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Omicron detected in SB County Public Health Department reports four cases By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR AND
KATHERINE ZEHNDER
NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Traffic rolls down Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara on a wet Wednesday.
Light rain falls on county
Santa Barbara County’s first cases of the omicron variant were reported Wednesday. Four cases were confirmed, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department announced in a news release late in the afternoon. The detection of the variant was announced at a time when COVID-19 cases are surging in the county. The Public Health Department reported 534 new cases Wednesday, almost twice that of the 286 new cases reported on Tuesday. (The complete breakdown of Wednesday’s numbers is on Page A2.) According to the health department, all four individuals with the omicron variant were under 30. One person had received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, and the other three don’t have vaccine records in CAIR, the state immunization database.
Three of the cases were in South County, according to the public health department, which reported that additional contact investigation and tracing efforts are under way. Per the usual procedures, close contacts have been asked to quarantine, the health department said. “The detection of these four omicron cases validates our sense of urgency about vaccination and boosters in our local community,” said Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, the county public health director. “Vaccination and boosters for every eligible community member continues to be the No. 1 tool we have to stop the spread of this virus and prevent serious illness in those who do get COVID-19. “Given the prevalence of omicron cases throughout the nation and California, we can expect that the variant is circulating in Santa Barbara County,” she said in the news release. “However, these four cases are the first confirmed from sampling.” The Public Health Department Please see OMICRON on A6
Less than a tenth of an inch reported; rain expected again today By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
It sounded worse than it was. The wind blew Wednesday morning, but very little rain fell. The National Weather Service reported 0.04 inch in Santa Barbara, 0.18 inch in Goleta and Lompoc, and 0.02 inch in Santa Maria. No rain was reported in New Cuyama. The service didn’t have a number for Santa Ynez. While light, Wednesday’s rain and wind were enough to bring out umbrellas, and the wind did blow down palm fronds. One trio of people was spotted getting shelter next to the lifeguard towers at Leadbetter Beach. The forecast calls for rain again today throughout Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles and Ventura counties. “A storm system will move over the region through Thursday and bring rain, wind and mountain snow to the area,” the National Weather Service said. “Temperatures will remain
significantly below average. Dry weather is expected Friday through the upcoming holiday weekend, then light precipitation is possible early next week.” The weather service predicted highs today in the upper 50s in the Santa Barbara area, Santa Maria and Lompoc. A high of 56 is forecast for Santa Ynez. The expected lows are 44 in Santa Barbara, 43 at UCSB, 41 in Lompoc, 42 in Santa Maria and 40 in Santa Ynez. Cuyama will continue to be spared the rain, but the sky is expected to be mostly cloudy there. It won’t be spared the cold: Today’s forecast high there is 50; the low, 35. Highs in the mid-50s and lows in the mid- or upper 40s are predicted for Ventura and Los Angeles counties. On Wednesday, the highs were 57 in Santa Maria, 53 in Santa Barbara, 52 in Goleta, 50 in Santa Ynez and 51 in New Cuyama. Lows were 43 in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, 39 in Goleta and Lompoc and 35 in New Cuyama.
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Carbajal: Defense bill helps Central Coast, Vandenberg By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
email; dmason@newspress.com
The Goleta Slough runs underneath a footbridge near Goleta Beach and UCSB on a day of wind and light rain.
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KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal supported a $5 million increase to the Spacelift Range System, which is intended to improve the infrastructure at ranges, including those at the Vandeberg Space Force Base. It is part of the National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law Monday.
At top, gusts blew down palm fronds at Goleta Beach. Above, a trio of persons take shelter from the rain and winds next to lifeguard towers at Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara.
President Joe Biden has signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes legislation that U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal said will help the Central Coast. And it features a measure advancing space capabilities at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The defense bill also includes a 2.7% pay raise for U.S. service members. The bill was negotiated with the Senate and passed the House on a bipartisan basis on Dec. 7. The president signed the law, which is for fiscal year 2022, on Monday. The bill includes an amendment that was
spearheaded by U.S. Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, which will extend the FireGuard program for another five years. The Fireguard program uses Department of Defense resources to which funds local jurisdictions to detect and monitor wildfires. The program had to be previously re-authorized on an annual basis so that the provision would provide long-term certainty for emergency responders who rely on this program. “Each year, Congress comes together to pass a bipartisan bill that enhances our national security and keeps Americans safe,” Rep. Carbajal said in a statement. “The bill, which was Please see BILL on A6
INSIDE
L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified................. A5 Life...................... B1-2 Obituaries............... A6
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Wednesday’s DAILY 4: 4-6-3-4
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 3-5-8-31-38 Meganumber: 4
Wednesday’s FANTASY 5: 9-12-18-34-39
Wednesday’s DAILY DERBY: 11-10-05 Time: 1:46.72
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Sudoku................... B2 Weather................. A6
Wednesday’s DAILY 3: 3-3-5 / Wednesday’s Midday 6-5-6