaste that begs for another sip. Winners boast their medal on their website and even redesign the labels on their bottled water to show off the acclaim. “It was another wonderful year for the longest running and largest water tasting in the world,” said Mr. von Wiesenberger. “Berkeley Springs is truly the Olympics of water.” The 32nd Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting will be held Feb. 26, 2022. email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
LOTTERY
i n s i de Classified.............. B4 Life..................... B1-4 Obituaries............. A4
66833 00050
Local water company wins gold By ANNELISE HANSHAW
FOLLOW US ON
6
JOE PUGLIESE / HARPO PRODUCTIONS
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced they were expecting a girl during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in March. The baby was born Friday morning.
Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-7-8-32-45 Mega: 14
Sunday’s DAILY 4: 4-4-2-4
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 4-30-34-41-64 Mega: 8
Sunday’s FANTASY 5: 1-16-23-33-35
Sunday’s DAILY DERBY: 09-07-01 Time: 1:48.12
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 44-52-54-64-69 Meganumber: 26
Sunday’s DAILY 3: 3-3-6 / Midday 7-4-3