Back to school in Santa Maria
‘Mamma Mia!’ on outdoor stage
High schools welcome back more students for in-person instruction - A3
San Marcos High School students to perform live production - B1
Our 165th Year
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W E DN E SDAY, M AY 5, 2 021
Gas prices may stay high Santa Barbara Inflation, seasonal trends suggest increase in crude oil cost By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
No, the complaints about gas prices aren’t going away anytime soon. Gas prices are likely to get more costly, predicts AAA. The average cost of a gallon of gasoline in Santa Barbara County was just under $4.07 Tuesday. A month ago, it was $3.92. California’s average sat just under the county’s, at $4.05 per gallon Tuesday. The national average, by contrast, was $2.91. While Santa Barbara County seemed to reach over $4 overnight, the national average only increased by three cents in April. “While April saw minimal fluctuation, May is likely to see much larger increases alongside demand spikes, especially closer to Memorial Day weekend,” Jeanette McGee, AAA spokesperson, said in a news release. AAA even predicts some pumps — particularly those close to beaches or mountains — may run low or run out of fuel when tourists drive into town. “With road trips expected to be popular this summer, some summer travel destinations, like
Pay boost scheduled for grocery, retail drug workers By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
The price of gas at a Santa Barbara ARCO was below the county’s average of $4.07 per gallon Tuesday.
beaches or mountains, may see some pumps affected. It is important to understand this is not a market-wide impact,” she said. “Gas can be found at other stations within a market.
“The U.S. is not looking at a gas supply shortage; there is ample gasoline supply across the country. It is just a matter of more frequent deliveries to stations to meet demand.”
Federal regulations require refineries to produce more expensive blends of gasoline in the summer months, further driving up costs. Springtime Please see GAS on A4
Cinco de Mayo
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By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
COURTESY PHOTO
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
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Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, the public health director, told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that vaccine demand is declining in Santa Barbara County.
After weeks of surging demand for the COVID-19 vaccine, inoculation rates are slowing in Santa Barbara County despite increased supply and appointment availability, Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, the county’s public health director, said Tuesday. The county experienced a significant uptick in vaccination rates after expanding eligibility to all people 16 and older in mid-March. But officials say the demand for vaccines has decreased in recent weeks, and vaccination rates are trending down even though appointments are readily available at clinics and pharmacies across the county. “We have an abundance of Please see VACCINE on A3
LOTTERY
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In a split vote Tuesday, the Santa Barbara City Council passed a regular ordinance — going into effect in 30 days — providing a 60-day, $5/hour pay boost for grocery and drug retail workers, applying to employers with 300 or more employees nationwide. The ordinance passed five to one, with Councilman Mike Jordan as the one dissenting vote and Councilman Eric Friedman recusing himself. Both he and Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon hesitated to single out one workforce sector as “heroes.” Although the regular ordinance passed, the council could not find enough votes to pass an emergency ordinance, which staff originally recommended due to the fact that the workers continue
to face exposure to COVID-19. “I just could never make the findings for the immediacy of it, so the tougher one for me is the regular ordinance,” Mr. Jordan said. “... I also have difficulty with the thought that we’re categorizing as non-heroes an entire group of people that are just as heroic as the ones we’re doing this action for.” Ms. Sneddon voted in favor of the ordinance, but she said it was because of the fact that she sees it as a first step toward looking at a living wage ordinance. “I have very, very much discomfort about one sector being singled out … When you think about the EMTs and nurses and our own city employees who are on the front lines and really deserving of hazard pay, I just am having a hard time,” she said.
Demand for vaccine declines in Santa Barbara County
Jason Levy (in the back) works Tuesday in preparation for today’s Cinco de Mayo celebration at Baja Sharkeez, 525 State St., in Santa Barbara. The popular holiday commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. More photos, B4.
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City Council OKs hazard pay
Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 1-6-13-22-31 Mega: 13
Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 0-7-9-0
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 4-27-32-57-63 Mega: 22
Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 8-13-19-23-39
Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 05-12-11 Time: 1:49.34
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 35-36-47-61-63 Meganumber: 3
Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 6-6-0 / Midday 5-8-6
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