••• “Santa Barbara County Hospitals Report Adequate Supplies of Personal Protective Equipment […] Cottage Health, Lompoc Valley Medical Center and Marian Regional Medical express confidence they can meet needs if there is a surge in Covid-19 patients.” Sound like it might be time to reopen a bit—while washing hands, wearing masks, etc. —Noozhawk
••• “A diagnostic test for people who suspect they had Covid-19 in the recent past just came on the market through Quest Diagnostics. The testing company, which has nine storefronts in Santa Barbara County, stated in a press release today that by filling out an online form regarding symptoms, after it’s reviewed, customers could schedule a blood draw for a serology test. Quest claimed it can run more than one million tests a day and return results within one or two days, although its website states a large demand is delaying test results by about a week.” —Independent
••• The woman killed by a train in Montecito on Saturday afternoon was Victoria “Vaccarello reportedly was a hair stylist who worked in Montecito, and may have been trying to catch her dog at the time she was struck, according to friends.” —Noozhawk
••• Edhat readers spotted sharks off the Santa Claus Lane beach this weekend. There are photos.
••• “The Montecito Water District states it plans to be ‘drought-proof’ by Summer with new rates and desalination.” —Edhat
••• “A dozen shiny, red-and-white Tesla supercharging stations have appeared in the parking lot at Goleta’s Camino Real Marketplace” (that’s the one with Costco), but “only Tesla vehicles can be charged at these particular supercharging stations.” —Independent
••• Goleta History looks into the man for whom Hollister Avenue was named. —Edhat
••• “Chase Palm Park lost two mighty trees that were uprooted during an intense wind storm last week.” —Edhat
••• Santa Barbara “is poised to enter into a massive, 46-year, multi-million-dollar partnership with Paseo Nuevo mall. […] Paseo Nuevo Owners would invest at least $20 million to renovate the mall—about $14 million would go toward capital improvements and another $6 million in tenant improvements. The mall, which currently runs a private parking garage, would pay up to $300,000 annually to the city, adjusted according to the consumer price index in the fifth year. […] In addition, Paseo Nuevo Owners must make a one-time contribution of $200,000 to the city for the purpose of assisting with homeless solutions. The owners would also have the one-time right to a 28-year lease term extension, when the current lease runs out.” The old Macy’s building (below) looks increasingly like a white elephant, and the article rightly points out that Nordstrom may very well have to downsize in order to survive the current retail disaster. —Noozhawk
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