This has been a week of welcome, winning and wildfire as school and sport seasons wind down and fire season heats up.
We begin the week with wreaths of fire hose to area firefighters already on the move as fire season kicks in. CalFire, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County fire crews Sunday fully contained a nearly 15-acre vegetation fire that broke out along Suey Creek Road near Highway 166 in Los Padres National Forest.
The following day Santa Barbara County, Five City Fire Authority and Forest Service crews quickly halted a brush fire that broke out Monday along Highway 101 near Los Alamos, keeping the blaze at about one-quarter acre. Tuesday brought another fire, and another quick response, as crews knocked down the 48-acre burn near Bull Canyon Road and Highway 166.
For Santa Maria firefighters we offer a bushel of catnip in honor of their extra duty this week. On Thursday, they resuscitated a family cat, extinguished an apartment complex fire, and rescued a second cat and two dogs from an apartment fire which ultimately displaced five adults and damaged several units.
And we carry on with emergency services floral awards with 29 boutonnieres for Thursday’s 29 graduates of Hancock College Emergency Medical Technician program. Thanks to these young people who look to dedicate their lives to the service of others in times of most critical need: Avellina Arredondo, Lars Barron, Bryan Cervantes-Rodriguez, Joshua Day, Anastasia Demorris, Nicholas Donati, Vincent Gomez, Alan Gudino, Mason Hammill, Manuel Hernandez, Desmond Julius, Nick Kitzmann, Jaycob Kies, Ernesto Ramirez, Kade McNamee, Kailey McNamee, Andrew Misner, Sarah Montanaro, Ella Moores, Margarito Paniagua-Diaz, Devin Perea, Adolfo Pineda Rodriguez, Elyaz Pu’a, Jose Santana, Jason Stone, Gabriela Uriarte, Abraham Villanueva, Ariel Wilson and David Yannelli Toca.
Deeper in the medical service industry, we offer a bright, welcoming, waiting room bouquet to Savie Health, the free, walk-in health clinic specializing in serving uninsured adults.
The volunteer-run nonprofit will be staffed by Lompoc-based physicians and nurses who donate their time, along with part-time executive director Eryn Shugart and a bilingual clinic manager beginning June 17 at 1111 E. Ocean Ave. in downtown Lompoc.
It aims to support a portion of the county’s 41,000 adults who remain uninsured. Board members each receive their own heartfelt, long-stemmed rose, including: founder of SLO NOOR Clinic and Savie board President Dr. Ahmand Norristani, Dr. James Tretin, Dr. Lee Silkman, Yvette Cope, Naishadh Buch, Eryn Shugart, and Abe Lincoln.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians is celebrated this week as it continues a long tradition of giving back to the valley community. The organization donated $35,000 toward the Buellton Senior Center’s expansion into the space currently occupied by Buellton Library. The library is relocating to the city-owned Willemsen Dairy property near Buellton’s River View Park. The funds will help cover costs associated with furnishing the center’s new dining and office areas, and a computer area.
Farewell roses to retiring Solvang School District Superintendent Steve Seaford and a welcoming bouquet to his successor, Sierra Loughbridge. Loughbridge, currently executive director of curriculum and instruction at Santa Barbara Unified School District, was selected from a pool of candidates narrowed by interviews conducted by administrators, staff, parents and “district stakeholders.” She has been a teacher, principal and administrator at various levels since graduating UCSB.
Roses of welcome as well to newly elected United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County President Roger Aceves of Goleta. Aceves replaces outgoing president Tony Vallejo who has earned his own bouquet after years of service leading the non-profit youth development agency that serves 600 children ages 5-18 years old at 10 locations across Santa Barbara County.
And finally, stitched leather roses to the players, coaches, support staff and parents who toughed out an exciting season of local high school spring sport seasons. Number 5 seed Righetti faced off with Number 2 seed Bakersfield Stockdale for the CIF Central Section Division 1 baseball championship Friday night in Visalia.
Nipomo High School softball won its way into the semifinals of the CIF Central Section Division 6 playoffs. Pioneer Valley fell to Mission Prep in the CIF Central Section Division 4 semifinals, but not before earning 17-13-1 on the season, and 10-7-1 in the Ocean League where they also fell to league champions Mission Prep.
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