Our 164th Year
75¢
T H U R S D A Y , M A Y 7, 2 0 2 0
RAfAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS
Forever 21 on State Street has closed after the economic disruption from COVID-19.
Another one
Forever 21 closes up shop on State Street By CHRISTIAN WHITTLE NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
F
RAfAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Mayra Ramos of PHP manages People Helping People’s food distribution this week at Mission Santa Ines in Solvang.
Meeting the need
orever 21 has been added to the list of shuttered storefronts lining State Street after the chain’s Santa Barbara location closed up shop this week. The fast-fashion retailer’s 901 State St. location survived sweeping closures in late 2019 when Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy. At the time, the Santa Barbara location was not one of the 178 of Forever 21’s 549 U.S. stores targeted for closure. However, with the massive economic disruption from COVID-19, it appears plans have changed. Forever 21 was founded in 1984 by Do Won Chang and his
wife Jin Sook Chang. The brand made a name for itself in the fashion world of trendy meets affordable, marketing to teens and young adults. According to Reuters, the company filed for bankruptcy in late September 2019. Although there was hope it could maintain business with limited store fronts, slashed prices and relevant fashion, it appears the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted Forever 21’s attempts to restructure. Now, as the company packs up its inventory in downtown Santa Barbara, the location at the corner of State and Canon Perdido Streets will be empty for the first time in about a decade. email: cwhittle@newspress.com
People Helping People partners with city of Solvang in food distribution By JOSH GREGA NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
P
rior to the COVID19 outbreak, Santa Ynez Valley nonprofit People Helping People distributed food to those in need on a biweekly basis every other Thursday at Creekside Apartments in Los Alamos. But the rise in demand for food amid the pandemic has driven the organization to increase efforts by creating an emergency food program. Through this, it holds distribution sessions every Tuesday at Mission Santa Ines. To achieve the greater food supply necessary for these additional sessions, PHP has partnered with the city of Solvang on a grant matching program to supplement its increased services. In an interview with the NewsPress, PHP CEO Dean Palius said the nonprofit spends $2,500 for each Tuesday afternoon it distributes food. When including the supplemental costs for the biweekly Thursday program, PHP’s expenses are around $12,000 a month. According to a press release, under PHP’s partnership with the city of Solvang, the nonprofit will match $10,000 the city has donated
as well as additional $5,000 donations the city will make each quarter over the next 12 months. This will make a total of $30,000 in city donations over the course of a year. The city of Solvang is also considering a second phase of donations for the future that will partially match private and nonprofit sector donations. In Mr. Palius’ estimation, PHP’s emergency food program will be needed for around two years. For this period, PHP wants to raise $240,000, $120,000 for each year. Though he hopes demand for the food his organization hands out will wane over the course of 24 months, he envisions that the economic fallout from the coronavirus will make PHP’s Tuesday food distribution necessary even after the health crisis subsides. “Hopefully over those two years there will be a declining demand for the emergency food program… But I think it’s going to be with us for a significant length of time,” he said. To match the City of Solvang’s donation, PHP is seeking private donations and contributions from foundations. So far, PHP has received a grant from the Santa Ynez Valley
Foundation, according to Mr. Palius. The organization has also managed to attract some funding from the Santa Ynez Valley’s combined Rotary Clubs as well as the PHP COVID-19 Food Fund. Because PHP’s large group fundraising events won’t be able to go forward so long as physical distancing is required, the nonprofit’s financial reserves won’t be restored in a hurry. Because the economic situation of the postCOVID world is hard to predict at this time, Mr. Palius is intent on avoiding the use of those reserves to match the city of Solvang’s donations, should PHP need them next year. “We will have some crises so my intent is to keep the reserves as long as I can,” he said. Though the CEO said PHP is acquiring funds at a rate that “looks pretty good for this year,” the nonprofit is still eager for more cash donations with which to buy food, as well as donations of nonperishable foods. Though PHP has been partnered with the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County for more than 25 years and continues to use it as a source, the COVID-19 crisis has caused the food bank to stretch itself thin over an increased
number of pantries. That reduces the amount of food it can give to PHP. In some cases, the food bank’s deliveries to PHP have been of too small a quantity. “The food bank is maxed out, let’s face it. They’ve opened 50 emergency food pantries, so there have been cases where there isn’t enough food,” Mr. Palius said. On top of this, the health crisis has resulted in the nonprofit no longer receiving grocery donations from Albertsons, which used to supply PHP with about 10 percent of its volume. When asked if those seeking food from PHP sometimes have to be told that a specific item is unavailable, Mr. Palius said this never happens. Two days before it distributes food, the nonprofit receives whatever the food bank can spare, which produces an ever-changing inventory of items. Because those who stop by Creekside Apartments or Mission Santa Ines tend to be frequent faces, they stop by fully aware that they’re going to pick up whatever PHP happens to have. “A lot of people come on a fairly regular basis, and they know it’s whatever we have,” he said. email: jgrega@newspress.com
RAfAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS
Customers and workers wear masks at Rite-Aid in Goleta, where a new resolution requiring them has gone into effect.
Face coverings required Goleta City Council passes resolution affecting essential businesses By JOSH GREGA NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
T
At left, people stay 6 feet apart while lining up for the food. At right, People Helping People distributes food every Tuesday at Mission Santa Ines in Solvang.
Please see MAsks on A2
L O T T eRY R e s ULTs
ins ide Comics................. A6 Local ................ A 2-8 Obituaries ............ A8
he Goleta City Council unanimously approved a resolution demanding that all essential businesses and others permitted for reopening require employees and customers to wear face coverings to curtail the spread of COVID-19. Effective immediately, the new resolution demands that
businesses prohibit the entry of anyone not wearing a face covering, which includes any fabric covering like a mask, scarf or bandana. Under the resolution, employees at open businesses must wash or sanitize any reusable face coverings they use at least once a day and if they’re using a single-use face covering, dispose of it after use. The businesses must also provide face coverings to all employees. Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte
Soduku ................ A5 Weather ............... A8
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-7-21-37-43 Meganumber: 7
Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 0-6-15
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 7-13-17-21-45 Meganumber: 14
Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 8-24-32-33-35
Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 09-08-10 Time: 1:43.55
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 13-16-33-58-68 Meganumber: 24
Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 4-0-4 / Midday 460