Central Coast Roundup

By Agencies
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The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) endorsed recommendations that all children 6 months through 5 years should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. 

This announcement follows the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authorization of the pediatric vaccine last week.

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup has also approved these recommendations.

With this authorization, approximately 27,900 children under the age of 5 are now eligible to be vaccinated in Santa Barbara County. 

All children, including children who have already had COVID-19, should get vaccinated. Vaccines are expected to arrive locally as early as this week. 

Children under 5 years of age may receive one-tenth of the adult dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in a 3-shot series. 

Alternatively, children 5 years of age and younger may receive one-quarter of the adult dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in a 2-shot series. 

Smaller needles, designed specifically for children, are used for this age group. 

COVID-19 vaccine dosage does not vary by patient weight but by age on the day of vaccination. 

According to the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, since March 2020 approximately 2,000,000 cases of COVID-19 have occurred among those less than 5 years of age in the U.S, resulting in approximately 20,000 hospitalizations and approximately 200 deaths.

The authorities also said that there have been a disproportionate number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths among African-American, Hispanic-Latino and Native American children in this age group. 

Completion of either vaccine series produced antibody levels similar to those achieved in individuals ages 18 -25 years for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and 16- 24 years for Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, respectively. 

Observed vaccine reactions among infants ages 6-12 months and children ages 1 through 5 years were consistent with reactions to other vaccines routinely recommended for use in these age groups.

“Our youngest community members are now eligible to receive safe and effective protection from the COVID-19 virus. We have been in contact with local pediatricians and pharmacies to assess incoming supply and will be at the ready to support vaccination needs as they arise,” shared County Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso. 

Distribution of pediatric vaccinations for these younger children has started across the country, and will be available locally at pediatric practices, pharmacies, and Federally Qualified Health Centers. 

Children in this younger age group can be vaccinated with whichever vaccine is available, either Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, said the authorities.

CHARGED WITH CHILD PRONOGRAPHY

In July of last year, Ojai police deputies took a report regarding a juvenile female that was tricked into sending child sexual abuse material (CSAM), to a suspected adult male over a social media application.  

Through further investigation, detectives identified Connor Kerns as the suspect in the investigation.  

The juvenile female sent Kerns nude images and sexual videos via social media. 

Kerns offered to pay the juvenile for the CSAM and also blackmailed her into sending more CSAM by threatening to “leak” the other images and videos.  

Kerns then posed as a hacker from a fictitious social media account and told the juvenile he hacked into Kerns’ account.  

Kerns, pretending to be the hacker, threatened to “leak” the CSAM images and videos if the juvenile did not participate in sexual acts with Kerns.  

Kerns eventually convinced the juvenile female into meeting up with him in person, which is when he extorted sexual acts and additional CSAM from the juvenile. 

Detectives discovered further evidence linking Kerns to the crime. 

Kerns was contacted during the investigation and was interviewed by detectives.

During the course of the investigation, detectives received information through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), reference two separate “CyberTips” which involved a Los Angeles County juvenile female and another juvenile female residing in the State of Tennessee, who had been contacted by Kerns under similar circumstances.   

Last week numerous detectives served a search warrant in the 400 block of Fallbrook Avenue in Newbury Park. Kerns was arrested and booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility on 22 counts related to child pornography and sexual assault.   Kerns is currently awaiting arraignment while being held on $1,000,000 bail.  

This investigation is currently ongoing. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office believes there could be additional victims. If you have any information regarding Connor Kerns or this case, please contact Detective Rosalio Cobian of the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit at 805-384-4723.

SB CITY WITH NEW WEBSITE

The City informed that has launched a new website last Tuesday, that features a clean and modern design and better mobile compatibility and aligns with the City’s goals of inclusivity, providing the capability for Spanish translation and a better experience for those in the disability community. 

The enhancements were driven by public input expressing a desire for ease of navigation and the ability to search.

 Information Technology’s Director, Justin Cure, said that the City’s former website was nearly 10 years old, based on technology that was no longer supported, and did not provide the functionality to make it more inclusive. 

“The move to a new website platform allowed us to focus on being more resilient to future change and improvements in technology,” Cure said. 

The new site uses the open source Drupal platform, which has been standardized by the federal government as the website foundation of preference. 

Drupal provides a flexible, scalable, and accessible website foundation.

GUADALUPE

The City of Guadalupe public transit service, called the Guadalupe Flyer, will be changing its transit service operation, informed the City.

From now on, instead of one bus route in between the City of Santa Maria and throughout the City of Guadalupe every 75 minutes, transit service will be split into two routes. 

“The Guadalupe Flyer Express route will run every hour between the City of Santa Maria Transit Center at the top of the hour and City of Guadalupe Amtrak station at the bottom of the hour,” the City said in a press release.

The Guadalupe Flyer Local route will run every half hour at stops throughout the City of Guadalupe and meet up with the Guadalupe Flyer Express at the City of Guadalupe Amtrak station at the bottom of the hour. 

Also, two more stops will be added, one in the Pasadera development and the other at West Main and Montez Court. Free transfers will be available between these two routes.

The City also stated that on-demand shuttle service were discontinued on June 30.

Along with these changes, the City has updated many of its bus stop locations, with new bus shelters, lighting, and signage.

“Transit information for the Guadalupe Flyer can be found on mapping websites such as Google Maps. These websites even provide cost information, with current gas prices, transit may be a viable option for reducing household expenses,” said the City.  

For help in seeing if transit may work for you, contact the City of Guadalupe Public Works Director at, 805.356.3910.