Looking to play the role of spoiler
93013 Fund helps Carp during pandemic More than $200,000 distributed to those in need - A3
Our 165th Year
Gaucho women taking on Irvine today in Las Vegas - A7
75¢
W E DN E S DAY, M A RC H 10 , 2 0 21
Officials: SB County could be in red tier soon By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
Public Health officials say further vaccine progress will lead to changes in the state’s COVID-19 tier system, prompting shifts that could launch Santa Barbara County into the red tier as soon as Friday. Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, director of the county’s Public Health Department, briefed the County Board of Supervisors on the state’s vaccine equity metric goals Tuesday. The state’s goals seek to target COVID-19 vaccines at people living in 400 zip codes associated with the lowest bottom quartile of the state’s Healthy Places Index. California’s more than 1,650
zip codes were divided into four quartiles based on 25 community characteristics such as housing, health care access, education and the economy, among others. According to the state’s Equitable Vaccine Administration plan, communities within the lowest quartile of the state’s HPI will receive a double allotment of the vaccines distributed. The state’s plan aims to meet benchmark goals that correspond with revisions to tier criteria as the vaccine distribution expands. The first goal is to reach 2 million vaccine doses administered, and once this happens, the tier system will change. When the goal is reached, the purple tier will adjust to a case
rate of 10 per 100,000 and the red tier will adjust to four to 10 cases per 100,000. Currently, counties in the purple tier have a case rate of greater than seven per 100,000, and red tier counties have a case rate of four to seven cases per 100,000. The state has already administered 1.875 million vaccine doses in the lowest HPI quartile, inching the state closer to a revision of the current tier system. If 2 million doses are reached this week, Santa Barbara County will be launched into the red tier very quickly based on the county’s current case rate of 9.7 per 100,000, Dr. Do-Reynoso said. “The day that the vaccine equity goal has been met — meaning the day that the 2 million level has
been met — tier assignments will be revised to reflect the shift in the blueprint tier threshold and announced the following day,” Dr. Do-Reynoso said during the meeting. As soon as the goal is met, the new tier metrics will be effective the next day. Given the state’s broad vaccine rollout, Dr. DoReynoso said “it is conceivable that by Friday or early next week, (Santa Barbara County) could be moved into the red.” The state’s plan also aims to meet a second benchmark goal of 4 million vaccines allocated, which would expand the orange tier to a case rate of two to 5.9 cases per 100,000 and shift the yellow Please see red tier on A8
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
During Tuesday’s Board of Supervisor meeting, Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso said the state will revise the current tier structure as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout spreads. Shown here is a vaccine being administered last month at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria.
Master plan for State Street
SB Unified secondary campuses will reopen in red tier District explores equitable grading policies By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
On Tuesday, the Santa Barbara City Council got the ball rolling for a State Street master plan to be formed by an advisory committee of stakeholders, outlining plans such as bicyclists and pedestrians, and utilizing bike lanes.
City Council approves State Street vision principles, directs advisory committee formation By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The vision of the State Street promenade is slowly but surely coming to fruition. On Tuesday, the Santa Barbara City Council approved the recommendations of the State Street Subcommittee on the future of the promenade. Members supported the committee’s stated vision principles, which included numerous characteristics stakeholders and community members hope to see in the future of the street, such as: more housing, economic revitalization, cultural and historical elements, attractions for locals and tourists, accessibility and becoming/ remaining the “defining place of Santa Barbara’s identity.” “There’s so much energy for our downtown. There’s such a love for it and a passion for it, and it’s thrilling to me to hear so many people who are so engaged in this conversation and who want to be a part of the master planning conversation as we move forward,” said Council
member Meagan Harmon, who is also the chair of the State Street Subcommittee. “Our committee was unanimous and very strong in our belief and recommendation that we pursue master planning for our downtown core and the necessity of doing so. “That became clear as we moved through the process just how many questions we really need to answer in order to put together what is potentially the project of a generation for our city.” The council members agreed to direct staff to take into account the following as master planning begins: streetscape design and amenities, transportation and circulation, housing and redevelopment influences, economic development, historic resources, equity and accessibility, homeless strategies, public art and performing arts, operation and maintenance and a
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The Council discussed that the downtown State Street master plan could include plans for the adjacent streets as well, and members hope the blueprint for the plan could set the stage for revitalizing other areas of the city as well.
funding strategy. The council directed staff to initiate amendments necessary to permanently close the street, and established its requirements for the makeup of the Master Plan Advisory Committee. The decision-making body will take a similar shape to that of the Community Formation Commission created earlier this year for the civilian police review system, but with a total of 15 voting members plus two alternates (compared to 13 voting members and two alternates for the CFC). Three members of the Master Plan Advisory Committee must be city council members; one member must be a planning
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commissioner; one member must be a historic landmarks commissioner; three spots are preferred for business and/or property owners; and the rest are open for the community at large to apply. Jim Knell, one of the main property owners and landlords on State Street, represented one of the only voices lacking complete support of the subcommittee’s recommendations, leading to property owners’ inclusion. “I’m not in favor of what you’re doing,” he said. “You need to include property owners … We have the largest investment of any one group in downtown Santa Please see STATE STREET on A8
The board of the Santa Barbara Unified School District permitted secondary campuses to reopen when the county reaches the red tier. Susan Klein-Rothschild, Santa Barbara County Public Health Department school liaison, estimated the county will be in the red tier “within the next week or two.” Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, director of the Public Health Department, said Tuesday that the county could be in the red tier as soon as Friday. Additionally, all school staff members should be able to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the month. The district’s COVID-19 safety plan has been accepted by public health officials. “We are ready and waiting,” Shawn Carey, assistant superintendent of secondary education, said regarding reopening. A total 69.5% of secondary students plan to return to campus when it reopens. Board member Laura Capps inquired if both elementary and secondary schools can open campuses Wednesdays, alternating the two cohorts each week. Previously, Wednesdays were set aside as a day to deep clean the classrooms, but recent health and safety guidance does not tie the spread of COVID-19 to hard surfaces. Administrators expressed hesitancy toward adopting the idea quickly. “There’s been so many changes already that our teachers and parents have had to deal with, so we want to be very mindful and thoughtful of how we roll out this next stage,” said Ana Escobedo, assistant superintendent of elementary education. Students with acute needs (who have been on campus in small cohorts) will be on campus Wednesdays regardless. Next week, seventh- and ninthgrade students and students
recently enrolled in the district can participate in campus orientation activities. A majority of the meeting was spent discussing grading policies. Joe Feldman, founder and CEO of Crescendo Education Group, and Mark Boswell, an associate at Crescendo Education Group, joined administrators in a presentation to the board. Mr. Feldman is the author of “Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms,” which was published by Corwin in 2018. A cumulative 76% of white elementary students and 92% of Latino students within SB Unified received low marks in three or more subject areas. In secondary schools, 21% of white students receive Ds or Fs contrasted with 50% of Latino students. The district began looking at the grading policies in January after seeing students scoring lower marks. “The same considerations and principles and pillars apply whether we’re in a pandemic or not,” Mr. Feldman said. He suggested a slow transition to a new grading system, as to not alienate teachers. Ms. Carey cautioned board members not to be intimidated by the long-term commitment. “It’s an urgent journey,” she said. “Because once we know better, we can do better. And that is the spirit of the objectives of the board study session.” Mr. Feldman explained some consequences of traditional grading methods. “Our inherited grading systems actually reward students with resources and privilege and punish those without, and it actually makes it harder for students with less privilege in becoming successful,” Mr. Feldman told the board. The grades then impact students well into the future. “Because grades will affect our students’ employment status, work permits, insurance rates, college Please see SBUSD on A8
Obituaries............. A8 Sudoku................. A5 Weather................ A8
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 12-18-27-28-34 Meganumber: 19
Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 5-3-1-8
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 4-33-46-58-65 Meganumber: 13
Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 5-10-15-28-33
Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 10-09-01 Time: 1:41.93
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 11-31-50-52-58 Meganumber: 18
Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 5-6-5 / Tuesday’s Midday 6-6-6