Month: June 2025

Dave Alley

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – More than 2,000 bicyclists are pedaling through the Central Coast this week during the last ever AIDS/LifeCycle bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

First held in 1994, the event has been a fully-supported, seven-day, 545-mile bike ride down the California coastline that raises money and awareness in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

However, last year’s organizers announced the 2025 ride will the final one, citing increased production costs combined with a significant decline in both participation and fundraising.

This year’s ride started in San Francisco on Sunday at the Cow Palace and will conclude with what is sure to be an emotional ending this Saturday at Santa Monica Beach.

This year, there are about 2,500 cyclists taking part and about 800 volunteers.

For those who are taking part this year, both the cyclists and volunteers, who are affectionately referred to as “roadies,” they said the ride so far has been has been a bittersweet experience.

“I’m glad we got to know in advance that this is the final one,” said cyclist Bill Marsland of Los Angeles, who is riding for the seventh time. “It’s also sad to leave everything. Thinking like that might be the last time I cycle that route, but being part of this community has just made that so great, giving you shoulders to cry on, and folks you just laugh with every time, so yeah, every step of the way has been wonderful in this final year.”

As the days and miles start to dwindle, some of the longtime cyclists are feeling nostalgic about what this event has meant to them over the many years.

“This is it,” said Roland Roth, a cyclist from Marysville, Washington, who is participating in his 16th AIDS/LifeCycle. “It feels like, in a way, like a really long funeral, but at the same time, it’s a celebration because these are people that I see once a year, and they are making a difference in the fight against HIV and AIDS. I’ve cried more this week than I have in a long time on this ride. I’m stopping more. Frankly, I’m taking more pictures and breathing it all in because I don’t know, the next time I’ll be here.”

On Tuesday, the cyclists first entered the four-day portion of their ride on the Central Coast with an overnight stop at the Paso Robles Event Center, home of the California Mid-State Fair.

On Wednesday, cyclists are traveling through some of the most picturesque locations during the entire ride, pedaling about 85 miles from Paso Robles to Santa Maria, where they will finish for the day and spend the night at Preisker Park.

The next day is the shortest ride of the route, a quick 42-mile trip from Preisker Park to Riverbend Park in Lompoc.

Later in the week on Friday, the route will start in Lompoc and end at San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura.

Since it was created, the AIDS/Lifecycle has brought in more than $300 million, giving it the distinction as the largest HIV and AIDS fundraiser in the world.

This year’s ride has already raised more than $17 million and counting.

For more information about the AIDS/LifeCycle, click here to visit the official website.

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Investigators believe someone intentionally set two carport fires in Santa Maria last week.

While the investigation remains fluid, the fire’s lasting impact on nearby residents continues.

A Santa Maria apartment complex was hit with not one, but two carport fires last Thursday.

“They were completely involved with fire when crews arrived,” says Santa Maria Fire Marshal Jim Austin.

Investigators say the two fires — set on opposite ends of the Summergate Apartments on west Morrison Avenue — were no accident.

“The fire has been classified as intentional,” says Austin, “based on scene evidence and some other additional evidence that we have developed.”

Evidence at the scene also suggests these may not be isolated incidents.

Some people living in the complex say they are on edge.

“And a lot of people are still scared of somebody coming back and starting another fire,” says Summergate resident Trish Chapple. “That’s the biggest thing — that it could happen here in our complex.”

Fortunately, no one was hurt and none of the residences were impacted. But the cost of replacing the two car ports at $75,000 each, combined with replacing the ten destroyed vehicles and repairing the other ten damaged vehicles, comes to an estimated figure of $250,000 in overall damages.

And for many residents, the emotional damage continues.

“And you don’t know who’s doing it, or at least we don’t,” says Chapple. “And so it’s scary because now it’s kind of leading to where you’re looking twice at everybody, you know, somebody standing next to the trash can, you know, you’re looking at them. Teens, everybody.”

Officials urge anyone with information to contact the Santa Maria Fire Department at (805)925-0951 ext 8533 to be connected with an investigator.

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KESQ

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) —A 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection with last month’s deadly car bombing outside a Palm Springs fertility clinic, federal authorities announced Wednesday.

Daniel Park, of Kent, Washington, was taken into custody late Tuesday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, according to U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles Bill Essayli. He was charged Wednesday with providing and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist, Essayli said.

Daniel Park

He is accused of helping supply the explosive materials used in the May 17 attack on American Reproductive Centers, which federal officials have labeled an act of domestic terrorism.

Park made his initial appearance in federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday. He is set to be extradited to California.

Daniel Park courtroom sketch(Courtesy of Alba Acevedo)

The primary suspect in the bombing, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, was found dead at the scene. Authorities say Park and Bartkus shared anti-natalist extremist views — a belief system opposing human reproduction — and that Park had been posting such content online since at least 2016.

Park was arrested as he returned to the United States from Poland, from which he was deported, Essayli said. Park “left the United States to go to Europe” days after the bombing.  

According to Essayli, Park shipped about 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate, which is “commonly used to construct homemade bombs,” from Seattle to Bartkus’ home in Twentynine Palms and also arranged for another shipment of an additional 90 pounds.

Three days before Park arrived at Bartkus’ house, records from an AI chat app show that Bartkus researched how to make powerful explosions using ammonium nitrate and fuel, federal prosecutors said.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge in Los Angeles Akil Davis said Park was also in possession of an “explosive recipe” similar to the device used in the deadly 1995 Oklahoma City federal city bombing.

Essayli said Park “shared Bartkus’ extremist beliefs” and he visited Bartkus’s home in Twentynine Palms for about two weeks in late January and early February, “spending time together running experiments in Bartkus’ garage, where the FBI recovered large quantities of chemical precursors and laboratory equipment after the bombing.”

Two days after the bombing, Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills told News Channel 3’s Peter Daut that authorities were investigating whether someone else may have been involved, stating that he believed other people had knowledge on the plan.

“You mentioned other people who may have been involved? Peter asked Mills.

Mills answered, “This is just my personal opinion, not professional, but yeah, I believe people knew because he was on… in chat rooms. He was on YouTube, he was experimenting with explosives. Other people knew that there were all kinds of views and comments on some of those, on some of those things.”

STATEMENT FROM PALM SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Palm Springs Police Department is aware of an arrest made by the FBI in connection with the May 17 bombing incident. We appreciate the ongoing work of the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force as they continue their investigation. Our department remains fully committed to working with our federal partners. Keeping our community safe is our top priority, and we will continue working closely with the FBI to make sure that happens.

We ask our community members to avoid speculation, as this remains an active investigation. The FBI is leading the case and continues to keep us informed. We will continue to share updates with the public as information becomes available and appropriate to release.

During the explosion, at least five people were injured, and the blast caused major damage to the clinic as well as 40 other properties, with at least 8 buildings deemed unsafe to occupy. The bombing caused approximately $12 million in damages. 

Thousands of embryos and eggs stored inside the facility were saved due to the quick response of emergency crews.

Officials said local law enforcement had not previously flagged either suspect. Evidence recovered from a phone at the scene showed Bartkus pacing outside the car for over 30 minutes before the explosion and speaking into the phone moments before detonation.

The investigation remains ongoing, and federal officials are asking the public to come forward with any information by calling 1-800 CALL FBI.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage on this developing story both on-air and online.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif – After years of planning and about 18 months of work, the new look to the State Street undercrossing has now been celebrated.

City leaders, bike riders, construction crews and business owners have come together to make the project possible as a way to accomplish many goals.

It will reduce vehicle speeds, improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, and serve as a gateway to the downtown promenade in one direction and the waterfront and Funk Zone in the other with the goal of making the area more attractive and stimulating economic activity.

The undercrossing is right underneath Hwy 101, and was originally built as part of the crosstown freeway project in the early 1990’s.

It was however, identified as a place where the city was seeing too many crashes.

Santa Barbara City Administrator Kelly McAdoo said, “vehicles colliding with pedestrians crossing State at Gutierrez  and vehicles colliding with bicycles actually traveling under the undercrossing.”

The latest work is expected to provide a better balance for all of the uses in that area.

Santa Barbara City Councilmember Wendy Santamaria has a district that covers parts of State Street and also the Funk Zone. “I’m very confident that it’s going to help bring a lot more vitality also to the downtown, and allowing folks to be able to access our State Street and access our downtown, not necessarily with a car.”

A regular walker James Stevenson said he likes the project and has watched the workers over the last several months. He said, “what they’ve done is they’ve given more sidewalks. You didn’t have enough space before. And we have so many people that are coming off the trains and so on. ” He said the area needs to have regular power washing on the sidewalk and the nearby staircase up to the parking lot.

Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez said, there will be economic benefits in both directions. “It’s going to be a welcome attraction for people to come out of the waterfront into the lower State Street area. As you know, we need all the help we can get.”

The project is part of the city’s Vision Zero program, to eliminate fatal accidents.

The project went through many public hearings at various City boards and commissions. That including the Historic Landmarks Commission, Streets Tree Advisory Committee, Parks and Recreation Commission, and Transportation Circulation Committee. The Project also went before the County Arts Commission. Artistic metal designs were created by Jeff and David Shelton.

“Who wants to go under a freeway? Loud noise on the freeway. So very simple. I stood here for a couple of days watching people,” said Jeff Shelton. The art designer and architect said the project has a flow to it. “So it’s got that  a-b,  a-c,   a-b rhythm. It’s not just one, one, one all the way through. Especially if you show up on a sunny day and you see the shadows change all day long. ” He specifically said the sunlight through the flowers will be impressive.

“The Sheltons are living legends. So we’re really lucky to have them in our community and have them work on a project like this,” said Gutierrez.

A city reports says:  The Project will widen sidewalks on each side of the street from eight feet to 15 feet. On-street bike lanes will be increased from five to seven feet in width and will have a two- to three-foot protected buffer. The new roadway configuration includes one vehicle lane in each direction, a painted median for emergency access, and reconfigured turn lanes at both Yanonali and Gutierrez Streets. Additional enhancements include new pedestrian safety lighting and protective railings, reconstructed bridge columns to improve safety and aesthetics, new plantings in the upper planters, irrigation repairs, street tree removal and replacement, and modifications to the intersections at State and Gutierrez Streets and State and Yanonali Streets to reduce crossing distances for pedestrians.

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