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‘What we love to do’ The Barber Shop allowed to continue outdoor operations
By JORGE MERCADO NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
This time last week, Jorge Salgado was unsure of what the future held for him and his barbershop. After his pivot to try to move outdoors was quickly shut down by the county and the State Board of Cosmetology, Mr. Salgado said he had a “big weight” on his shoulders. Luckily, Gov. Gavin Newsom helped take a bit of pressure off Mr. Salgado’s plate when he announced Monday new guidelines for hair and nail salons, barbershops and other personal services to operate outdoors. “I felt great,” Mr. Salgado told the News-Press. With the new rules in place, Mr. Salgado did what he could and by Wednesday morning he had barbers, three chairs, and all the equipment needed to cut people’s hair. “We got a good team here, everyone’s been really supportive to each other. It’s looking good , feeling good, getting a lot of thumbs up, and people are walking up trying to book appointments,” Mr. Salgado said. The Barber Shop, located at 1233 State St., currently operates RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but because Owner of The Barber Shop, Jorge Salgado is excited to be back outside cutting patrons hair. they have to set up every morning and take everything back in the just have a new tool ready because shop every night, Mr. Salgado said we really want to pump out the the hours will likely change to volume,’” Mr. Salgado said. about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All chairs are disinfected after He also noted how important it one patron is done getting their is to make every hour count. haircut. “Time is essential for us and Helping keep we’re trying to be here and maximize To see streaming video everything orderly, the barbers also wet our time as much GO TO customers hair as we could,” Mr. newspress.com the so when it is cut, it Salgado said. does not go flying To help maximize everywhere. time, Mr. Salgado also told his With the first day in the book, barbers instead of disinfecting Mr. Salgado was happy with the their equipment after each use, to instead use another tool. They will turn out. “We are definitely feeling good then disinfect everything at the and everything is coming along. end of the day. “It’s costing us more for sure, we … I got three chairs out here have to use more implements than today which got us all busy and we “We got a good team here, everyone’s been really supportive to each already got about 20 haircuts in usual. I’m telling everyone here, other. It’s looking good, feeling good, getting a lot of thumbs up, and ‘just buy yourself more tools, let’s people are walking up trying to book appointments,” Mr. Salgado not take the time to disinfect, let’s Please see barber on A8 said.
Haven Salon owner discusses challenges of outdoor service By PAUL GONZALEZ NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
COURTESY PHOTO
Haven Salon owner Cindy Brokaw has been styling hair for over 30 years. She says full-service hair salons will face logistical challenges working outside.
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New COVID-19 guidelines allow hair salons and barbershops to operate outdoors. Haven Salon owner Cindy Brokaw says some businesses will benefit more than others. On Monday, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department announced state officials changed their COVID-19 guidelines for personal care activities. The guidelines include face coverings, workspace-specific plans including outdoor access to water and shade and employee training on heat-related illness. Businesses must also temperature-screen workers and customers upon arrival. Ms. Brokaw is a 30-year veteran
of the hair salon industry. Her salon is located 1150 Coast Village Road in Montecito between Bree’osh Bakery and Alice’s Nails. She bought the salon three years ago. Ms. Brokaw said on a normal business day she’d offer all regular hair services including haircuts, hair color correction, balayage, highlights and blowouts. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, Ms. Brokaw also offered full wedding services at the wedding location. She said that the logistical challenges of working outside prevent her from providing the full salon experience to her clients. “For some salons that do mostly haircuts and do mostly styling and are not near food providers, I Please see SALON on A8
NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
Santa Maria has been the hardest hit city in the county, and a good portion of the cases are coming from the agricultural industry.
Controlling COVID-19 in congregate housing By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
As Santa Barbara County sees a large increase in positive COVID19 cases, congregate housing facilities present a higher risk of spreading the virus due to close living quarters. On Wednesday, the County Public Health Department reported 160 new cases in Santa Barbara County, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 5,282. There are now 342 active cases and 4,900 have recovered. The city of Santa Maria has
seen the largest spike in the past couple of weeks, with the daily number of cases some days quadrupling the number of cases in any other city in the county. As of Wednesday, Santa Maria reported 63 new cases, bringing its total number of positive cases to 2,327, with 123 still active and 2,059 recovered. Currently, there’s an investigation by the PHD into motels used for H2A worker housing operated by Alco Harvesting. As of Monday, there were 50 positive COVID-19 cases related to the outbreak in Please see housing on A8
Timing a factor for Solvang Senior Center By JOSH GREGA NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Solvang Senior Center wants a new facility to replace the small, inadequate center it currently has, but those leading the effort for a new center are unsure whether it should happen through an extensive development project by the city of Solvang and local developer Ed St. George. According to an SSC document detailing updates on the project, the center’s leadership expects that the St. George project will take longer than they are willing to wait for a new facility. The SSC’s board of directors first determined that the center needed a new building in 2017. Installed more than 35 years ago, the 2,700 square foot building the SSC currently operates out of isn’t large enough to serve Solvang’s senior citizens, according to center executive director Ellen Albertoni. “When this facility started in 1983, it served our community well, it served our seniors well, but our community has grown,” she said. The new proposal is for a 4,725 square foot permanent building used to provide senior services during weekdays. On weekends, it will host activities and programs for all ages. The center hopes for 60 added monthly hours of classes for Solvang’s seniors and new nutrition and health classes.
Under the SSC’s own plan for a new facility, it would retain the rights to the county land it occupies under a 50-year lease agreement with the county. However, if the SSC’s new facility were to be built as a part of the proposed St. George project, referred to in the document as Solvang 2.0, the organization would lose its right to the land by accommodating the development. Last month, the city of Solvang approached the SSC to discuss Solvang 2.0. Mr. George verbally indicated that his development would allocate square footage to the SSC equal to its own building plan, according to the document. Though the SSC says it’s “premature” to take a definite stance on the merits of the St. George proposal, its building campaign update states it isn’t sure if a new space as part of Solvang 2.0 will meet needs the organization wants fulfilled. “Questions of major significance remain regarding its ability for us to serve our members, the affordability of such a space, and its impact on our operating budget,” the document reads. On top of that, the center’s leaders worry that Solvang 2.0 will take years to complete due to significant community opposition to the project delaying it, and the SSC doesn’t have that kind of time. For more, see newspress.com. email: jgrega@newspress.com
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