Welcome to Gaviota State Park
Warming up gradually to state’s reopening
People and squirrels alike find reason to like their day there - A3
Alzheimer’s patients proceed cautiously - B1
Our 166th Year
75¢
T U E SDAY, J U LY 6 , 2 021
Entertaining the masses Tourist entertainment business exceeding expectations
Vaccination rates beginning to level off Delta variant becomes dominant COVID-19 strain in California By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
What once was a race to get the population vaccinated is now a crawl toward immunity. Santa Barbara County administered 149,027 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in April, the busiest month for vaccination, and 31,890 doses in June. Mid-May, the Pfizermanufactured vaccine was approved for youth ages 12 and up, boosting the number of eligible residents. Currently, 67.3% of Santa Barbara County residents 12 and older have received a dose, and 58.8% are fully vaccinated.
President Joe Biden set a goal to have at least one shot in the arms of 70% of U.S. adults by July 4th. The country fell short, with 67% of adults and 64% of those 12 and older with at least one dose. Public health officials are deeming vaccination important as the highly infectious Delta variant becomes the dominant COVID-19 strain in California. The California Department of Public Health released data Thursday showing that 35.6% of COVID-19 variants studied in June tested positive for the Delta variant. Only 5.6% of samples tested in May tested as Delta. email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
A tourist checks out Santa Barbara and crosses State Street on Ortega Street in a three-wheel SB Buggie vehicle.
By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Some strange vehicles are back on the road in Santa Barbara. These brightly colored buggies scooch around town, motors purring like a motorcycle but without the swagger of a Harley.
Santa Barbara tourists’ favorite attractions, like SB Buggie, are doing well as more guests land in the American Riviera. Throughout the pandemic, daytrippers have ventured to Santa Barbara for short getaways. With the state open again, small businesses geared toward
entertainment are busy. Santa Barbara Adventure Company, which gives kayak and wine tours, has been “busier than we’ve ever seen it before,” said marketing manager Will Adams. The business’s Channel Islands kayak tours are so popular that weekends are booked full a
month in advance. “A little bit beforehand too but ever since the June 15 reopening, we’ve definitely seen a huge uptick, we’re grateful and happy to say,” Mr. Adams told the NewsPress. Many customers are from Los Please see TOURISM on A2
Circus Vargas returns to SB Tent to rise Wednesday By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The big top will be raised Wednesday on Circus Vargas, two days before its performances start in Santa Barbara. It takes a crew of about 20
MORE COVERAGE More coverage of Circus Vargas will appear throughout this week and next in the News-Press.
men a minimum of seven hours to raise the massive circus tent, which will be at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real. Like an intricate puzzle, the tent-raising effort requires tens of thousands of square feet of canvas fabric, dozens of poles, hundreds of stakes, and miles of rope and cable, according to Circus Vargas. Performances at the circus will take place Friday through July 19. The 2021 production, titled “Mr. V’s Big Top Dream,” is a semibiographical circus spectacular honoring circus impresario Please see CIRCUS on A4
COURTESY PHOTO
Circus Vargas will present a variety of performers when it returns to Santa Barbara Friday through July 19.
Tourism is alive and well in the 600 and 700 blocks of State Street.
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Classified.............. B4 Life..................... B1-2 Obituaries............. A4 6
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LOTTERY
i nsi d e Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-9-21-33-40 Mega: 16
Monday’s DAILY 4: 6-9-2-7
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 8-31-32-34-45 Mega: 19
Monday’s FANTASY 5: 9-21-23-33-34
Monday’s DAILY DERBY: 05-12-03 Time: 1:41.87
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 26-40-41-55-65 Meganumber: 24
Monday’s DAILY 3: 0-3-7 / Midday 2-3-2