Yes, We Have No Bananas
by Bonnie Donovan
Corner of Chapala and Ortega Street
On Wednesday afternoon, as I was driving up Chapala Street, I noticed a very elderly woman on the sidewalk who appeared to be injured and bleeding. I made a U-turn to offer help and call for an ambulance.
However, it seemed her basket or its wheel might have gotten entangled in the construction fence stand. It made me question whether these construction fences should be placed within the site rather than occupying the city sidewalk, especially when incidents like this occur.
Big thank you to the mother and her young son who also stopped to help her.
After the announcement from Trader Joe's that for the first time in twenty years they had to raise the price of their bananas. I reached out to various people from different walks of life to ask them if they were affected by inflation. The following is a list of some of their answers.
I think that inflation impacts vary by income level as well as age. However, in our case, the biggest impacts have been in the costs of energy. Gasoline, electricity, and natural gas combined have the biggest impact.
The biggest impact is in the cost of food, especially meat of all kinds.
While we are not directly affected, the cost of housing has exploded. Houses that cost $600,000 three years ago are selling for more than a million today.
Restaurants and coffee shops are now demanding, through their electronic invoice devices, a minimum tip of 18% with a preference for 20% or higher. Meanwhile, cheaper cuts of meat and smaller portions at higher menu prices are emerging in some places to eat.
The California minimum wage of $20 will close many fast-food restaurants and has pushed up menu prices.
Other expenses include insurance and taxes. Taxes go up as prices of taxed goods and services inflate in price.
Insurance prices go up as a result of government actions that force some insurance companies to put up their prices or to stop doing business in California.
From our perspective, most of this inflation is government driven.
While getting all my receipts in order to have my taxes done, I have noticed many things have doubled. City parking lot charges have doubled.
Tips: they now suggest 20, 25 or 28%. Restaurants have all raised the meal charge, everyone went up.
Gas tonight coming home has risen to 6.00 plus and it will stay that way since summer is around the corner.
Arrowhead water delivery service has a notable increase, and as a result, they have started suggesting driver tips, following the trend set by other delivery services.
Food delivery has gone up and we are doing it maybe once a month and before maybe 4-5 times a month.
To compensate we have canceled some of our subscriptions like TV channels. I'm going to cancel my Sirius radio stations in my car, it went from $5.95 to $23.95 per month.
Bacon has gone up in price; groceries in general have gone up.
Gas prices are killing us.
Stopped going out to eat.
Everything is so expensive.
Gas prices have surged.
Gas hits $6.00 on Mission Street
A friendly reminder, the new $20-per-hour minimum wage for fast food establishments was because they don't receive tips. Why do they have tip jars or ask for a tip at checkout?
From One Sad Situation to Another
On Saturday during Deltopia, a live scanner broadcasted the dispatcher announcing three additional calls to Isla Vista (IV) and mentioned that there were no more available medics for Santa Barbara County at 11:30 am.
I am curious if this shortage was specific to Deltopia or if it affected all residents in the county, including those experiencing something life threatening.
According to the scanner site, there were a total of 40 calls received by 11:30 am and went to 70 in a short time. For the total numbers go to the Santa Barbara Sheriff report here.
Ending With Something Good
I had the pleasure of being invited to the April show at 10 West Gallery on Thursday. The artwork displayed included pieces by Cassandra Ensberg, a local architect, and the founder of the Kids Draw Architecture Program in 1988.
The art showcased was unique, captivating, and enjoyable, with elements of stitching, painting, cutting, and folding.
Begin your art-filled day at 10 West Gallery, located at 10 W. Anapamu Street.
HAPPY Birthday Jim Buckley!!!
Well, here's more joy. From KLITE radio this morning: The USPS has requested that first class go up to 73 cents. A 7% increase. Time to stock up on the "forever" stamps. I remain among those few who still send cards and write letters. Handwritten! And yes, Christmas cards, too. Thanks, Bonnie, for being our "man about town."
We are going to pick up the pork we raised and sent to the butcher. We really understand the meaning of the term “ the whole hog”
Keep up the great articles, Bonnie