••• A press release from Elings Park Foundation ran on Edhat: “Elings Park is recruiting over 200 Merino Sheep to remove fire prone plants and weeds. The public is welcome daily to observe from March 2 to March 21. This is the first time these voracious fuzzy, eco-friendly critters have been used in the Park [….] The flock will be viewable at the park with no charge, although on weekends there is a $5 parking fee.”
••• The Independent and Newsmakers with Jerry Roberts (quoted here) on how, “in an extraordinary display of Sacramento special interest spending, the California Association of Realtors political committee has dumped nearly $700,000 so far into hit piece mailers attacking Assembly contenders Cathy Murillo and Steve Bennett, campaign finance documents show. […] Among other things, the crude mailers portray them as moldy bread, a chalkmark dead body and a child’s doll, while hurling charges accusing them, variously, of corruption or policies that favor gangs and injure families.”
••• “The California Department of Public Health announced they have expanded their coronavirus testing capacity in California with eight public health labs across the state. One of those labs is located in Ventura County.” —KEYT
••• “Officials with the Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation and City Net this week presented the results of the first 60 days of the pilot program [to reduce homelessness]. […] The team has made contact with 41 people in the 400 and 500 blocks of State Street, and 17 of those individuals have become City Net clients. Nine of them made exits from the street, either by finding permanent housing or temporary shelter.” —Noozhawk
••• “City Attorney Ariel Calonne is asking the Santa Barbara City Council on Tuesday to redefine short-term vacation rentals in the coastal zone as hotels. The unusual move comes amid existing vacation rental lawsuits against the city over short-term vacation rentals.” —Noozhawk
••• “Cottage Health announced that they will soon implement new security measures for visitors in their hospitals. Starting March 1, photos will be taken of visitors at the hospitality desks when they check in. These pictures will be printed on the daily visitor passes and will help hospital staff more quickly identify authorized visitors within the hospital.” —KEYT
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